A baby’s restless sleep not only physically and emotionally exhausts parents, but also causes considerable concern for the child’s health. Many mothers go to the doctor with complaints that the baby is tossing and turning in his crib and often waking up. However, such phenomena are typical for most infants and rarely signal the presence of pathologies.
The sleep of an infant is significantly different from the sleep of an adult. The baby's body needs a lot of time to regulate circadian rhythms. Continuous sleep is usually achieved only by one and a half to two years of age. The total amount of time a newborn baby spends sleeping is evenly distributed throughout the circadian cycle. Thus, the baby can sleep up to 20 hours a day, waking up every 60-180 minutes.
It happens that during the first six months of life the baby sleeps well, but subsequently parents begin to notice that their child shudders in his sleep, cries, moves around the crib with his eyes closed and often wakes up. As a rule, such phenomena are associated with the activity of the nervous system of a growing baby, which, during sleep, begins to actively analyze the new experience gained by the child during the previous day. If, after a restless night's sleep, the baby continues to remain alert and does not show signs of illness, then he has enough rest and parents should not worry about the baby's well-being.
A child's total sleep time can be divided into 3 main phases:
- Falling asleep stage.
At this stage, the child may be capricious or watch his mother, periodically closing his eyelids. Some children who are in a borderline state between sleep and wakefulness begin to roll their eyes (or even move in different directions), which often causes a feeling of severe anxiety in the mother. A small child does not yet have the strength of the eye muscles, so this condition is quite normal for a newborn. However, in cases where eye rolling is accompanied by crying and severe anxiety in the baby, or does not go away after three months of life, you should consult a doctor.
- The phase of superficial (rapid) sleep.
During this phase, the baby’s nervous system and brain structures mature. At this time, the baby experiences irregular breathing and periodic twitching of the eyelids. A child in a dream can smile, shudder, move his eyeballs; at this time it is very easy to wake him up.
- The phase of deep (slow) sleep.
Deep sleep occurs 20-30 minutes after falling asleep. This phase is characterized by measured breathing, immobility of the eyeballs and muscle relaxation. During this period, it is quite difficult to wake up the child, so the mother can calmly transfer him to the crib. The duration of deep sleep is no more than an hour, after which the baby’s sleep again becomes superficial.
In infants, the average duration of each phase is about half an hour. At the same time, in infants up to six months, shallow sleep predominates, to which about 80% of rest is allocated. By six months, the duration of shallow sleep is reduced to 50%, by the age of three - to 30%, and only by 7-8 years, the duration of this phase begins to correspond to the duration of shallow sleep in an adult and takes up about 20% of the total sleep time.
The most common causes of sleep disturbance in infants include:
- age-related physiological characteristics;
- emotional overload;
- diseases of the gastrointestinal tract;
- neurological pathologies;
- lack of a well-organized sleep schedule.
Most often, sleep disorders occur in overly excitable and emotional children. An excess of received emotions, overwork, and an improperly organized daily routine lead to overstimulation of the nervous system, as a result of which the baby cannot fall asleep for a long time and periodically wakes up at night.
Abdominal pain, teething and clothes that are too tight can also cause your baby to become restless at night. In addition, the quality of children's sleep largely depends on the temperature and humidity in the room. Dry warm air causes the nasal mucosa to dry out, causing the baby to have difficulty breathing during sleep and waking up crying.
If the child’s sleep does not return to normal for a long time, or if you suspect that the baby’s anxiety is caused by emotional or physiological disorders, you should consult a pediatrician and neurologist.
In most cases, the causes of poor sleep in infants can be easily eliminated without the participation of doctors or medications. In order to ensure your baby has a healthy and sound sleep, you can use the following recommendations:
- To prevent your baby from waking up hungry, feed him tightly before putting him to bed. Before feeding, you can go for a walk with your baby: fresh air perfectly stimulates the appetite and makes it easier to fall asleep.
- If your baby has difficulty falling asleep at night due to a long daytime rest, it is necessary to reduce the time he sleeps during the day.
- To help your child relax before going to bed, give him a light tummy massage, moving your hand in a clockwise direction.
- Put your baby down at the first sign of fatigue.
