The infant does not sleep well. What should exhausted parents do if their baby doesn’t sleep well: tips. What reasons prevent a child from falling asleep?

Instructions

Hunger is the most common reason for waking up. Only a well-fed baby sleeps well. A constantly crying baby in this way makes it clear to his mother that it is time to feed him. The newborn initially sleeps up to 22 hours a day and feeds on a small amount of milk. From about the third month of life, sleep duration decreases to 17 hours, and wakefulness increases. This is when the child begins to sleep restlessly if he does not finish eating. Therefore, it is necessary to carefully monitor the child’s weight and provide him with regular, proper and sufficient nutrition, regardless of the time of day. If your baby is constantly waking up, he may not be getting enough breast milk and needs to be supplemented with formula.

The baby does not sleep well when it is hot. The norm for infants is a room temperature of +18 to +25 degrees, which is not recommended to be exceeded during sleep. It is better to dress your baby warmly or cover him with a thin blanket, but do not put him to sleep in a hot or stuffy room. If it's cold, he will also have trouble sleeping.

Sometimes a child does not sleep well because he is sick. Some diseases occur without obvious symptoms: fever, cough or runny nose. The baby may be bothered, for example, by thrush or otitis media, so inexperienced mothers will not immediately identify this cause of poor sleep. Infants under the age of six months are often bothered by colic and gas, and older children are worried about teething for the first time. These are very common causes of poor sleep.

note

Poor sleep can be caused by discomfort. The baby may be bothered by too tight swaddling, heat rash, diaper rash or a wet diaper. Some children, on the contrary, sleep poorly due to the fact that in their sleep they make involuntary movements with their hands and thus wake themselves up. Such infants need to be swaddled during the first months of life.

Helpful advice

In order for a child to sleep better, he needs to normalize his daily routine. It is necessary to put him to bed every day, choosing the same time, both day and night. The baby will quickly understand that it is time to sleep if sleep is preceded by some constant procedure, for example, bathing or massage. You can rock your baby in your arms, holding him to your chest, so he will feel calm and will soon fall asleep. Any baby will sleep better and longer if you take walks outside before bed, ventilate the room 10-15 minutes before bedtime and keep it clean by doing wet cleaning daily. In addition, your baby needs to be bathed more often before bed so that his skin can breathe.

For every family, the birth of a child is a grand event. And young parents prepare themselves in advance for the fact that in the first months they will not get enough sleep at night. And in some cases, children are born who, from the first days of their lives, sleep abnormally a lot, more than 20 hours. Of course, at first, young mothers are happy that they can get enough sleep at night and have time to do things around the house. But over time, they begin to worry and wonder why the baby sleeps a lot?

The importance of sleep and nutrition for a baby

For proper physiological and psychological development, the baby must sleep a lot and eat a lot. These are the two main components of a baby’s diet, on which its health depends.

Many parents rejoice at a calm and obedient baby who sleeps a lot and is not capricious. At first glance, it seems that the baby is full and happy with everything, and this may be true if he receives nutrients along with his mother's milk on time.

Of course, the child should sleep exactly as much as he wants, but do not forget that for the full development of a newborn, not only sound sleep is required, but also timely feeding with mother's milk.

In the first 6 weeks, the baby sleeps a lot, 17 - 20 hours a day, waking up every 1.5-2 hours only to eat. Such frequent awakening of the baby is due to the fact that in the first weeks all newborns have a very small stomach and can only hold a teaspoon of milk. And although maternal colostrum is very nutritious and fatty, it is processed in the child’s ventricle quite quickly.

Should you worry?

The reason for this behavior can be both the individual characteristics of the child’s body and negative factors that inexperienced mothers may not notice. Therefore, at the slightest suspicion of excessive lethargy and drowsiness of the baby, you should seek advice from your local pediatrician. It is better, as they say, to be safe than to miss a dangerous moment!

Do I need to wake up my baby?

There are very frequent cases when in the first days a newborn does not eat well and sleeps almost constantly; this is primarily due to adaptation to the new world around him and rest after the difficult process of childbirth.

It’s one thing if a newborn sleeps a lot and when put to the breast, without waking up, begins to suck milk and, having had enough, continues to sleep. This behavior is quite common and normal, because it is in their sleep that babies develop and grow best.

