It's no secret that children's sleep is a very interesting and mysterious phenomenon. This is especially true for newborn children who are just about to be born, still do not understand what day and night, sleep and wakefulness are. The main task of mom and dad after birth is to "establish" a newborn’s sleep, which over time will only occur according to the established regimen.
Lucky for those parents whose child, as soon as you put him in the bed, yawns sweetly, rubs his eyes and falls asleep. Agree that such a fate awaits only a few. In most cases, immersing a newborn baby in a dream is very difficult and painful. Sometimes it takes a lot of time and effort.
The first thing new parents need to learn: the rhythms of sleep in a newborn and an adult are very different. The duration of superficial sleep in an infant is 80% (for comparison, in an adult - 20%). Such a dream is easily interrupted by colic, thirst or fear, which are the “enemies” of parents in the first months of a child’s life. Remember: this is normal! Frequent awakenings are a way of survival in the new world. During such a dream, the child develops, and its interruption is a signal of inconvenience or fear. A woken up child will probably complain of colic in your tummy, thirst or hunger, or it may just be uncomfortable for him to lie in a certain position.
Very often, parents worry about whether the child gets enough sleep and if he has enough sleep. The answer to this question is obvious: if the child actively plays during wakefulness, eats and smiles with appetite, he has enough sleep. So, each child has his own regime, so do not be alarmed if the newborn’s sleep will differ from generally accepted norms (a monthly child should sleep 6-7 hours in the afternoon, 8-10 hours at night; a three-month- old child should sleep 5-6 hours in the afternoon, 10-11 hours at night )
It is best in the first months of life to put the baby to sleep on demand. But how do you know that he wants to sleep? Certain signs - yawning, eye rubbing, lethargy, whimpering, fatigue - will help you understand that the baby wants to rest and sleep.
When the child, despite the obvious desire to sleep and his symptoms, cannot fall asleep and cries, it is necessary to determine the cause of this situation and eliminate it. Such reasons are divided into external and internal. Internal problems include stomach problems, otitis media, regurgitation, itching, diseases associated with impaired functioning of the nervous system (increased irritability, hypertonicity, mental disorders), metabolic disorders; to the outside - a hectic atmosphere in the house, a change in weather, a change in the phases of the moon, uncomfortable indoor conditions (a cold bed, unusual smells or sounds, dry air), a violation of the usual ritual of going to bed.
If you want to make a baby’s sleep healthy, you should first of all eliminate the cause of children's anxiety and make the situation as comfortable as possible, consult with experienced friends, mother, and doctors on this subject. The latter are the best advisers. Sooner or later, everything will become more or less stable.
A lot depends on mom. She should pay a lot of attention to the child, while responding to all his “requests” and desires, monitor changes in the child’s behavior, communicate more with him and talk. It is necessary to constantly improve sleep conditions: ventilate the room, humidify the air, comfortably equip the bed, making it warm and beautiful. During the period of falling asleep, you can turn on the nightlight, turn on quiet music or sing a lullaby.
Experts advise to establish a clear ritual of immersion in sleep and follow it every day without breaking. So, evening bathing and dressing in pajamas every day will remind the baby that after these procedures you need to sleep. In addition, it is better to lay the child at about the same time so that he does not accidentally confuse day and night.
If you follow the above tips and give the child proper attention, the newborn’s sleep will be correct, healthy and strong!