My child doesn't sleep well at night, what should I do? Why does a newborn have trouble sleeping at night? Physiological causes of poor sleep

Small child can't sleep at night? This situation is painfully familiar to all young mothers. The parents' nerves are tense to the limit. Trying to calm down a raging baby, sleepy, tired, young parents begin to look for the root of the problems. Sleep disturbances can occur due to various reasons. Only a few of them are most common. We will tell you the most basic reasons why a child does not sleep at night, as well as ways to eliminate them.

Children in the first year of life often encounter such troubles as:

• colic;
• teething.

These two reasons give the baby a lot of trouble. unpleasant moments. It is impossible to completely eliminate them. All children, without exception, face them. But mom can alleviate the condition and help the baby fall asleep peacefully. Let's look at each of the points in more detail.

Colic usually plagues newborn babies. Unpleasant sensations and tummy pains lead to the child not falling asleep at night. If fatigue takes its toll, the baby often shudders and cries in his sleep. Characteristic, which distinguishes colic from all other ailments: the baby knocks his legs, presses them to his stomach.

To relieve pain and calm your baby, do the following:

All babies have colic. As a rule, they disappear by the age of three months.

Colic is a consequence of the colonization of the immature intestines of a newborn by various bacteria. It is not possible to avoid them completely. This is a physiological phenomenon.

An equally common reason why a child does not sleep at night is teething. At this moment, the baby’s gums are incredibly itchy and painful. This problem is faced by mothers of older children: from six months to a year. How to help the little one?

1. Apply a special ointment to your gums before going to bed. It will relieve pain, so the child can sleep.
2. Let your baby chew on a special chilled teether more often.

The name and frequency of use of the drugs will also be indicated by the pediatrician.

Teeth may be cut a little later or earlier: from four months to a year. Obvious signs are drooling and the baby's desire to put everything in his mouth.

Often the baby cannot fall asleep if external conditions make him feel uncomfortable:

To make it easier to fall asleep, try to find the source of discomfort and eliminate it. Universal advice in in this case no, because all kids like different things. Some people cannot sleep without a diaper, while others do their best to free their hands. Some people want to sleep on their stomachs, while others lie exclusively on their right side. Just try to choose safe posture for sleep. Do not place the baby on its back, only on its side. Otherwise, there is a high risk of vomiting and choking. To prevent your baby from rolling over, place a cushion under his back. Periodically switch the baby to the other side to avoid torticollis. Some children prefer to fall asleep lying on the same side. It's no problem. Wait for the baby to fall asleep, only then turn him over.

Try to keep the nursery from being too hot and stuffy. Regularly humidify the air and ventilate the room. Ideal temperature for a baby to sleep: +18 degrees. To keep your baby warm, put a flannel sleeping bag on him or swaddle him in a warm diaper.

Many children do not like to be left alone in their crib. If the mother wants him to sleep in his place from birth, wait until he falls asleep and then move the baby.

We all sleep based on our inner biological clock. If your child's biorhythms are out of whack, he may have trouble falling asleep in the evening. Most often this happens when the baby has slept a lot during the day. By nightfall he will be full of energy, and this is natural. If the regime is not gently returned to its place, this situation may drag on for a long time. In the language of our grandmothers, the child “confused day with night.” How to fix the situation?

If a young mother behaves correctly, the problem of disrupted biorhythms will be solved in a couple of days. It is important to know that it is also healthier for your child to sleep at night. IN dark time days the substance melatonin is most actively produced. It strengthens the body and protects it from many diseases.

So that the child does not confuse day and night, correct image Parents should also lead their lives. If mom and dad work at night, turn on bright light, TV, then the baby with high probability will also switch to a nocturnal lifestyle.

Older children experience night terrors: a year or more.

Fears can be very different:

• fear of the dark;
• fear of losing mom;
• fear of loneliness;
• fear of extraneous sounds.

Fears may arise if a sleeping baby is awakened by a sharp loud sound behind the wall. Some mothers go about their business while the child is sleeping, leaving the baby in the care of relatives. Waking up and not finding loved one, the kids are scared. This can cause a lot of problems in the future.

Calm down and be patient. This problem will not go away quickly. If the baby categorically refuses to sleep without his mother, it may make sense to switch to co-sleeping. Sometimes you may even need the help of a psychologist.

Children's fears are no joke. If your child cries and does not sleep through the night for several days in a row, seek help from a specialist.

Oddly enough, overwork can also cause sleep disturbances. If the baby has received a lot of new impressions before bedtime, sleep will be weak and restless.

To avoid this problem, try to follow these rules:

• avoid noisy entertainment and active games an hour before bedtime;
• All important events plan for the first half of the day.

The emergence of new skills in a child can also be attributed to this category. For example, he learned to sit, stand or walk. The baby tries a new skill again and again. In this case, the child sleeps restlessly, constantly waking up and starting.

Children sleep restlessly due to the abundance of both positive and negative emotions. Can lead to problems severe stress, experiences. Even new acquaintances can make falling asleep worse. What to do if the child does not sleep because of this? Spare the baby's nervous system. Try to postpone the abundance of events and new people to the first half of the day. Time will pass, the baby’s immature central nervous system will become stronger, and he will begin to react less to such stimuli.

