home Audience 2 Why does a newborn baby not sleep for a long time? Reasons why a child sleeps all day. Features of sleep in newborns

Why does a newborn baby not sleep for a long time? Reasons why a child sleeps all day. Features of sleep in newborns

Perhaps there is not a single new mother in the world who would not dream of her “treasure” sleeping longer. After all, then she will also have a happy opportunity to sleep off herself or, at least, do some business.

And sometimes these dreams come true. The child sleeps all night without waking up. And he doesn’t stay awake particularly long during the day. “What a calm baby,” the relatives are touched. But is it really a good thing when a child sleeps too much?

What do the doctor's say

According to pediatricians, a baby sleeping too long in most cases means that the baby is not doing well. Therefore, it is necessary to establish the cause of this behavior as quickly as possible, otherwise the child may experience serious health problems.

There may be several reasons:

Problems with breastfeeding

Surprisingly, this is the most common reason for a baby sleeping all day. And there can be two options here.

Rare feedings - e If the baby sucks little and rarely, his body does not receive all the necessary nutrients. Moreover, lack of fluid can lead to dehydration. As a result, the child loses strength, becomes passive and sleeps a lot.

This condition is very dangerous. In some cases, emergency hospitalization and intensive medical intervention may even be required. To avoid this, newborn babies should be placed on the mother's breast as often as possible. Babies may ask to eat every one and a half to two hours, this regime is absolutely normal.
Incorrect attachment to the breast

If baby takes the breast incorrectly, then he gets tired very quickly and falls asleep without having eaten. Quite often, the baby cannot latch onto the breast correctly due to the first flow of milk. At this moment, the mammary gland swells and the nipple becomes rougher. The baby simply cannot capture it with his lips. A lactation consultant will help solve this and other problems associated with improper attachment of the baby to the breast. Just ask him for advice.

Difficult birth process

Sometimes the reason that a newborn baby sleeps a lot during the day is due to difficulties that arose during the birth process. A long and difficult labor process with the use of various medications may well cause increased sleepiness in the baby. Sometimes such babies even skip feeding. In the most severe cases, some babies lose the ability to coordinate swallowing and breathing.

home furnishings

Many people think that a newborn baby can only fall asleep in silence and darkness. However, this is completely wrong. Loud sounds and bright lights make the baby fall asleep almost instantly. Such is the paradox. Although, in fact, there is nothing strange about this - in this way the baby’s nervous system is simply protected from overload.
However, this dream cannot be considered complete. So if you notice that your child is sleeping too much during the day, make sure that the environment in the house is calm. Turn on the TV and loud music less often, and make sure that the lighting is not too bright.

Confused day with night

Almost all children go through this period. If your baby has been crying and fussing all night, most likely he will sleep during the day. There is nothing surprising about this. Just try to carefully switch it to normal mode.

Alert

Despite the fact that all the situations described above require consultation with a pediatrician or breastfeeding specialist, they do not pose any particular danger. But there are cases when any delay jeopardizes not only the health, but also the life of the baby.

You should call an ambulance immediately, If:

The baby does not wake up for more than five hours, while practically not moving. You fail to wake him;
The mucous membranes and skin of the sleeping child began to acquire a bluish tint;
The baby's breathing became shallow and heavy;
The baby has a fever.

All these are symptoms of serious diseases. In this case, only a professional doctor can determine why the child sleeps for so long, make a correct diagnosis and prescribe treatment. It’s better to “play it safe” and make sure that the alarm was a false one than to miss a serious danger.

Your baby will grow up very quickly. Gradually, his daily routine will begin to change and will soon become similar to yours, and then you will again be able to sleep peacefully at night and do all the necessary things during his daytime “quiet hour”. And the question of when and how much a newborn baby should sleep will become a thing of the past and become irrelevant. The main thing is to try to accustom your baby to the correct regime. This will save both you and him from a lot of problems in the future.

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5-7 days after the birth of the baby, mother and baby are discharged from the maternity hospital. A nurse and pediatrician will visit you at home in the first few days after discharge. They will examine the newborn and tell you what to do and how to do it. in the first month of a child's life. But if you have any questions, be sure to ask!

Vaccinations

In the first 12 hours of life in the maternity hospital, the baby is vaccinated against viral hepatitis, and after 3-7 days - against tuberculosis (BCG).

Weight

During the first month of life, a child grows by an average of 3 cm, and weight increases by 600 grams. It's already after the baby has lost weight after birth.

Weight loss after childbirth occurs due to the fact that the circulatory system is reconstructed, the kidneys, digestive system, and so on begin to work. It takes approximately 10 days for the child’s body to become accustomed to it, and only then does the baby begin to gain weight.

Many mothers carefully monitor the baby’s weight, weighing him before and after feeding, and strictly monitor weight gain and chart indicators. But actually Excessive scrupulousness is sometimes harmful.

All tables are average data, and there is no need to chase them at all. A hungry child will definitely let you know about his desire to eat.

Feeding

Breast milk is the best nutrition for a newborn, especially in the first month of life. It serves not only as food, but also as drink. Therefore, there is no need for additional feeding until at least 6 months, if the mother has enough breast milk.

Newborn usually saturates within 15 minutes vigorous sucking. During this time, he manages to eat 60-70 grams of milk (this is almost a fifth of the baby’s weight!). It is not recommended to hold the baby at the breast for more than 25-30 minutes.