But there are times when young mothers do not monitor the frequency of feeding and do not put the baby to the breast while he sleeps. If the child is calm and sleeps a lot, this does not mean that he is well-fed, such babies must be woken up and fed, or at least try to put the sleeping child to the breast, having smelled the milk, he can start sucking without waking up.

Shallow sleep in babies

Some young mothers try to teach their babies to sleep through the night without feeding, which is absolutely not allowed. Prolonged sleep (more than 5 hours) threatens dehydration of the baby’s body.

Unlike adults, whose average sleep duration is 8 hours, when falling asleep, an adult immediately falls into a phase of long (deep) sleep, lasting 2-3 hours. In infants, deep sleep is much shorter and it develops over time; falling asleep, they immediately fall into the phase of superficial (rapid) sleep, and deep sleep comes later and lasts a short time. And therefore, frequent awakening is the norm for infants.

It is necessary to wake up infants very carefully and only during REM sleep.
Superficial sleep is not difficult to recognize:

• trembling of the eyelids;
• movement of arms and legs;
• the appearance of facial expressions.

And also, if, when touching the newborn’s face, he makes sucking movements and looks for the breast, this will be the best moment for feeding.

The dangers of long sleep

Rare breastfeeding leads not only to weakening and lethargy of the baby, but also to problems with lactation and the further development of mastopathy in the mother. And for infants, this is fraught with dangerous health consequences, since, for the full development of the body, they do not receive the necessary amount of fluid, nutrients and microelements.

Constant malnutrition can ultimately lead to sad consequences, such as: lethargy, irritability, dehydration, hypocemia, jaundice, low blood glucose levels in the baby.

Difficult birth

The birth process is just as stressful for the baby as it is for its mother, so in the first days newborns sleep almost constantly, waking up only for a few minutes to eat.

Prolonged sleep in babies can also be a consequence of medications used during difficult births. During long and difficult labor, doctors cannot do without the use of pharmacological drugs that stimulate labor; such drugs can cause a newborn to sleep for a long time, since these drugs enter his blood.

In some particularly severe cases, the child may temporarily lose the sucking reflex and the ability to control proper reflex swallowing and breathing at the mother’s breast.

Malnutrition

Incorrect attachment to the breast can also cause malnutrition in the baby. Due to the influx of milk, the mother's breasts become very tight, the nipples become rough and the baby's small mouth cannot fully capture them. After several unsuccessful attempts, he gets tired and falls asleep hungry, never having received the required portion of milk. Each time, from constant malnutrition, the baby becomes weaker, this leads to lethargy and increased drowsiness.

The baby may also refuse to eat in cases where a large amount of milk flows into his mouth, causing him to choke and become frightened. Therefore, in order for the breasts to become softer and milk not to flow too much, before each feeding the mother should express a little milk.

Bright light

Oddly enough, bright light can act as a sleeping pill on babies and cause prolonged sleep. A noisy room with bright lighting is not the best place for a newborn to sleep. The little ones quickly fall asleep under such conditions, but they sleep very restlessly, and such sleep cannot be considered complete.

Teething

Teething can also cause sleep disturbances in children, causing discomfort and some discomfort for babies. Having cried all night from painful sensations, he will naturally sleep off during the day and this is a completely adequate reaction of a tired body.

Remember - nothing restores the immunity and strength of infants like mother's milk!

Graft

In the first year of life, babies are vaccinated to develop immunity to a number of dangerous diseases. Usually, after vaccination, children are given antiallergic and antipyretic medications, which have a soporific effect, so children sleep a lot in the first and most difficult hours after vaccination, which is common and normal.

Diseases

By 3 months, when the child’s body has already fully adapted, daytime sleep no longer takes so much time. But in cases where children have suffered from various diseases, they sleep a lot, since, to fight infection, the child’s body expends a huge amount of energy.

This is considered a normal physiological phenomenon, because after an illness the child is weakened, and long sleep helps to restore spent strength. You should not panic in such situations; watch your baby for 24 hours, listen to his breathing, check his temperature and complexion. If all these readings are normal, you should not worry. Give him a rest and gain strength. And, of course, periodically put the baby to the breast.