How younger child, the more stress and overwork affect it. Try not to break the routine without good reason. Don't get carried away entertainment centers.

Sleep is also disturbed during illness.

I'm preventing my baby from falling asleep:

• painful sensations;
• body aches;
• respiratory manifestations: runny nose, cough.

In this case, all efforts should be aimed at overcoming the disease. As soon as the baby gets better, sleep will improve on its own. To put correct diagnosis, be sure to call a doctor.

Diseases in young children develop rapidly. Often from the first respiratory manifestations Less than a day passes before pneumonia. Be sure to contact your pediatrician promptly.

What to do if the reasons listed above do not apply, but the child still does not sleep? There are several other possible reasons.

The first two problems can only be solved with the help of a specialist. Children with weather sensitivity may experience headaches when the weather changes. Give your child a warm bath with herbal infusions. How else can you help your baby fall asleep?

1. Do not overfeed your baby at night.
2. Develop your own bedtime routine. This could be bathing in a decoction of herbs, a gentle song, or reading a book. Children are big conservatives. Do not change the routine, it will help the baby calm down and relax.
3. Provide your baby comfortable conditions for sleep: a comfortable bed, suitable temperature, relative silence.

In most cases, night sleep disturbances in children are caused by external reasons: malaise, fatigue, uncomfortable conditions. Provide your baby with convenience and comfort, be gentle and patient. This way you can calm the baby and set him up for sleep.

We have listed most of the reasons why a child does not sleep at night. If you have tried all the methods and your sleep is not getting better, seek help from a specialist.

Very often, young parents are interested in why their child (2 years old) sleeps poorly at night. When will he learn to rest from evening to morning? Even today there are
parents who blame the problem on the evil eye or some mysterious forces, resorting to conspiracies and other tricks to make the child sleep all night without
breaks. But what actually prevents the little man from resting peacefully all night?

Most often, by the end of the first year of life, the child can already sleep without interruption throughout the night. But there are children who need more time to master this skill. According to statistics, out of five children, at least one child 1-2 years old does not sleep well at night. This behavior may also be a manifestation of the child’s character. Active, restless children are able to wake up from any extraneous sounds, but it can be very difficult for them to fall back to sleep. Yes and time for
Such children require much less rest, so they wake up very early.

Of course, nights spent trying to put a crying or laughing child to bed do not pass without leaving an impact on the family as a whole. Parents feel tired and, as a result, irritated. The child, the partner, and household or work matters are annoying. That is why it is necessary to start teaching your child to sleep through the night as early as possible. However, even if a child (2 years old) does not sleep well at night, it is important to urgently find out why and decide what to do about it.

Causes

Most often, problems arise not only directly with night sleep, but also with falling asleep. That is, in principle, for children of this age
Fine. But most kids, realizing that it’s not time to get up yet, fall asleep on their own. A child who has problems sleeping cannot fall asleep on his own. It can be just as difficult to put him to bed in the evening. What could be the reasons?

Pain, hunger, thirst. All three of these needs are predominant and will not allow the child to fall asleep.
- Crucial moment. Like an adult, a child in a dream experiences what happened to him during the day. Therefore, if something important happened in his life -
went to kindergarten, changed their place of residence, added a new family member, etc., - good sleep can't wait.
- Reluctance to sleep. Indeed, it is very difficult to fall asleep if you are not tired enough or go to bed too early.
- Mom's condition. It has long been proven that the child subtly senses the mother’s condition, therefore, if she is depressed, excited, upset, the child in the majority
cases will be difficult to sleep.
- Discomfort. Perhaps the pajamas are already too small for the baby and make it difficult to feel comfortable. Or he didn’t have time to ask to go to the potty: a child (2 years old) sleeps poorly at night if his bed is wet.
- External factors. With the lights on, elevated level noise makes it difficult for a child to fall asleep and is much more likely to wake up during the night.
If it is not possible to completely isolate the child from such influences, it is necessary to make them as less noticeable as possible.
- Activity. If a child played active or emotional games before bedtime, you should not expect him to sleep peacefully. Even if, under the influence of fatigue, he falls asleep quickly, he will wake up more than once during the night, reliving emotional moments.
- Fear. A 2-year-old child does not sleep well at night, cries, screams for another serious reason - if he is used to being with his mother all the time, but now he has to be
alone in his crib. If the baby slept with her before, he may not be ready for independent sleep. If for some reason the mother is forced to be absent, well, she will have to listen to the child’s complaints for several nights.

Necessity

Sometimes it is difficult to understand whether the child really does not want to sleep or whether he is just playing too much. If he really doesn’t want to, there’s no point in forcing him, it’s the easiest way
to ensure that the child begins to sleep poorly at night. 2 years is enough old age to have your opinion and the right to be heard. To understand whether a child really does not want to sleep, you need to know how many hours of sleep are required at what age. Daily requirement for, for example, three-month-old children - 16-20 hours. By six months, a child needs 14.5 hours to feel good. By one year this figure decreases to 13.5 hours, but by two years 13 is enough. Four-year-old children sleep 11.5 hours a day, six-year-olds - 9.5. By the age of 12, children's need for sleep approaches adult levels - 8.5 hours. And we must not forget that this calculation is given for a day. That is, if a two-year-old sleeps 4 hours during the day, you can count on good rest at night. If you let him sleep longer, then at night he will catch up on the hours in which he did not play during the day. If a child does not sleep well at night (2 years), Komarovsky advises to reconsider his daytime sleep schedule. It is likely that he is simply oversleeping during the daytime.

