Why does the child sleep restlessly at night. Causes of restless sleep in a newborn. What can parents do to help their baby sleep peacefully? What is the best position for a child to sleep in?

Most parents before the birth of the baby prepare for the fact that the newborn will change the established way of the family. A born baby, indeed, delivers a lot of pleasant, and sometimes not very pleasant troubles. One of the most common causes anxiety of mothers and fathers - the child does not sleep well at night.

A baby often wakes up at night when he wants to eat. However, many babies different period of their lives stop sleeping without visible reasons. Sometimes the baby, who previously slept soundly all night, begins to wake up and cry. Why does sleep worsen and what can parents do to change the situation?

Sleep phases

Sleep is one of the most important physiological needs of a person. During sleep, many processes occur in the human body that ensure the normal functioning of all vital organs, namely:

Sleep has two main phases - slow and fast, each of which performs an important function for a person. During the slow phase, the body is renewed, the spent energy is replenished, thought processes are regulated. This phase has several stages:

Dive into slumber. The brain continues to work, the received information is processed. Many adults in a state of drowsiness can solve issues that baffled them the day before.
Falling asleep. Consciousness turns off and on again, but the brain continues to work. In the intervals between switching on and off, a person can hear everything that happens around him. Muscles come to a relaxed state, the pulse slows down. Children during falling asleep can wake up from the slightest sound.
Transitional deep stage. The brain gradually turns off, the body completely relaxes, the processes in the body slow down.
Deepest sleep. The brain stops responding to the world, breathing becomes deep, blood circulation slows down. Waking up a person at this time is very difficult. Even if the sleeper wakes up, he will not immediately understand where he is and what is happening to him.

The slow phase is followed by the fast phase. At this time, a person can have vivid dreams. If the child is awakened during the fast phase, he will be able to describe the dream in colors. During the fast phase, the following processes occur:

brain development;
memory training;
elimination of nervous tension;
assimilation of new information;
brain rewiring.

The four stages of non-REM sleep and REM sleep make up one cycle. A person can go through 4 to 6 cycles per night. The duration of each of them depends on the age. In newborns, REM sleep prevails over slow sleep. They are able to go into the fast phase immediately after falling asleep. In adults, slow-wave sleep makes up the bulk of the night's rest.

The duration of cycles in children depending on age and the ratio of sleep phases are shown in the table:

Person's age	Cycle duration, min.	REM to slow sleep ratio, %	Sleep requirement, hours per day
0 – 1 month	40	75	16 - 20
1 – 3 months	45	45 - 50	14 - 16
3 – 5 months	45 - 50	37 - 40	12 - 15
6 months - 1 year	45 - 50	35 - 40	11 - 14
15 years	50	25	10 - 13
5 - 10 years	60	25	9 - 11
Over 10 years old	90 - 100	20 - 25	8 - 10

Why the child does not sleep well and often wakes up at night: possible causes

The physiological characteristics of the body lead to the fact that the baby does not sleep well. The newborn does not sleep well because he needs milk. He practically does not fall into a deep sleep, so any sound can wake him up. However, when a newborn constantly gets up without sleeping even half an hour, or a child over a year old wakes up his parents from bed crying, it means that something prevents him from fully resting.

Physiological factors

Many newborns do not sleep well at night when they do not have enough mother's milk. In some women, as a result of an improper diet, milk loses its nutritional value. The baby does not eat enough, so he wakes up and cries. Among the physiological reasons bad sleep also distinguished:

Psychological reasons

The child does not sleep at night at a new stage of development. one year old babies begin to worry when they take their first steps. They feel that they are moving away from their mother, and this worries them greatly. Night vigils also begin during the period of getting used to kindergarten. The child finds himself in a new environment, which is a strong stress for him.

In children 6-7 years old, bouts of sleepwalking may occur during the period of adaptation to school. The child wakes up, cries, can walk around the apartment, and remember nothing in the morning.

Other psychological factors include:

Fears. Children are very impressionable. Bright or frightening images seen during the day can lead to the fact that the baby will be afraid of the dark, loneliness, extraneous sounds.
Excessive impressions before going to bed. Active games, the arrival of a beloved grandmother, conflicts between relatives, a quarrel with parents affect the emotional state of children. An overabundance of both good and bad impressions disturbs sleep.
Mother's absence. Babies are very attached to their mother. When for some reason they do not see her during the day or before going to bed, they begin to worry internally.
Stress due to weaning. For many babies breastfeeding is an essential attribute of falling asleep, the absence of which leads to night vigils.
A change of scenery. Children are worried about moving to new places. Even a change of wallpaper or furniture can affect the psychological state of the child.
The birth of a second child affects the calmness of the older baby.
Mom's stress. If the mother is restless, something worries her, then subconsciously the baby perceives her condition.

Other circumstances

Among the reasons that affect the sleep of children, there are also:

If a child sleeps badly at night not because of problems solved by a neurologist, and crying is not caused by an illness, mom and dad themselves can make sure that their child sleeps peacefully. To normalize children's sleep, you must adhere to the following recommendations:

In matters of children's sleep, Dr. Komarovsky advises not to adhere to generally accepted norms and concepts, but to the personal characteristics of the child and the moral calm of his mother. If one baby needs to sleep 2 times a day for good health, then one daytime sleep may be enough for another.

Komarovsky advises to monitor how the child behaves during the day. When the baby walks a lot and sleeps little during the day, at night he will let the whole family sleep. If the child is inactive, he will fall asleep poorly and wake up often.