Sleep standards

At the age of 1.5 - 2 months, children begin to sleep a little longer at night, but you should not expect that the baby will sleep all night long; he can endure a maximum of 5-6 hours without food. After feeding and changing the diaper, the mother can put the baby to bed next to her. After all, co-sleeping is very convenient for a mother whose child sleeps a lot and eats little, since you can feed him without waking him up. And also, sleeping next to the mother is very important for the general and psychological development of the child. The beat of the mother's heart, touch, her smell, warmth are well known to the baby, which allows him to calm down and feel in psychological comfort and safety.

According to pediatricians, the daily sleep norm for a child who has reached 2 months of age should not exceed 16–18 hours, of which 4–5 hours of continuous sleep only once a day. Exceeding the indicator is a reason to go to a specialist and find out the reason for the baby’s sleepy behavior.

Sleep as a wake-up call

All of the above cases regarding the child’s condition are not so dangerous and require consultation with specialists and local pediatricians. The following symptoms require urgent medical attention:

• Prolonged sleep (more than 5 hours), without movement;
• Intermittent and shallow breathing of the baby;
• Fever;
• The mucous membranes and skin of the baby became bluish.

If a child exhibits at least one of the above symptoms, parents should urgently call an ambulance. Any delay can be fatal for the newborn.

Fresh air

For healthy and sound sleep, it is best to put babies to bed in a thoroughly ventilated and well-humidified room. The bed should not be very soft to prevent the soft edges of pillows or blankets from getting on the baby’s face.

Walking in the fresh air plays an important role in the full development of children. While walking, a child sleeping in a stroller associates the rocking of the stroller with the lulling movements of the mother. Coupled with these sensations, an influx of oxygen, saturating the blood, stimulating the brain and strengthening the immune system, allows the baby to normalize healthy and sound sleep.

It will take a little time and you will get used to the new and very responsible role of a parent. Over time, the child’s daily routine will become stable, which will suit both the baby and his parents. And the question will lose its significance in your eyes. By teaching your child a proper and stable sleep pattern from early childhood, you will help him avoid many problems associated with physiological and mental development in the future.

Lyudmila Sergeevna Sokolova

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Article last updated: 04/30/2019

Poor sleep of a newborn very often causes concern for parents. By paying sufficient attention to its organization, many problems can be avoided. Child psychologists believe that a healthy baby who is in comfortable conditions sleeps exactly as much as he needs. If disturbances are observed, it is necessary to find out why the baby is sleeping poorly and eliminate factors that interfere with the baby’s peace of mind.

Features of a newborn's sleep

A newborn's sleep is different from that of an older child. For him there is no difference between day and night. Although the total duration of a baby's sleep is 18-20 hours, the vast majority of children do not have periods of long night rest in the first days of life. The baby wakes up several times at night, which prevents the whole family from sleeping peacefully. Only a very small number of newborns have 5-6 hours of uninterrupted night sleep from the first weeks. Usually children wake up every 2.5-3 hours, regardless of the time of day. Only at one and a half months do pronounced periods of daytime wakefulness appear.

Human sleep consists of several phases. After a period of falling asleep, the alternation of deep, so-called slow sleep, and shallow or REM sleep begins. In babies, the slow-wave sleep phase begins approximately half an hour after falling asleep. If in adults the fast phase is no more than a quarter, then in a newborn it takes up more than half of the total sleep duration. During this period, the baby sleeps very lightly; he can wake up under the influence of the most insignificant stimuli. During the shallow sleep phase, people dream. The child may make involuntary movements with his arms and legs, shudder, move his eyeballs under closed eyelids, and change his facial expression. The duration of a complete sleep cycle in an infant is short, less than one hour, so the child often wakes up.

As the baby grows, an internal clock develops, circadian rhythms develop, and differences in the perception of day and night appear. Although the total sleep time decreases, the ratio of fast and slow sleep changes in favor of the latter, which allows the baby to sleep much more calmly.

Why does a newborn sleep poorly?

Poor sleep may be due to the following factors:

• The baby feels uncomfortable. Wet diapers and diapers, rough clothes, poorly laid linen - all this interferes with the baby's peaceful sleep.
• The child is hungry. Nutrition is the basic need of a newborn. When he wakes up, he will begin to turn his head, make sucking movements with his lips, and not finding the breast, he will begin to cry.

It is recommended to breastfeed your baby 8-12 times a day. If the baby wakes up and starts crying earlier than 1.5 hours after a full feeding, then the reason is not hunger. Perhaps the baby is wet or has colic.