If your baby sleeps through a feeding, don't wake him up. And do not disturb the baby if he falls asleep during feeding. Remember that overfeeding a newborn is even worse than underfeeding, since a small stomach has difficulty coping with large volumes of food.

Try to teach your child to take a night feeding break for 5-6 hours. This will not only allow you to rest at night, but will also help you form the correct sleep and wakefulness pattern for your baby.

Dream

The first week of my new life outside my mother's tummy the child usually sleeps almost all the time(up to 20 hours a day). A newborn sleeps on his back in a frog position, with his legs bent at the knees and arms at the elbows. In a dream, the baby may shudder and twitch his arms and legs - this is completely normal!

Usually a newborn wakes up every 2-3 hours, to eat, but some sleepyheads can doze even while eating. If the newborn is fed and feels comfortable, then while he is awake he dangles his arms and legs.

Touch

The baby still reacts to heat and cold in the same way: begins to move actively. If a child freezes, then his activity begins to decrease. When taking air baths, focus on the baby’s movements: while the child is active, he is pleased, as soon as he slows down, the baby freezes.

You need to pick up a newborn correctly: so that the baby’s body rests on your arm, your elbow is under the baby’s head, and with your other hand hold the baby’s legs. You should not take the baby by the hands or in such a way that the baby’s head does not have support.

Your baby needs your touch to become aware of his body. so pet your baby more often. By talking to your child and stroking him, you develop in him a desire to communicate.

Smell

Already in the first month of life, a child can distinguish odors. If the smells are very obvious, then most likely the baby will close his eyes or even sneeze, despite the fact that the smell may be quite pleasant.

If you drop something sweet on your baby’s tongue (for example, you were prescribed a sweet medicine), he will smack his lips, and if it’s bitter, the baby will grimace.

Hearing

First week of life the baby does not hear very well, therefore, it is not at all necessary to tiptoe around the apartment. A newborn's auditory nerve is still developing.

But from a sharp and loud sound, of course, the newborn gets scared, shudders, winces, tries to turn towards the source of the sound and may even cry.

Vision

The baby perfectly distinguishes between light and dark. The bright light makes the baby squint, even if his eyelids are closed. A newborn’s vision does not yet know how to adjust to near and distant objects in the first month of life.

The ideal distance is 25-30 cm. Based on these recommendations, hang toys on the crib, thereby developing the child’s curiosity.

At the end of the first month of life, the baby will begin to consciously look at an adult who approaches him, and perhaps even reward you with his charming toothless smile.

CARE

After eating you need to raise the child and hold it in an upright position for some time so that the air swallowed during sucking comes out.
To prevent or relieve bloating(all newborns suffer from this, as the baby’s digestive system adjusts to work in new conditions), stroke the baby’s tummy clockwise or, laying it on the tummy, stroke the back. If this is not enough, give your baby dill water or special medicines. If the belly button protrudes when the baby cries, consult your pediatrician; it may be an umbilical hernia.
Treat the umbilical cord with brilliant green, it should not become red or swollen. The crust from the umbilical wound should fall off two weeks after birth.
The skin of a newborn is very delicate and requires careful care. Wash your baby after bowel movements, treat the skin with baby cream and powder.
Bathe your baby every day before going to bed in an infusion of chamomile, St. John's wort or a light pink solution of potassium permanganate.
Constantly change your newborn's sleeping position. It is impossible for him to sleep on one side or only on his back all the time, since due to the still soft skull, the child’s head may become deformed.
Take a walk in the fresh air.
Try to do all procedures at the same time to form a baby’s daily routine.

If the child is crying, do not panic, but find out reason for crying. It can be:

dirty diapers
hunger or thirst
bloating
baby may be hot
baby needs your attention

Most of the newborn's activities are reflexes. The child does not yet know how to consciously react to stimuli or control his actions, but nature took care of this for him with the help of innate reflexes.

The baby can (newborn reflexes):

Search reflex (Kassmaul). If you stroke the cheek, the baby will turn his head to the touch.
Proboscis reflex. If you quickly touch the baby's lips, he will immediately curl them into a tube and pull them forward.
Sucking reflex. If you give your baby a pacifier or breast, the baby will suck rhythmically.
Grasping reflex. If you give a newborn your finger in a tiny hand, the baby will squeeze it.
Support and automatic gait reflex. If you hold the child upright with his feet on a hard surface, he will even take a few steps.
Protective reflex. If you put the baby on his tummy, he will turn his head so that he can breathe.
Moro reflex. If there is a loud unexpected sound, the child will spread his arms in different directions and then return them back.
Galant reflex. If you run your finger along the spine of a newborn, the baby will bend in an arc, while straightening the leg at the hip joint.
Crawling reflex (Bauer). Lying on his tummy, the baby imitates crawling if you press on the feet.
Palm-oral reflex (Babkina). If you press on the little one's palm, he will open his mouth and turn his head.

Many of these reflexes fade away by 3-4 months. But the presence of these reflexes in the first month of a child’s life indicates the correct development of the newborn’s central nervous system.

However, do not panic if suddenly the baby does not want to demonstrate all the reflexes. Perhaps the child just wants to sleep and, instead of the expected reaction, responds by crying.

By the end of the first month of life, the child will get used to the new conditions: he will clearly focus his gaze on you, react to your voice and even make some sounds in response. And the most pleasant bonus is that the four-week-old baby already knows how to smile!