Daily regime

An important role in healthy sleep the child plays it If a child (2 years old) sleeps poorly at night, there is a disturbed daily routine. It is necessary to accustom your child to the family schedule from birth. You need to prepare for bed in advance. The time at which the child should go to bed should be constant. At the same time, it should be comfortable not only for the child himself, but also suit the parents so that there are no disagreements.

A child's day should be filled with positive events. Of course, it is not at all necessary to organize entertainment shows for him all day every day.
It is quite enough to take an active walk, play active and educational games. If possible on nap put the baby on fresh air. IN evening time it is necessary to limit emotional and physical stress by offering the child calm games such as modeling or coloring.

Nutrition

This may seem strange to some, but if a child (2 years old) does not sleep well at night, it may be to blame poor nutrition. WITH biological point In view, night feedings are no longer necessary from 6 months. Therefore, if a child (2 years old) sleeps poorly at night and demands food, this does not mean that he is really hungry. Most likely, he does this simply out of habit, or he wants to communicate. The more actively parents satisfy these requirements, the more firmly this model of behavior settles in the child’s brain. It is better to avoid feeding at night. Firstly, the habit of eating at night did no good to anyone, and secondly, full stomach can be next reason sleep disorders.

At the first dinner (the penultimate meal), it is better to slightly underfeed the baby in order to fill his stomach at the end of the day. Still, this must be done without fanaticism - the last meal should be at least 2 hours before bedtime. It is best to have dinner with fruits, porridge, a small amount meat and fermented milk products. Sweets eaten in the evening will make the child more active and interfere with healthy sleep.

Place to sleep

Of course, every mother knows what is best for her baby. However, if a child has trouble sleeping at night and often wakes up (2 years), this may mean that his place to sleep is not the most suitable. It’s easy to check - just follow the recommendations of experts and see if it brings results.

Pediatricians believe that the ideal place for a child under one year of age is a separate crib in the parent's bedroom. However, they are ready to agree that this is the place
Suitable for many children under three years of age. But still, for the majority of children, doctors believe, from the age of one year it is better to be in their own crib in the children's room. Experts have an extremely negative attitude towards co-sleeping. Of course, this phenomenon occurs, but still it can hardly be called healthy for both the child and the mother.

Help you sleep

To avoid complaints that a child (2 years old) does not sleep well at night, it is necessary to make sleep and fall asleep comfortable. So, shortly before going to bed, it is advisable to ventilate the room without creating drafts. Preferred temperature in the room +18-20 degrees. If it is too hot or cold, your child will have difficulty sleeping. In addition, you should pay attention to air humidity: 60-70% will be comfortable. Promotes good sleep taking a bath with aromatic oils or herbs. Comfortable pajamas, a dry diaper, a suitable pillow - these are the things that your baby will definitely appreciate.

It is advisable to create a ritual that will set the baby up for a restful sleep:

An hour and a half before bedtime is good to take a walk with your child. It is advisable that he does not run around the yard, but walks calmly.
- Dinner should be at approximately the same time, not too dense, but not so that the child feels hungry.
- Taking a bath. Foam, pleasant smell aromatic oils or herbal infusions will help the child’s nervous system calm down and muscles relax.
- Fairy tale. All children love to be read to before bed. Often right at this time they fall asleep. But even if you listen to the fairy tale to the end, this finally lets the child know that it’s time to sleep.

This sample list calming actions that will help the baby fall asleep. Of course, no one forbids adding something of your own or removing any of
available items.

Not sleeping

It happens that, despite all efforts, a child (2 years old) does not sleep well at night. In this case, you will have to resort to various tricks that, if they don’t make the baby sleep, will allow him to just sit quietly in his crib without disturbing the whole family with crying:

It is worth putting your child to bed early, this will give you the opportunity to rest in the evening if he wakes you up early in the morning.
- Do everything so that the baby loves spending time in the crib, then he can, when he wakes up, just play in it without disturbing others.
- Spend maximum daytime time with your child, hug him more often, this will calm him down, instill confidence that he is loved and will not be abandoned. With such confidence he does not
will be afraid to sleep alone in a room.
- Gradually place the baby next to him while feeding soft toy. Gradually, she will begin to symbolize parental warmth for him, and he will sleep with her
comfortable and calm.

Help with sleep

The answer to the question why a 2-year-old child sleeps poorly at night can be very simple: he does not feel protected. Kids need to feel that their parents will always help, at any time of the day. Therefore, when a little one needs to approach him, he will know that he can trust you. It is very important to learn how to help your baby fall asleep again at night.

