Babies are a joy to have in a family. But there are times that these little ones may show grumpiness and irritability. It is the role of the parents to see through all these mood changes and often it is very hard to tell why babies cry or are not in the mood. It is more difficult when a baby show these reactions at night. It is common for very young infants to stay awake even in the wee hours. But when there’s crying and grumpiness evident, a parent should look into the causes why his/her baby cannot sleep soundly night after night.
The following are top 5 factors that cause your baby to stop sleeping soundly:
1. Unbalanced diet and hunger
Some parents tend to over-feed their babies and it becomes a routine for their child to wake up even in the wee hours just to feed. If you are afraid to give larger amounts of baby food or milk to your baby, you should ask the pediatrician regarding this so that your baby and you can have longer, sounder sleeping time at night.
Over-feeding is not really the same as giving ample milk to your baby, it is giving milk or baby food often or each time the baby cries at night. Sometimes when the baby cries, it’s not always food that he/she asks for. There could be other issues such as diaper change, discomfort and others issues.
2. Discomfort
This can be caused by several factors such as diaper change after a few hours, temperature in the nursery, baby’s clothing or noise. Diaper change can be addressed when you change your baby’s night time feeding. Of course the more milk he/she takes, the more diaper change he/she needs nightly.
The other factors can be mandatory such as the temperature control in the nursery and the noise. As for baby’s clothing, make sure that he/she is well-clothed during the colder seasons and turning the heater on to ease the low temp can help.
3. Illness
When a baby is ill it’s truly difficult for him/her to sleep soundly. Make sure that you stay with your baby when he/she is ill. If the baby is prescribed with medications, make sure that he/she is taking it as per pediatrician’s advice. Sleep can be difficult for an ill infant, but mom’s warmth and care can alleviate most of the discomfort.
4. Over-stimulation
Over-stimulation can be bad because it can become a routine for the baby and he/she will expect it every time. Diverting it to a quiet relaxation can help your baby unwind from the busy play time or interaction with family members. And in doing so, your baby can dwindle off to sleep without feeling anxious of any stimulation.
Make sure that your baby gets a quiet time to relax even he/she doesn’t sleep. Allow him/her to relax without stimulation from you or other family members for about 20 minutes before naptime or sleep time at night. This allows the baby to sleep soundly.
5. Anxiety
Separation anxiety is the most common for infants 5 months and above because it is the period where they get separated from their mommies. It is difficult to see your baby crying and feeling uneasy with the separation but you should react on it positively by letting your baby become independent and confident.
Don’t reward your baby by giving him/her too much attention each and every time he/she wakes up at night. You can stay in your baby’s room of course to see if he/she is safe, but attending to his/her every waking moment can be mistaken as a reward for doing so. Just be patient and let your child know you’re there. Unless your baby cries for another reason, that’s the only time you should give your full attention.
Some mommies talk to their babies when they are anxious and asking for attention. They sing songs to them without taking their babies out of the crib or tell them soothing stories and such. Mommy’s voice can be a relaxing way to help her baby relax and sleep. Carrying your baby all the time won’t help him/her become independent and confident.
It can be heartbreaking to hear a baby cry at night especially when it’s sleep time. But there’s always a way to stop the sleepless nights for you and your baby. Make sure that you seek advice from a pediatrician regarding your baby’s health and other possible causes of sleep problems particularly if you are new to parenting.
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