Baby cries at night after feeding

Baby Cries After Feeding: What Should I Do?

Medically reviewed by Karen Gill, M.D. — By Chaunie Brusie on October 3, 2018

My daughter, the “crier”

My second daughter was what my oldest fondly referred to as a “crier.” Or, in other words, she cried. A lot. The crying with my baby girl seemed to intensify after every single feeding and particularly at night.

It was those hellish hours between darkness and dawn when my husband and I would take turns walking around the house with her in our arms, praying and, mostly in my case, sobbing because we couldn’t console our baby.

I didn’t know it then in my sleep-deprived state, but my daughter’s crying after feedings wasn’t that uncommon. In combination with her frequent spitting up, it was pretty much a classic textbook case of colic.

Colic

Colic, in technical terms, simply means a “crying, fussy baby that doctors can’t figure out.”

OK, so that’s not really the definition, but in essence, that’s what it boils down to. The British Medical Journal (BMJ) lists one criterion for colic: A baby that cries for at least three hours a day, three or more days a week, and is under 3 months old. Check, check, and check.

There isn’t one single known cause of colic. Even the actual clinical incidence of colic, estimated by BMJ to be around 20 percent of all babies, can be tricky.

Acid reflux

One of those causes of crying after feeding and spitting up in babies is actually acid reflux. This condition is known as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) if it also causes significant symptoms such as poor weight gain.

When my “crier” daughter was 5, she frequently complained of her stomach hurting and as a result, had to undergo a series of testing with a gastroenterologist, a doctor that specializes in the GI system.

At our first appointment, the very first question he asked me was if she had colic as a baby and if she spit up a lot, to both of which I practically shouted, “Yes! How did you know?!”

He explained that acid reflux or GERD can manifest as symptoms similar to colic in babies, stomach pain in school-aged children, and later as actual heartburn pain in adolescents.

While many infants spit up, fewer have actual GERD, which can be caused by an underdeveloped flap between the esophagus and stomach or a higher-than-normal production of stomach acid.

In most cases, a diagnosis of infant reflux is simply based on your baby’s symptoms. If your doctor suspects a severe case however, there are several different tests that actually diagnose infant reflux.

Testing can involve taking a biopsy of your baby’s intestine or using a special type of X-ray to visualize any affected areas of obstruction.

Food sensitivities and allergies

Some babies, especially breastfed babies, may be allergic to certain food particles that their mothers are eating.

The Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine notes that the most common offender is cow’s milk protein in the mother’s milk, but even a true allergy is very rare. Only about 0.5 to 1 percent of exclusively breastfed babies are thought to be allergic to cow’s milk protein.

The other most common culprits, according to the ABM, are egg, corn, and soy, in that order.

If your baby is displaying symptoms of extreme irritability after feedings and has other symptoms, such as bloody stools (poop), you should speak with your healthcare provider about getting them tested for allergies.

Aside from a true allergy, there’s also been some evidence that following a low allergen diet while breastfeeding (essentially avoiding those top allergy foods, such as dairy, eggs, and corn) may be beneficial for infants with colic.

Strict elimination diets can have their own risks, so speak with your doctor before significantly changing your diet.

In our situation, I found that dairy, caffeine, and certain seeded fruit exacerbated my daughter’s crying and spitting up. By eliminating those foods and substances from my diet, I was able to help lessen her discomfort.

If you have a baby with colic, you might want to try anything at all to help ease your baby’s crying. If you’re curious to see if your diet has any effect, you can start by logging your food in a food journal and writing down your baby’s reactions after each meal.

Next, you can eliminate one food at a time and see if reducing your intake of certain foods seems to make a difference in your baby’s behavior. If you hit on one you feel helps your baby to cry less, this does not mean they will not be able to eat that food in the future.

Just be sure to keep in mind that a true allergy is rare. Also, be sure to monitor for any additional symptoms, such as blood in your baby’s poop.

Gas

If your baby is crying a lot after every feeding, it may simply be a buildup of air swallowed while eating. It’s thought that bottle-fed babes in particular may be more prone to swallowing a lot of air during a feeding. This can trap gas in their stomachs and be uncomfortable.

In general, breastfed babies swallow less air while eating simply due to the way they eat. But every baby is different and even breastfed babies may need to be burped after a feeding.

Trying keeping your baby upright after a feeding and burping gently from the bottom of their back and up through the shoulders to work the gas bubbles up and out. Also check out this illustrated guide to burping a sleeping baby.

