Crying at night, a child’s tantrum, sleepy household members – all these “charms” are familiar to those who have a baby in their family. And how all parents want to kiss their child before going to bed with the words “good night!” and finally fall into the arms of Morpheus. But alas, small children often cry and worry so much that the whole family has to dance around them not only during the day, but also at night, and only dream of a serene sleep. So why can’t they sleep?
Hunger affects not only dads who have had a meager dinner, but also babies, especially if they are newborns who wake up every 2-3 hours to satisfy their hunger. Well, if the room is also hot, then the babies require water.
What to do
Some mothers strictly adhere to the diet and under no circumstances want to indulge the baby’s nighttime whims, while others, on the contrary, adherents of on-demand feeding, are ready to feed around the clock, so that the child does not cry. And here common sense should come to the aid of mothers, that is, it is necessary to find a middle ground. If a child, for example, had a bad dinner, he needs to be fed. But remember that it is necessary to feed him, and not overfeed, as overeating will lead to gas formation, and it will be difficult for the child to fall asleep. But if the baby has eaten, but continues to cry, then the cause of concern is not hunger. Perhaps the room is hot and stuffy – give him a drink. Everything here is individual, and the reasons may be different.
Yes, like a princess and a pea – the slightest crease can make your baby feel uncomfortable. Therefore, when putting your baby to bed at night, check his diaper, crib, mattress, etc.
What to do
If you put a diaper on your child, then make sure that it is of high quality and hypoallergenic, which absorbs moisture well and does not cause irritation, otherwise the baby will not sleep comfortably. The mattress should not be too hard, no crumbs on the sheets. Remember that a baby does not need a pillow until two months old. It seems to be little things, but important little things on which the baby’s sleep depends.
An uncomfortable microclimate in the room where he sleeps can also cause insomnia. The baby is either hot or cold at night.
What to do
The solution is very simple: no one canceled airing if it’s hot, and warm pajamas if it’s cold. Be aware that the optimal air temperature in the children’s bedroom is 18-20 degrees. And no heaters. Even if the child is constantly opening up and throwing off the blanket, there are many ways to secure this naughty sleeping accessory. And to determine and maintain the humidity in the room, purchase a hygrometer and a humidifier.
Sometimes a child may sleep restlessly, shudder, cry in his sleep and wake up if he had a bad dream, or, waking up in a room, he found himself completely alone.
What to do
If the baby has his own room, take care of a night light so that the baby does not wake up in complete darkness. Let your little one have a protector – a teddy bear or any other teddy friend who will protect him from nightmares. Did he have a dream that he got scared of and started crying? Of course, the baby needs to be kissed, soothing with gentle words, taking him in your arms, so that the baby understands that he has nothing to fear, because his mother is always there and will protect him from all fears.
Unfortunately, many children under 4 months of age suffer from colic, as they eat often and at the same time swallow air. Their true cause is not fully understood. Colic as it appears on its own, also disappears. But this information does not make it easier – children suffer, cry and do not sleep at night.
What to do
Know that it is not your fault, you have to be patient. Try to put the baby upright, put his tummy to his mother’s belly, but in no case do not get carried away with folk remedies, for example, water from secluded seeds. It is better to contact your pediatrician, who, with advice, and maybe treatment, will relieve your baby first of all, as well as you from insomnia.
If your child sleeps well and sleeps a lot during the day, then it will definitely be poor sleep at night. He, as they say, confused day with night.
What to do
Do not let your baby sleep too long during the day, even if you like it, because you have time to do a lot of things. Remember, the night is ahead. Therefore, walk longer with your child in the fresh air, read books, fool around, play. Only when the child gets tired, spends as much energy as possible during the day, then he will definitely sleep at night in a serene sleep. The main thing is to develop, of course, an individual regime of wakefulness and sleep. And there are no exceptions, whether it be the arrival of your beloved grandmother or the celebration of dad’s birthday.
The next point follows from the previous one. Frequent guests, loud music, a new bright toy, a change in the usual environment – all these are reasons for overexcitement. Of course, the baby will not want to go to bed and will definitely not do without tears.