Tell us how your baby behaved in the first month of life? How often did you feed him or bathe him?

Hello, dear readers! With you today is Lena Zhabinskaya and the problems of children's sleep. The more serious the question, the more acute it is in each specific family and the less mommy sleeps at night.

Can a problem always be solved once and for all with the help of some magic golden pill? Of course not. If the problem is in the baby’s temperament, psyche, or health, then we need to look into this in more detail.

But often the problem is not this at all, but the objective conditions of children’s sleep, which parents can and should influence.

Actually, answering the question of why a newborn sleeps poorly, you need to begin to consistently identify and eliminate these very factors. In 80 percent of cases, the family then begins to sleep happily through the night. This is what we will do today!

Babies sleep completely differently than adults, because the very structure of their sleep is different from the sleep of an adult. Unlike adults, babies have a longer phase of shallow sleep than a phase of deep sleep, and this is their physiological feature.

Nature has provided that in case of danger a baby can easily wake up and scream for help. This is the key to the survival of even small and helpless cubs. Therefore, in the phase of superficial sleep, a newborn is easily awakened and frightened by a sharp noise, sound, or bright light.

With age, the deep sleep phase increases, and this, in turn, leads to the fact that the child begins to sleep more soundly and does not wake up several times a night.

These features should be taken into account and try, if possible, to eliminate loud and harsh sounds near the sleeping toddler.

How many hours does a newborn sleep?

The sleep standards of a little man are very conditional and have many features.

But if we talk about the approximate number of hours, it is as follows.

What does it mean to have trouble sleeping?

Often young parents ask themselves the question: is it their newborn who sleeps poorly, or is it that all babies sleep like this at this age, and is this normal?

Pediatricians talk about sleep problems if:

The newborn wakes up at night every 3 hours or more, and during the day more often than every 30 minutes;
Cries a lot;
Doesn't calm down after eating.

If the baby wakes up every three hours to eat and then immediately falls asleep, this situation is normal and may not require correction.

12 main reasons for poor sleep in newborns

The room is hot.

To begin with, let us remind young mothers that a newborn’s metabolism in the body occurs several times faster than in the body of an adult. This means that much more heat is generated per unit time. As a result, the child is always hotter.

Remember! If you feel cool, it's fine for babies. If you feel normal, the baby is warm. If you are warm, the baby is hot!

The optimal temperature in the room in which a newborn sleeps is 18-20 degrees. Moreover, if the room is more than plus 23 degrees, then the child’s poor sleep is almost guaranteed.

The room is dry.

Recently, modern pediatricians are paying more and more attention to the importance of such a parameter as indoor humidity. A special device helps maintain it - an ultrasonic humidifier.

This is very relevant for our country, given that most of the year the batteries are turned on and working in apartments. The latter dry out the air very much. As a result, the air humidity in the room in which the batteries are turned on remains at 10 percent.

While the optimal air humidity in a children's room is 40-60 percent.

What are the dangers of sleeping in a room with dry air?

The body spends huge reserves of water to humidify the inhaled air. Therefore, a feeling of thirst sets in very quickly. The baby wakes up and cries because he is thirsty.
The mucous membranes of the nose and mouth dry out, and there is a feeling of “sand” in the nasopharynx. The baby wakes up at night and cries.
As a result of large losses of moisture, the body becomes dehydrated. The stomach juices become thick and cannot digest food eaten at night. Colic, gas, and a newborn develop.
If the baby sniffles or coughs even a little, then the next morning after sleeping in a dry room you are guaranteed bronchitis, laryngitis, tracheitis and lack of nasal breathing. Why? Because all the mucus (snot in the nose and phlegm in the bronchi) will dry out, and it will become impossible to cough it up on your own.

The room is stuffy.

Remember that feeling that covers you in a stuffy room: the feeling of lack of oxygen.

Need I say that in such conditions children sleep very little and often wake up and cry?

Therefore, mandatory airing of the nursery before bed for at least 15 minutes should become a habit.

It is through ventilation that the air is saturated with oxygen, which is necessary for comfortable sleep.

Wet or soiled diaper.

Some children are extremely intolerant of a soiled or even slightly damp diaper.

In addition, contact between feces and urine is a real thermonuclear mixture for delicate baby skin.

Modern high-quality disposable diapers have a high degree of absorption compared to reusable diapers or diapers. Needless to say, before going to bed you need to make sure that the diaper is dry, the skin is clean, without traces of feces, diaper rash and other troubles.

If there are any problems on the skin - diaper rash, irritation, redness - be sure to treat them with a special ointment with dexpanthenol (Bepanten, Panthenol D, etc.) before going to bed.

If such irritation occurs constantly, while the temperature and humidity in the room are maintained, it may be worth changing disposable diapers to better and more expensive ones, and using them at least during night sleep.

My tummy hurts.

Infant colic is one of the most common causes of anxiety in infants. As a rule, they appear at the age of 3-4 months, and disappear without a trace by six months.

It manifests itself like this: a newborn cries day and night for no reason (dry, well-fed), loudly, with anguish, blushes, and does not calm down, even if he is picked up. At the same time, after a few minutes, he just as suddenly calms down.

Not all children have colic, and are largely determined by the individual characteristics of the body. Statistics show that boys are more likely to suffer from colic than girls.

You can alleviate the condition by eliminating fluid loss from the body (provide air humidity of 40-60 percent, air temperature of 18-20 degrees, offer water.

