Baby fussy at bedtime feeding

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

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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.

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

Fussy Baby at Night: Causes & Solutions

Is your baby “fussy” at night? Parents interpret “fussy” in different ways, but when your baby is crying for you in the middle of the night and is difficult to console, it’s safe to say that they’re being fussy. Crying itself is natural and expected—it's the main way young babies communicate a range of needs—but why does it happen at night (and sometimes for no obvious reason)? Keep reading for answers to this very common parenting question.

If your baby is fussy at night and you’re looking for an intervention to get sleep on track, take this simple, free sleep assessment and get a customized sleep plan to help your fussy baby from the Smart Sleep Coach by Pampers™.

What Is Fussiness in Babies?

There’s no standard definition or single example of a “fussy baby” because each child's temperament is unique. What you might think of as fussy is likely different from the way other parents may describe the behavior. But in the context of decoding your baby’s nighttime cues, a fussy baby usually means a baby that cries and is hard to console. Because babies can’t yet use words, their crying, fussiness, or irritability can be a way to express what's going on or inform you that they need something.

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Why Is My Baby So Fussy at Night?

If you’re a sleep-deprived parent, rest assured that you’re not the only one asking yourself this question! Babies cry during the day and at night—it’s a fact—but that doesn’t make it any easier when your little one seems extra fussy and hard to console before bedtime. The good news is that there’s almost always a reason babies cry and/or appear fussy, including at night. Among the most common reasons babies become fussy at night or during the day are the following:

Hunger
Being too hot or too cold
Overtiredness
Wet or soiled diaper
Illness or digestive issues
Overstimulation or boredom
Discomfort
Separation anxiety
Colic.

Fussy Baby at Night: Hunger, Diaper Changes, and Temperature

When your baby is uncomfortable, it’s likely they’ll cry to let you know. Feeling hungry, having a wet or soiled diaper, or being too hot or too cold are all reasons your baby may cry and act a bit fussy at night. Feedings and Diaper Changes Although parenting is usually unpredictable, there are a couple of things you can count on: feedings and diaper changes! Your infant will probably sleep most of the time during a 24-hour period, but not necessarily for long stretches of time, as a newborn sleep schedule tends to coincide with feeding and changing. As your baby grows older, they’ll wake less frequently. However, if you’re wondering when babies sleep through the night, that may not happen until about 8 or 9 months of age, or older. A fussy baby at night could very well be a hungry baby in need of a feeding. Likewise, babies don’t typically enjoy the feeling of being wet or soiled, so don’t be surprised if your fussy baby needs a diaper change.

Temperature To ensure safe sleep for babies, it’s important that your little one isn’t too hot or cold. Dress your baby in clothing meant for sleeping and use no more than one additional layer than you would wear—and check that the room temperature isn’t too hot or cold. It should feel cool but comfortable to you. Be sure that the crib is placed away from windows, to avoid direct sunlight and drafts, and also away from radiators. It might take some time to understand exactly what your baby needs, so check on your little one regularly and adjust their clothing or room temperature as needed.

Fussy Baby at Night: Illness and Digestion

If your baby or newborn is fussy at night, another reason could be digestive issues or some sort of illness. Remember that your little one is communicating to you in the only way they know how, so if they’re not feeling well, they’ll likely cry. If your baby is restless at night but not necessarily crying, it could be a sign of abdominal pain or gassiness. For example, your baby may move around instead, drawing their legs up to relieve this pain. Other common ailments and conditions that can cause fussiness include:

Colds and flus
Earaches, toothaches, and teething
Constipation
Headaches
Inconsistent or poor sleep patterns
Bladder infections.

Fussy Baby at Night: Feelings and Discomfort

Besides crying from physical discomforts, babies can also be fussy at night due to conditions or feelings that they don’t know to manage quite yet. Some common emotional reasons for a fussy infant are

overtiredness
frustration
overstimulation
boredom
loneliness.

In these cases, your baby may just need your attention or a little soothing. But in some situations, your baby might be experiencing colic or separation anxiety, which we discuss below. Colic If your baby cries at the same time every night, and cries extensively without stopping, this pattern could indicate colic. Colic is when an otherwise healthy baby has inconsolable crying spells that typically

occur at the same time (usually at night)
last three or more hours each time
start when they are a few weeks old and improve around 3 months old.