- At night, ensure your child is completely quiet both when falling asleep and while sleeping. During the daytime, teach your baby to fall asleep to soft sounds.
- Do not forget that the child should associate the bed only with sleep. Therefore, you should not feed your baby or play with him in bed.
- A few hours before bedtime, provide your child with as calm an environment as possible.
- If you notice that your child becomes relaxed and sleepy after bathing, use five-minute warm baths in the evening. If your baby, on the contrary, becomes more active and alert after washing, such procedures should be performed only in the morning and afternoon.
- Try not to turn on bright lights at night, even if the child is awake. Install a night light in the room where the baby rests.
- Make sure that the children's room is not too hot or stuffy. The optimal air temperature in the bedroom is 18-20°C. Be sure to ventilate the room in which the baby sleeps and regularly carry out air humidification measures.
- Put your child to bed at the same time every day.
When creating a sleep schedule, parents need to take into account the baby's biological clock. If the sleep and wake routine organized by adults contradicts the natural needs of the child, it will be extremely difficult for him to fall asleep and wake up at the hours allotted by his parents. This not only contributes to lack of sleep, but also has an extremely negative effect on the baby’s immune and nervous systems, which can result in serious disorders that require long-term treatment. Therefore, before determining the bedtime for their baby, mom and dad should observe the child for several days: changes in his behavior will tell parents what time the baby needs to go to bed and get up.
Child's health. Sleep apnea
And a baby. MedAboutMe will tell you how to teach your baby to sleep at night without interruption, until the morning, and how to return the sleep-wake pattern to a child who “confuses” day with night?
The role of parents in promoting a good night's sleep for the baby
The formation of sleep as an integral part of a child’s daily routine requires a multifaceted approach. On the one hand, parents are required to create comfortable conditions for painless falling asleep. On the other hand, the role of performing certain family rituals with the child is important: long evening walks at approximately the same time, bathing in a bath with extracts of pine needles or herbs (chain, chamomile, lavender), singing lullabies. But the most important thing when it comes to putting a baby to bed is a disciplinary approach.
It is within the parents' power to ensure that the baby learns to sleep and sleeps until dawn - until six o'clock feeding, if we are talking about a six-month-old baby, for example. At the same time, with the wrong tactics, parents themselves can create a situation where the baby wakes up every two hours and asks to eat. And this may continue until the child is one year old and even longer. Since the last described situation is not healthy and correct - both from the point of view of the baby’s development and from the point of view of emotional burnout and loss of strength in the mother - we consider it necessary to discuss how to get out of this situation.
Newborn: a special approach
Since the baby spent a long period in rather cramped conditions in the mother’s belly, during the period of adaptation to extrauterine life, you can recreate this position by using a Woombie cocoon, a special swaddling envelope, or swaddling with a regular diaper. All these devices slightly limit the baby’s chaotic movements with his arms and legs, which significantly calms him down. Tested by many mothers!
Of course, external conditions are also of great importance: low dust content in the room where the baby sleeps (no soft toys that collect dust), a sufficient level of humidity (ideally, a humidifier turned on), optimal temperature (not higher than 21 degrees) in the room.
If the first two or three months are considered a period of adaptation of the child to external conditions, then issues of discipline and education come into play - yes, such little ones already fully recognize when they can manipulate their mother. So, what should a mother do in order to subsequently sleep normally at night, and for night to appear in the family?
Dr. Michelle Cohen, a pediatrician, gives new mothers the most valuable advice: do not fly to your baby at night at the first squeak. And even more so, don’t pick up the baby right away without understanding it. It is necessary to give the baby the opportunity to calm down on his own. “Don't react automatically. This rule should be followed from the first days of the baby’s life.”
Indeed, before approaching the child, you should overcome yourself and give a short pause. Firstly, this tactic will teach the mother over time to distinguish all the shades of a child’s cry, and she will clearly understand that now he really wants to eat, but he had an unpleasant dream, but as soon as the nightmare moment is over, the baby calms down and continues to sleep peacefully. Pediatricians advise mothers to learn to distinguish between grunting in sleep and the crying of a child. In other words, you need to make sure your baby is awake before picking him up.