• Binge eating. When feeding with formula, you need to do everything exactly according to the instructions on the package, correctly calculate the amount of food and try to maintain the interval between feedings. When breastfeeding, this problem occurs much less frequently.
• The microclimate in the nursery is not optimal. If your baby is stuffy, hot or cold, this not only interferes with his sleep, but can also lead to the development of various diseases of the respiratory system.
• Noise and bright light. At night, it is recommended to sleep in complete darkness and turn off all sources of artificial lighting. During the day, you can darken it using blinds or blackout curtains.
• Pain. If your baby starts crying a lot, refuses to eat and sleeps poorly, he may be experiencing pain. You need to measure your body temperature, see if your stool is normal, if there is a rash, and if necessary, call a doctor. But most likely, the baby’s belly is swollen and colic bothers him. In this case, it is recommended to do a light massage or place a warm heating pad on your stomach.
• Lack of mother nearby. At an early age, the baby is extremely attached to his mother; as soon as she leaves the crib, the little one wakes up and begins to whine. Anxious, often interrupted sleep does not mean that the baby will have problems with the nervous system in the future.

How to teach your child to have a proper sleep schedule

When a baby has a stable daily routine, it becomes much easier for parents to care for him. You shouldn't expect this to happen quickly, but you can start adjusting your sleep and wake time from an early age.

The basic principle is to repeat the same actions every day. Change clothes, change diapers, rock them in your arms, put them to bed, sing a lullaby. Before going to bed at night, bathe, feed more closely, turn off the lights, TV, loud music. Gradually, the family develops a kind of ritual that prepares the baby for bed.

The preferred sleeping position is when the baby lies on his back with his head slightly turned to the side. This position is the safest, since the baby often burps after swallowing air while eating.

If the baby sleeps with the mother, you need to make sure that he has enough space. It should not lie on a pillow; it should be covered with a separate blanket. If a woman feels insecure and is afraid of turning around carelessly and injuring the child, then it is better to refuse to sleep together. A sleep-deprived mother finds it difficult to fulfill her duties of caring for her baby. In this case, it is better to use an additional crib.

For good sleep, it is useful to sleep in the fresh air. You can go for a walk in winter with a two-week-old newborn if the frost is not stronger than -10°C and there is no wind. You should start with two half-hour walks, gradually increasing their duration. In summer, you can walk with your baby for an unlimited time from the age of seven days. You can leave the stroller on the balcony or in the yard while you sleep, making sure that direct sunlight does not fall on your face.

For a child born prematurely, with low birth weight or who is sick, sleep lasting more than 4 hours in a row is permissible only once a day. If he sleeps longer than expected, he must be woken up and fed. This is best done during REM sleep.

How to create conditions for restful sleep

To sleep a newborn, you can use a crib, stroller or cradle. You need to choose bedding and clothing from breathable, non-rough materials and keep them clean. At night it is better to dress the baby so that the process of changing diapers becomes quick and convenient. Some children sleep better in swaddles; in this case, you should swaddle them loosely without tying their arms and legs tightly.

Using bumpers on a newborn's bed is not practical and may interfere with monitoring the baby's condition. They will be useful later, when the baby makes his first attempts to stand up. There is also no point in putting soft toys in bed.

The child should sleep on a flat surface. It is best to take a small flat pillow or place a diaper folded several times under your head.

The room where the baby sleeps should be regularly ventilated, but the baby should not be exposed to drafts. It is best to take it out of the room while airing.

A newborn baby does not sleep well in a hot, dry room, the optimal air temperature is 20-22°C. At this temperature, there is no need to wear additional socks and blouses; it is enough to cover the baby with a light blanket. Comfortable humidity at 50-60% is especially difficult to maintain in an apartment during the heating season. The most effective way to achieve these parameters is to use a humidifier. If you don’t have one, you can hang wet towels on the radiators or place containers of warm water in the bedroom at night.

Loud noises and bright lighting can wake up your baby. He will sleep better in a darkened room with monotonous, repetitive sounds, such as running water or a fan.

Over time, the family will develop individual rules for quality sleep, but there is something common to all: the child must be well-fed, dry and healthy.