Formula

If your baby is formula-fed, swapping out the formula you use may be a simple solution to a crying baby after feedings. Every formula is a little bit different and certain brands make formulas for more sensitive baby tummies.

If you decide to try this, talk to your baby’s pediatrician about whether an elemental formula would be a good choice to try for a week. If you try one different brand and you see no change in your baby’s fussiness, continuing to try different brands is unlikely to help.

Takeaway

Colic, along with a few other common conditions, might be the culprit if you too have a “crier” on your hands.

If your baby doesn’t find relief after dietary changes or additional burping, then make an appointment to see their doctor.

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Chaunie Brusie, BSN, is a registered nurse with experience in labor and delivery, critical care, and long-term care nursing. She lives in Michigan with her husband and four young children, and is the author of the book “Tiny Blue Lines.”

Last medically reviewed on October 3, 2018

Parenthood
Baby
06 Months

How we reviewed this article:

Healthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical associations. We avoid using tertiary references. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

ABM clinical protocol #24: Allergic proctocolitis in the exclusively breastfed infant. (2011). DOI:
10.1089/bfm.2011.9977
Harrel MC, et al. (2015). Is there a correlation between maternal diet in breastfeeding mothers and infantile colic? DOI:
10.1097/01.EBP.0000541032.94135.ca
Mayo Clinic Staff. (2018). Infant reflux.
mayoclinic. org/diseases-conditions/infant-acid-reflux/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20351412
Rosen LD, et al. (2007). Complementary, holistic, and integrative medicine.
pedsinreview.aappublications.org/content/28/10/381
Saavedra MA, et al. (2003). Infantile colic incidence and associated risk factors: A cohort study. .
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14502331
Sung V, et al. (2014). Treating infant colic with the probiotic Lactobacillus reuteri: Double blind, placebo controlled randomised trial. DOI:
10.1136/bmj.g2107
Symptoms & causes of GER and GERD in infants. (2015).
niddk.nih.gov/health-information/digestive-diseases/acid-reflux-ger-gerd-infants/symptoms-causes

Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space, and we update our articles when new information becomes available.

Current Version

Oct 3, 2018

Written By

Chaunie Brusie

Edited By

Nizam Khan (TechSpace)

Medically Reviewed By

Karen Richardson Gill, MD

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Why It Happens and What You Can Do

Fussy Baby at Night: Why It Happens and What You Can Do

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Medically reviewed by Carissa Stephens, R. N., CCRN, CPN — By Catherine Crider on April 30, 2020

“Waaahhhh! Waaaahhh!” Just the thought of a crying baby can make your blood pressure rise. Nonstop crying is especially stressful for new parents who might not know how to make it stop!

You may have been warned about the dreaded “witching hour” — those late afternoon and early evening hours when your baby just can’t seem to settle down.

For many parents, it seems like the hours stretch on forever. But rest assured, your baby is not the only one who seems unsettled in the evening. Nighttime fussiness is common for babies.

Still new parents want to know: Why is it happening? How long will it last? And perhaps most importantly, how do you get it to stop? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered with the information you need to survive (and dare we say thrive?) during this challenging time.

The following might be causes your baby is suddenly fussy in the evening:

Growth spurt hunger. As your baby goes through phases of intense growth (common growth spurts occur around 2 to 3 weeks, 6 weeks, and 3 months), they may be hungry and want to cluster feed.
Slower milk letdown. While many moms assume a fussy baby isn’t getting enough to eat, that may not always be the case. Still, your milk composition changes at night, and you may experience a slower milk flow. The change in milk volume might make for a cranky baby.
Gas. If your baby is feeling gassy, and they can’t seem to pass it out of their tiny digestive system, they may feel very uncomfortable!
Overtired baby. It’s a common misconception that keeping a baby awake longer will make them sleep longer. By the end of the day, if your little one has gone too long without a good nap they’ll be very tired. An overtired baby will have a hard time settling down.
Overstimulated baby. A baby’s underdeveloped nervous system is more sensitive to bright lights, sounds, and changes in their environment. For instance, you may notice the light of the TV in a dark room, or maybe the volume alone, makes your baby cry.
Colic. While all babies cry, if you find that your baby is crying for three hours or more, for three days a week, for three or more weeks, it’s time to see the doctor! Your pediatrician should do a thorough exam to rule out other conditions.

