WHY IS BABY NOT SLEEPING AT NIGHT?
One of the main reasons why your baby is not sleeping at night is that your baby is yet to develop their own internal rhythms. Parents sometimes expect unrealistic things and want their baby to adjust to their new world very quickly, after spending nine months in the comparative darkness of the womb. Your baby needs to complete the development process.
The human body clocks drive our circadian rhythms by creating a timing mechanism which allows us to be more awake during day and more fatigued at night. This does not start to develop until your baby is about three month old.
So, what exactly are the problems of baby not sleeping at night? Here are some clues:
Your Baby Might Not Know If It Is Night or Day?
- Your baby is not yet aware of day and night. He might start sleeping on a reversal schedule as he doesn’t know when it is time to sleep. He simply sleeps when he is tired.
- Some parents make a mistake of allowing baby to fall asleep after feeding him. In fact, many experts recommend to play with your baby for a few minutes after he feeds in the day.
- Your baby might not be getting enough exposure to sun or day light. Natural light plays an imperative role in setting babies biological clocks. A good-bright light is highly recommended during the day and vice versa i.e to keep the lights dim at night. Help your baby to understand the difference between night and day.
Your Baby Might Be Hungry
- Your newborn’s pocket-sized stomach is not eating all that much in a single go. Breast milk is digested quickly, which leaves baby hungry and is one of the most common reasons why babies struggle sleeping.
- Don’t try to change their night feeds but offer more feeds during the day to make sure your baby is well fed before bed.
- During the developmental process, there’s always something going on with the infant’s body. They might be teething, having allergies, be gassy, constipated, in pain etc. Each of these makes it hard for your baby to sleep Discomfort also disturbs and interrupts their sleep patterns.
- Wrong dose of medications, if your baby is on medication could also worsen the problem. Ensure you give the correct dose and consult your doctor for advice on this.
Maybe Your Baby Needs Your Attention
- Some babies just wants to play at night because they have slept enough during the day. Some babies might need attention, love or curious to know what their parents are doing. They don’t want to waste time on sleep, leading to baby being cranky and overtired.
- Make sure you give your baby plenty of attention and stimulation during the daytime which teaches them to associate day with fun and interesting things to do.
- As the afternoon arrives begin to wind down by choosing relaxing and calm activities.
- However beware of too much stimulation. A really busy and noisy day, full of too many activities might affect your baby’s ability to self soothe and relax.
Baby Sleeping on Their Front
- Some babies become used to sleeping on their parents shoulder when held for long time. This creates problem for them when being placed to sleep on their backs as they feel comfortable dozing off on their tummies.
- Tummy sleeping position is linked to higher rates of sudden infant death syndrome so it is not recommended. Try to put your baby down on their back before they fall asleep so they don’t become used to falling asleep on your shoulder.
Don’t Stress Over Baby Not Sleeping at Night
Finally try not to stress over sleeping. Sleep when your baby sleeps. Do not expect too much from your baby especially during the first months of life.
Unrealistic expectations can cause so much anxiety in parents that is ruins the time with your baby.
Remember every moment is precious and before long your baby won’t be a baby anymore.