The doctor recommends that parents do not adjust to the baby's regimen, but restructure his schedule so that mom can rest peacefully at night. A calm mother is much more necessary for a child than an extra hour of daytime sleep. During the day, you need to deal with the child so that in the evening he barely has the strength to eat and fall asleep.

Dr. Komarovsky does not advise giving the baby a pillow before he turns 2 years old. Until this age, his spine is not fully formed. Sleeping on a pillow can be uncomfortable for a baby.

If the baby wakes up due to a wet diaper, parents need to choose a product that is more expensive or comfortable for the baby, at least for a night's sleep. Before going to bed, be sure to ventilate the room. The temperature in the nursery should be constantly no more than 20 degrees. A humidifier is a must.

Children of all ages need a lot of attention throughout the day. They need to be listened to, to help solve personal problems. It is important to prepare the child for the upcoming changes. If a move is expected, the birth of a second baby, or other significant events, you need to discuss the possible consequences with the youngest family member in advance.

Many parents worry about their child not sleeping well at night. This does not always mean that the baby has nervous disorders or disease. Factors can be different and there are many of them.

Sleep disorders in early infancy

The period up to six months is the most difficult for both moms and dads, and for their baby. One month old - a two month old baby is often due to physiological features sleep (sometimes the frequency of waking up is repeated every hour). This is because light sleep takes longer than deep sleep. As a result, your baby wakes up easily at any time.
When breastfeeding a baby during the night, he simply needs feeding on demand. Because of this, a hungry baby will inevitably wake up. Be sure to pick him up, feed him, rock him. The baby should feel the parental warmth and calm down. It has been proven that the more regular touching a baby receives, the more likely it is that his rest will be serene.

Causes of poor sleep in children

The most common reasons why a child does not sleep well at night and often wakes up are:

Colic.

In infancy, restless sleep is often the result of colic. Violent bouts of crying, accompanied by arching of the back, pulling the legs to the stomach, testify to pain in the tummy. It is impossible to calm a child, and the painful expression of a crying face does not give you peace, you are worried and do not know what to do.

Usually, the first colic occurs in completely healthy babies at the age of 1-3 weeks and can be repeated regularly until the age of four months. To cope with this problem and help the newborn sleep peacefully at night, you need to find out the cause of colic and try to eliminate it. Go to the doctor. If you are breastfeeding, tell your doctor what you are eating (""). It is possible that substances from certain foods get into the milk and irritate the baby's digestive system. The culprit of pain in the tummy is often intolerance to milk sugar - lactose or milk protein (""). In any case, your district pediatrician will give the necessary practical recommendations, and a nutritionist will help you review the menu and remove “irritant foods” from it.

Teeth are cutting.

From 6-7 months to a year, common reasons that a child does not sleep well at night, toss and turn, often wakes up and cries, is teething. To cope with these reasons, special medicines for kids.

It is not difficult to understand that teeth are being cut. The timing of the eruption of the first teeth for each child is individual, they can shift slightly from average norm(“When do babies cut their first teeth? How to help a baby?”). In boys, this process often begins later. There are several signals of teething - there is reddening of the gums, the cheeks become hot to the touch, your baby is naughty, cries, cannot fall asleep, his salivation increases. The temperature often rises. Keep a gum ointment or gel handy. This remedy will reduce the intensity of pain, fever and cool the child's disturbed gums. Also try gently placing a finger dipped in cool water on your sore gums.

Fears and feelings.

It would seem that after a year, restless night sleep should pass. But it happens that a one-year-old child and older continues to wake up and cry, he sleeps little, the established regime is violated. At this age stage, the emerging childhood fears can become a determining factor. During these years, the first phobias of the child are born due to the actively developing imagination and environmental influences. Try to protect your child from watching too aggressive cartoons, do not watch films and programs with similar content in front of him. This can be the main source of nightmares for a child. Information flows containing aggression, violence and any kind of negativity should not reach him. The brain of a little man absorbs everything like a sponge and deposits it in the mind. The result is disturbing dreams.

Emotions.

A child's emotional state has a huge impact on healthy sleep. If the baby is afraid or resentful, he will not be able to sleep normally. Therefore, the emotional situation in the family plays one of the primary roles. Even if the newborn is silent, he still feels everything and passes through himself. Be gentle and patient with him, create an atmosphere of calm and comfort for him. Talk to him, read or tell him a story. Every child should feel safe. This is a guarantee not only of his healthy sleep, but also of further successful development and well-being.

Excessive activity and excitability.

It happens that the child's nervous system is too mobile, he is too excitable. Such children, due to their susceptibility, cannot fall asleep on their own. In this case, the most acceptable way out of the situation will be a joint dream with mom and dad. When you practice falling asleep in your bed, you should take into account that the child will get used to this and for comfort he will need just such an environment, and it will be difficult for him to fall asleep alone. Therefore, try, despite the difficulties and nuances that arise, to accustom him to falling asleep on his own. This does not apply to the period from birth to a year, when the baby's connection with the mother is still very strong and he just needs to calm down in his mother's arms, feeling her warmth and such an important sense of security.

Today, there are special baby cribs on sale that can be pushed close to the parents' bed by removing one of the walls of the crib. Before going to bed, bathe your baby in warm water and give a relaxing massage with baby oil. Do not arrange active games or activities immediately before bedtime that can overexcite the child's nervous system and prevent him from relaxing.

Sleep disorders and pathologies.

Sometimes children do not sleep well due to serious health problems. For example, due to dysbacteriosis, otitis media, worms or other diseases. In more rare cases, due to a brain tumor or pathology of the central nervous system. Does the child have restless sleep, does this happen regularly, and sometimes it seems that he does not sleep at all? Be sure to visit a pediatrician who will examine your little one and establish the true causes of failures.

external conditions.