You may first notice your baby getting a little fussier in the evening hours when they hit 2 to 3 weeks of age. This period will likely correspond with a growth spurt and some increased cluster feeding.

For many babies the peak of evening fussiness occurs around 6 weeks. If you’re reaching that point, hold onto hope that it’s about to get better!

While there is no guaranteed time when babies outgrow the “witching hour,” it often ends around 3 to 4 months of age.

Calming a fussy baby can seem like an intricate dance that you’ll never be able to master. You may find that a technique that works today won’t work tomorrow. Fear not, though. We’ve got you covered with plenty of suggestions to try calming your fussy baby.

Wear your baby. Not only does babywearing free up your hands to finish those end-of-day tasks, but being close to your heartbeat is extremely comforting for your little one.
Take a walk. Not only can a change of environment be good for your baby, but the rhythm of walking is often a game changer. Bonus: meeting up with another adult to chat as you walk will help you keep your sanity!
Reduce stimulation. Turn down the lights, reduce noises, and swaddle your baby to make it easier for their nervous system to calm. Doing so might even convince your baby to take a short cat nap.
Give baby a massage. Touch is a great way to relax and bond with your baby. While you could incorporate oils or specific types of touch, massage is still effective when it’s very basic.
Start bath time. Water can be extremely soothing for little ones and a great distraction. Even better, you’ll have a clean baby afterwards!
Soothe with sound. Ssshhhing, soft music, and white noise can all be effective ways to soothe your little one. Don’t be afraid to experiment playing different types of music and different types of vocalists. You may be surprised by what your baby likes, and it may change from day to day!
Vary breastfeeding positions. If your baby is hungry and keeps wanting to feed, try switching up positions. Even simple changes to your position can impact milk flow and your baby’s comfort.

If your baby seems to have gas, you may want to:

Spend extra time burping baby. If your baby doesn’t burp after a few minutes of trying, it’s OK to move on and try something else!
Bicycle their legs in the air. This technique is also useful if your baby is constipated.
Try over-the-counter options. Before you consider gripe water or gas drops, discuss options with your baby’s doctor first.
Choose slow-flow bottle nipples. By adjusting the nipple flow, less air may enter your baby’s digestive system with their milk.
Change your baby’s formula. Before giving up on a beloved formula brand, you can also consider trying the same formula in a ready-made formula version, which might lead to less gas than the powdered kind.
Experiment with your diet. If your breastfed baby is showing signs of gas discomfort and you’ve tried other solutions to no avail, it may be time to consider eliminating certain foods from your diet. (Foods to consider avoiding include dairy products and cruciferous vegetables like broccoli.)

The late afternoon and early evening hours may seem very long if you have a fussy baby. Understanding the potential causes of your baby’s fussiness and trying different methods to soothe your little one will help you get through the witching hour. Remember that this, too, will pass.

Last medically reviewed on April 30, 2020

Parenthood
Baby
06 Months

How we reviewed this article:

Foods – for mothers. (n.d.).
llli.org/breastfeeding-info/foods/
Mayo Clinic Staff. (2108) Colic.
mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/colic/symptoms-causes/syc-20371074
Pundir S, et al. (2017). Variation of human milk glucocorticoids over 24 hour period.
link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs10911-017-9375-x
Sanchez CL, et al. (2013). The possible role of human milk nucleotides as sleep inducers. DOI:
10.1179/147683009X388922

Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space, and we update our articles when new information becomes available.

Current Version

Apr 30, 2020

Written By

Catherine Crider

Edited By

Saralyn Ward

Medically Reviewed By

Carissa Stephens, RN, CCRN, CPN

Copy Edited By

Kara Williams

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Medically reviewed by Carissa Stephens, R. N., CCRN, CPN — By Catherine Crider on April 30, 2020

Euromed Clinic pediatric neurologist answers questions

A neurologist is one of the main specialists for children from birth. For the first time, your baby meets with a pediatric neurologist while still in the maternity hospital, then scheduled examinations by this doctor are carried out every month, at three, at half a year, at 9 months (if indicated), per year. We talked with the pediatric neurologist of EuroMed Clinic Natalia Petrovna Isaenko about why a child is shown to a specialist so often, what are the most common neurological diseases in babies, and what needs to be done to ensure that your child grows up healthy and calm.

— Natalya Petrovna, what does a neurologist pay attention to during routine examinations of babies?