Contents of the article

 Doctors call problems with poor sleep in newborns and infants the rule rather than the exception, and numerous studies confirm this. Pediatricians can prescribe various medications to treat possible neurological problems, but don't take the problem too seriously. Most often, sleep improves by following certain rules and eliminating problems.

Why does my baby have trouble sleeping at night?

Below we will look at what causes problems with falling asleep and how to solve them, depending on the severity of the problem and the skills of family members. So, why does an infant sleep poorly?

Age characteristics

At three months, the baby spends a lot of time sleeping, growing and developing, adapting to the outside world. Most infants who do not sleep with their parents experience problems waking up at night, which is due to the structure of their sleep. There are shallow and deep cycles. If problems are observed, it means that the first type predominates. A two-month-old child does not sleep well at night and groans.

Some children sleep on their own without problems, but some need help from their mother. Plus, physiological characteristics make it difficult to sleep soundly - up to a year, infants are breastfed at night, which causes awakenings and possible manifestations of hysteria. At an older age, a five-month-old child often does not sleep due to fears.

It is unusual for a very small child to sleep alone, without his mother

If a baby sleeps restlessly, there is a risk of problems when the baby grows up. At 1.5-3 years of age, sleep is disturbed due to fear of the dark, cartoon characters, fairy tales, and nightmares associated with them.

You can solve the problem by sleeping together with your parents. This is indicated until approximately two years of age. Scientists have found that when falling asleep together, the child is rarely capricious, since attention can be attracted by simple movement. In bed with loved ones, the baby does not experience nightmares, it is easier to feed him, and he will not wake up often at night.

Sleep plays a very important role for a baby. After all, it is in a dream that a toddler grows and gains strength to understand the world. But, like adults, young children have very individual needs for rest. And since young parents are just beginning to get to know their baby, the sleep pattern day and night (not the same as the neighbor’s baby, who sleeps for 12 hours without waking up) raises a lot of questions and concerns. Let's look at the characteristics of sleep in newborns and infants, and also find out what is hidden behind the phrase “the child does not sleep well.”

Sleep standards from birth to 5 years

This is interesting. European somnologists, having observed 10,000 thousand people of different sexes and ages, came to the conclusion that the duration of sleep, in addition to external factors and biological rhythms, is influenced by genetics. So, if you have the ABCC9 gene, a person needs to spend an hour more time in the kingdom of Morpheus than someone who does not have this gene.

The number of hours of sleep is individual for each child

A newborn sleeps 16–20 hours a day, interrupting sleep to satisfy physiological needs and learn about the world around him. With age, the pauses between visits to Morpheus's possessions become shorter, and by the age of 7, the child sleeps for about 12 hours. As we have already found out, all children have different needs for rest, but average indicators can still be identified.

Amount of daytime sleep according to norms	A child's daily sleep rate in hours	Norms of wakefulness in a child in hours	Norm of a child's night sleep in hours	A child’s daily sleep requirement in hours
Age 1–3 weeks
The baby does not sleep according to a strict schedule and may wake up earlier or later than expected.	8–9 hours	About 4 hours	10–12 hours, wakes up 3–4 times to eat	18–20 hours
Age 1–2 months
4 daytime naps and 1 nighttime nap	About 8 hours (2 times 2–3 hours and 2 times 30–45 minutes)	4 hours	10 hours with 2 breaks	18 hours
Age 3–4 months
4 daytime naps and 1 nighttime nap	6–7 hours (2 times 2–3 hours and 2 shallow sleeps of 30–45 minutes each)	7 o'clock	10 hours	17–18 hours
Age 5–6 months
3–4 day naps	At 5 months - 6 hours (2 times for 2 hours and 1 time for 1–1.5 hours), at 6 months - 5 hours (2 times for 2.5 hours)	8–9 hours	10 hours	15–16 hours
Age 7–9 months
2 naps	2 times for 2.5 hours	9–10 o'clock	10–11 o'clock	15 hours
Age 10–12 months
2 naps	2 times for 2 hours	10 hours	10 hours
Age from 1 year to 1.5 years
2 day	2 times for 1–1.5 hours	11 o'clock	10–11 o'clock	14 hours
Age 1.5–2 years
1 nap	2.5–3 hours	11 o'clock	10–11 o'clock	13 hours
Age 2–3 years
1 nap	2–2.5 hours	11 o'clock	10–11 o'clock	13 hours
Age 3–5 years
1 nap	2 hours	12 hours	10 hours	12 hours

When to worry?