Despite the fact that it is mandatory to approach, this should not be done at the same second, giving the baby the opportunity to fall asleep on his own. If his crying is quiet, he may not wake up completely. If he really needs you, he can “turn up the volume.”

When approaching the crib, make sure that the child is not woken extraneous sounds, light, wet diaper.

The problem must be solved quietly and quickly. Instead of holding your baby in your arms or in your bed, it is better to simply pat your baby on the back.

If a 2.5-year-old child does not sleep well at night, calm, measured actions by parents will help him cope with emotions and continue to rest until the morning.

Komarovsky's sleep rules

More than one generation of children has grown up on the advice of Dr. Komarovsky. The famous pediatrician has recommendations for any case. If your 2-year-old child has trouble sleeping at night, follow the famous doctor’s rules for a restful night’s rest:

Don't forget about your needs. The doctor believes that the most important thing for any child is a happy family. Happy also means getting enough sleep. A
This means that Komarovsky’s first advice concerns parents: be sure to get enough sleep.
- Clear daily routine. As mentioned above, for a child’s stable sleep it is necessary proper organization all day. Following a clear schedule gives
the child feels protected and confident.
- Who to sleep with. According to Komarovsky, each family member should have their own place to sleep. He does not consider it beneficial for children to sleep together with their parents.
- You don't need anything extra. If the child sleeps too long during the day, he needs to be woken up so that everything required time he rested at night.
- Optimize feeding. Do not overfeed the child, do not allow snacks. Feeding should occur at the same time, the evening meal should
be nutritious but not heavy. The situation when a 2-year-old child sleeps poorly at night and cries, very often arises precisely against the background of overeating.
- Spending the day correctly. Move a lot, play outdoor games, read books, walk.
- Air. The room in which the child sleeps must be ventilated daily. If possible, before a night's rest, you should do wet cleaning and purchase
humidifier.
- Bed. The child's mattress should be dry, even, and evenly padded. Children under 2-3 years old do not need pillows at all. Older children can
put a thin pillow. Bed linen should only be natural. It needs to be washed by children detergents.
- Diapers. Diapers must be breathable, moisture-proof, suitable for the child by size and model.

Health

If a child’s sleep is disturbed due to colic or toothache, it is better not to experiment, but to consult a doctor. In addition, medical problems may be the reason why mothers come to the doctor with complaints. The child is 2 years old, sleeps very poorly at night, often wakes up, has trouble falling asleep - all this needs to be discussed with a doctor. In addition, tell your baby’s daily routine, then the doctor will be able to give advice or even prescribe sedatives.

Hello, Doctor. I understand that not all questions can be answered correctly, but I would still be interested to know your opinion. My son is 2 years old. The boy is good, he speaks, he knows colors, he knows a lot of brands of cars, he likes to “read” books, in short, he is developing more or less normally. Not capricious, although it happens... But you can come to an agreement with him. One problem - he cries at night and only at night. He has been sleeping poorly for two years now (all 2 years). Wakes up from 2-3 to 7-8 times a night, sometimes just whimpering, sometimes crying. Taking him into bed, stroking him on the head, putting him on the potty doesn’t help. During the day he sleeps from 2 to 3 hours a day without waking up. What they did: ultrasound of the brain - 2 times (without pathologies), Dopplerography (went to the recommended osteopath), were treated by a homeopath, drank everything - from Valerianohel to..., soothing baths at night, etc. and so on. Once in the hospital, where we were standing in line for an ultrasound, a doctor walked past Dimka and said: “What are you doing here? In my opinion, you don’t need to come here.” We don't know this doctor. She just saw how Dimka played and generally behaved. I say: “Well, he doesn’t sleep well at night.” Answer: “It’s not from the head, but his vegetative system is like that,” and she tried his palm, then mine. And she left. I've been thinking about it ever since. None of the neurologists paid attention to this. Everyone recommended an ultrasound, Dopplerography, and an electroencephalogram (at 1.5 years old, Dimka did not allow him to put a cap on, he began to cry very much). So I have a question - what could such a remark from a passing doctor mean? Of course, it would be more logical to find her and ask, but now it’s not realistic, and her remark can’t get out of my head. I have the vaguest idea about autonomic system and heard the term “vascular-vegetative dystonia”. But how does this translate through a child’s bad sleep, and most importantly, what to do. I am raising a child alone. I haven't slept at night for 3 years now. Thank you if you answer. Tatiana

Hello Tatiana! To tell you the truth, to explain from an accurate medical point of view the remark of a doctor passing by, is completely impossible. But approximately - instability, sensitivity of responses to what is happening around. This “happening” can include emotional reactions, changes in atmospheric pressure, and physical exercise and so on. Those. some special type of temperament. Unfortunately, our medicine is increasingly trying to clumsily copy Western models. It is absolutely obvious that if a two-year-old child “speaks well, knows colors, knows a lot of brands of cars, loves to “read” books, in short, develops more or less normally...” then we simply cannot talk about any organic pathology of the nervous system (organic pathology is something that can actually be seen - inflammation, abscess, tumor, underdevelopment of anything, etc.). This means that the existing problems relate to the emotional sphere, which was, is and, apparently, will be a secret behind seven seals for a long time. But doctors simply cannot tell a worried mother “we don’t understand anything here” or admit that medicine in this case does not have harmless options for help. So they “examine” you for self- and mutual reassurance - ultrasound, dopplers, etc. “Well, you can see for yourself - there’s nothing terrible...” The problem of night sleep really exists and you must clearly imagine the real possibilities - your own and the doctor’s. Making sure that the child sleeps at night with the help of serious drugs is not a problem at all. But such drugs are very dangerous strategically, although they are tactically convenient - at least they give the mother the opportunity to sleep. Therefore, we immediately reject the option of using all sorts of tranquilizers and antipsychotics as unacceptable. Real options for pharmacological assistance nevertheless exist.