Colic can be confusing for parents because it can seem that your baby is crying at night for no reason. A baby with colic tends to be an extremely fussy baby or one that cries every night at the same time and is inconsolable. You typically have to wait it out, but if you ever have any questions or concerns about how to deal with colic, consult your baby’s healthcare provider. Separation Anxiety Your newborn may cry and be fussy at night for a number of reasons, but separation anxiety wouldn't be a likely cause until your baby is a little older and can grasp the concept of object permanence. Once babies begin to understand this idea that something or someone can exist when it's not in sight, they often become anxious and cry when a parent leaves the room, not knowing when and if to expect their parent's return. Separation anxiety typically begins in the second half of the first year, often at around 8 or 9 months. If your baby only cries at night when you leave the room or is fussy all night because they seem to miss you, they could be experiencing this emotion. Whether it’s colic, separation anxiety, or any of the common issues listed above, sleep is not easy for a baby! Watch our video below for additional insights on helping your little one develop healthy sleep habits.

For more tips on sleep watch this video from Mandy Treeby, Chief Pediatric Sleep Consultant and co-founder of the Smart Sleep Coach by Pampers

How to Calm a Fussy Baby at Night

Once you can identify the reason behind your baby’s fussiness, you'll be better equipped to respond. But knowing how to calm a fussy baby at night tends to be more about prevention rather than just reaction. If you look at your baby’s nighttime fussiness by general groupings of symptoms (physical symptoms vs. emotional discomforts), there are a few tactics that can help you calm and maybe even prevent your child’s fussiness.

Calming a Fussy Baby at Night: Physical Symptoms

If your newborn or older baby is fussy at night and won’t sleep, it could be due to the physical symptoms listed above. Here are a few things you can do to try to avoid these sleep interrupters and soothe a fussy baby:

Feed and change your baby before bed. If your baby always seems to wake up hungry or with a wet diaper soon after falling asleep, try to build a final feeding and diaper change into your regular bedtime routine. (Remember that newborns tend to wake up every few hours for feeding, so a bedtime meal won’t prevent waking in younger babies.)
Check for signs of illness. Keep an eye on your baby so you can pick up on any signs of illness. Symptoms of common colds and flus include coughing, sneezing, a fever, congestion, nasal discharge, and trouble eating or nursing. If your little one seems to be ill, consult their healthcare provider.
Rock your baby on their left side. If digestive issues are the cause of a fussy baby at night, you can help your little one find some relief by rocking them while positioned on their left side. Of course, put your baby down to sleep on their back, but letting them rest on their left side while in your arms before sleeping can help ease digestive or stomach pains.
Keep a journal. If you need to visit your baby’s healthcare provider, it may help to take notes about daily habits. Track when your little one sleeps, wakens, eats, and cries. The pattern might help the provider address any issues, such as colic or food allergies.

Calming a Fussy Baby at Night: Emotional Symptoms

If you have a fussy baby at night because of an emotional symptom, your game plan will look a little different. It’s tempting to run and comfort your baby at the first whimper, but you’ll want to find a balance between comfort and helping your little one learn to self-soothe, such as with the Ferber Method sleep training technique. Here are a few tips that may help:

Create a calming bedtime routine. Set your little one up for a restful night with a bedtime routine that keeps them calm. If your baby seems extra fussy at night, a soothing bath, baby massage, or bedtime story could help ease them into a sleepy and comfortable state.
Help your baby get used to the crib. How do you get your baby to sleep in a crib, especially if they cry when you put them down? Patience and consistency! One of the best strategies is to get your baby used to falling asleep on their own in the crib by putting them down before they’ve dozed off rather than holding them until they fall asleep. This way, if they wake up in the middle of the night fussy and crying, your baby won’t expect to be held in order to fall back to sleep.
Wait a minute before attending to your fussy baby. It will take time for your baby to develop the ability to self-soothe, but they can’t master the skill if they don’t practice. Young infants need comfort, so if your newborn is crying all night, it’s probably because they need you! But as your baby gets older, wait just a minute or two before going to them—or poke your head into the room rather than picking them up. Slowly, they’ll begin to develop some self-soothing habits.

When Do Babies Stop Crying at Night?