Also, special children's drops with simethicone (Espumizan-baby, Bobotik, Sub-simplex, etc.) can partially relieve the symptoms.

The baby is scared and lonely.

The question of whether it is right to sleep with a child has long been classified as eternal and rhetorical.

Pediatricians do not recommend this practice. Lactation consultants have the opposite opinion.

Personally, I believe that the truth, as always, is somewhere in the middle.

A newborn is not able to survive alone without the help of an adult, so he has a natural instinct to cry when he feels that he is alone, abandoned or abandoned.

The best option is when the newborn sleeps in his crib next to his parents’ bed or placed close to it with the side wall removed.

This is exactly where we started. However, in my case, Lyova slept much worse in a separate crib. When I took him to my place in the middle of the night and fell asleep during the night feeding, we sometimes woke up only in the morning.

Not being a fanatical supporter of co-sleeping, I chose it from a purely pragmatic point of view - in order to get better sleep myself. I also feed Eva almost half asleep, sometimes I even wake up from the fact that she, without unnecessary noise, herself finds what she needs, eats and sleeps on.

Therefore, if the problem with mom’s sleep is quite acute, I still recommend trying co-sleeping as one of the ways to solve it.

Thirst

If the air parameters in the room are not met: the air temperature is above 22 degrees, and the air humidity is less than 40 percent, the child loses a lot of fluid simply in the process of breathing.

In this case, he easily wakes up, is capricious and cries not because he is hungry, but because he is thirsty.

In this case, first of all, you should offer the baby a bottle of water.

Hunger

Of course, this happens, and quite often. It is worth trying, if possible, to feed the baby as closely as possible before going to bed at night. Breast, formula, milk porridge.

The baby confused day with night

This situation is characterized by the fact that the child sleeps poorly at night, but well during the day.

As a result, mommy goes about her business all day and cannot get enough of her little angel, who behaves perfectly.

But as soon as night falls, it feels like the child is being replaced! But is it any wonder - simply, having slept during the day, at night he wants communication and attention! What should a mother who wants to sleep and literally falls off her feet do?

Be patient and act the next morning. I have already written in more detail about how to recognize and correct this situation in just 2-3 days.

Overexcitement

As a cause of restless sleep at night, it is quite common, especially in sensitive and easily excitable children. It is quite easy to recognize this condition by the child’s hysterical behavior before bed: the baby is capricious, whining as if for no reason.

What preceded all this? Perhaps active games, massage, gymnastics, watching cartoons, etc.

If you suspect that this is the problem, start getting ready for bed three hours before. Postpone all procedures to an earlier time so that the baby has time to calm down after them. Avoid active games and cartoons 2 hours before bedtime.

About an hour before going to bed, dim the lights everywhere and eliminate loud sounds. Talk to your baby or read a book to him. Even if he doesn’t understand everything yet, just the sound of your voice can have a calming effect.

As an alternative, you can try listening to calm music, such as sounds of nature or children's lullabies. However, not all newborns like this, so you need to search and try what works for you.

Newborn sick

Red cheeks, tearfulness and a hot forehead will give you a reason to immediately measure your baby’s body temperature.

Although the body temperature of a newborn is unstable, its increase above 37.5 degrees in any case should raise suspicions and serve as a reason for consulting a doctor.

Most likely, the pediatrician will prescribe antipyretic and plenty of fluids. As an over-the-counter antipyretic for children in the first year of life, pharmacies offer syrups and suppositories with paracetamol (Panadol, Cefekon, etc.) or ibuprofen (Nurofen, Ibufen, etc.).

Individual characteristics of the nervous system and temperament

It may happen that all of the above recommendations do not significantly improve the situation.

Even when creating seemingly ideal conditions for sleep, some children, in spite of everything, sleep restlessly. At the same time, it happens that others sleep well despite the heat, stuffiness and scalding radiators. Why?

There are features of the mental makeup and nervous system that make some children overly sensitive, hyperexcitable and unbalanced during certain periods. This is often the case with choleric children and a decent portion of little sanguine children.

This is a feature of the nervous system that cannot be treated at all and goes away with age, when the child gradually learns to control his emotions without bursting into screams for any reason.

In this case, all you have to do is be patient and love and wait.

What to do if your newborn has trouble sleeping at night

The first step is to optimize the air parameters in the children's room. The air temperature should be 18-22 degrees and humidity 40-60 percent. These parameters are controlled using a thermometer and hygrometer. This is achieved by installing taps on the batteries, which will allow them to be regulated and purchasing a device such as an ultrasonic humidifier. All other methods of moisturizing (wet rags, bowls of water, plants) are ineffective.
Before going to bed, be sure to thoroughly ventilate the nursery for at least 15 minutes.
Spend time with your child in a calm environment with dim lights and sounds 2-3 hours before bedtime.
Feed your baby firmly and make sure the diaper is dry and clean.
If the previous tips don't fix the situation, try co-sleeping.

Personally, I know first-hand about children’s sleep problems. Moreover, I had the most of them with my eldest child. Lyova slept very restlessly. And it was cool and humid air and sleeping together that could partially solve this problem.

The youngest Eva slept well from birth. Perhaps because all the conditions that worked with Leva were initially met. Be sure to bookmark the site and the article to your wall on social networks so as not to lose it! I really hope that today’s article will help someone start sleeping at night, and I say goodbye to you!