1. Sleeping pills and sedatives based medicinal plants. You have already tried a lot, but there is one peculiarity in this direction: very often there is a very good reaction (i.e., achievement of the desired effect) to one drug, but almost no reaction to others. Those. one feels good with valerian, the second with mint, the third with motherwort, the fourth with lemon balm, etc. Almost all herbal sedatives are harmless, and you can experiment in different ways, look, with some drug and you’ll guess. Naturally and complex preparations you can try (i.e. those with a little bit of different herbs) - persen, sanason, etc.

2. Be sure to make sure that the child receives enough calcium. During the period of intensive growth of bones and teeth, a decrease in the level of calcium in the blood serum is very often observed, and one of the classic manifestations of this decrease is a significant increase in nervous and psycho-emotional excitability. The essence of the test is not to drag the child to another laboratory, but to give the baby 2-3 tablets of calcium gluconate or calcium glycerophosphate per day for 2-3 weeks. Availability positive effect(sleeps better, calmer, etc.) confirms the version of a calcium metabolism disorder due to its lack. Next, and this is very (!) important. Very often, when a child is constantly fed vitamins, there is an overdose of vitamin D, which, again, requires calcium. And if vitamin D is given, but calcium is not, then you can sleep poorly both day and night.

3. Another, previously widely used, but now undeservedly forgotten drug is sodium bromide solution. About 50 years ago, no one would have done an ultrasound, but they would have prescribed bromine for the baby, he would have slept much better and everyone would have felt good. Sodium bromine is used in the form of a 2% solution, it must be ordered at the pharmacy - this is the main inconvenience - doctors have forgotten how to write out prescriptions. Dose for two year old child- 1.5 teaspoons 3 times a day, you can also do this: 1 teaspoon in the morning and afternoon, 2 teaspoons at night. Give 10 days at this dose, and then gradually reduce the amount of the drug over 2-3 weeks. In order to obtain bromine, you should ask your local pediatrician to write a prescription. This is where safe pharmacology ends. Now let's forget about chemistry. The situation when a child feels well and develops well, but at the same time his mother does not sleep at night for 3 years is absolutely abnormal!!! This is wrong on many levels. This is masochism, this is a lack of understanding of your own prospects - well, at least the fact that your son still needs healthy mother! Therefore, if you think at least a little about yourself, and raise your boy even a little, this will not at all mean that you are an evil, unkind stepmother. This will only mean that the happiness of the child and the happiness of his mother are interconnected things. What should you do to help your baby sleep better at night? The answers are actually obvious, you just need to analyze for yourself, what should you do to yourself to sleep better? 1. Not getting enough sleep. Those. The child should be prevented from getting enough sleep during the day. I guess that Dimkin’s nap during the day is also a reason for you to take a nap, especially since the night is still ahead... But! Wake him up in an hour, it won’t help - don’t put him to bed at all. Sing, dance, walk, negotiate, etc. - but don't sleep. 2. In the evening, do not go to bed until you see that you are “ready”, will be ready - at 22 - please. No - let him run at least until 2 am, but after he gets into bed, communication should end until the morning. 3. Bye night sleep If things don’t get better, limit emotional stress - all these cars, colors, letters, books and other educational games.

4. On the contrary, try to increase physical activity. Walk more, jump and gallop, be sure to take a walk in the evening.

5. It is very important that the children's bedroom (any bedroom) has clean and cool air. No more than 20 C, ideally 18 C.

Last thing. Stop thinking about what's in similar situation At least someone will help you. No homeopaths and other healers, no neurologists, uzologists and osteopaths (by the way, I have no idea who they are) will help you. In relation to your situation, the idea that a person is the architect of his own happiness is 100% correct. All the best to you, good luck and special greetings to Dimka and Good night from uncle doctor. Komarovsky Evgeniy Olegovich

Doctors, who have received sleep research tools since the mid-20th century, claim that more than half of modern children have sleep problems, and this number is constantly growing in our prosperous “disoriented” times.

What can a mother who is falling over from lack of sleep give her child?

What can a mother who is collapsing from lack of sleep give her child? There is no strength for active educational games, the house is neglected, the tense psychological situation in the family leads to reduction breast milk, the baby does not eat enough, does not get tired during the day and wakes up crying all night, and the next morning everything starts all over again. “Well, he’ll outgrow it! - they convince themselves alone, shifting responsibility for what is happening to the innocent child. “Clear mode! Go to bed and let him scream!” - others bring up forgotten methods of ignoring the child’s condition.