- First of all, the neurologist reveals gross congenital anomalies. Next, we look at how the pre-speech, motor, emotional development of the child goes.

In each age period, the child should have certain skills. Parents, unlike a neurologist, most often cannot objectively assess how the development of their child fits into age norms.

- But after all, all children are different, and their development may not correspond to the tables and the established framework?

— Yes, it happens. Here it is necessary to approach very individually. Indeed, despite the fact that we are guided by existing norms, we have certain tables, painted schemes of what a child should do at what age, there is a possibility of deviations from them, and this is not scary. Some child may begin to perform certain actions a little earlier, some - a little later. Much depends on the conditions in which the child lives, what parents do in relation to the child, etc.

But that is why it is important to consult a neurologist in order to professionally assess whether the child is developing normally or there are frightening moments that may indicate certain health problems.

Is it normal for a small child to cry often?

- Recently, it is believed that a healthy child, when he is full, who has enough day and night sleep, should not cry. If the child cries often and for no reason, then there is a problem. These can be headaches, neck problems (subluxations, infringement), neurological problems. In the first months of life - problems with the gastrointestinal tract: colic, increased gas formation, etc. In connection with this, there may be crying during meals, refusal of the breast, of the bottle. During eating, intestinal motility increases, and therefore the child experiences discomfort.

Young children are usually very weather dependent and react to the weather - this can also be a reason for crying.

It seems to me that many children cry because they are bored, they require parental attention so much. Now there is a psychological acceleration in children and, accordingly, they need more attention. This is usually clearly visible. Many parents themselves provoke this fixation: the child began to cry, the mother took him in her arms, shook him, put him to her chest. Of course, the baby in his mother's arms and, moreover, at the breast is fine, and he will repeat crying, demanding repetition. It is not necessary to apply it to the chest every time the child has cried. It is better to try to switch: distract, rattle a rattle, stroke ...

Another reason for crying is overwork. Parents often do not believe that the baby can overwork, they do not understand why. Babies have an immature nervous system, plus they receive a huge amount of new information and impressions every day - for them, everything in the world is new and unfamiliar! Therefore, a good sleep is so important, when the child can take a break from impressions.

If the child screams before going to bed, sleeps little, nervously, often wakes up, it is necessary to move the mode, improve sleep, monitor the quality of sleep.

- When we talk about a full sleep, what do we mean, how should a child sleep?

- For very young children, the norm is to sleep for at least an hour and a half on daytime sleep, six hours in a row - at night. During the adaptation period, in the first months of life, the baby may wake up at night more often, but still, the intervals should be at least 3 hours. Sleeping for 30-40 minutes is not enough, the child does not have enough time to rest. Here such a moment is important: the phase of sleep in a child is just these 30-40 minutes. But the child must be able to move from phase to phase independently. What happens in practice? The child was brought in, opened his eyes, his mother immediately takes him in her arms, begins to feed him. He gets used to it and no longer falls asleep on his own. Therefore, it is important to teach the child to move from phase to phase without waking up: do not touch him if he wakes up, do not disturb him; if he cried, was capricious - pump him up, stroke him, but try so that the child continues to sleep without a break for food.

Older children who sleep once a day should have 2-3 hours of naps during the day. If you sleep more, that's good.

To improve sleep, the regime is important. I recommend directly writing down in a notebook (or in an application on a smartphone) how much the child sleeps, the time when he fell asleep and woke up, when he screams before going to bed, what his mood is after sleep ... So we can track the quantity and quality of sleep. Look at what days the child slept well, fell asleep easily - and focus on the daily routine.

- One of the most common diagnoses that many children are given in the hospital is "neurogenic torticollis." How serious is this problem?

- Neurogenic torticollis - asymmetry of muscle tone. A child is often born with asymmetric muscle tone. A small child does not yet have voluntary movements, they are chaotic. And at the moment of relaxation, sleep, the child is drawn to where the tone is increased. That is, the child lies with a certain turn of the head. If you do not deal with this problem, do not correct it, there is a deformation of the neck and skull. The child constantly looks in one direction, lies on one side, as a result, the head flattens, its shape changes.

You can work with this, the main thing is to do it. What is being done to correct torticollis and its consequences? We change position, we shift the child so that he lies on different sides alternately, and not on one, on his back. Lay on the stomach. Also, therapeutic exercises, massage, swimming pool are recommended for the correction of torticollis.