Do not forget that for a calm and comfortable night's rest, the child should create favorable conditions. Let the bed linen always be soft and pleasant, the bed comfortable, the temperature and humidity in the room optimal.

Sometimes the child does not fall asleep due to excessive heat. The room in which the child sleeps should always be clean and regularly ventilated. The atmosphere of the room should be soothing, cozy, instill a sense of security and relaxation.

Not correct mode.

Nighttime sleep disturbances in children are often the result of an improper routine. In the case when during the day the child leads a passive lifestyle, and you do not create conditions for activity for him, then in the evening it will be difficult for him to fall asleep and his rest will not be complete. How to put a child to sleep? Wait until he throws out energy and gets tired.

High activity in the first half of the day and moderate activity in the second half of the day most favorably affect the quality of night sleep.

Walking and activity, long games in the fresh air are useful for crumbs. Most children need to spend a large number of energy throughout the day. Sports and outdoor games come to the rescue.

From birth, teach your child to distinguish the meaning of the time of day. The night is for peace and relaxation, the day is for games and wakefulness. Try not to put the child to bed before dark.

It is difficult for a child to fall asleep on an empty stomach, but in case of overeating it will be difficult to fall asleep.

Boys and girls after a year should be fed no later than 1.5-2 hours before falling asleep. Babies, as usual, are fed on demand. Developing a consistent activity and food intake is not easy, but it is very important. Be patient and things will get better soon.

What to do?

Psychologists believe that sleep problems in children from birth to three years old can be solved by laying the child next to you. Is there no such possibility? Then put your baby's bed very close so that he feels your presence. So the child will sleep more peacefully.
A large number of psychologists talk about the effect of music on falling asleep in an infant. Experts say that he will fall asleep well to the music that his mother listened to during pregnancy. Of course, it should be pleasant soothing melodies. Classic melodic works have a particularly favorable effect.
For older kids, an important step towards the normalization of rest is the “expulsion” of fears together with mom and dad. Rituals play a significant role in this. Put a fairy doll or a magical almighty bear in the baby's crib, which will drive away all the horror stories. Leave a night light on at night.
Seven-year-old children are subject to stress and anxiety no less than at the age of three. They go to school for the first time, their routine changes, there are responsibilities that are subject to assessment, meeting new children. School is a completely new environment for any child and it is not only a source of new positive impressions, interests and knowledge, but also a source of stress. A first grader often experiences strong feelings about homework or relationships with other children. From this, the dream becomes restless, the student cannot fall asleep for a long time. You can and should help the child overcome the fears and feelings that arise, support him.

At right approach and correcting the current situation, the result will certainly be, the main thing is patience, and the question of how to put the child to sleep for sleep without waking up will disappear by itself! Remember that babies grow very fast!

The birth of a baby is the happiest event in the life of any family. From this moment on the shoulders of parents lies a huge responsibility - the upbringing of the baby. For the first few months, the baby basically only sleeps and eats. He is awake a little and this is considered an absolutely normal phenomenon, because it is in a dream that a child grows and develops. However, not all parents can boast of a good sleep for their baby. It often happens that a child sleeps little and restlessly, wakes up all the time and is naughty, thereby preventing mom and dad from resting.

Unfortunately, not every parent can boast of the sweet long sleep of their baby.

Causes and solutions

Why does this happen and how can you help your baby get a good and restful sleep? Consider a few non-health reasons:

The baby may wake up due to a feeling of fear. This is due to the fact that he does not yet perceive the world in the same way as adults, because of this, closing his eyes may be associated with an anxiety state. To calm the baby, you just need to be with him as long as possible (we recommend reading:). Do not rush to leave him as soon as he falls asleep.
The baby may begin to grunt and fidget due to the fact that he unconsciously pulled a pen or leg in a dream. This happens quite often in the first half of the year after the birth of the baby. To prevent this from happening, you just need to swaddle not only during the day, but also at night.
Overfilled diaper. No baby wants to lie in a wet diaper. Toxic substances found in urine and feces cause discomfort. This is due to the fact that too delicate baby skin begins to irritate under their influence. Therefore, it is necessary to monitor the filling of the diaper and change it in a timely manner.
The child may not sleep well at night, as you have violated the daily routine. The baby should sleep as much as his small fragile body requires: if you made him stay awake for half a day, the sleep pattern may go astray (we recommend reading:).
Transferring the baby to the crib after sleeping with you for a while. If the child began to act up, then you should wait with this for the time being. He may just be afraid to sleep alone. Too strong emotions received by the baby during the day can also affect the quality of his sleep.

When introducing a new food to an infant, sometimes there are also problems with sleep. If the mother is breastfeeding, then her non-compliance right menu can lead to anxiety and discomfort.

If the child fell asleep with his mother, and then was transferred to the crib, he may be scared

Health related causes of restless sleep

The child is hungry. The ventricle in monthly babies is small, as a result of which mother's milk is digested in a very short time. short term. That is why a baby in the first few months after birth can wake up 3, and sometimes 4 times a night. He just wants to make up for the lack of milk in his body. In such a situation, just give the baby a breast. So he will eat, calm down and quickly fall asleep again.
The baby may be bothered by problems with nasal breathing, or his throat may hurt, so he tosses and turns and groans in his sleep. Keep an eye on your baby's health. Be sure to see your doctor if you see nasal discharge or difficulty breathing. You should also contact a specialist if the child has a cough and a fever.
Sometimes restless sleep in infants can be associated with the narrowness of the nasal passages. As a rule, this goes away with age, but in some cases the help of a specialist may be required, so it is important to identify the problem in the early stages of its occurrence in order to avoid possible complications.
The baby may lack vitamin D3. This usually happens in winter. In order to solve this problem, you just need to add a drug with this vitamin to the diet of the crumbs. Your doctor will help you choose the right vitamin complex for you.
Your baby may have gum problems. This may be due to teething. Buy a special tooth gel for your baby, but read the instructions carefully before using it. Allergy is a common reaction to these drugs.