Do you ever wonder when your baby will get less fussy—and hope that time is soon? Hang in there! As babies continue to mature and reach developmental milestones, they will also start to sleep better. Most babies will eventually fall into a natural sleep pattern. However, some babies are more sensitive than others and struggle with adapting to a routine or settling down when feeling fussy. If this is the case with your little one, know that in time your fussy baby will become calmer and stop crying as much. Consider a few of these timelines and milestones, which may indicate that your baby’s regular fussiness at night is about to become a thing of the past:

Colic. As mentioned above, colic doesn’t last forever. It usually starts just a few weeks after a baby is born and fades around 3 months or so. Keep this age in mind if you have an extremely fussy baby who appears to be crying at the same time each night for no reason.
Separation anxiety. Infants may exhibit signs that are similar to separation anxiety, but this condition doesn't usually appear until about 8 or 9 months. But don’t be surprised if separation anxiety makes a comeback in the toddler years! Either way, your baby will eventually grow out of it.
Learning to speak. When do babies start talking? You can look forward to this milestone at around 1 year, when your baby might start saying a few first words. Of course, it takes time to develop spoken language and learn how to use words to express emotions, but your baby will eventually learn how to get your attention without crying. By 24 months, they might even be able to voice that they’re hungry or sleepy.
Sleeping through the night. Remember that babies will naturally awaken for feedings and that it takes time for their sleep cycle to include longer stretches of snoozing at night. But there’s relief in sight: When a baby is 6 months old, it’s common for 60 to 70 percent of all sleep to occur at night. And by 8 or 9 months, it’s possible for babies to sleep up to 12 hours without waking for a feeding. And remember that, eventually, most babies settle into a regular sleep routine.

When to Contact Your Baby’s Healthcare Provider

Having a fussy baby at night is common and may occur for many reasons, most of them natural, expected, and not a cause for concern. But, of course, when your baby is extremely fussy and crying uncontrollably or all night long, you may find it difficult to cope, and may need to reach out for help and advice. Don't hesitate to call on your child’s healthcare provider. If your baby’s fussiness is a sign of a deeper issue, the provider can help you get to the root of the problem. Or the provider can suggest other soothing techniques more specific to your situation.

The Bottom Line

There’s no exact definition or meaning of a “fussy baby,” as every child has a unique temperament. However, fussiness generally refers to scenarios when babies keep crying to communicate that something’s wrong, which is a natural and expected behavior. So, what’s behind a fussy baby at night? Your baby may be crying and acting fussy at night for any of these reasons:

Feeling hungry, hot, or cold
Needing a diaper change
Feeling ill or having digestive issues
Dealing with separation anxiety
Being overtired, bored, or overstimulated
Feeling lonely or frustrated
Colic.

And are you're wondering how to calm a fussy baby at night? The best strategies involve anticipating your baby’s needs by feeding and diapering them before bed, creating a soothing and calming bedtime routine, and comforting them (young infants) or helping them learn self-soothing techniques (older babies). It also helps to practice patience and remember that babies will eventually outgrow things like colic and separation anxiety and begin sleeping for longer periods at night as their sleep cycle naturally adjusts. Hang in there! Most likely, your baby will grow out of their nighttime fussiness. But if you ever need any help or have questions or concerns, your child’s healthcare provider is always there to support you.

Why does the baby cry during breastfeeding

Yakovleva Ekaterina Andreevna

pediatrician, breastfeeding consultant

Why does baby cry while breastfeeding? The answer may lie on the surface and depend on the situation. Some mothers themselves begin to put forward theories that are often incorrect - “I don’t have milk”, “I ate something wrong”, “The milk became tasteless and bitter”, “I shouldn’t have bought silicone pads” ... Consider the most frequent causes of crying at the breast and options for helping the baby together with Ekaterina Andreevna Yakovleva, pediatrician, breastfeeding consultant and mother of two babies. She knows about the tears of babies not only from professional, but also from maternal experience.

WHY A CHILD CRYS DURING FOOD

— Ekaterina Andreevna, is crying during feeding dangerous?

— Crying during feeding is a normal way for a baby to communicate with the outside world. So he calls his mother, shows that he wants to eat or something bothers him. The only thing that crying can affect is that the baby will come off the chest and take in air. This will lead to more abundant regurgitation, increased pain in the tummy.

Table. Newborn cries during feeding - 9 reasons0018

— Can a change in priorities of a child affect his behavior at the breast?

- Up to three months, babies have one priority - they need to either eat and sleep or change a wet diaper. After the children become more active, they are already interested in the world around them. Therefore, when feeding in public places, and also when the mother combines the process with talking on the phone or watching TV, the child can be distracted: suck - turn away - suck, ask for different breasts in turn, indulge.

