Why does your baby like being rocked to sleep? Think about it: Baby just spent 40 weeks in the tight space of the womb. It’s the only home they’ve ever known, and little one has gotten used to the lifestyle there...complete with constant jiggles and sounds! Amazingly, all this commotion doesn’t upset babies. Instead, they find it soothing.

Rocking to sleep works because babies need a fourth trimester.

After years of caring for fussy babies, it dawned on me that babies cry because they leave the womb three months too soon! Compare human babies to cows, camels, and horses who can walk, even run, on their first day of life. Our newborns can’t do any of that. They aren’t totally ready for this world yet! And that’s why it’s almost unfair to deprive babies of the soothing womb sensations—like rocking—that they’ve always depended on for calming and sleep. So, instead of shunning rocking, give your little one a virtual fourth trimester and watch their crying lessen and happiness grow.

Is rocking your baby to sleep bad for the baby?

The answer is No. When your baby is fresh out of the womb, they crave rocking to help them stay calm and sleep. Rocking your baby is a good thing!

Parents need help rocking their baby to sleep.

As a new parent, it’s not really feasible to be a walking uterus for your baby! You simply can’t spend 24/7 holding, feeding, and nurturing your baby just as the body automatically did for nine months! And the truth is, as hard as you’re working, from Baby’s POV, even 12 hours a day of cuddles is a dramatic reduction from what they got “on the inside!”

And that’s one of the reasons we created SNOO Smart Sleeper. Our smart bassinet gives babies the sensations they crave—while also giving parents a break. In SNOO, your baby is swaddled and calmed by that snug feeling they loved in the belly. They’re also soothed by white noise and SNOO’s gentle womb-like rocking motion. The result? SNOO helps babies drift off to sleep faster...and for longer stretches than other bassinets. And regarding Baby’s dependance on rocking...SNOO actually teaches your baby to self-soothe and gradually weans them off sound and motion by 6 months.

For even more insight into rocking Baby, check out Why Rocking Bassinets Soothe Babies.

About Dr. Harvey Karp

Dr. Harvey Karp, one of America’s most trusted pediatricians, is the founder of Happiest Baby and the inventor of the groundbreaking SNOO Smart Sleeper. After years of treating patients in Los Angeles, Dr. Karp vaulted to global prominence with the release of the bestselling Happiest Baby on the Block and Happiest Toddler on the Block. His celebrated books and videos have since become standard pediatric practice, translated into more than 20 languages and have helped millions of parents. Dr. Karp’s landmark methods, including the 5 S’s for soothing babies, guide parents to understand and nurture their children and relieve stressful issues, like new-parent exhaustion, infant crying, and toddler tantrums.

View more posts tagged, soothing

Have questions about a Happiest Baby product? Our consultants would be happy to help! Submit your questions here.

Disclaimer: The information on our site is NOT medical advice for any specific person or condition. It is only meant as general information. If you have any medical questions and concerns about your child or yourself, please contact your health provider.