Sometimes the wrong formation of the cerebral cortex can also become the cause of poor sleep. In such a situation, the child sleeps equally badly day and night. In this case, only a good doctor can help you.

Teething may well be the cause of poor sleep

Colic in the stomach

A restless baby may have colic in the tummy. As a rule, they are observed in newborns starting from 2 weeks. Colic can last up to 4 months. During this period of life, the intestines of babies adapt to mother's milk or mixture. Because of digestive system still imperfect, its disorder is often observed.

Babies experience a wide variety of pain in the tummy. Some feel only a slight tingling sensation, while others experience sharp pains in the abdomen. This problem is not so easy to deal with, because currently available medications can reduce pain by only 8-12%. They also help calm the baby's nervous system for a while.

What pharmaceutical preparations can be given to the baby? You can select a small list: "", "", "", "Simethicone", "Baby Calm". You can also try to give dill water to drink or just attach a warm diaper to the tummy. Also, don't let your food drift. Do not forget that often pain in the tummy occurs precisely because the mother ate something wrong. So, while breastfeeding, you can not eat cabbage, onions, garlic, corn, beans, black bread, whole milk and many similar foods.

Additional solution methods

What else can help a child sleep well? For example, the right climate for the baby in the nursery or the addition of various soothing herbs to the evening baths, such as chamomile, string. They will not only help to relax the child and set him in the way you need, but also help to cope with all sorts of diaper rash. Besides:

walk as much as possible in the fresh air;
carefully consider the choice of a mattress - it must be hard;
give your baby a light massage with warm and clean hands, this should help him sleep better.

Watch how your baby eats throughout the day. If during feeding he is constantly distracted by some other activities and does not eat everything that is supposed to, then it is worth removing all possible distractions from the feeding process and making sure that he eats his entire portion.

How to arrange an evening for the baby so that he sleeps better:

2-3 hours before bedtime, take a walk with your child in the fresh air;
1-1.8 hours before bedtime, arrange a baby bath in cool water within 30-40 minutes;
Feed your baby 30 minutes before bedtime.

IMPORTANT: In no case do not swear or shout in front of the baby. Babies feel very well the state of the mother. They may also begin to worry, which will worsen their sleep.

Even a very young child feels when things are not going smoothly between parents.

What causes babies to startle in their sleep?

Up to 10-12 months, shuddering babies in a dream is completely normal. This may happen for the following reasons:

too much overexcitation received during the day by the baby;
abrupt change in sleep phases;
uncontrolled and unconscious movements of the arms and legs of the baby.

Basically, such shudders occur in children only in the first few months of their life. Over time, they will surely disappear. What to do so that the baby shudders less in a dream:

Swaddle (we recommend reading:) the baby before going to bed, then he will not have the opportunity to accidentally move his leg or handle. It will also reduce the chance of him unknowingly hitting or scratching himself. Even if you are an ardent opponent of swaddling in general, you can simply refuse to swaddle your baby during the day. It must be done at night. In some cases, there is even a need to swaddle the baby up to one and a half years. Only here it should not be swaddled completely, but only the handles.
Stick to a certain daily routine and never deviate from it. This is very important in the first years of life. So you save yourself from a lot of problems, and the child from discomfort.
Lie down for a while next to the newborn after he fell asleep. If he suddenly starts to shudder and wake up, then sing a calm song / lullaby, stroke his head, leg or back, help him relax and calm down.
Do not overload the baby's nervous system. You should not invite a large number of guests to your place, go on too long trips. Also, you should not play active games with the baby for a long time. This can frighten and overexcite him.

active games and physical exercise best done in the morning as they stimulate the nervous system

By following these simple rules, it is possible to avoid shuddering and constant waking up of the baby. Keep an eye on physical and emotional comfort.

Does a baby need a pillow to sleep on?

Before the birth of a baby, many parents ask themselves the question: should the baby buy a pillow? The answer to this question is no! In children from the moment of birth until they reach 2 years of age, the proportions of the body are very different from those of an adult. So, the head of newborns is large, the neck is quite short, and the shoulders are narrow. The main purpose of the pillow is to fill the gap between the head of a person and the surface of the bed. This is necessary so that there is no curvature of the neck.

In a baby, the head lies on the surface of the crib and the neck remains straight anyway. This is precisely due to the fact that the head of the baby is large, and the shoulders, in turn, are short.

What position should a baby sleep in?

In no case should babies up to a year old be laid out on their stomach during sleep! This is the general opinion of doctors all over the world. This position of the baby in a dream can lead to tragic consequences, namely, to his sudden death. At some point, the baby may simply stop breathing. Why this happens has not yet been clarified, so all doctors advise putting newborns and infants on their backs, while not forgetting to turn the child's head to one side. This must be done so that he does not choke when spitting up. You can also put the baby on the barrel. After the baby turns one year old (and preferably 2 years old), he can decide for himself how to go to bed. Sudden Infant Death Syndrome has virtually disappeared since then.

At the age of one year, the child should sleep exclusively on the back

What does E. O. Komarovsky think about a good baby’s sleep?