Sleepless nights scare many parents. Some mothers have learned from their own experience that a child may not sleep not only at night, but also during the day: the baby simply falls asleep for half an hour and wakes up again. And this situation can continue for at least a year after birth. Adults complain: colic, teething problems, tummy problems, all this is the cause of restless sleep. But if the baby sleeps constantly, this is a dream. However, doctors pay attention: there are situations when a newborn’s prolonged sleep during the day signals a problem. Therefore, parents need to be careful not to miss alarm bells. In some cases, a quiet, long sleep is a joy, and in some cases it’s the opposite. Let's try to figure it out.

How to tell if your baby is sleeping more than normal

Of course, all parents want their baby to be healthy and happy, to sleep more and cry less. Therefore, if the baby sleeps long enough, mom and dad never cease to rejoice. But doctors explain that you need to learn to understand: the baby is just a sleepyhead, nothing bothers him, so he sleeps soundly, or the child does not have the strength and energy to spend active time. The latter situation should definitely alert adults.

A newborn baby sleeps about 20 hours a day. The body adapts to the new world and environment. The child’s organs and systems are adjusted to work: breathing, digestion of food, etc. The brain, perceiving and processing such a huge amount of information, also needs long rest.

However, it is worth knowing that the baby must wake up every 2.5 - 3.5 hours for feeding. After all, the body requires nutrients for full development and replenishment of energy reserves.

Doctors recommend that parents study information about the sleep standards of children of different ages. In this case, it will be easier for them to navigate in a given situation. After all, if twenty hours of sleep a day is the norm for a baby in the first month of life, then for a three-month-old baby this may be a cause for concern.

Video: the importance of sleep for a child

Table: sleep norms for children under one year of age

In the first month after birth, the baby may wake up up to 4-5 times a night to eat. This is normal, because... Colostrum in the first few days, and then milk are very quickly absorbed in the baby’s stomach and after a few hours the baby is hungry again. However, with the establishment of lactation, a certain feeding schedule is established. Some children can sleep five to six hours straight at night without waking up for a snack. And this is also considered normal if:

the baby is active during the day: strives to perform various physical exercises, is interested in toys;
gains weight according to norms;
growth indicators are also normal.

Video: Doctor Komarovsky about children's sleep standards

Why so: reasons why newborns and children under one year sleep a lot

At the first and subsequent scheduled examinations, which take place once a month for children under one year of age and are mandatory, the pediatrician must measure the baby’s height and weigh him. He also asks parents about the baby’s habits and behavior while awake. Based on this, the doctor makes a conclusion about the health and development standards of the baby. However, if parents notice that the baby is losing appetite and eating poorly, is lethargic, constantly sleepy, and inactive, this is a reason to immediately consult a pediatrician for advice.

Long and difficult labor

Labor does not always go as nature intended. In some cases, labor begins ahead of schedule or is delayed. And then doctors are forced to use medications. These could be painkillers, pharmacological drugs to stimulate labor, etc. Mothers of babies who have gone through this long and difficult process often note that in the first few days the baby sleeps a lot. This is a kind of reaction to the action of medications.

Some medications can negatively affect the development of the sucking reflex. As a result, the newborn does not receive enough nutrients, eats little and loses strength. Lack of energy and strength is the reason that the baby constantly sleeps and eats little.

If the mother notices that the baby is constantly sleeping and practically does not wake up for feeding, it is necessary to contact a neonatologist or pediatrician. This is especially true for premature babies: their sucking reflex is poorly developed, primarily due to their fragile body.

Lack of nutrients

The most common reason for a baby to sleep long hours is malnutrition. The fact is that from the moment of birth, the child’s body begins to grow and develop. And this is noticeable every month, every week and even every day. The most intensive growth of a child's body occurs in the first twelve months of his life. But for full development, the child must receive the necessary vitamins, minerals, proteins, fats and carbohydrates. And all this is found in mother's milk or adapted infant formula. But the less the baby eats, the less useful substances and nutrients enter the body. And if this situation continues for several days, the child simply does not have the strength to spend time actively, so he constantly sleeps.

Doctors insist that it is best to accustom a baby to a daily routine from birth so that he knows what time to eat, sleep and play. Dr. Komarovsky insists that the harmonious development of a child depends on an established daily routine, when the brain sends signals about the need to eat, sleep or take a walk.

First of all, parents need to determine why the baby refuses to eat. This may be due to various reasons:

the baby does not latch onto the breast correctly: the mother may have an incorrect nipple structure, so the baby cannot latch onto the nipple as needed. As a result, the baby spends a huge amount of energy trying to get milk, but nothing happens or very little nutritional fluid enters the body. During the sucking process, the baby becomes exhausted and falls asleep hungry;
Doctors recommend that young mothers be sure to consult with a gynecologist, neonatologist or lactation consultant, who will show how to properly put the baby to the breast so that he receives a sufficient amount of milk. In some cases, special nipple shields can help.
mother’s non-compliance with the diet: not all women are of the opinion that during breastfeeding you need to limit yourself in many foods. However, it is worth remembering that some foods can affect the taste of breast milk. For example, garlic or onions make milk taste bitter. Of course, the baby, having tried such food several times, will refuse it and, as a result, will be malnourished;
unregulated lactation: in the first month after the birth of a child, the woman’s body does not yet know how much milk is needed to nourish the baby. Some mothers have so much of it that the baby choke on it during feeding, so he turns away from the breast and doesn’t want to eat anymore. Others have catastrophically little milk, so the baby remains hungry;
infant illness: the most common causes are rhinitis and otitis media. With a stuffy nose, the baby cannot breathe during feeding, so he cannot eat much, is capricious and refuses the breast or bottle with formula. Otitis media also causes inconvenience to the baby: pain in the ear does not allow you to concentrate on the process of getting food;
physiological features of the structure of the palate: some children have congenital pathologies of the palate. Therefore, the baby cannot suck normally during feeding.

