Expert Answer: Why Baby Struggles With Sleep?
By Isabelle FuocPublished on ShareSend by e-mail
I certify that I am not sending spam This mother's baby refuses to go to sleep. Even falling from fatigue, exhausted, he keeps awake. Why does baby struggle with sleep? How to help him fall asleep? Sandra Menoni, child sleep consultant, answers him.How do I soothe my baby if he's crying and doesn't want to sleep?
There's no miracle recipe to soothe a tired baby but some tips can help us. You can try to soothe it by giving it a bath. Of course, a feeding or a baby massage are precious allies: they release oxytocin, the hormone of attachment and promote sleep. In any case, arm yourself with patience, gentleness and love.
It is also important to remember that the bedtime ritual is very powerful in children. This is called a time giver. This succession of simple and reassuring steps will allow the child to anticipate and prepare for bedtime. Just as it is important to give him a real moment of sharing and hugs, to mark this time well, so that your child can better understand this separation and fill his emotional reservoir. As a bedtime ritual, you can give your baby a bottle/meal/breastfeed, a free bath, quiet time in the bedroom with a song/story and a big dose of love, for example.
Why can't baby fall asleep?
Answer from Sandra Menoni, child sleep consultant and founder of lanuitdespetits.com:
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When a baby has difficulty falling asleep, parents tend to believe that baby is struggling with sleep. Some even say "my child doesn't like to sleep". In fact, it is often the combination of several factors that causes this impression that Baby is fighting against sleep. The main reason is fatigue. This then becomes a vicious circle for parents and child: the less baby sleeps, the less he manages to fall asleep. The opposite is fortunately true, sleep calls to sleep. What happens in the baby's body? You need to know how our biological clock (also called circadian rhythm) works. All living beings sleep at night and are active during the day, all except babies at birth because their brains are immature. The circadian rhythm is governed by the alternation of two main hormones: melatonin, the sleep hormone that we produce at night and cortisol, the wakefulness hormone, that we produce during the day. The latter has a bad reputation with parents because it is best known as the stress hormone which is reducing. In fact, cortisol is a hormone that keeps us awake, it keeps us all active throughout the day. The cortisol level is increased if Baby does not reach his sleep quota. It will prevent the child (unwittingly) from being able to sleep peacefully. We could compare this phenomenon to an adult who drinks coffee a few hours before sleeping. In this case, falling asleep is really difficult, the child is tired but sleep does not come.
Apart from fatigue, other factors can intervene and impact the sleep of the toddler:
My child struggles not to sleep at night, should daytime naps be eliminated?
This myth needs to be deconstructed: skipping naps will not make your child sleep better, quite the contrary. By removing the nap, cortisol (discussed in the previous question) will increase, keeping the child stimulated, awake and giving him a boost of energy. The phenomenon of the child who is not sleepy in the evening is actually the consequence that he is already too tired. On the other hand, if the child usually sleeps well but the naps become shorter or the falling asleep longer, this is a sign of a transition. It's time to review the rhythm of naps.
Fight against sleep: can the baby's room be one of the causes?
A poorly laid out room, light, an unsuitable baby bed or a bad mattress can have consequences for the child's sleep. The night light is often recommended to soothe babies, but it can quickly become a hindrance to infant sleep. The presence of light can slow down the process of falling asleep by sending a light signal to the brain. Baby will therefore have more difficulty falling asleep and going back to sleep during the night. The fear of the dark or of the monster hidden under the bed does not occur before about 18 months, when the child's imagination develops. Try to make the room completely dark from the very first months of your baby's life, this will fully help him fall into a deep sleep.
Are there alternative medicines that can help my baby fall asleep?
There are natural supplements on the market that can help the child relax so that he can fall asleep. Orange blossom, lavender and lemon balm are known for their soothing effects. It is the same for Calmosine sleep, Pediakid sleep or Rescue Kid night. On the side of alternative medicine, you can test osteopathy, chiropractic, they ensure that there are no functional tensions in the child. There is also micro-physio and kinesiology which could have a positive impact.
When should you consider consulting a pediatrician and/or a sleep consultant?
As soon as you have a question, don't go unanswered. The pediatrician will be able to answer health questions that can interfere with sleep. The sleep consultant will be able to guide you in your parental choices and explore the child's environment so that the whole family can find more peace of mind. Children who sleep well are more serene on a daily basis and parents are more confident.
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