The pediatrician and author of many famous books on children's health, E. O. Komarovsky, believes that the whole family will have a healthy sleep only if the crumbs have a healthy sleep. Only parents can help the baby sleep soundly and well. To do this, you just need to properly organize feeding, spend as much time as possible with the baby in the fresh air, monitor the humidity in the house, and also clean the room in a timely manner.

To normalize the baby's sleep, Komarovsky recommends following several rules:

maintain a friendly and calm atmosphere in the family circle, show attention and care towards the child;
immediately decide where the baby will sleep: with you in bed, in his crib in your room or in his crib in the nursery;
choose a daily routine that is convenient for you and stick to it constantly;
when choosing a mattress for a baby, pay attention to the fact that it is dense and even, and bed linen should be made only from natural fabrics;
monitor the air temperature in the crumbs room (it should be 18-20 degrees) and humidity (within 50-70 ºС);
use high-quality diapers and never save on children's health;
do not forget that the child should be most active during the day, in the evening it is worth changing noisy games to calm ones, you can read a book or sing a song;
if the baby likes to sleep a lot, then reduce his daytime sleep;
before evening bathing, give the baby a massage or do gymnastics with him, and then bathe him in lukewarm water in a large bath, then dress the child warmer, feed him and put him to bed;
in order for the baby to eat as much as possible before going to bed, you should try to slightly underfeed him in the previous feeding.

The conclusion is simple: a child's sleep, especially in the early stages of his life, requires close attention from the parents. If you follow all the rules and regimes, then not only the baby, but also mom and dad will sleep peacefully and safely.

The fact that a beloved child does not sleep well at night can be heard from almost every parent. Healthy sleep is vital for your baby. It is in a dream that a child grows, strengthens and restores his body and health. However, for some reason, not all crumbs sleep soundly at night, often waking up and demanding the attention of adults. Why does the child sleep poorly at night, what to do and how to deal with it?

Sleep disturbance in a baby can be caused by a variety of reasons. Very often, pediatricians and neurologists, even despite the infant's infancy, attribute restless sleep to types of nervous disorders, prescribing various medications as treatment. You should not rush to take medications, because in most cases there is no good reason for this. Perhaps you yourself will be able to establish a baby’s sleep without resorting to measures that are risky for his health. It is important to correctly establish the cause of his restless sleep.

Possible reasons why the child does not sleep well.
Having been born, the baby only does what he sleeps, because he quickly gets tired. Each child has his own sleep pattern and it has significant differences from the sleep of an adult. During the first months of life, the baby rests for seventeen hours a day, waking up only when hungry. Night feedings, if the baby needs them (usually up to 6-12 months, but sometimes later (except artificial ones)), are required. Therefore, parents should be ready to meet the needs of the baby at any time of the day. Usually, after the baby has eaten, he sleeps soundly until the next morning feeding. At the fourth month of life, sleep time is reduced to fifteen hours, and after six months, the baby has enough of fourteen hours of sleep.

Among the majority of young and inexperienced mothers, it is widely believed that if the baby is very little awake during the day, then nighttime sleep will be restless, which is far from the case. We can say that everything happens exactly the opposite. Having a good rest during the day, the baby falls asleep easier and better and sleeps at night. The lack of daytime sleep for the baby results in fatigue, rapid excitability and whims. As a result, at the appointed time of night sleep, the baby is unlikely to fall asleep, and at night his sleep will be disturbing and restless.

Wet diapers, excessive wrapping can also disrupt a baby's restful sleep. Cold and uncomfortable conditions make the baby wake up and call for mom. Today, of course, most mothers cope with this problem perfectly with the help of modern diapers, which make life easier for the parents of the baby.

Another reason that can disrupt a baby's sleep is an unventilated room. Very often, parents, for fear of catching a cold, do not open windows and vents at all to ventilate the room. Meanwhile, the stale air in the baby's room has a negative effect on the baby's sleep, not only at night, but also during the daytime. Therefore, the baby's room should be ventilated at least every two hours. In addition, to improve the sleep of the baby, you should definitely take evening walks in the fresh air with him. They will calm the nervous system of the baby and will help to strengthen his health.

For some reason, it is believed that babies are sound asleep all the time. However, there are very few of these babies. Most babies under three to six months of age do not sleep well at night, due to the peculiarities of their sleep architecture. During this period, in children, superficial sleep prevails over deep sleep, as a result of which they sleep restlessly at night and often wake up. In the future, depending on individual characteristics, some of the children can fall asleep on their own, while others still need help. However, if you and your child have problems with night sleep in the first year of life, then it is not at all a fact that they will not appear at the age of one and a half to three years. It is this period that is the second difficult stage in which sleep disorders occur. This period is characterized by the emergence of various fears in children (fear of the dark, unrealistic book or cartoon characters, etc.), the manifestation of which, among other things, occurs in nightmares. At the age of five or seven, children have thoughts of death. As a rule, they do not openly talk about this with their parents, since this phenomenon is presented to them as something incomprehensible and mysterious. But if during this period the loss of a loved one occurs in the family, the children experience everything at a deep level, although at the same time they do not show or show it outwardly. In some cases, falling asleep itself begins to be associated in children at a subconscious level with the moment of death. At an older age, children develop a fear of the elements, which is even more inflamed against the background of disaster films shown on TV about earthquakes, hurricanes, floods, fires, etc. At the age of seven, when school begins, children have a different kind of fear: fear of an unsatisfactory answer in the lesson, the teacher's remarks, the negative attitude of classmates, etc. The child is afraid of appearing ridiculous, weak, or stupid. If at this moment the parents do not help him in overcoming these fears, then the fear will be fixed, against the background of which problems with sleep will develop. He will subconsciously delay the moment (to do homework until late, watch TV, etc.) when he needs to go to bed, because in the morning he will have a school nightmare again.