In order to establish a diet, it is necessary to first solve the problems that have arisen. To do this, it is better to consult a doctor who will give the necessary recommendations. In some cases, a woman does not have enough milk and the doctor advises switching to mixed feeding. You should not refuse this option: a lack of nutrients can lead to a lack of body weight. This is a very serious situation, which often causes the child to lag behind physically and psychologically. If the baby is bottle-fed and refuses to eat, you should switch to another formula. However, it is not recommended to resolve such issues on your own. It is better to come to an appointment with a pediatrician and consult with him.

Today, on the shelves of stores and pharmacies there is a huge selection of baby food, formulas that are enriched with vitamins, minerals and probiotics. Perhaps the baby is intolerant to cow's milk and a goat's milk formula is suitable for him. The doctor will tell you the best option.

Mandatory vaccinations

Many mothers note that after vaccination the child sleeps for a very long time. Pediatricians explain that this reaction of the body is normal. The fact is that in response to vaccination the baby may develop a fever, so experts recommend giving the baby an antipyretic. Such drugs have a soporific property. Therefore, if after vaccination your baby sleeps longer than usual, there is no need to worry.

Problems of the first year of life: colic and teething

Almost no child can do without this. While some children may not experience colic, everyone is teething. Even if the baby’s body does not react to this process with an increase in temperature, sharp pain in the gums and ears, the baby may still sleep restlessly at night, often wake up and ask for a breast or pacifier. It is at night that discomfort from teething gives the child the greatest discomfort, so his sleep is restless, weak, and often superficial. The body did not have time to rest properly during the night, so during the day the baby may sleep longer than usual. This is a kind of compensation for not getting enough sleep at night.

This situation is normal, because the body is trying to restore strength and strengthen the immune system, which is weakened against the background of physical discomfort from colic or teething.

Serious illnesses

No matter how much parents want their kids to always be healthy, it is not always possible to avoid diseases. During cold season, your baby may catch the flu virus or catch a cold. The gastrointestinal tract, which is not yet sufficiently strong, cannot sufficiently fight the rotovirus, and newborn babies are often diagnosed with jaundice while still in the maternity hospital. To fight the disease, a child needs a lot of strength and energy, so the baby sleeps a lot. Doctors never cease to repeat that sleep is the best medicine for a baby. This way the body recovers faster from illness.

Doctors draw the attention of parents to the need for adequate nutrition for the baby during illness. This is especially true for rotavirus and poisoning. Vomiting and diarrhea can lead to dehydration, so the baby should get enough fluids: breast milk, formula and water.

It is also important to establish the feeding process immediately after birth. In the first days of a child’s life, bilirubin must be eliminated from the body. For this process to proceed normally, it is necessary to receive a sufficient amount of fluid during feeding. If the baby does not eat well, due to lack of fluid, the concentration of bilirubin in the blood does not decrease, but increases, which leads to the development of physiological jaundice.

If a child has a high fever, vomiting, diarrhea, or wheezing during sleep, this is a reason to urgently call a doctor. The doctor will assess the baby’s general condition and prescribe a treatment regimen. You should not risk your child’s health and self-medicate. Doctors note that prolonged sleep during or after illness should not cause concern to parents if:

the child breathes normally during sleep, there is no wheezing or holding his breath;
body temperature not higher than 37 degrees;
The baby's skin is pinkish, not too red, not pale or bluish.

External stimuli

Babies' nervous systems are not yet strong enough, so children react very sensitively to quarrels between parents, constant TV on, bright lighting and other factors. The body seems to turn on a protective mode, trying to abstract itself from these irritants. However, such sleep is restless, superficial, and children may even often cry or sob while resting. As a result, the body does not restore sufficient strength and the child continues to sleep for a long time.

Of course, this does not mean that the baby needs to be put to bed during the day in a completely dark room and in absolute silence. But parents must create optimal conditions for a restful child's sleep: sunlight should not shine directly into the baby's eyes, it is better to turn off the TV or turn it down to the minimum volume.

Call an ambulance: when to worry

Of course, in some cases, long sleep is normal, but parents must constantly monitor the child’s condition. After all, deterioration is possible at any moment and the main thing is not to waste time. Doctors identify several symptoms that require emergency care for an infant:

the child sleeps for more than 5 hours in one position and does not wake up;
a sharp increase in temperature;
The baby’s mucous membranes are dry, the skin turns blue;
the baby sleeps for several hours in a row and cries in his sleep, but does not wake up;
difficulty breathing or holding it;
The baby rarely urinates: less than five diapers are used per day. This indicates dehydration of the body.

To wake up or not to wake up: that is the question

Parents are often happy if their baby sleeps for a long time and is not capricious. However, it is worth keeping an eye on the time so that the baby does not remain hungry, because every feeding is very important for the growing body. Doctors note that at night a child can sleep for 6 hours without waking up, and during the day - no more than four. If the baby does not wake up after this time period, it is recommended to wake him up and feed him. As soon as the child replenishes his supply of nutrients, he may want to sleep again. This is normal for newborns and infants.