This small delay makes a huge difference. Mom is still nearby, she actively listens to the baby and is ready to console him and take the necessary actions to increase comfort. But the interesting thing is that infants calm down faster, even with almost no tears, and in the absence of active intervention!
Another question is that the trembling heart of a mother (or grandmother!) may not withstand even this minimal pause. What happens? The mother takes the baby in her arms with the best intentions, and the child finally wakes up. If, in this case, the mother also gives breastfeeding, a vicious circle is formed when the baby gets used to feeding every two hours.
How to improve a baby's sleep at night - tips for mothers
During the first months of life, your baby is awake very little and sleeps a lot. This is very important because... healthy and adequate sleep affects the development of the baby. So it’s in your hands to do everything to ensure that your infant’s sleep is sound and sweet.
After birth, constant contact with the mother is extremely important for such a baby. It is vital for him to feel his mother’s hands, his mother’s smell, her warmth and the beat of her heart. Many experts recommend carrying the child in your arms and hugging him more often. Don't be afraid to spoil him at such a tender age. It is very convenient to use slings, because... they reduce the load on the arms and spine.
Co-sleeping is also encouraged. You shouldn't be afraid of him, because... young mothers sleep lightly, which eliminates the possibility of injuring the child during sleep. Thanks to co-sleeping, you won't have to constantly jump up and check on your baby, and he, in turn, will wake up less and sleep more peacefully. Also, night feedings will be much easier.
An older child can be taught to sleep separately. When he is tired and wants to rest, put him to bed. Pat him on the head or back, sing a lullaby or tell him a story. The baby, who is sure that his mother is nearby, quickly falls asleep without any rocking.
The following procedures also set you up for good and sound sleep:
Bathing
A decoction of chamomile or chamomile has a calming effect on the baby's nervous system.
Light massage before bed
Stroking relaxes and calms the child. You can stroke the whole body, palms, heels, fingers. Stroke the baby's tummy clockwise, this is a wonderful prevention of colic.
After bathing and massage, the baby needs to be fed
Moreover, newborns make a lot of effort while sucking a breast or bottle. Very often, babies fall asleep while eating. If the baby does not fall asleep during feeding, you should hold him upright to allow excess air to escape.
Last but not least, a child’s sleep depends on how comfortable he will be in his crib. It is better not to put a pillow on your child until he is one year old, and you can leave dim lights in the room.
The optimal sleeping position is on your side. If a child burps in a dream, it will not bother him. In the tummy position, the baby will suffer from colic much less often, and he will not freeze, because... less heat is lost.
childguide.ru
Pause is very important!
Meanwhile, the child looked somewhat restless only because of the onset of the REM sleep phase - the baby can turn from side to side, he can laugh, cry, scream, even open his eyes. But he is sleeping! And if you don’t touch the baby, shallow sleep will move into the next phase, deep sleep - breathing will slow down, the baby will calm down, the arms and legs will relax and he will blissfully snore. Watch your child, give him time. How many? Even 15 seconds is enough!
Every second of child anxiety causes a lot of worry for the mother. And this time may seem endless. But it’s worth making an effort on yourself for the benefit of the whole family. At this time, you can slowly count to yourself and gently rock the cradle.
If the baby does not calm down during this period, even in a minute or two, of course, you should look for other reasons - maybe it’s a wet diaper? Or the baby has cold hands and forehead - then you need to cover him with an additional blanket, he will warm up and fall asleep. If the baby is bothered by colic, you can give simethicone preparations in the recommended dosages (with the permission of the pediatrician) and turn him over on his tummy with a warm sheet (for example, pre-warm him with a heating pad).
Analyze, maybe the baby hasn’t eaten enough during the day and that’s why he’s hungry now? It's time to feed him! But leave this option as a last resort, especially if the baby is more than three months old. Pediatricians say: feeding at night, about 11-12 hours, and in the morning, about six, is quite enough for full growth and weight gain, provided that lactation is well-established.
...So he rested during the day! A small child will “sleep” his daily requirement. And, from a health point of view, staying up at night won’t bring him any particular harm. Another question is that dad or both parents will need to get ready for work in the morning; they will not have the opportunity to sleep during the day. They need the night in terms of rest. In this case, it is definitely necessary to reduce the amount of daytime sleep the child takes and significantly increase the child’s physical activity in the morning and afternoon. Before going to bed, you also need to take a good walk and have a good, moderately hearty meal. If the problem cannot be solved with these basic methods, you should contact a pediatrician and, if indicated, a pediatric neurologist.