The child can sleep restlessly at night simply because he is tormented by nightmares, as a result of which he often wakes up suddenly. It has been proven that even in the womb, from the 25-30th week of pregnancy, children dream. The reasons for the occurrence of such dreams are unknown, just as it is not known what exactly they dream about and what effect this has on their development. According to one of the many theories, these dreams are a gene memory that provides the brain with the necessary information and develops feelings and thinking. Poor sleep can cause physical and mental development child.

Sleep problems at night in a baby can occur against the background of insufficient energy expenditure during the day, as a result of which he gets tired a little. Without exception, all children are very active and mobile. To make them tired, you will have to make a lot of efforts, and one game of cars or dolls here will not get rid of parents.

Very often, problems with sleep at night occur in children with increased needs. Such children require a special approach to themselves, regardless of age. In the first year of life, they do not know how to relax and fall asleep on their own, and as they get older, they still sleep restlessly due to excessive impressionability and frequent nightmares.

A restless sleep in a baby may also indicate that something hurts him. To do this, you need to establish the cause and try to eliminate it. The most common cause of restless night sleep in a child of the first year of life is abdominal pain that appears in the third week after birth. For some children, this phenomenon goes away after about two months, and for some it will continue for up to four to five months. No one can accurately name the cause of colic in infants. Presumably, cow's milk contributes to this. This usually applies to children who are breastfeeding whose mothers daily consume more than half a liter cow's milk. Another cause of infantile colic is allegedly cited as the composition of infant formula.

Other causes of a restless night's sleep in a child may be teething, rickets or vitamin deficiency, neurological disorders, otitis media or ear disease, weather changes in weather-dependent children, dysbacteriosis, influenza, meningitis, heat(38-40 degrees), pinworms (which poison the baby's nervous system with toxins).

Sleep disorders can be congenital in nature, due to diseases of the nervous system (encephalopathy). Gynecological diseases in women during pregnancy, bad habits, as well as constant stress and overstrain can provoke their development.

Poor sleep in children at night may be a reaction to any major changes in his life. In particular, this may be a change of residence, the appearance of another child in the family, or the child began to sleep separately from his parents. Experiences associated with such events can negatively affect the quality of sleep.

Mistakes made by parents themselves in the process of raising children can also cause restless sleep. For example, when parents put their baby to bed every day in different time(non-compliance with the regimen), noisy games before bedtime, raising your voice to a child or screaming, etc.

Very often, a child's sleep disturbance leads allergic reactions on salicylates contained in aspirin, food additives (dye E 102) and some vegetables and fruits (tomatoes, citrus fruits, raspberries). Eliminating this factor from the diet of a baby or mother (depending on age) restores sleep very quickly. However, before changing your own diet or introducing something into your child's diet, you should consult a pediatrician.

Brain tumors can also cause poor sleep in children.

What to do?
The main thing that every mother needs to learn is to protect and protect the baby's sleep. Don't wake your baby up just because it's feeding time. Believe me, nothing will happen to him if he is hungry for an extra thirty or forty minutes. But he wakes up on his own and will be much calmer. Gradually, you will develop your own feeding schedule, focusing on the baby.

It is also worth noting that it is not necessary to keep silence during the baby’s sleep, walk on tiptoe, and talk in a whisper. The more extraneous noise in the room, the better and stronger the baby's sleep will be. Speaking of noise, of course, we are not talking about beating drums, loud music, etc. You can just, as usual, go about your business, talking in an undertone.

Before going to bed, the child should be fed, watered, clean and dry. After all, the presence of such problems does not allow the baby to sleep, he cries, gets nervous, often wakes up. The absence of these factors will calm the baby and ensure good sleep.

Establishing and accustoming the child to a certain regimen is also the primary task of the parent. By about a month and a half, the baby begins to understand when it is day and when it is night. It is during this period that the correct mode should be established, which will help him navigate. In the first year of life, the baby wakes up at night for feeding, which is recommended to be carried out in complete silence, with the dim lighting of a night lamp. You don't need to talk to the baby. But during the day, on the contrary, feeding time can be made more emotional. You can talk to the baby, pet him, kiss him, tell stories, etc. This will fix in the memory of the baby that you can play during the day and sleep at night. In addition, the time when you put the child to bed should be the same. It cannot be broken. It is necessary to plan your daily routine in such a way that no matter what, the baby goes to bed on time.

The baby's room, as noted above, should be thoroughly and constantly ventilated, always before going to bed. In addition, in the room where the crib stands, you should daily carry out wet cleaning, monitor cleanliness and freshness. It is recommended to remove foreign objects from the room, especially those that absorb a lot of dust. Of great importance is the crib, bed, night pajamas - everything should be made from natural materials and have neutral and discreet colors. In addition, the room should also not contain any annoying or “scary” shadow-forming objects during night lighting. The immediate location of the room where the child lives is of paramount importance. Agree, if there is a night restaurant under the windows, and an elevator is constantly making noise behind the wall, then even an adult’s sleep is unlikely to be calm, not to mention children.

From the first days of life, teach your baby to fall asleep on their own. Many pediatricians do not recommend giving a pacifier, rocking, carrying, or putting to sleep on your bed. However, some are not at all against such methods of calming the baby. Each parent, of course, chooses tactics for himself, just remember that the child gets used to everything. Therefore, when choosing a way to calm the baby, be prepared that this will have to be done constantly.