What to do
If there is overwork, overexcitement, mom, shortly before bedtime, needs to exclude all annoying factors: music at full power, bright lights, loud conversations of adults. The child should feel that the waking period is over and everyone is getting ready to rest. Be sure to bathe your child in cool water before going to bed, give him a light, pleasant massage, and let the lullaby before bed become a pleasant ritual of ending the day for your baby.
If the mother does not get enough sleep with enviable consistency, she will naturally be tired and irritated, and this will certainly affect the well-being of all household members. Conflicts, quarrels and discontent begin, and even worse – if everyone speaks in a raised voice. The child, of course, feels the tension in the family, and his sleep becomes restless, and he himself is moody and whiny. It turns out to be a kind of vicious circle.
What to do
Avoid family conflicts – control yourself. Walk more often – walking in the fresh air soothes the nervous system and relieves stress. Try at least at the weekend to switch roles: on Saturday, dad goes skiing, and on Sunday, mom goes to a cafe with her friends. And, of course, you should not neglect the help of grandparents in order to have at least a little rest and be alone, well, if they do not live nearby, nannies will come to the rescue.
It is no secret for mothers that the appearance of a new tooth in a child is always associated with sleepless nights, in addition, symptoms such as loose stools, salivation, itching in the gums and even fever are connected here.
What to do
The child will suffer himself at night, and the whole family will forget about sound sleep until the teething process stops. And first of all, mothers should not run to the pharmacy and buy newfangled pain relieving gels, but consult with a pediatrician which remedy is better for you to buy. Don’t experiment – baby’s health is more important. After all, some pain relieving gels contain lidocaine, and it can be deadly, albeit in isolated cases.
Sometimes young mothers are horrified by why their beloved child for no reason at all begins to cry and is capricious all night long, although before that everything was fine. Mood changes can be affected by symptoms of diseases that are invisible at first glance: a rise in temperature, a starting runny nose that prevents the child from breathing freely, etc.
What to do
The danger is that the newborn cannot say what is bothering him, so the mother must carefully monitor the condition of the baby. Symptoms of the onset of the disease can be different: fever, child’s lethargy, poor appetite. If a child, for example, is naughty, shakes his head or pulls a pen to his ear, he may have otitis media. It’s very easy to check. Press lightly on the tragus (cartilage protrusion near the ear canal), and if the child begins to cry even more, then the problem is still with the ear. If there is no reaction, then the problem lies elsewhere. But in any case, you should not self-medicate, and at the first signs of a disease or an unusual condition of the child, consult a doctor in order to avoid serious consequences.
If your child sleeps restlessly at night, then you need to contact two doctors at once: a psychologist and a pediatrician. All reasons are well marked. On my own behalf, I will add that children not only do not tolerate quarrels and conflicts, they also very well “read” the thoughts of their parents. When mom or dad is worried about something, then the feeling of anxiety is transmitted to the kids. And here it is important not to hide emotions, but to learn how to manage them. Of course, bad sleep is associated with fears. Indeed, a plush friend can come to the rescue. I would also add that parent-child interaction is important here.
According to the specialist, some mothers and fathers, not knowing what to do when their son or daughter is afraid, start to panic and frighten the baby even more. A calm attitude, a sense of humor (it is important not to laugh at the baby’s fears, but rather, together with the baby, treat with humor what the child was previously afraid of) is a good remedy for various fears. But regarding overexcitation, Boris Sednev warns: baths with cool water can affect the child in different ways. Sometimes they can, on the contrary, cheer up.
In general, overexcitation as such acts in two ways. On the one hand, the child can play enough until he wants to sleep. On the other hand, if the child has not played enough yet, and he is put to bed, then all this can lead to whims, and subsequently to anxious sleep. For parents, 20-40 minutes before bedtime, it is useful to change the topics of conversation with the baby to calmer ones. In this case, you need to talk in a quiet voice. And just before going to bed, you need to talk to your child as if you yourself want to sleep.