And there are also unscrupulous researchers who claim that women are naturally able to sleep in fits and starts without harm to themselves. Selfish fathers read the comments of scientists, and then sincerely wonder why they are not considered “real” family members: “Did you bring money? There is food on the table, the TV in the hall is free.”

Even the dog, the family pet, supports the exhausted mother with silent sympathy. And the head of the family “according to the state” is supposed to, together with the mother and baby, look for ways out of the situation that has arisen. The baby also feels better and looks healthier when he sleeps safely for the prescribed amount of time. Our task is to eliminate possible ailments and help him master this difficult task.

Why does my child sleep poorly?

What can prevent the baby from sleeping peacefully at this time and giving the mother the opportunity to fully rest for his own good?

“Children’s” problems: your baby turned out to be a “night owl”, which means that it will be late for him to go to bed. You will try in vain to force him to lie down; he, reacting to your irritation and despair, will scream until he wants to sleep.

Unfortunately, biological rhythm the child does not depend on parental attitudes. AND healthy habit getting up early only works in some cases, regardless of the age of those tested. That is, getting up at 6 am and starting to work can get used to, but scientists testify: physiological processes in the body remain inhibited until the “natural” time of awakening.

And if a night owl child goes to parents who are early risers, they will have to find a compromise: active time in the “general” middle of the day, mandatory naps for the mother, quiet games in the morning and evening.

Isn't this combination of interests of all family members similar to the so unloved modern mothers daily regime? Alas, psychologists testify that the first generation of those whom their parents freed from the regime at one time, giving, it would seem, unconditional love, and protection from stress, approached her 20s with a range of behavioral and psychological problems. Life has again confirmed the obvious postulate: it is good in moderation and in place.

“Adult” problems: colic, gas, teething, baby illness, confused day and night - here insomnia is understandable, and the need for help is obvious. But after six months these problems are solved. And after each of these disruptions, family life returns to normal again, taking into account the interests of all its members.

If, in addition to sleep disturbances in a child of the first year of life, other regulatory disorders are added (changes in muscle tone, increased excitability), it is worth consulting a neurologist. In such cases, the diagnosis is sometimes made perinatal lesion nervous system" and appropriate treatment is selected.

But in this case, the doctor will answer the parents’ questions. How to respond to sleep disturbances if the baby is healthy?

I dreamed about something

Often parents are worried about whining or crying in their sleep, or the baby waking up at night. What to do: if you haven’t gone to bed yet, quietly approach, touch, stroke without speaking, and move away again. If the whining wakes you up, you should listen, and if there are no demanding notes in it, it will soon subside. If the baby does wake up, put him to bed in the usual way, without engaging in conversation with him or trying to distract him with play. Your task is not to “calm down”, increasing the load on the baby’s nervous system, but to give him the opportunity to calm down on his own.

The ability to self-soothe by the age of 1 year already develops in 60-70% of children. With panicky attention and fussy behavior of parents, the skill of self-soothing is artificially delayed, and initially natural awakenings develop into sleep disorders.

Leave passionate hugs and passionate declarations of parental love until the morning. It always only increases the baby’s anxiety - does that mean there is something to save from? Replace it with the belief “You are fine.”

At night, everyone is calm, everyone is fine, everyone is sleeping - this is confirmed by your measured, even breathing, to which the baby will willingly adapt, smooth movements, muted light in a bluish-green tones.

For some, the so-called “white noise”, the sound of a waterfall, the singing of birds helps - sounds that affect the subconscious and indicate that “there is no danger nearby - after all, the birds are singing calmly.” There are many such forgotten “helpers” stored in our genetic memory. However, on particularly stressful days, tea with valerian or motherwort for the mother and a bath with herbs will not harm the child.

Methods for improving baby's sleep

Demand creates supply, and today a whole range of special techniques to promote calm falling asleep and sound sleep healthy babies: this is the Esteville method, and the Ferber method, and “Silent Night”, and even “100 simple ways put the child to sleep" by Svetlana Bernard.

Let us note right away that all of them are recommended only to parents who are confident in the need for such practice for themselves and their child. All of them require a thoughtful approach to application and consideration of the characteristics of your child and family traditions. And none of the methods came without harsh criticism from mothers who were “passionate” about parenting.

Recommendation: Read the suggestions contained in a particular method. Write down on a piece of paper your problems and proposals for solving them that you agree with. Invite your spouse to do the same. Together(!), determine ways to improve sleep that are right for the three of you. And stick to them relentlessly for at least a month or two. After all, fixing something broken is always difficult, and only endurance, patience and reasonable love help here. And may sweet dreams and days full of energy be your reward.

Hello, dear readers! Lena Zhabinskaya and problems are with you today baby sleep. The more serious the question, the more acute it is in each specific family and the less mommy sleeps at night.

Can a problem always be solved once and for all with the help of some magic golden pill? Of course not. If the problem is in the baby’s temperament, psyche, or health, then we need to look into this in more detail.

But often the problem is not this at all, but the objective conditions of children’s sleep, which parents can and should influence.

