Very often, sleep problems occur in perfectly healthy newborn babies. If the child does not sleep, this does not mean that he may have health problems. Basically, with any sleep disturbance, parents are looking for problems in neurology, which is most often completely unreasonable.
The first year of life - a year of unstable sleep
In order to learn how to properly regulate sleep and normalize it, it takes some time. Only a tiny percentage of babies fall asleep calmly and all night. The fact is that as they grow older from birth to infancy (in the first year of life), a child’s regime is formed, respectively, many factors affect this.
And now let's pay attention to the main question of all parents: how to teach a child to sleep all night. Nevertheless, in the first weeks, do not reassure yourself that the baby will finally start to sleep, because it has its own waking hours, between which the most important life aspect occurs - feeding. If the newborn sleeps during the day, occasionally waking up only for food, then try to arrange at least 2.5 hours of wakefulness before a night's sleep. More precisely, a failure in the sleep cycle occurs due to the fact that the child in the evening from 18:00 to 20:00 can once again arrange a sleepy hour. And this means that at the most crucial moment, when he gets enough sleep, eats, he will have energy and come awakening. Energy needs to be spent, therefore, either the baby will arrange a tantrum, or will wait and grunt until he feels his mother’s hands.
"Ritual" before laying
Remember: a sleeping newborn baby is unpredictable. He can get hungry at any time, especially if he is breastfeeding. He may be bothered by colic and gas, in connection with which he will have to carry out auxiliary procedures, as well as the baby may need an extraordinary diaper change. In order for the baby to fall asleep more calmly and not to miss the most important phase of sleep, think over a certain ritual before laying down.
To get started, prepare a bath with the optimum temperature for the baby. Brew a camomile or a series, having filtered, pour the broth into the water. You can bathe the baby with the addition of a decoction of chamomile.
The next step in your ritual may be massage. Put on the soft bedspread of the child. Lubricate your hands with baby oil or a light moisturizing tonic, massage the areas of the tummy, back. Carefully, but with caution, knead the arms and legs of the baby.
The next step may be the most beloved moment for the newborn. This, of course, is feeding. Feed the child, and so that he does not burp, hold him for 10 minutes with a column, slightly pressing his tummy to himself.
The first month of life: soon the difficulties will decline
If a child does not sleep well at night, but does not cry, and at the same time he is not disturbed by colic, then monitor the intervals of his daytime sleep. From birth, you must try to orient the child between daytime and nighttime. Without parental intervention during the day, newborns can sleep for hours on end. Therefore, wake up the baby, carry on your hands, talk with him. He may protest in the form of a cry, but over time he will get used to the wakefulness regime.
Baby's daytime sleep: how important it is to regulate it
There are cases when the child does not sleep during the day, but this is not a guarantee that the baby will sleep peacefully and without rises at night. In this case, it is necessary to carry out a preventive measure to identify the cause.
First, cut off the discomfort and pain in the tummy. Perhaps the mixture is not suitable for the child, or the mother of the newborn, while breastfeeding, takes any medications without consulting a doctor. Or maybe the new components in the mother’s milk act on the baby’s microflora and cause gas formation and discomfort.
Secondly, parents should monitor their morale during contact with the newborn. The child feels irritation, pain, fear of an adult, especially mother. Therefore, for the good of the moral calm of your baby, you need to stay calm next to him. Otherwise, numerous examples prove: if a mother, being in a nervous state, is engaged in a child, then the baby takes over her mood. As a result, bad sleep, crying and even refusal to eat are guaranteed.
Thirdly, it is important to equip a comfortable place to sleep. If a newborn baby does not sleep well in a place designated for sleep, but calms down and falls asleep on his hands, then try to get a cocoon for sleep. In it, the newborn feels very comfortable and sleeps well, at least so satisfied mothers say.
Bedtime walk
It may seem to parents that they have tried almost everything so that the baby finally calms down and sleeps. But in fact, in 70% of such cases, parents behave very passively. It’s not enough just to rock the baby in her arms; from this, the baby may just get tired and begin to get even more irritated. Walking is the most important aspect of normal development and restful sleep. Walk with your newborn baby day and evening, fresh air has always favorably influenced babies.
Perhaps the newborn will fall asleep during a walk. All the better, sleeping in the fresh air will improve the general condition, blood circulation and even the mood of a small family member. Immediately after the walk, enter the schedule of feeding, 1-2 hours of wakefulness, and then try to lay down again. With this regimen, the child gets used to normal going to bed more easily.
Teething time
Still, do not forget that in the period from 1 to 8 months, the child goes through the most important stage of development in his life, his emotional state with each opening can overexcite the nervous system and thereby disturb sleep patterns. By this time, the teething stage begins, then you can really understand and try to alleviate the cause of insomnia, accompanied by crying and tantrums. To do this, there are gels, natural-based fluids for painless teething and even special children's calcium. All this, combined with unlimited patience and parental care, will help the baby cope, be less nervous and sleep better.
