Why baby wakes up at night and how to avoid it? | PARENTS.fr

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05/12/2022
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In the first months, or even the first years, the nights are far from restful, for the little ones and their parents. What are the reasons ? How to soothe our little ones? Decryption.

Why baby cries at night and wakes up screaming?

At birth and up to three months, few infants are able to sleep for several hours at a time at night. Their body, which has lived at its own pace, warm in the belly for nine months, must indeed get used to the so-called "circadian" rhythm, which allows us to be active during the day and at rest at night. This adaptation generally requires four to eight weeks. In the meantime, the sleep of toddlers is divided into periods of three to four hours, interrupted by their food needs. The first few months therefore, it is up to us, the parents, to adapt to the baby's rhythm! There's no point in trying to force an infant to "sleep" if it's not the right time for him.

How to do when baby wakes up, sometimes every hour?

On the other hand, you can prepare your baby to sleep through the night. First of all, let's avoid waking him up on the grounds that "it's time to eat" or "that he needs a change". Next, let's try to give as many references as possible to distinguish day and night: during daytime naps, let a little light filter through and don't impose silence in the house. Conversely, in the evening, you can set up a little bedtime ritual (lullaby, music, cuddles, later the evening story, etc.) as much as possible, at regular times. And when baby wakes up at night, let's keep it quiet and dark, if necessary with the help of a small night light, so that he can go back to sleep easily.

Why baby keeps waking up at 3, 4, 5 or even 6 months?

Why baby wakes up at night and how avoid it? | PARENTS.fr

Even children who "do their nights" from three months, that is to say, who sleep six hours in a row, sometimes wake up during the night. Be careful not to confuse nocturnal awakenings and restless sleep phases, where the child opens his eyes and cries or cries.

What habits should you put in place against restless sleep and nocturnal awakenings?

When your child wakes up, you can try to wait a few minutes before rushing into his room, or even trying to method of 5 - 10 - 15. It is very difficult to know by ear if the crying does not hide a bigger problem and it is therefore advisable to discuss with your pediatrician to find out if it is time to let baby cry a bit more. For our child to associate his cradle with a space of rest and calm, we can favor falling asleep in his bed rather than in our arms. Be careful also with baby bottles in the middle of the night: excess liquid is one of the main causes of nocturnal awakenings. We can simply check that our child is not too hot, and that he is not embarrassed, without waking him up for a bottle or changing him.