Every mother dreams of her baby falling asleep at the same time every evening and sleeping soundly and angelically throughout the night. At the same time, it is ideal to cancel the evening whims, “I want to drink, eat, play” and “read Kolobok to me 105 times.” Our friends from the Eksmo publishing house provided the NNmama.ru portal with an exclusive excerpt from the book “Doctor_annamama, I have a question: #how to care for a child?” , in which Dr. Anna reveals all the secrets of children's sleep.
How to normalize infant sleep: 10 golden rules
If an infant sleeps well, this is a sure indicator of the baby’s good health. What parents don’t dream that their beloved miracle falls asleep easily and without problems, and wakes up cheerful and in a good mood? But, unfortunately, the reality is not always like this. What will help normalize the sleep of an infant? I hope that simple rules will help you and your baby.
1. In the first months of life, pediatricians recommend putting the baby to sleep on his side, placing a rolled-up blanket under the backrest. Even if the baby spits up during sleep, the milk will not get into his respiratory tract and will not interfere with a restful sleep.
2. Try using the practice of co-sleeping, but if this does not suit you, then let the crib be next to your bed. Then the baby will hear your breath and smell you.
3. Do not dress your baby too warmly at night so that he does not overheat. It is generally not recommended to cover a child up to one year old with warm down or quilted blankets. There is also no need for any pillows or heating pads in the crib.
4. Do not put the baby to sleep near heat sources: in direct sunlight or near heaters, radiators, etc.
5. After each feeding, hold your baby upright for 5-10 minutes to burp out any excess air trapped during feeding. Otherwise, accumulated gases will interfere with restful sleep.
6. Refrain from putting hats, scarves and caps on your baby at night. The room is already warm, the child will not freeze.
7. Always ventilate the room well before going to bed. In the warm season, you can leave the window open at night; later, this useful habit can be extended to the cold season.
8. If the child’s sleep has become unusual, too short, restless, uncharacteristic, accompanied by anxiety, crying, or refusal to eat, call a doctor at night. All this may be signs of an incipient disease.
9. A TV or computer should not be running in the room where a child sleeps; these devices strongly electrify the air, which leads to the rapid formation of dust. In addition, even if it seems to you that the child is sleeping soundly, and the switched on equipment does not disturb him, external stimuli still affect the child’s sleep in a completely negative way.
10. Regularly wash not only the bed linen, but also the bumpers, canopy and curtains in the room. Pay special attention to dense fabrics that can collect and hold a lot of dust and other harmful substances.
It is interesting for parents to know that sleep time is the time when growth hormone is activated, which is produced precisely during the deep sleep phase. So, the fact that children grow while they sleep is not an old wives' tale, but a proven scientific fact.
What position should a baby sleep in? French sleep specialists (somnologists) consider it very useful for preschool children to sleep on their sides, placing their palms together and placing them under their cheeks. Closed palms calm and relieve anxiety. It is no coincidence that one folds one’s hands in this way during prayer.
yoga-mama.ru
How to organize children's sleep correctly
The child must learn to fall asleep on his own. Then, when he wakes up at night, he will be able to fall asleep on his own.
1. To teach your child to fall asleep on his own, you need to:
Introduce sleep rituals and adhere to a set bedtime routine. The ritual should be short and positive: it should set the child up to fall asleep and be completed in bed in the presence of the parent. A rhyme, song, melody, soft toy, a certain sequence of actions, stroking the head, etc. will do. Rituals can be introduced from birth and even before birth (try, for example, listening to a certain melody while sleeping);
Gradually separate feeding (breastfeeding or formula) and falling asleep, while maintaining the introduced rituals;
Transfer the baby to the crib when sleepy, but not asleep;
Do not leave the room, but stay with the child so that he is calm;
Gradually move out of the child’s sight as he or she begins to fall asleep independently.
2. In the evening, spend about 30 minutes getting ready for bed. During this period, all active games stop and a calm, daily repeating preparation for sleep begins.