Emotional mood at bedtime
In the period from 8 to 12 months, the child still needs a day's sleep. So, after waking up, having done all the morning activities, you must try to take the child out for a walk. A full and rich morning will enrich your baby's horizons, pleasant emotions will positively affect the nervous system.
By the way, let’s look at two examples of the relationship between emotions experienced during the day and a child’s safe sleep. There is an opinion that the more emotionally the child behaved during the day, the stronger he will sleep at night, but, unfortunately, too active a child before bedtime can receive a whole charge of new energy. He will spend this energy on protests against sleep, crying and tantrums. Therefore, it is necessary during the day to follow the baby, his games, moments of activity and calm. If the house has a TV, pay attention to what the baby is watching. For the health of the nervous system, it is advisable to exclude views of any programs before reaching the age of three.
The second option is a passive child. More precisely, the kid who prefers sedentary games, pays attention to toys. It is especially good if parents engage in the development of fine motor skills with the child during the day. The kid, who was calm all day, walked and felt the care of his mother, feels more comfortable. This directly affects the child’s sleep, it is easier to learn to fall asleep on its own, it is easier to “move” from the parent's bed to its own and sleep much more calmly at night.
Night feeding and sleep
Parents mistakenly believe that if you cancel night feeding from the age of one to two years, the baby will wake up more often because of hunger, be capricious, as a result of which the sleep regimen will be completely disrupted. In fact, children who are not accustomed to night feeding, sleep more calmly and without awakening, oddly enough, do not wake up and do not require a portion of porridge. So, not exhausted by hunger.
Night is for sleep, you need to accustom to this principle from infancy. Closer to two years, it is recommended to excommunicate the child from feeding with the mixture at night. This will favorably affect the full uninterrupted sleep of the baby and save parents from additional lifts at night.
How to put a child to bed if he does not eat the mixture at night, while being breast-fed? Do not exaggerate the importance of eating at bedtime. If the child refuses the mixture, then he is ready to fall asleep without it. If the child is accustomed to the nipple, then give it to him, turn on the recording of pleasant sounds of birds or nature. Especially suitable for laying rain noise. And try to put the baby in the crib, swaying a little.
Shared sleep - a whim or a necessity?
Why does the child not sleep separately from parents? This is because next to them he feels more comfortable. If parents have chosen a joint dream with a child, then you need to understand several important points that will ensure peace and safety of the baby.
First of all, the mattress on which the baby sleeps must be hard. Therefore, it is important to purchase orthopedic. The child should sleep either from the side of the father or from the side of the mother; in the middle, the baby should not be placed for safety reasons. If the mother is breastfeeding, then joint sleep is only a plus in such a situation. The child is able, without waking up from sleep completely, to get enough, calm down and sleep on. According to observations, it is clear that the joint sleep of a mother and a child has a very beneficial effect on the nervous system. If a baby sleeping in a bed often wakes up at night and cries, and this lasts a long time, then you should not persist in letting him sleep separately. Relocate it to yourself for a while. The baby calms down, feeling a close relationship with his mother.
Newborn sleep and factors that affect it
Let's get back to the topic of newborn sleep problems. When a child is acquainted with this world, it is important to maintain his familiar conditions, those to which he is accustomed under the heart of his mother. Swaddling will help you with this. But not one that figuratively pops up in the head from the time of the USSR to the present. Tight swaddling should not be used, it too much fetters the baby’s movements, hands and legs in this condition can become numb. This will cause great discomfort to the baby, he will not only refuse to sleep, but will cry.
Alternative to swaddling swaddling
There is a more gentle and even useful alternative to tight swaddling. These are ready-made swaddling bodies and pajamas, diapers with Velcro or locks. If the baby is slightly swaddled during sleep, then he will sleep much more calmly and even longer. Why is that? Because newborns do not control the movements of their arms and legs until a certain point in development, everything happens spontaneously and unconsciously. So during sleep, waving the handles, the baby is scared, from which he subsequently wakes up. The child sometimes does not sleep only because of this factor, which adversely affects him.
Sleepwear
Try to dress your baby as lightly as possible. No need to pull on a hundred clothes, it also causes discomfort. It’s best to choose a few interchangeable slips that you will wear overnight. If you are afraid that the child may catch a cold during sleep due to the low temperature in the room, buy a thicker and warmer sleep slip.
Temperature is an important point
For a comfortable sleep, you must monitor the temperature in the room. Many parents make a serious mistake, trying to additionally heat the room. This can negatively affect not only the baby’s dream, but also on the general physical condition.
Observe the temperature regime in the range from 18 to 22 degrees, ventilate in a timely manner, especially before bedtime, conduct wet cleaning. These are the simplest, but important actions that will help normal development, full sleep and wakefulness.
The child does not sleep well and often wakes up because he is too stuffy, because he is sweating, from itching on his body and head. Remember this, do not focus all attention on one factor, consider all possible nuances.