The data given in the table are approximate, but if deviations from the norm are 4–5 hours higher or lower, then this is a reason to consult a neurologist. In other cases, you can look for the cause yourself.

Eats often

It happens that the little one often wakes up to eat. In this case, the problem of malnutrition is evident. If the child is breastfed, it may be necessary to add formula to the diet or review the mother’s diet and quality of nutrition. For artificial drinkers, the problem is solved by increasing the portion. In any case, you need to inform your pediatrician about your observations and only then take any action.

Doesn't sleep immediately after feeding

Have you noticed that your baby doesn’t sleep after feeding? Perhaps he overeats, and this interferes with sleep.

Poor sleep may be caused by hunger or overeating

Imagine that you are being put to bed after a hearty and plentiful dinner, and how will you be able to fall asleep? In this case, it is better to reduce the dose. True, many pediatricians defend the opinion that a breastfed baby should be left at the breast until he quits. Antagonists convince young mothers not to hold the baby at the breast for more than 20 minutes, they say, he is already full and will simply begin to overeat or play. Whatever point of view you support, reconsider your diet. After all, some foods are difficult to digest even by the body of an adult, let alone a baby. Artificially fed infants should slightly reduce the portion of the formula and observe its behavior. If sleep patterns are not restored, then there is probably another reason.

Doesn't sleep after swimming

Water procedures can also cause the baby to not go to bed. As a rule, toddlers love water - it reminds them of the natural environment in the womb. So such negative consequences from bathing are most likely the fault of the parents. So, the reasons could be the following:

• too hot/cold water (the optimal temperature is 37 degrees, but for some babies this is too hot, and for some, on the contrary, too cold) - reduce/increase the temperature by 1–1.5 degrees and look at the reaction;
• prolonged bathing (many adults like to stay in the water for a long time and a priori transfer this to the baby) - keep in mind that the baby is not yet dirty to be in the bath for a long time - 2-3 minutes in the first weeks is enough, by the year we increase it to 10 minutes;
• there are a lot of spectators (caring grandparents, girlfriends and children of girlfriends, of course, with the best intentions, go with you to the bathroom, but the baby does not understand such entertainment) - make the evening bath an intimate procedure.

If you watch TV, you've probably seen a lot of advertisements for baby bath products containing lavender, lemon balm, "healthy sleep extracts" and other marketing gimmicks. It’s up to you to believe them or not, but remember that the baby’s skin is not laboratory material. If you decide to use any special bathing products, consult your pediatrician or dermatologist.

Why does a newborn sleep poorly during the day or at night: causes of sleep disturbances and ways to solve the problem

Sleep mode is one of the most important elements of the health of the child and his mother. It needs to be developed from the first months of life. And if something interferes with this, then the problem must be solved immediately.

There can be many reasons why a baby may not sleep well.

Factors affecting sleep patterns that do not fit those described in the previous paragraph can be divided into two categories:

• caused by physiological reasons;
• provoked by external factors.

Let's look at them in more detail, providing instructions for elimination.

Physiological reasons

This is interesting. One of the most common reasons why a baby does not sleep is teething. The task of parents is to alleviate unpleasant manifestations with ointments, creams and... be patient.

Colic

When a toddler screams or eats, he swallows air. As it accumulates, it causes pain. You need to know that colic usually appears at 3 weeks of a child’s life and goes away by 3 months. To relieve symptoms, you can give your little one dill water or medications designed to relieve colic. Help can also be provided by

• changing the position of the baby’s body;
• providing him with warmth;
• placing a gas outlet pipe;
• having an enema.

To relieve colic, you need to change the position of the baby's body

This is interesting. Remember that colic symptoms do not include vomiting and diarrhea. These manifestations can be caused by serious health problems in the child. Therefore, you should immediately seek medical help.

Hunger

In the first days of life, babies are especially sensitive to hunger. In other words, if a child wants to eat, they will never fall asleep. But immediately after he feels full, in the absence of other irritating factors, he will happily fall asleep.