Actually, answering the question of why a newborn sleeps poorly, you need to begin to consistently identify and eliminate these very factors. In 80 percent of cases, the family then begins to sleep happily through the night. This is what we will do today!

Babies sleep completely differently than adults, because the very structure of their sleep is different from the sleep of an adult. Unlike adults, babies have a longer phase of shallow sleep than a phase of deep sleep, and this is their physiological feature.

Nature has provided that in case of danger a baby can easily wake up and scream for help. This is the key to the survival of even small and helpless cubs. Therefore, in the phase of superficial sleep, a newborn is easily awakened and frightened by a sharp noise, sound, or bright light.

With age phase deep sleep increases, and this, in turn, leads to the fact that the child begins to sleep more soundly and does not wake up several times a night.

These features should be taken into account and try, if possible, to exclude loud and sharp sounds next to the sleeping toddler.

How many hours does a newborn sleep?

The sleep standards of a little man are very conditional and have many features.

But if we talk about the approximate number of hours, it is as follows.

What does it mean to have trouble sleeping?

Often young parents ask themselves the question: is it their newborn who sleeps poorly, or is it that all babies sleep like this at this age, and is this normal?

Pediatricians talk about sleep problems if:

• The newborn wakes up at night every 3 hours or more, and during the day more often than every 30 minutes;
• Cries a lot;
• Doesn't calm down after eating.

If the baby wakes up every three hours to eat and then immediately falls asleep, this situation is normal and may not require correction.

12 main reasons for poor sleep in newborns

The room is hot.

To begin with, let us remind young mothers that a newborn’s metabolism in the body occurs several times faster than in the body of an adult. This means that much more heat is generated per unit time. As a result, the child is always hotter.

Remember! If you feel cool, it's fine for babies. If you feel normal, the baby is warm. If you are warm, the baby is hot!

The optimal temperature in the room in which a newborn sleeps is 18-20 degrees. Moreover, if the room is more than plus 23 degrees, then the child’s poor sleep is almost guaranteed.

The room is dry.

IN Lately modern pediatricians are paying more and more attention to the importance of such a parameter as indoor humidity. A special device helps maintain it - an ultrasonic humidifier.

This is very relevant for our country, given that most of the year the batteries are turned on and working in apartments. The latter dry out the air very much. As a result, the air humidity in the room in which the batteries are turned on remains at 10 percent.

While the optimal air humidity in a children's room is 40-60 percent.

What are the dangers of sleeping in a room with dry air?

1. The body spends huge reserves water to humidify the inhaled air. Therefore, a feeling of thirst sets in very quickly. The baby wakes up and cries because he is thirsty.
2. The mucous membranes of the nose and mouth dry out, and there is a feeling of “sand” in the nasopharynx. The baby wakes up at night and cries.
3. As a result big losses moisture, the body becomes dehydrated. Gastric juices become thick and cannot digest food eaten at night. Colic, gas, and a newborn develop.
4. If the baby sniffles or coughs even a little, then the next morning after sleeping in a dry room you are guaranteed bronchitis, laryngitis, tracheitis and lack of nasal breathing. Why? Because all the mucus (snot in the nose and phlegm in the bronchi) will dry out, and it will become impossible to cough it up on your own.

The room is stuffy.

Remember that feeling that covers you in a stuffy room: the feeling of lack of oxygen.

Need I say that in such conditions children sleep very little and often wake up and cry?

Therefore, mandatory airing of the nursery before bed for at least 15 minutes should become a habit.

It is through ventilation that the air is saturated with oxygen, which is necessary for comfortable sleep.

Wet or soiled diaper.

Some children are extremely intolerant of a soiled or even slightly damp diaper.

In addition, contact between feces and urine is a real thermonuclear mixture for delicate baby skin.

Modern high-quality disposable diapers have a high degree of absorption compared to reusable diapers or diapers. Needless to say, before going to bed you need to make sure that the diaper is dry, the skin is clean, without traces of feces, diaper rash and other troubles.

If there are any problems on the skin - diaper rash, irritation, redness - be sure to treat them with a special ointment with dexpanthenol (Bepanten, Panthenol D, etc.) before going to bed.

If such irritation occurs constantly, while the temperature and humidity in the room are maintained, it may be worth changing disposable diapers to better and more expensive ones, and using them at least during night sleep.

My tummy hurts.

Infantile colic is one of the most common reasons baby anxiety. As a rule, they appear at the age of 3-4 months, and disappear without a trace by six months.

It manifests itself like this: a newborn cries day and night for no reason (dry, well-fed), loudly, with anguish, blushes, and does not calm down, even if he is picked up. At the same time, after a few minutes, he just as suddenly calms down.

Not all children have colic, and are largely caused by individual characteristics body. Statistics show that boys are more likely to suffer from colic than girls.

You can alleviate the condition by eliminating fluid loss from the body (provide air humidity of 40-60 percent, air temperature of 18-20 degrees, offer water.

Also, special children's drops with simethicone (Espumizan-baby, Bobotik, Sub-simplex, etc.) can partially relieve the symptoms.

The baby is scared and lonely.

The question of whether it is right to sleep with a child has long been classified as eternal and rhetorical.