3. The child should sleep without moving or shaking (not in a stroller or car).
4. You need to put your baby to bed both during the day and at night:
To his crib
In darkness and silence.
Let me remind you that in the light the production of melatonin, the sleep hormone, is disrupted. Melatonin has many important functions, including participation in the immune system and cell renewal, regulates blood pressure, enhances antioxidant protection, stimulates the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, and affects the growth and development of brain cells.
5. Overwork during the day or chronic lack of sleep worsens the quality of sleep. If the child does not get enough sleep, it is necessary to gradually put him to bed earlier and earlier, shifting his bedtime by 10-15 minutes a day.
6. With two daily naps, the first should begin before 12.00, the second - before 16.00, and at least four hours should pass between the last daytime and night sleep.
7. A pacifier given to a baby at night can become one of the bad habits. However, it will serve as an effective assistant when you begin to teach your baby to fall asleep without a breast or bottle.
8. For normal sound sleep, it is necessary to properly organize the daily routine - the sequence of feedings and periods of wakefulness, as well as provide the child with sufficient physical activity during the day.
9. The decision to sleep together is made by both parents, but they must follow all safety rules. When sleeping together, it is more difficult to organize independent bedtime, but it is also quite possible. Partial co-sleeping is possible (the child falls asleep in his own crib, and at night the mother takes him to her place).
Rules for safe co-sleeping:
Both parents support co-sleeping;
The mattress should be hard and even, the sheet should be well stretched and secured;
The blanket is not heavy, there should be no extra pillows;
The bed is strong, the child cannot fall out of it (the child sleeps against the wall, or the bed has a side);
Parents sleep in clothes without ribbons and laces, without jewelry or chains, with long hair removed; - the child does not sleep under the parents’ blanket, but either under his own light blanket or without it at all (you can use warm pajamas or a sleeping bag);
The baby sleeps on the mother’s side (she feels the baby better);
Are you constantly struggling with your baby's reluctance to fall asleep? Is it difficult for you to guess the time when he wants to sleep, and because of this the whole family suffers? Do you have no time for anything except your child, and you don’t have time to cope with the necessary things?
Perhaps the reason for this is not that you are disorganized, but that your son or daughter does not have a regular routine. Once it is established, motherhood will no longer seem to you such a difficult task as it does now.
It is advisable to instill in your baby the habit of a routine from the first weeks of his life. What should you do for this?
A newly born baby sleeps approximately the same amount of time during the day and at night, and for him there is no difference between light and dark times of the day. Teach him to distinguish between them. To do this, when the child wakes up in the morning, you should immediately open the curtains, and during the day carry out more activating activities (play, talk, do gymnastics with him, select developmental activities based on age). It is advisable to put the baby to bed for a nap in a slightly darkened room, and during walks it is advisable not to protect the stroller too diligently from the sun.
Newborns should eat at least 7 times a day. And given that it is now customary to give children a breast or a bottle at the first squeak, the frequency of feedings during the day may be greater. At the same time, babies have a habit of falling asleep after eating or even during the feeding process.
Try to gently resist the fact that eating turns into sleep every time. Feed your baby in a well-lit place, preferably close to a window. After he eats, do not rock him in your arms, but hold him in a column, talk to him, play. Although it is important not to overdo it: if a child shows signs of drowsiness, you should not deliberately deprive him of sleep.
When the baby is 1-2 months old, he should already have the first signs of a constant routine: normally he should sleep 3 times during the day and 1 time at night, sometimes with one or more awakenings. Observe him and determine at what time he preferentially falls asleep and wakes up. Keep notes - this will help you more accurately assess your child’s sleep habits.
Based on the information obtained over 7-10 days of observations, make a plan for what time you will put your child to bed each time. Don't forget to compare the schedule with your baby's age-related needs for rest. As your child grows, these needs change, so periodically adjust your schedule accordingly.
Try to stick to your plan, putting your baby to bed at the same consistent time each time. Moreover, if he sleeps longer than he should according to the drawn-up schedule, there is no need to wake him up. At the age of several months, he begins to actively form biorhythms, which should not be disrupted.