Torticollis returns to normal between 3 and 6 months of a child's life. During this period, the child becomes more active, turns his head, arms, begins to roll over, tries to crawl, sit down.

It is important not to confuse neurogenic torticollis, which is treated by neurologists, with congenital muscular torticollis, a gross pathology treated by orthopedic doctors.

Is headaches in children a reason to visit a neurologist?

Yes, definitely. Children under 5-6 years of age should not have headaches - they are not yet ripe for this. In young children, headaches can be caused by somatic causes: parasitosis, anemia, allergies, some problems from the gastrointestinal tract ...

In older children, headaches can be triggered by problems with the spine of the neck. In the pubertal period, various autonomic dysfunctions are often encountered. This is a common problem in teenagers.

In any case, it is necessary to be examined. There is a good chance that we will not find anything, and the headaches will eventually go away on their own. But it can be a symptom of some serious diseases that should not be left to chance.

Is nocturnal enuresis (urinary incontinence) common? When do we talk about this diagnosis?

Yes, this is also a common disease. As a diagnosis, enuresis is made after 3-4 years.

If we talk about the norms in development, by the age of one and a half years the child should learn not to urinate at night. A modern child spends some time in disposable diapers. Then they are removed. The first time of the night will be "wet". But by the age of two, “dry nights” should already be formed.

After that, some time passes - and the child begins to urinate again at night, say, at 4 years old. This is secondary enuresis.

If the diaper is removed, and the child continues to urinate at night, this is primary enuresis.

There are many reasons for enuresis: these are infectious diseases, malformations, dysfunction of the genitourinary system, immaturity of the nervous system, stress, neurosis, etc. In any case, this problem cannot be ignored, but you need to contact a neurologist as soon as possible for correction this disease.

- Young children have convulsions when the temperature rises. How dangerous is it?

Febrile convulsions (that is, convulsions with an increase in body temperature) is a paradoxical reaction of the nervous system, the cerebral cortex to such an irritant as high temperature. Against this background, there is a splash. Febrile seizures may occur only once, or they may recur with each episode of fever. Most often, they occur in emotional and active children. Special treatment is not required, the main thing is not to allow the body temperature to rise above 37.5 ° C, to bring it down immediately with antipyretic drugs so that episodes of convulsions do not recur. If necessary, the neurologist will recommend sedatives. Such children are observed by a neurologist, it is recommended to see a doctor every six months.

- Can't febrile convulsions be a sign of incipient epilepsy?

As a rule, febrile convulsions do not have a way out into epilepsy. There are isolated cases when convulsions can really be the debut of epilepsy. Therefore, in any case, it is necessary to show the child to a neurologist so that the doctor can see in which direction it develops.

Is epilepsy generally common?

Yes, epilepsy is a common disease. We, in Novosibirsk, even have a special center where epileptologists work - this is a very narrow specialization in neurology. When we confirm epilepsy in a child, I usually refer the patient to an observation center. So there they will be able to help the baby as efficiently as possible, correctly select the drugs and prescribe the correct treatment.

What symptoms should parents pay attention to in order not to miss the onset of epilepsy in a child?

- As a rule, when an attack occurs, it is clearly visible. The child has convulsive twitches, the corner of the mouth twitches, the muscles may pull, saliva flows, foam may come from the mouth, he may urinate. But it happens that a child simply freezes during an attack, and, for example, rubs his hands or makes chewing movements for some time. And then everything passes. After an attack, headache, nausea, impaired coordination and speech can be observed.

Sometimes the first signs of epilepsy appear even before the attack. For example, a child twitches while sleeping. Or he simply changes his usual behavior, becomes obsessive, whiny, asks the same questions in a circle, etc. This is due to the neurological changes that occur with epilepsy.

Thus, if you notice changes in the child's behavior, he behaves unusually, strangely, be sure to show the child to a neurologist!

If possible, I recommend filming the attack on video - it will be much easier for the doctor to understand what is happening with the child.

- Are there sedatives that can be given to children?

- Hardly ever. Available drugs can be prescribed and given only in hospitals. This is not practiced in outpatient treatment in neurological pediatrics.

With increased excitability and emotionality of the child, I usually suggest starting from afar - to establish a daily routine, give the child the opportunity to actively move and fully relax, walk in the fresh air, etc.