After three or four months, the baby should not be on the breast very often, but mothers find it difficult to readjust and continue to breastfeed constantly to soothe him. But in fact, the child’s needs are already different - he wants to be vilified on the handles, paid attention to him, played with him, showed him toys.

- Let's discuss misattachment in more detail. What can a mother do wrong if the child does not eat well and cries?

- A very common symptom of improper attachment or refusal of the breast is trouble-free feeding only in sleep. When the child sleeps, he eats calmly, and when he is awake, he begins to twist at the chest, cry. Mom can get tired of this, and in order to calm and feed the baby, during the day she gives him a bottle. In such a situation, it makes sense to talk about breastfeeding and work to restore normal feeding.

Problems may arise from awkward or repetitive posture during feeding. By trial and error, the mother should choose the position that will be most convenient for her and the child. However, if a baby is fed only lying down from birth, at an older age he may refuse to eat in his arms, break out and cry.

A CHILD CRYING WHEN FEEDING - HOW TO HELP

- Ekaterina Andreevna, everything is very individual for small children. How to understand why a child eats and cries?

— If the baby cries during feeding, the mother should examine the possible reasons for this behavior step by step and:

Eliminate the reasons related to the child's well-being, which she can deal with herself.
Work on breastfeeding techniques.
Seek medical attention if all else fails - child continues to cry and has additional questionable symptoms.

A triad of symptoms that are always alarming

You should also consult a doctor if, during feeding, the child wriggles and cries from constant acute pain, cannot calm down, vomiting, blood and mucus in the stool, rashes in the mouth, stuffy nose are observed. Fever is an acute condition that is not associated with constant (for example, for a month) baby crying during feeding.

— What should I do if my baby refuses to breastfeed?

— The main thing for a mother is to remain calm and adequate. For a breastfed baby, one break can last an hour, and another five to six hours if the baby has slept long and well. Taking long breaks during the day, the child will still finish his daily allowance in order to develop normally. For example, if he has not eaten for six hours during the daytime, he will breastfeed more often at night. Therefore, in feeding children in the first half of life during the day, it is better not to take breaks for more than 3-3.5 hours. With the introduction of complementary foods, the intervals may be slightly longer.

Night breaks are individual and depend only on the child - some children are born with a 6-8 hour interval, and some sleep at night for eight to twelve hours or eat every hour.

Read also

About the reasons why a child refuses breast milk and whether it is necessary to switch to mixed or artificial feeding in such cases.

— Is it necessary to stop feeding if the baby is naughty?

- Depends on age. Mom should feel what exactly the child needs at this moment. If a newborn cries and refuses to breastfeed, you can calm him down, vilify him with a column, shake him, and then attach him to the breast again. If, having calmed down, the child turns away from the chest, then he has eaten.

An older child is distracted from the breast, becoming interested in something else. Do not force feed him. We must try to remove all irritants - feed in isolation in a separate room, not be distracted by gadgets, sounds, or give the child the opportunity to satisfy his interests, and then offer the breast again.

— What else can help calm the baby?

- Since most causes of crying are not related to medical problems, medication is not needed. It is necessary to relax, set up the baby, pump him, try to competently organize breastfeeding - apply correctly, do not give a dummy, nipple, supplement from a cup or syringe without a needle. As a rule, this is how most feeding problems go away.

— In what situations can a breast be replaced with a bottle?

— It is not worth replacing breastfeeding with formula feeding without acute vital signs. When a baby is not accepting the breast well, it is worth removing all bottles, continuing to supplement with “non-sucking” items, and contacting a breastfeeding specialist to try to establish attachment and breastfeeding. This is done by a lot of people.

- Does changing the feeding regimen help to get rid of crying?

- Rather, these are unrelated things. It is not worth forcibly adjusting the feeding regimen, you need to listen to the child - in the first three months, the children constantly hang on their chest, after they begin to form a regimen and the intervals between meals increase. It is important to feel the needs of the child, because not only hunger, but also other things can disturb him, and if he constantly poke his chest, he will not be very pleased.

Table. Mistakes during breastfeeding

The baby cries during breastfeeding for many reasons. It can be improper attachment to the breast, "tangled nipples", inflammatory diseases of the oral cavity, runny nose, colic, teething, lactase deficiency, or a very nervous state of the mother. It is possible to understand what the problem is only by eliminating the organic and psychological causes of crying. With prolonged ongoing anxiety, the child should be shown to a specialist.

