Struggling when your newborn fights sleep for hours? Learn 11 tricks that can help you get the rest you and your baby need!

Despite feeling exhausted and clearly needing sleep, my newborn wanted none of it. He’d start to doze off, only to force his eyes open, determined not to fall asleep no matter how tired he was. I tried walking him around the house and snuggling with him in bed—nothing seemed to convince him that it was time to sleep.

As a first-time mom, this was especially frustrating because I thought newborns were supposed to sleep a lot. But mine didn’t seem to get the memo and fought sleep every night… and it was getting worse, not better.

Thankfully, I found a few tricks that actually worked and helped everyone get the sleep we needed. Take a look at these ideas to get your overtired newborn to sleep:

1. Keep wake times short

I assumed my little one would fall asleep better when he was awake for a long time. After all, you’d think that exhaustion would drive anyone to conk out the minute they could.

But it turns out that sleep begets sleep. When your newborn fights sleep, try putting him down earlier than usual. Relying on sleep cues might mean he’s already overtired by the time he’s fussy and rubbing his eyes.

Instead, cap the time he’s awake sooner than later so that you can catch him when he’s sleepy for a nap but not overtired. For bedtime, put him down earlier than usual so he can fall asleep easily.

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2. Establish a routine

Babies thrive on a bedtime routine, even from day one. This doesn’t mean you have to be strict with sticking by the clock. Instead, it’s about doing the same things in the same order, like a flow to your day.

For example, after waking up, you change your newborn’s diaper before feeding him. Then you can play, likely with the same toys and activities, before heading to another nap. The times when these events happen don’t matter—what’s more important is the order you do them.

That way, he starts to expect certain events as a given rather than a surprise. He knows that sleep always happens after he plays, making him less likely to fight it.

3. Feed your baby

I would dart dagger eyes at anyone who suggested I feed my little one whenever he’d fuss. As the only one who could breastfeed him, I resented this time-consuming task that left me glued to my seat for long stretches.

But in hindsight, and later with my twins, I learned that babies mostly cry because of hunger. And if you’ve ever tried to fall asleep hungry, you know it’s not always a pleasant experience. Your newborn may be tired, but his hunger can make drifting off to sleep difficult.

As useful as routines can be, newborns don’t always follow the ones we set. Don’t feel like you’re veering away from the habits you’ve established because you have to feed him between scheduled feedings.

Expert tip

If he continues to fight sleep after feeding, make sure he’s awake the whole time he’s supposed to be eating. Tickle, switch positions, and listen for a “swallowing” sound to know that he’s eating and not simply sucking to sleep.

4. Swaddle your baby

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Many parents swear by the swaddle, and for good reason. At this stage, your newborn is still adjusting to his new sleep environment, which is quite different from the snugness of the womb. Swaddling emulates that familiar snug feeling, helping him feel better rested.

I recommend ready-made swaddles to make middle-of-the-night swaddling more efficient.

If he fights having his arms contained, experiment with leaving one or both arms out of the swaddle. An added benefit of keeping his arms out is the opportunity for him to suck his hands to self-soothe.

5. Tug at the pacifier

Parents have a love/hate relationship with pacifiers. As effective as they can be, pacifiers also easily slip out of the mouth with no way for a baby to re-insert it.

One trick you can try—especially if your newborn wakes up soon after having just fallen asleep—is to “tug” at his pacifier. Right when he’s starting to stir, give his pacifier a gentle tug. This might trigger him to start sucking again for another sleep cycle, keeping the pacifier more firmly secured in his mouth.

6. Wear your newborn in a wrap

When my arms couldn’t take any more holding, a baby wrap became the next best thing. For a newborn, this is like heaven, since they’re snug like they used to be in your womb and close to you as well. And baby-wearing is a welcome chance to “hold” your little one while keeping your arms free.

There are many options for wraps, but the one I used was the Moby Wrap. It does take some practice, but I liked that I was able to carry my little one while still having use of my arms.

7. Turn off the lights

You may have heard to keep the lights on and the curtains pulled back during nap times to avoid night confusion. That doing so helps babies take shorter naps and sleep longer at night.

The problem is, bright lights don’t lend themselves well to any sleep, especially when your newborn fights it. He already resists naps as it is—keeping the room bright only adds to the challenge.

Instead, turn off all the lights and use blackout curtains to block stimulation. The dark room sends the signal that it’s time to relax and rest, inviting sleep to come.

8. Use white noise

It’s always that small sound—the closing of a cupboard, the creaking of the floor—that disrupts your baby’s sleep and startles him awake. And if he’s already fighting sleep to begin with, silence may not be what he needs.

Instead, use white noise, or any constant, muffled sounds to block anything to startle him awake. A white noise machine works well, as does a fan or heater, or even an audio app on your phone.

9. Use a swing

My newborn would take naps in a swing, a perfect alternative for when your arms just can’t cut it anymore. The swing was a godsend when I later had twins and literally couldn’t hold two babies at the same time.

Of course, use common sense and follow best practices when using a swing. Don’t leave your baby unattended or in the swing too long (the same is true with other baby gear like car seats and strollers). Avoid padding the swing with blankets, make sure he’s buckled correctly, and follow the swing’s safety use and advice.

10. Give your newborn a warm bath

Giving your newborn a warm bath—especially if he’s keen on taking them in the first place—can be a great way to relax him into sleep. It can be hard to break from routine, especially when you’ve already invested a long time rocking him to sleep, but a bath may be just what you need.

An added benefit of giving a bath is that he might be so accustomed to falling asleep after taking one that he automatically drifts off soon after. Make the bath extra relaxing by turning off any lights you don’t need and being gentle and warm with him throughout the experience.

11. Show compassion

I don’t know about you, but I was not at my best when my newborn was fighting sleep. I was often impatient, flustered, anxious, and irritated. All this, while I was supposed to be soothing him to fall asleep. Not exactly the emotions to feel, I can see that now.

Instead, I found that showing compassion—soothing sounds, talking softly, gentle caresses—calmed him down more than any constant rocking or swaddling could.

After all, imagine trying to fall asleep with someone hovering above you with an angry, frustrated face. Babies feel our energy and might fight sleep more if we’re not compassionate.

Final thoughts

Nothing is worse than feeling trapped when your newborn fights sleep. While nothing is guaranteed when it comes to babies, at least you now have options to try. From tugging at a pacifier to baby-wearing, these tips can help you get through this difficult stage.

And rest assured that the newborn stage is indeed temporary—and that you, and your whole family, won’t always be this exhausted.