From the first days of life, develop in the child the correct associations for falling asleep, which are understood as situations and conditions under which he is used to falling asleep. You should develop the habit of self-soothing and falling asleep in your child during the night awakening. In this, a favorite toy placed nearby, the muffled light of a night lamp, can help him. If a baby learns to suck a nipple before going to bed or be on mom's swinging arms, he will always demand this until he gets it.

So that the child does not have sleep disturbances against the background of overexcitation, active games, watching TV, a computer, any kind of emotional upheaval two hours before bedtime should be excluded. New toy, the news that everyone goes to the circus on the day off, etc. all this is better to postpone until the morning, so as not to excite him. Everyone and everything in the house should be conducive to sleep. No quarrels, punishing the baby before bedtime or showdown. The child should go to bed in a good mood, relaxed, he should not worry or worry about anything. If it so happened that you scolded the child for something or shouted for disobedience, be sure to make peace with him before going to bed.

It is very important to put the baby to sleep always in the same mood. Probably, many mothers have noticed that when they are excited, anxious or upset about something, the child falls asleep for a long time. This is a proven fact, children feel the state of the mother and experience it with her.

Try to follow the evening ritual of going to bed the same way every day. It happens that you urgently need to rush somewhere or you are just tired, so in a hurry you missed something and did not do what you traditionally do before going to bed. The child will definitely catch this, and it is on this day that he will fall asleep for an infinitely long time. Therefore, it is very important to put the child down every day in the same way: calmly, measuredly, clearly observing the established sequence of actions.

The correct behavior of mommy at night is also of great importance. If the baby woke up at night and does not want to sleep in any way, you should not shout at him, this has an exciting effect on the baby, as a result of which the dream passes completely. Also, do not run to him at the first rustle or call, he must independently learn to fall asleep again without your help. It is precisely because they have been taught this way that the child wakes up several times a night and calls for his mother. To wean him from this, you can use one of the methods: when the child wakes up, do not rush and immediately approach him, wait a little time, and each time this time period should be increased. First, three minutes after the first call, then after five, six, seven, etc. In the end, he will understand that at this time he should sleep, and not call his mother. According to experts, this will take about two weeks. But since all children are different, this method cannot be suitable for everyone without exception. In any case, this method can be applied no earlier than six months. In addition, it is necessary to make sure that the child is not wet and does not want, for example, to drink, whether it is cold or hot.

To improve sleep, it is not recommended to feed the child later than an hour and a half before bedtime. At the same time, dinner should be light and consist of a non-protein meal. In addition, you should not give a lot of drink to the child at night, in this case there will definitely not be a restful sleep.

At the expense of feeding babies, then, according to many pediatricians, from the age of three months a child can do without food and drink for six hours. Even waking up at night for feeding, they easily then fall asleep again. According to doctors, from the age of six months, the baby must be taught to uninterrupted night sleep, otherwise they will ask for breasts, a bottle of formula or water for a very long time. However, it is worth considering here individual characteristics children. There are children who do not wake up at night because their body does not feel the need for night feedings. And there are children who, in this way, try to make up for the lack of maternal attention that they experience during the day.

Children's fears and experiences that disturb sleep, parents should help overcome. If a child is afraid and needs you, do not dismiss him with the words “shame on you, because you are already big” and the like. Trust your child. If suddenly he asked you to lie down with him in his room, although before that there was no fear of being alone, help him survive all the fears, be there.

If the cause of poor sleep lies in the child's illness, this should not be surprising. As treatment progresses, sleep will also return. If it’s not a common illness (flu, dysbacteriosis, rickets, colic, teeth), you should consult a doctor, since sleep disturbance can indicate nervous disorders.

Folk remedies that improve sleep.
Add a teaspoon of dill juice and the same amount of honey to a glass of milk. Give to children in a warm form, a teaspoon after a meal. Store in the refrigerator for no more than a day room temperature- no more than half an hour.

At the head of the child, put a valerian root wrapped in gauze.

Pour one dessert spoon of chamomile flowers into 200 ml of boiling water, let it brew overnight. Then strain the infusion and give the child a teaspoon after meals five to six times a day.

Grind fresh dill, take a tablespoon and pour two glasses of water. You can use dill seeds. Infuse the mixture, strain and give children a teaspoon at night.

In conclusion, I want to note that waking up at night is normal for a child. The only thing that matters is the number of cases per night and how the baby falls asleep after that. Basically, if the child is healthy and the parents are doing everything right, there are no problems with sleep. Health to your children and sound sleep!

Newborns often do not sleep well at night, disturbing inexperienced mothers and fathers with such behavior. Parents begin to think that the baby does not feel well, that's why he behaves this way. In fact, you should not worry too much, because babies often suffer from sleep disorders, you just need to correctly determine the causes of the violations.

Each mother can ensure that the baby snuffles sweetly in the crib for the right number of hours. This requires some effort. Deep sleep day and night - this is not only a benefit to a growing body, but also a lot of free time for parents who are exhausted by work and household chores. Young mothers have the opportunity to devote an extra couple of hours to themselves. Let's see why the child tosses and turns and what to do if the baby's sleep has become restless.

Facts. The first months of life, babies do not understand what day and night are. They are awake for about 6-10 hours a day.

Causes of sleep disturbances during the daytime

Young children are not yet fully adapted to the daily routine. Toddlers wake up if they want to eat, drink, or because of the wrong temperature in the room. Affects the quality of daytime sleep and feeding time. The baby sleeps restlessly for several reasons:

Unfavorable microclimate of the room in which the baby is located. Dry air, too high temperature in the room, rare ventilation will spoil the rest even for an adult;
Unstable emotional background. This is due to the still fragile psyche of the baby, for example, babies can not always fall asleep after active games in the fresh air;
Tight clothing or a blanket that is too warm. It is not necessary to wrap a child in the summer months, with the exception of living in the Arctic Circle.