All drugs (vascular, nootropics, etc. ) are prescribed strictly according to indications and cannot be taken without a doctor's recommendation. The consequences of uncontrolled medication may be neurological and behavioral problems in the future: hyperactivity, disinhibition, restlessness, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

How common is attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children?

Now this diagnosis is made very often. Although, it seems to me, we often attribute to ADHD what it is not: the characteristics of the temperament and character of the child, his activity or even pedagogical neglect ...

There are many pathological hyperactivity, but there are still more stories with problems in the family and in the interaction of parents with the child.

— Another common disease is nervous tics. How are they treated?

Yes, tics are very common. We treat both with medication, and - most importantly - with the normalization of the regimen. For a "ticking" child, a good sleep, rest, minimizing the TV, phone, computer is very important. It is very useful to send such children to sports clubs. As a rule, children suffering from a nervous tic are very emotional, temperamental, read a lot and sit at the computer. They are emotionally and informationally overloaded. And the nervous system relieves tension, manifesting itself in tics.

— Speaking of information overload, how do you feel about early development, which is so popular now?

- Badly. Any neurologist, I think, will agree with me. If a child is given a load that is inadequate for his age and development, this can result in quite serious problems in the future, up to psychiatric disorders. A child does not need all this early reading from two years old, English from three and mathematics from five. The child should calmly explore the world, it is important to stimulate his cognitive activity, but do not stuff him with a huge amount of knowledge beyond his age.

— What are the examinations for the diagnosis of neurological diseases?

- Electroencephalogram (EEG). Invented and created to record epi-activity - to confirm or exclude epilepsy, this is the main focus of this examination.

I also refer children with speech and mental disorders to the EEG to see how all cortical rhythms are formed - by age or not. This is corrected by age, over time. Classes with neuropsychologists, defectologists, the Tomatis method (a program for neuro-sensory stimulation) also help.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). This is one of the most informative surveys.

Be sure to send for an MRI to understand the cause of headaches, especially if the child complains of a headache when moving, when he starts to jump, run, move actively.

Also, MRI is informative in epilepsy, the attacks of which are not treatable. Then we look at the MRI to see if there is a vascular malformation (deviation from normal development) or another vascular defect. This can cause seizures, and the problem is solved surgically. As a rule, after the operation, the seizures in the child stop.

MRI allows you to see the structure of the brain and blood vessels, assess the state of the structure, the presence of cysts, etc.

Computed tomography (CT). Typically, a CT scan is ordered after an injury to look for blood in the injured area.

Ultrasound of the vessels of the neck. Headaches, disinhibition, attention deficit, speech delays can be caused by impaired blood flow through the vessels. Ultrasound allows you to diagnose this, as well as to see anatomical defects (C-shaped, S-shaped course of vessels), anatomically incorrectly formed vessels, improper discharge of vessels into the spinal column, vasoconstriction.

Neurosonography (NSG) - ultrasound of the brain. It is mandatory recommended as a screening (preventive examination) for all newborns. The NSG shows the structures of the brain, how all spheres are formed, the cavity system, ventricles, grooves, the presence of fluid. In parallel with NSG, dopplerometry is performed - we look at the blood flow of the vessels.

NSG is performed in the maternity hospital for children after complicated childbirth, in a month NSG is prescribed to absolutely everyone. NSG can show gross violations that need to be corrected as early as possible in order to minimize their impact on the development of the baby. In the first months of life, many developmental anomalies do not appear, until about 3-4 months they are well compensated, and then the child begins to lag behind in motor and mental development. That is why NSG must be performed without fail, even if outwardly the child looks absolutely normal.

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Neurologist's consultation Consultation with a pediatric neurologist

Why the baby wakes up at night: 10 main reasons

Many parents do not get enough sleep because their child constantly wakes up at night crying. In fact, the child always has a reason for sudden awakenings at night. Screaming and crying for a newborn is the only way to communicate that he does not like something. And there are many reasons why a child often wakes up at night. I will outline the most common of them.

The child wakes up at night from hunger or thirst

Often a newborn wakes up at night for feedings, but with age, such feedings become less and less. By 12 months, there may be one nightly feeding, and if there are more, then this is a reason to think that the child does not wake up for feeding, but simply because he associates food with falling asleep.