Dr. Komarovsky has his own point of view on this matter: each child develops at an individual pace, so the body itself knows how much time it needs to sleep. Parents should not wake up their baby every three hours to feed him. But this rule only applies if the baby is completely healthy, eats well and is gaining weight. Otherwise, you need to consult a doctor who can determine the reason for such a long sleep and explain to the parents the procedure.

Situations often arise when the baby simply confuses day with night: during daylight hours the child sleeps most of the time, but at night it’s the other way around. In this case, Dr. Komarovsky insists that the baby must be woken up during the day and actively spent time with him, so that by the evening the baby is tired and sleeps peacefully at night. As soon as the body adjusts to a normal sleep and wakefulness pattern, the baby will wake up at the appropriate time.

Video: should you wake up your child?

How to properly wake up a child

You need to wake up the baby calmly and carefully, because the baby may get scared and start crying. We don't need such stressful situations. Experts insist that you need to wake up the baby in the superficial phase of sleep. It can be easily identified by several signs:

the baby's eyelids twitch a little, you can see how the eyeballs move under them;
the baby may laugh or whine in his sleep, his facial expressions change;
legs and arms may move slightly;
the baby can perform sucking movements with his lips.

In this case, the child can be woken up. Each mother decides for herself how to do this. Some children wake up quickly when their parents stroke their back or arm, others open their eyes, smelling milk or formula. Here are a few ways to help wake up a sleepyhead:

start changing the diaper;
if the room is warm, you can uncover the baby and begin to undress him;
Gently massage your baby's arms or legs;
stroke your tummy or back;
bring the formula bottle or breast to your lips. Children smell milk instantly. If the baby does not wake up, you can drip milk onto the baby’s lips;
sing a song or talk to the baby.

The main rule is that actions should not be abrupt and accompanied by a stern and too loud voice so that the baby does not get scared.

What parents say

Parents have differing opinions about long-term sleep. Some mothers and fathers do not even suspect that such a long sleep can signal serious health problems for the baby. Others believe that the baby needs to be woken up every 2-3 hours for feeding, regardless of whether the baby wants to wake up or not. From the experience of previous generations, many mothers and fathers concluded that a child’s long sleep can be a hereditary factor, so there is no need to worry about waking the baby. Pediatricians today don't insist on hourly feedings for breastfed babies, so on-demand feedings can include longer breaks.

But doctors recommend not to lose sight of the obvious facts: if a child eats little and sleeps a lot, is lethargic, is practically not interested in the surrounding traffic stop, does not respond to the voice of mom or dad - this is a reason to seek help.

This happened to my daughter, she had epidural anesthesia. I’m not sure if these were its consequences, since my daughter rarely cried in infancy and for about three months she slept all night from 10 pm to 6 am. The first month I was generally surprised at her calmness, the only thing was that we lost a little weight, since I tried to feed on demand - but she didn’t demand! The doctor said to wake him up and feed him.

My first month I slept very well, woke up to eat after 3-4 hours, slept at night from 12 to 6 in the morning, it never occurred to me that this was abnormal :) Then I began to sleep less, but still eats the same :) p.s. the increase in the first months was 800–1000g

My amazing “spit” was :) At first they also advised me to wake him up for feeding, but this option did not work. Until the age of 2, I slept 2 times a day, for an hour and a half to two hours.

I'm making plans
https://deti.mail.ru/forum/zdorove/detskoe_zdorove/novorozhdennyj_podolgu_spit_normalno_li_jeto_stoit_li_budit/

Mine used to sleep for 8 hours, and now my son sleeps for 7 hours at night....my mother says I was the same...apparently, it’s heredity

Anna

I always slept a lot. At night, however, I woke up to eat. But I didn’t cry. I ate and continued to sleep. Until the age of 4, I slept for 3–4 hours during the day. Now (at six) the last one wakes up in the garden)). But during periods of wakefulness I was always quite active, so I didn’t sweat it. Well, he loves to sleep. I love it too, but it’s impossible ((

anna antonova
https://deti.mail.ru/forum/zdorove/detskoe_zdorove/novorozhdennyj_podolgu_spit_normalno_li_jeto_stoit_li_budit/?page=2

Doctors keep repeating that every child is individual: some sleep more, some sleep less. Not only rest, but also the full development of the baby depends on healthy sleep. After all, the body perceives so many new things and it needs time to process the information and prepare for the next discoveries. But there are situations when prolonged sleep is dangerous not only for the baby’s health, but also for his life. Therefore, parents need to carefully monitor the baby’s condition every day. If something worries you in your child’s behavior, it is better to consult a pediatrician or neurologist. Do not self-medicate and put the baby’s life in danger.

For proper development, a newborn baby needs regular nutrition and sound, long sleep. In the first weeks of life, the child sleeps most of the day, waking up briefly to eat. It is important to pay close attention to how much your baby sleeps and how often he eats, since excessive sleep and lack of food indicate health problems.

How much should a baby eat

The volume of a newborn's stomach is very small - immediately after birth it holds about 7 ml, but it expands quite quickly, adapting to the body's increasing need for food. A two-month-old baby can eat up to 150 g of mother's milk or artificial formula at one feeding.

Pediatricians believe that in favorable conditions (the baby is correctly applied to the breast and is completely healthy), the baby eats exactly as much food as he needs for proper development, and the mother’s body adjusts and produces the required volume of milk.