Discomfort

If the diaper is full, the baby is wet, this no longer sets the mood for sleep. And if diaper rash has also formed, then there’s no time for a pleasant nap. According to Dr. Komarovsky, a good diaper is not a rule, it is a requirement that ensures healthy sleep and excellent skin condition on the soft, appetizing parts of the baby’s body. Be sure to change diapers on time and monitor the condition of the skin using special products: creams, powders. A clean and dry little one will sleep peacefully.

Diseases

Biological rhythm disturbance

Or the child simply confused day with night.

The baby has not yet developed a biological clock, so he may confuse day with night

A fairly common cause of sleep disorder. However, there is nothing wrong with this: the baby just hasn’t developed his biological clock yet. True, the reason could also be parents who stayed too long with guests, played a prank on the little one while watching the night, or got caught up in an interesting movie. To solve the problem, efforts will have to be made by all family members:

• walk with your toddler in the fresh air (Dr. Komarovsky insists that nothing can replace fresh air for a baby’s healthy sleep);
• play and put the baby to bed in compliance with the correct regime;
• follow the “30-minute trick” (if you kindly and gently wake up your child 30 minutes earlier than the time when he should wake up, then he will want to fall asleep these 30 minutes earlier - this way the routine will gradually level out).

External factors

Failure to comply with temperature conditions

If the child is hot or cold, he will not sleep. The optimal temperature in the room should be from 18 to 22 degrees, and the humidity level should not be lower than 60%. It is also useful to ventilate the room well before going to bed to ensure a healthy microclimate.

Overexcitement

It’s difficult to put a child to sleep when he’s playing up, and even Morpheus can’t guarantee that he’ll sleep for the required number of hours.

No active games before bedtime - this rule should apply to a child at any age. You need to put your little one to bed in peace and quiet. At the same time, there should be no one in the room except mother and baby. The only exception is for dad.

Stress

Mom and baby are closely related. Any experience of a woman affects the health of the child. So avoid negative emotions, don’t let yourself get upset, and your little one will sleep much calmer and better.

This is interesting. Dr. Komarovsky advises all mothers and fathers: “More than anything else in the world - more food and drink, more sleep and fresh air - a child needs a healthy, rested and loving mother and father.”

Well-known pediatrician Evgeny Komarovsky claims that a child’s sleep schedule should be convenient for parents. And it doesn’t matter at all whether it will be from 21.00 to 05.00 or from 23.00 to 07.00! It is important that you strictly follow this regimen.

Sleeping in the fresh air is an excellent solution for normalizing your routine

Tip #1

First of all, you need to analyze the feeding regime. The baby should not be hungry.

Tip #2

Sleep should become a conditioned reflex. And this is facilitated by observing a special, only yours, ritual. For example, walking, eating, bathing, bedtime story and sleep. Moreover, bathing plays an important role in this connection. It should be in cool water, in a large bath. Before hygiene procedures, it is useful to have a relaxing massage, and then dress the baby in comfortable warm clothes.

Tip #3

Monitor your child's condition and at the slightest sign of fatigue, put him to bed. If you miss the moment, then, having played out, putting the baby to bed will be a difficult task.

Tip #4

Don't be afraid to wake up! If a 6-month-old child, with a daily norm of 15–16 hours, sleeps 9 hours during the day, then 6–7 hours will be left for night rest - and you won’t have to count on a long, sound sleep. So try to stick to your daytime sleep to ensure you get a good night's sleep.

Tip #5

Monitor the cleanliness of the room and the temperature in it. Provide comfort with comfortable clothes that will not be hot or cold, as well as soft, washed baby powder and well-rinsed bed linen. As for the latter, Dr. Komarovsky supplements this requirement as follows: a dense and even mattress (so that the baby’s body does not sag) and a pillow only after 2 years (size 60 by 60 cm, thickness equal to the width of the baby’s shoulder).

Tip #6

The right company. A child under 1 year old should sleep in a crib in the parents' room, from 1 year old - in a crib in the children's room. And staying in your parents’ bed at night has nothing to do with healthy sleep.

Video. how to improve baby's sleep and parents' sleep - recommendations from Dr. Komarovsky

A child's good sleep is in the hands of parents. And no matter what the reasons for his violation, only mom and dad can help the baby develop the right daily routine so that he grows up healthy and happy. After all, there are not so many components of healthy sleep: correct feeding regimen, fresh air, cleanliness of the room, bathing, comfortable clothes and a comfortable child’s bed - you must agree, there are not too many conditions for solving an important task.

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