Baby is uncomfortable

A baby can suddenly wake up if they have a wet diaper, tight clothing, uncomfortable posture or tags chafing the skin - there can be quite a few reasons for discomfort. To calm the baby, it is important for parents to analyze the conditions in which their child sleeps and eliminate the cause that prevents the baby from sleeping well.

Failure to comply with the conditions for the child's sleep

Heat or cold in the room, dry air, light from a night light are just some of the causes of a child's poor sleep. In my experience, some moms ignore getting a humidifier. Babies have very thin membranes of the nasal mucosa, and if the air in the room is dry, then the mucous membrane dries up quickly, and it becomes uncomfortable for the baby to sleep - it is simply difficult for him to breathe. This causes the baby to wake up and cry.

Child sleep regression

Sleep regression is a term used by specialists to describe the deterioration of sleep quality due to various external factors. Such a violation depends on the individual characteristics of the child and is associated, as a rule, with a jump in the development of motor skills (the child has learned to sit, stand, crawl, etc.) and psycho-emotional states.

Sleep regression simply needs to be experienced: during active wakefulness, the child needs to develop new skills to the maximum, and then the structure of sleep will change. There are many regressions in the life of children, and we cannot do anything about them: regression is a sign that the child is developing normally, we should be positive about this.

sleep associations

All people wake up in the middle of the night between sleep cycles - we are so arranged: the brain gives us a signal to wake up to check that everything is in the same place. This is one of the ancient functions that man needed for survival. It’s just that adults don’t remember how they wake up, and children who have sleep associations like breasts, rocking, hissing, patting, or pacifiers cannot fall asleep until they are provided with this association. That is why associations for falling asleep can bring down a child’s nighttime sleep and complicate the process of putting the baby to bed if the conditions have changed (there is no way to breastfeed or the baby has become too heavy to rock him in her arms).

Excitement interferes with sleep

Stress in a child, short or no sleep during the day, long periods of wakefulness contribute to night awakenings of the baby. In children under three years of age, the processes of overexcitation prevail over the processes of calming down - in principle, they cannot calm down themselves. If the baby is overexcited and unable to sleep, it is the parents who can help him relax: create a routine for going to bed and provide a calm environment for several hours before bedtime.

Lack of fatigue and long naps

There are sleep guidelines for children that are desirable.

Newborns sleep 16-19 hours a day, the total time of daytime sleep is 1-2 hours every hour.
Babies 1-2 months sleep 15-17 hours per night, total nap time 6-7 hours.
Babies 3 months sleep 15-16 hours per night, total nap time 5-6 hours.
Babies 4 months old sleep 14-16 hours a day, total nap time 4-5 hours.
Children 5-6 months sleep 14-15 hours per night, total nap time 3-4 hours.
Children 7-8 months sleep 13-15 hours per night, total nap time 3-4 hours.
Children 9-12 months old sleep 13-14 hours per night, total nap time 2-3 hours.
Children 12-18 months sleep 13 hours per night, total nap time 2-3 hours.
Children over 18 months old sleep 12.5-13 hours per night, total daytime sleep 1.5-2 hours
Children 2 years of age and older 12-13 hours per day, total nap time 1-2 hours.
children aged 3+ sleep 12 hours per night, total nap time 1-2 hours.

If a child sleeps a lot during the day, then, naturally, he may wake up at night and not want to fall asleep.

Child's night terrors

This is one of the reasons for the awakening of a child after a year. Analyze how the day goes and what might be causing the fear. Often this is due to the TV always on – not only from cartoons, but also when the TV is running in the background. A child who is accompanied by this emotional background all day may experience night terrors or nightmares.

Psychological problems

High sensitivity of the child, fear of separation from the mother, when the separation crisis begins at the age of seven months. To cope with this problem, it is necessary to give the child as much contact as possible during the day - hug him, kiss him, tickle him and convince him that his mother loves him, she is there and will not go anywhere. There are times when a mother tries to quietly leave the child, leaving him with another adult (grandmother, nanny or dad). This can cause stress for the child, the next time he may not want to let his mother go or wake up at night in tears.

Physiological causes

Infantile colic, teething, vitamin D deficiency in the child, enuresis, itching from atopic dermatitis and other problems can cause sleep problems in the child, so they require a visit to the pediatrician. When the cause is known, the child will be prescribed treatment, and the task of the parents is to follow the recommendations of the specialist and provide the baby with maximum comfort.

During the night awakenings of the child, all the actions of adults should be aimed at helping the baby fall asleep again as soon as possible.