Pediatricians do not recommend this practice. Consultants for breastfeeding hold the opposite opinion.

Personally, I believe that the truth, as always, is somewhere in the middle.

A newborn is not able to survive alone without the help of an adult, so he has a natural instinct to cry when he feels that he is alone, abandoned or abandoned.

The best option is when the newborn sleeps in his crib next to his parents’ bed or placed close to it with the side wall removed.

This is exactly where we started. However, in my case, Lyova slept much worse in a separate crib. When I took him to my place in the middle of the night and fell asleep during the night feeding, we sometimes woke up only in the morning.

Without being a fanatical supporter co-sleeping, I chose it from a purely pragmatic point of view - to get better sleep myself. I also feed Eva almost half asleep, sometimes I even wake up from the fact that she, without unnecessary noise, herself finds what she needs, eats and sleeps on.

Therefore, if the problem with mom’s sleep is quite acute, I still recommend trying co-sleeping as one of the ways to solve it.

Thirst

If the air parameters in the room are not met: the air temperature is above 22 degrees, and the air humidity is less than 40 percent, the child loses a lot of fluid simply in the process of breathing.

In this case, he easily wakes up, is capricious and cries not because he is hungry, but because he is thirsty.

In this case, first of all, you should offer the baby a bottle of water.

Hunger

Of course, this happens, and quite often. It is worth trying, if possible, to feed the baby as closely as possible before going to bed at night. Breast, formula, milk porridge.

The baby confused day with night

This situation is characterized by the fact that the child sleeps poorly at night, but well during the day.

As a result, mommy goes about her business all day and cannot get enough of her little angel, who behaves perfectly.

But as soon as night falls, it feels like the child is being replaced! But is it any wonder - simply, having slept during the day, at night he wants communication and attention! What should a mother who wants to sleep and literally falls off her feet do?

Be patient and act the next morning. I have already written in more detail about how to recognize and correct this situation in just 2-3 days.

Overexcitement

As a reason restless sleep At night it occurs quite often, especially in sensitive and easily excitable children. It is quite easy to recognize this condition by the child’s hysterical behavior before bed: the baby is capricious, whining as if for no reason.

What preceded all this? Maybe, active games, massage, gymnastics, watching cartoons, etc.

If you suspect that this is the problem, start getting ready for bed three hours before. Transfer all procedures to more early time so that after them the baby has time to calm down. Avoid active games and cartoons 2 hours before bedtime.

About an hour before going to bed, dim the lights everywhere and turn off loud sounds. Talk to your baby or read a book to him. Even if he doesn’t understand everything yet, just the sound of your voice can have a calming effect.

As an alternative, you can try listening to calm music, such as sounds of nature or children's lullabies. However, not all newborns like this, so you need to search and try what works for you.

Newborn sick

Red cheeks, tearfulness and a hot forehead will give you a reason to immediately measure your baby’s body temperature.

Although the body temperature of a newborn is unstable, its increase above 37.5 degrees in any case should raise suspicions and serve as a reason for consulting a doctor.

Most likely, the pediatrician will prescribe an antipyretic and drinking plenty of fluids. As an over-the-counter antipyretic for children in the first year of life, pharmacies offer syrups and suppositories with paracetamol (Panadol, Cefekon, etc.) or ibuprofen (Nurofen, Ibufen, etc.).

Individual characteristics of the nervous system and temperament

It may happen that all of the above recommendations do not significantly improve the situation.

Even when created, it would seem ideal conditions for sleep, some children, in spite of everything, sleep restlessly. At the same time, it happens that others sleep well despite the heat, stuffiness and scalding radiators. Why?

There are features of the mental makeup and nervous system that make some children overly sensitive, hyperexcitable and unbalanced during certain periods. This is often the case with choleric children and a decent portion of little sanguine children.

This is a feature of the nervous system that cannot be treated at all and goes away with age, when the child gradually learns to control his emotions without bursting into screams for any reason.

In this case, all you have to do is be patient and love and wait.

What to do if your newborn has trouble sleeping at night

1. The first step is to optimize the air parameters in the children's room. The air temperature should be 18-22 degrees and humidity 40-60 percent. These parameters are controlled using a thermometer and hygrometer. This is achieved by installing taps on the batteries, which will allow them to be regulated and purchasing a device such as an ultrasonic humidifier. All other methods of moisturizing (wet rags, bowls of water, plants) are ineffective.
2. Before going to bed, be sure to thoroughly ventilate the nursery for at least 15 minutes.
3. Spend time with your child calm atmosphere with dim light and sound already 2-3 hours before going to bed.
4. Feed your baby firmly and make sure the diaper is dry and clean.
5. If the previous tips don't fix the situation, try co-sleeping.

Personally, I know first-hand about children’s sleep problems. Moreover, I had the most of them with my eldest child. Lyova slept very restlessly. And it was cool and humid air and sleeping together that could partially solve this problem.

The youngest Eva slept well from birth. Perhaps because all the conditions that worked with Leva were initially met. Be sure to bookmark the site and the article to your wall on social networks so as not to lose it! I really hope that today’s article will help someone start sleeping at night, and I say goodbye to you!