Sleep is as important to babies as it to adults. Newborns within the first 3 months sleep for a total of 16 to 18 hours a day but they wake up every two to three hours to feed even in the night. It is expected that by 4 to 6 months they should, your baby should sleep six to eight hours on a stretch.
Babies are unpredictable in their sleep patterns. Some sleep all day and party all night, some are heavy sleepers while some are light sleepers. Babies fight sleep as much as they can and some especially the ones determined not to sleep succeed for a long time until they fall asleep or you make them sleep. Whatever is the case, there are ways to help them sleep.
Reasons your baby Might not be sleeping in the night.
Tiredness
Heat or cold
Hunger
Thirst
Colic
Sleep positions
Soiled diaper or nappy
Ways to help your child sleep through the night
I believe every mother has a natural instinct to understand their baby even if it takes some time, you will understand your baby’s cry and discomfort. Study your baby to know why he or she isn’t sleeping through the night. I found out that my baby sleeps well at night if he has a bath before bedtime. The day he doesn’t, he cries all through and no one will sleep. It turned out that heat was his problem. Find out what is causing your baby not to sleep at night and then we can find the solution
Tiredness
Tiredness during the day could disturb his or her night sleep. Watch out for when your baby is tired. He starts rubbing the eyes, yawning, or being fuzzy. Your baby can get tired from all the carrying and playing and just wants to lie down to sleep. If he doesn’t get enough rest during the day it could affect his sleep at night.
Heat or cold
Out of fear of cold, many parents don’t properly ventilate the room their baby stays in. they wear multiple clothes and in the bid to create warmth for a baby they believe will easily fall sick from cold, they create.
Hunger
If your baby isn’t getting enough breastmilk then he or she won’t sleep well at night. Do what you can to make your baby feed properly because it is needed not only for good sleep but for brain development. If you are not producing enough breastmilk you can take lactation cookies or other therapies that increase milk supply or augment breastmilk with formula.
Colic
Colic is a term used to describe well-fed babies who cry for 3 hours or more within 24 hours every day. Colic cans start around 2 weeks and last for 4 to 6 months. If you notice this pattern in your baby then take him or her to see the doctor and together you can figure out ways to soothe the baby.
Soiled diaper or nappy
Your baby could be very sensitive to soiled diapers. Always wear a clean diaper at bedtime and check when he wakes up to feed if the diaper is soiled with poo or heavy with urine.
Sleep positions
Some babies like to sleep on the back while others don’t mind being laid on their tummy. Find out what works for your child. Also, put out the light and don’t make a habit of playing with your baby when he or she wakes up at the night. Let your child learn to fall back to sleep on his own.
Visit our blog to read more guides and tips about babies, pregnancy, and parenting.