Adapt your general daily routine to your sleep schedule. Try to schedule naps after walks or meals, when your baby is sleepy. Many young children willingly fall asleep as soon as they are taken out into the fresh air; If your child also has this feature, plan trips with the stroller during the time allotted for sleep.
Some babies get used to frequent night feedings, which causes them to wake up several times throughout the night. If your baby is already six months old, try to reduce the number of night feedings to 1-2 times.
Children have a characteristic feature: they are quickly activated, but slowly calm down. Therefore, before going to bed, you need to spend at least an hour with your child, doing quiet activities.
Parents have particular difficulties when putting their children to bed at night. To make this task easier, create a bedtime ritual for your child. The ritual is a series of actions that are performed in the same order every evening before bed and end with falling asleep. For example, dinner, quiet games, massage, bathing, sleep. Children readily get used to such a routine, and it becomes easier to put them to bed.
If, despite everything, your child refuses to fall asleep at the “supposed” time, try changing your regular schedule and start putting him to bed an hour later.
Two to three weeks. This is the average amount of time required to accustom a child to a constant regimen. Yes, this may not be easy. Yes, it will require discipline and patience on your part. But believe me: this is a great investment in the future. If you know exactly what time your child falls asleep and wakes up, it will be more convenient for you to plan your activities, and you will finally be able to devote time to yourself. In addition, this will save your already frayed nerves from daily and nightly tests of whims. So, gather your strength and start transitioning your child to a permanent routine. The results will not take long to arrive.
About the author: Buzunov Roman Vyacheslavovich President of the Association of Somnologists, Head of the Department of Sleep Medicine, Federal State Budgetary Institution Clinical Sanatorium Barvikha, Administration of the President of the Russian Federation, Honored Doctor of the Russian Federation, Professor, Doctor of Medical Sciences.
Photo - Lori's photo bank
Use this method if all other methods have failed.
Controlled crying is the most effective method for developing sleep habits in infants over 6 months of age.
Prepare yourself.
This is a very intensive technique and requires a lot of dedication and perseverance, but it has proven to be successful in getting babies to sleep through the night. If your baby is still feeding at night, it is best to use the key night method to make sure he is not crying from hunger.
Start using the controlled crying method on the evening of the first day.
The same procedure should be followed no matter how many times the child wakes up during the night.
- Day 1:
- Set a bedtime and stick to it. Plan at least an hour for bathing, feeding and evening exercise.
- Wait at least 5-10 minutes before returning and calming him down. Consolative measures should also be kept to a minimum. You can pet him, softly whisper “shhh,” but resist the urge to pick him up. After 2 minutes, leave the room again, even if the baby continues to cry.
- After the first half hour of crying, the time between returns should be increased to 15-20 minutes.
- Continue to approach him every 15-20 minutes until the baby falls asleep. Consolation should still be minimal and last no more than 2 minutes. It is not recommended to take your baby out of the crib.
- If your child wakes during the night, continue with the same plan, gradually increasing the interval between returns to 20 minutes.
Put your baby in his crib before he gets too sleepy. Kiss him and leave the room.
- When napping, it's important to pick up where you left off the night before.
Wait at least 20 minutes before approaching your child and remain present for no more than two minutes while offering minimal reassurance.
How to improve your newborn's sleep
Sleep is very important for the normal development and health of the newborn. Many parents complain about lack of sleep and endless crying of the baby when he is put to bed. I want to talk about some points about children's sleep, about my mistakes and how I managed to improve my child's sleep.
How to improve your newborn baby's sleep
How to improve your newborn baby's sleep
I’ll say right away that the child sleeps in the same bed with me. If you are a supporter of separate sleeping, then you may need a slightly different approach, but still some points may be useful to you.
Since birth, my baby has slept quietly and quite a lot (which is the norm). Before we put him in the stroller, he could easily fall asleep on his own as soon as he ate. After walking in a stroller, I already had to help him fall asleep, I had to rock him to sleep. In principle, my child’s sleep schedule was convenient for me until the grandmothers began to arrive and began to give out their “invaluable” advice, which disturbed all sleep, and my child could only fall asleep at 2-3 in the morning, and then sleep until the middle of the day . So, I would like to say right away about the mistakes that it is better not to make.