A healthy baby wakes up about 10 times a day and demands food - breast milk is quickly digested and he needs a new portion. An active child cannot fall asleep on an empty stomach.

The speed of digestion is affected not only by the volume of milk consumed, but also by its chemical composition and fat content. To understand whether a newborn eats the amount of food that his body requires, it is enough to count the number of urinations per day - there should be about 12 wet diapers.

If a child eats little and spends almost all his time sleeping, this is convenient for his parents, who get enough sleep at night and have time to cope with all their affairs during the day. But you should not rejoice at the baby’s calmness, since insufficient nutrition is the cause and consequence of certain disorders.

A newborn who, for some reason, eats little, loses strength, his body goes into an “energy-saving mode” - this is what explains the constant drowsiness. The weaker the child, the more difficult it is for him to wake up, even when he is hungry. It turns out to be a vicious circle that can lead to sad consequences.

A child who rarely and eats little does not receive enough nutrients, but also the fluid itself. This threatens dehydration, which is very dangerous for the baby. In the most extreme cases, only doctors can save you from dehydration and its consequences.

Underfeeding: consequences

A deviation from the norm is considered if the newborn requires the breast less often than every 3 hours and the number of wet diapers per day is less than 10. Such a feeding schedule indicates that the child does not have enough strength. Related problems include:

Low immunity. If a newborn does not receive enough colostrum and early breast milk, which contain the maximum of substances necessary to develop its own immunity, its body will remain susceptible to infections.
Difficulty sucking. It is important for the child to latch onto the breast correctly in the very first days, otherwise he will not only not receive enough nutrients, but will also not be able to fully suck milk in the future - this results in malnutrition and weakening of the body. Usually such problems arise if the mother's breasts.
Severe jaundice. To remove bilirubin, which stains tissues yellowish, from the child’s body, he needs to consume more fluid. If the baby eats little, his jaundice progresses longer and more difficult.

Delayed milk supply. Active breastfeeding by newborns in the first few days of life contributes to the flow of full-fledged milk. Insufficient stimulation of the nipples by a poorly sucking baby delays the process, and the baby does not receive enough nutrients.
. If the baby is not feeding well, he does not suck out the milk that has come in, which threatens stagnation and inflammatory processes in the breast.
Postpartum bleeding. Frequent and intense stimulation of the nipples during feedings causes the uterus to actively contract. If your newborn doesn't eat well, it increases the risk of postpartum hemorrhage.

Malnutrition increases the risk of hypoglycemia in an infant.

It is important to know the symptoms of low blood glucose in an infant:

increased sleepiness - it is difficult to wake up the baby, he is relaxed and spends almost all his time sleeping;
lethargy – the child has no interest in the world around him;
heavy sweating - undershirts and diapers quickly become wet;
shuddering in sleep;
rapid shallow breathing;
paleness of the skin and mucous membranes;
refusal to eat or sluggish sucking.

If you notice any symptoms from the above list, you should immediately consult a doctor.

Why might a newborn sleep too much?

There are a number of reasons why a newborn sleeps a lot.

1. Pharmacology during childbirth. In the case of complicated, protracted labor, during which the mother was given any drugs, the baby through the general bloodstream receives a dose of drugs that affect its activity in the first hours and days after birth. In this case, the baby sleeps a lot and skips feedings.

2. Incorrectly organized feeding process. A baby who latch onto the breast incorrectly due to the shape of the nipple or an awkward body position spends too much energy trying to get food and falls asleep from fatigue, remaining hungry. If your child is not gaining weight well and is inactive, you should definitely consult a breastfeeding specialist to rule out this problem.

Problems can also arise when there is a strong flow of milk, which causes the breasts to become hard. In this case, it is enough to express some of the milk so that the nipple and the area around it become elastic.

3. Environment. Contrary to the belief that newborns require silence and the absence of bright light to fall asleep, it is easier for babies to fall asleep in a noisy environment - this triggers a protective mechanism that protects the nervous system from overload.

This means that in a house where the TV is on or music is playing all the time, people are talking, noisy household appliances are regularly turned on, the baby will constantly want to sleep. At the same time, his sleep is restless, his body does not fully rest, which negatively affects his health.

Wake up and feed

A newborn should be fed on demand, but what to do if the baby does not require food, but continues to sleep for 5-6 hours in a row or even more? Pediatricians believe that the maximum allowable interval between feedings of a child in the first months of life is 5 hours.

Some children ask for food every hour, others do not show concern at a feeding interval of 2-4 hours - this depends on the baby’s body and the nutritional properties of breast milk. But if you see that the child does not wake up for more than 4 hours, wake him up to feed him. This will give the baby strength, and, having become stronger, he will begin to wake up on his own.

It is advisable to wake up a child in the REM phase, since the body is reluctant to come out of deep sleep, and this affects well-being.

To determine the stage of sleep, take your baby by the hand:

if the hand remains limp - deep sleep;
if the muscles are tense, the sleep is shallow.

Superficial sleep is also indicated by facial expressions on the face of a sleeping baby, movements of the eyeballs under the eyelids, and twitching of the arms and legs. It is not necessary to wake the baby completely - just give him the breast, and his sucking reflex will work.

Before feeding your baby, remove excess diapers from him - the baby should not be hot, this reduces appetite. Make sure there is no bright light in the room. After eating, change the diaper and diapers, since feeding after a long period of time