The following factors have a significant impact on the quality of sleep:

The appearance of the first teeth;
Violation of the stool, for example;
Individual features of the organism: among people, larks and owls are distinguished;
Meteorological dependence;
Difficulty breathing due to;
Psychological barriers, for example, a newborn wants to always be close to his mother, not wanting to be separated even for sleep.

Facts. A person spends about 20-30 years of his life in a dream. For a good rest, you need 7-8 hours of sleep.

Causes of sleep disturbances at night

The real problem is the wakefulness of the baby in the dark. After all, then adults and babies can not fully relax. Being in the kingdom of Morpheus is prevented by eating at the wrong time or nervous overexcitation. Infants also make their contribution, appearing from the age of two weeks and making themselves felt up to 4 months.

Often infant sleeps soundly when mom puts him to sleep next to her. The family does not have to spend the whole night in one bed, the baby can be transferred to the crib after he falls asleep. The parent's bed should be in close proximity to the sleeping child. Not getting a good night's sleep:

Nighttime urination. Diapers get wet, and rubbing against a damp cloth leads to skin irritation;
Loud sounds. There are many sources of noise in city apartments: music lovers, cars, and companies in the yard;
A newborn sleeps restlessly due to a lack of attention, care and affection from the parents.

Facts. The birth of a child leads to the fact that young parents lose about 500 hours of sleep in the first year of a baby's life.

How much sleep should a child have?

The duration of sleep and its quality affect the health and overall development of a small organism. You should know how much time your child should spend in bed at each stage of life:

Up to three months, children sleep for a very long time, they should sleep about 15-18 hours a day;
Up to six months, crumbs are enough for 14 hours a day;
Up to one year, the indicators approach 11-12 hours;
In the daytime, newborns sleep approximately like an adult for about two hours.

Facts. Scientists have proven that the presence excess weight associated with lack of sleep.

But you should not run to the doctor if the time spent by the child in a dream is slightly different from these data. Here are the averages, and each human body is unique: 5 hours is enough for someone, and 10 is not enough for someone.

What actions need to be taken?

The baby will sleep peacefully if you follow the recommendations below.

Temperature and Humidity

Maintain optimum temperature and humidity. About twenty degrees of heat are considered ideal. Fresh air promotes deep sleep, so it is important to open windows as often as possible. For example, babies sleep well while walking. Parents should regularly stay outside with the child.

Darkness

The room should be as dark as possible, it is in the dark that a person produces the sleep hormone - melatonin. For a good daytime sleep, it is necessary to curtain the windows with thick curtains so that natural light does not interfere with the process of falling asleep. Small children do not always like to be in pitch darkness, they will be more comfortable with a night light or light coming from the next room.

Hunger

On a full stomach, both children and their parents sleep better. Feeding should be mandatory before exercise and before going to bed. Sleep on an empty stomach becomes superficial. A newborn who is breastfed falls asleep well after drinking mother's milk. For artificial people, a bottle with a pacifier is suitable. The process of feeding soothes, adjusts for a long rest.

Lullaby

Some babies benefit from listening to pleasant music or a lullaby. A mother's voice soothes any newborn.

motion sickness

Promotes fast sleep motion sickness. But the kids are strong, they will have to pump for a long time, otherwise sleep will not come. Children often sleep in a stroller that is set in motion, awakening occurs when it stops moving.

Closeness with mom

Young children have a hard time adapting to new living conditions. Yesterday they were in the womb, and today they are already forced to be in this unfamiliar and big world. It is psychologically more comfortable next to the closest person - with my mother. Therefore, newborns calm down, being near the mother, feeling her warmth and smell.

Co-sleeping

Some parents are skeptical about sleeping in the same bed. Then your sleeping places should be next to each other. Babies often wake up in the middle of the night and the absence of a mother can be very stressful for a small child. The proximity of the crib allows you to immediately respond to the sounds made by the baby.

small crib

In a children's furniture store, pay attention not to cribs, but to small cradles. Miniature space gives a feeling of comfort and security.

Dry diaper

The baby will toss and turn and behave restlessly if he wets or underwear. Pampers are not recommended by many pediatricians, but they are comfortable at night. If you do not want to put them on your baby, then be prepared for nightly rises and changing wet diapers to dry ones.

Thirst

The baby does not sleep well and wakes up from a strong desire to drink. Thirst and anxiety can be caused by too dry air in the room, this is true in the cold season when the heating is on. To humidify the room, you can purchase a special device or simply hang a wet sheet on the radiator. There should be a bottle of liquid next to the crib.

Colic

Up to 4 months, restless sleep in infants can be caused. In this case, therapeutic massage, special gymnastics, lying on the stomach before feeding, bathing in warm water, reception are shown. Parents of children who are on artificial mixtures should carefully consider the choice of nutrition. An improperly selected mixture can cause severe harm to the body.

Ritual

Develop a kind of bedtime ritual, for example, it can be listening to music, a bath with a decoction of medicinal herbs, or reading fairy tales in the evening. Also, the newborn should have a strict daily routine. Some factors lead to overexcitation of the psyche, for example, watching TV, outdoor games, a large number of strangers around. It is worth avoiding this and then the child will fall asleep easily and sleep soundly for a long time. Calm atmosphere - a hall of good rest.

Sleeping on your own is the best prevention frequent nocturnal awakenings. Just do not need to listen to the cries of the baby for half the night and not take any action. This issue should be approached consistently and carefully.

Fatigue

Before a night's sleep, the child should be awake for at least 4 hours, then he will sleep soundly all night.