Main mistakes
- Wake him up so he doesn't oversleep, and then walk around half the night. There’s no need to wake up a newborn, especially before 1.5-2 months! Children in the first month of life can and should sleep 18-20 hours a day. The baby is sleeping, rejoice, mind your own business! If you deliberately wake your child up, trying to develop a daily routine, you will only ruin everything. He will be irritable, cry, and you, in turn, will be irritated.
- “Let him walk longer, he’ll sleep better.” But no! Now I don’t even understand where this came from, the more tired the child is, the more difficult it is for him to fall asleep later. Yes, you yourself have experienced this; in moments of extreme fatigue, you yourself cannot fall asleep for a long time.
- Get used to sleeping at your chest. Yes, he falls asleep and sleeps longer this way, but you don’t rest like that!
The main mistakes when creating a child’s sleep schedule
How to improve your child's sleep
What did I do when, thanks to the advice of my grandmothers, I ruined my child’s sleep schedule? I started reading various articles and books on this topic. And then I received an offer on Facebook to participate in Olga Alexandrova’s free seminar. I submitted an application, watched the seminar, of course, they offered a paid seminar, but what Olga gave at the free seminar was enough for me! It turned out that the child does not need to “finish the day” in order to sleep more soundly, but on the contrary, as soon as he showed signs that he was tired, immediately put him to bed. In general, what I did:
- A sign that showed me the approximate wake and sleep times of a child from birth to one year helped me a lot. Indeed, I watched my little one and saw that he could stay awake exactly as long as children of his age usually stay awake.
Baby sleep chart
- Then I began to notice the first signs of fatigue in my little one. The first thing I immediately noticed was that towards the end of his waking time his eyes became somewhat glassy, and later he began to yawn and rub his eyes. As soon as he “gave such signs,” I immediately put him to bed.
- Even somewhere in the city, at a party or when we have guests, I try not to disturb his routine, I don’t allow moments when he overstays his welcome.
- I made sure that while he was awake, he actively played in the first half, and then did something calmer closer to bedtime. And that helped too.
- For daytime dreams, I tried to put him to bed outside. During the cold season, he still slept outside in the stroller, but only once a day. In the warm season, he sleeps all his daytime dreams in a stroller on the terrace until the evening.
- In the evening, they started a ritual: he sits down to watch a cartoon, while I prepare the bed and bathroom. While he’s watching a cartoon, I undress him naked to “breathe.” Then we bathe and immediately lie down under the chest.
- While he eats, I stroke his back, head, and legs. Sometimes he can crawl on the bed after feeding, I don’t interfere, then he crawls back to eat and falls asleep.
- There are times when we have guests, the child, understandably, is excited, and it is quite difficult to put him to sleep. Then I just put him on my shoulder, but I don’t take him away from guests, I just carry him slowly, stroke his back, and he falls asleep, but without hysterics.
Now, it would seem, well, there’s nothing special here, maybe she didn’t tell me anything new, but these simple truths that Olga revealed to me helped improve my son’s sleep. Of course, with a child you need to learn to control emotions, since any emotional state is transmitted to the baby, and this also significantly affects the quality of sleep. By the way, Olga has a wonderful book “Positive parenting of a child. Healthy sleep and proper care”, read it, I think it will help you, from her article I borrowed that very tablet of sleep and wakefulness of a child from birth to one year.
Positive parenting of a child by Olga Alexandrova
Don’t think that I wanted to advertise Olga, it’s just that her advice, even at a free seminar, helped me a lot. In any case, learn to “listen” to your child, and not to the advice of your mothers, aunts and grandmothers. I really started to take a closer look at my son’s behavior; it turns out that he “knows” better than me what and when he needs. Now he falls asleep on his own at 20-00 and sleeps until the morning, due to his age (at the time of writing he is 7 months old), he wakes up 2-3 times during the night. And then, it’s not quite the same when he wakes up, I see that he’s fidgeting, I give him the breast, he eats without waking up, eats his fill and continues to sleep. But again, let me remind you, he sleeps with me, not in the crib. It’s more convenient for me, I’m too lazy to get up to my child every time, so he sleeps with me! I sleep lightly, so I’m not afraid that I might somehow harm him in my sleep.
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