* Breast milk is the best food for babies. WHO recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months of a child's life and continued breastfeeding after complementary foods are introduced until the age of 2 years. Before introducing new products into the baby's diet, you should consult with a specialist. The material is for informational purposes and cannot replace the advice of a healthcare professional. For feeding children from birth. The product is certified.

#advice for mom #breastfeeding

Newborn sleep

Newborn sleep is the most exciting topic that haunts young parents. Why does he have such a hard time sleeping? Why does he often wake up at night to feed? Why is he sleeping so restlessly? As part of our article, we will answer these questions, as well as consider the existing violations of children's sleep.

When there is nothing to worry about

Let's look at a few cases in which you can be sure that your baby is growing in perfect health.

A newborn cries and grunts in his sleep

Why does a newborn cries or grunts in his sleep? Does he feel any discomfort, is he in pain? Young parents do not know what to do in such a situation and anxiously rush to see a doctor. We hasten to reassure you. Everything is fine.

Crying or groaning in sleep is normal. Studies show that a similar reaction occurs due to dreams. In addition, babies in this way check the presence of parents nearby, instinctively looking for your protection and support. And if he doesn't find her, he starts to cry for real. Of course, this requires your intervention.

However, you should not react with excitement every time a newborn starts in his sleep. If you do everything right, then over time the child will learn to calm down on his own. Otherwise, he will require excessive care with age. The skill of self-soothing is developed in children during the first year of life. And it is your duty to contribute to this.

The child often wakes up at night

Another issue that worries parents is the regular awakening of the child. This is also normal. Awakening occurs due to the high frequency of sleep cycles. In infants, they occur more often than once an hour. Older children wake up less frequently and tend to fall asleep immediately. However, with the inability to calm down as a result of excessive attention from the parental side, sleep disturbances occur.

A newborn starts in his sleep

Why does a newborn start in his sleep? - no less relevant for young parents question. This occurs during sleep cycle changes due to the immaturity of the central nervous system. And, of course, this is not a cause for concern. It goes away with age.

When to seek help

Now let's look at the cases in which your baby needs specialist help. The most common insomnia is difficulty falling asleep, as well as regular awakenings. There are the following causes of insomnia in children:

Secondary - occur as a result of any disease. For example, insomnia in children can occur due to fever or abdominal pain.

Primary - not associated with any disease. The main cause of insomnia in children in this case is the behavior of the parents or the child during the time associated with sleep.

Secondary causes of insomnia in children are treated by treating the disease that causes it. Primary - by adjusting behavior patterns during the period of falling asleep. Let's see how to do it.

Behavioral insomnia

Incorrect behavioral patterns when falling asleep include:

falling asleep in parents' bed or in arms;
with finger in mouth;
while eating with a bottle in the mouth.

Most parents will ask, "What's wrong with that?" Everything is very simple. If the baby wakes up and does not find nearby what made him fall asleep, he will begin to demand it. To eliminate insomnia in children, it is necessary to observe the correct behavioral patterns before going to bed. What are they?

It is necessary to follow a certain algorithm for preparing for sleep every day. Everything is simple here. Bathing, eating, short-term stay at the crib and leaving the child alone with him. Teaching a baby to this sequence is the key to a comfortable sleep. Both for himself and for his parents.

The “subject mediator” will help develop the described behavioral model in the child. This is a certain item that is next to the baby during sleep. For babies, this is, for example, a diaper that keeps the mother's smell, and for those who are older - a favorite toy. All this gives children a sense of comfort and suppresses the excitement during awakenings, and also allows you to feel your closeness.

What if the child does not want to adopt a certain sleep pattern? Every now and then he goes to the toilet, asks for water, or even comes to bed with his parents. In no case do not put pressure on the child. This will only make the situation worse.

It is necessary to gently persuade the child to comply with the regimen. This will set the baby's brain for sleep and prepare him for parting with you. So, for example, you can strictly determine the number of fairy tales that you read before going to bed.

Eating disorders

Another cause of insomnia in children is the absence of a fixed meal schedule. Many parents feed the child haphazardly - whenever he begins to express dissatisfaction. Feeding in the evening should occur clearly before bedtime. This will develop a certain reflex in the child.

In addition, there are other ways to treat insomnia in children.

Treatment of insomnia in children

What you can do:

Establish a clear daily routine and meal schedule for your child so that he naturally falls asleep at a certain time.
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