What to Do If Your Baby Isn’t Sleeping Through the Night
We explain in detail why newborn babies wake up when adults sleep and whether babies who sleep 8-10 hours a night are a myth…
If the baby’s weight gain is sufficient and there is no other recommendation by the doctor, there is no need to wake them from 2 weeks. In the first 3 months, awakenings 2-3 times after 24 hours usually decrease to one after 6 months. Newborn babies sleep an average of 18 hours, and after 6 months, usually 10-12 hours (including 2 naps during the day). Uninterrupted sleep, which is peculiar to adults, reaches the age of three in some children.
Why Do Babies Wake Up at Night?
While colic pains do not keep parents awake in the first months, various reasons such as teething period as the baby grows, repetition of daytime fears in dreams, fear of abandonment when the mother starts working, and the period of weaning from breast milk can cause babies to wake up at night.
Some babies are unable to sleep at the end of a day of excessive stimuli, crowds, strangers and excessive activity. Some children who want to spend more time with their parents also resist sleep.
If Baby Cries at Night…
First of all, we need to understand whether the baby’s physical needs are met, that is, whether the stomach is full, the bottom is dry, and the ambient temperature is sufficient. We should not give stimuli such as excessive noise and light, thinking that the baby will fall asleep again in a short time. We should talk to him/her for a while, trying to calm the baby without taking him/her out of his/her bed.
In order for the baby to feel safe, we should go to him when he cries. But getting into your own bed is not an appropriate behavior as it will become a habit after a while. For more detailed information about crying babies, you can read our article: How to Soothe a Crying Baby
Is Daytime Sleep Necessary for Babies?
Newborn babies sleep and wake up without distinction between day and night. After 2 months, they start to sleep longer at night. After 15 months, daytime sleep decreases from two to one. Noon nap is also not necessary after 4 years of age.
Just as the sleep needs of adults are different, it is the same for babies. While some babies are satisfied with 15 minutes, some can sleep for 2 hours.
What Should the Ideal Sleeping Environment Be Like?
A quiet, dim environment with an average temperature of 20 degrees is ideal for sleep. We should try to sleep in the same environment and at the same time every day. The mattress should be safe, the edges should be soft, and the bedspreads should be cotton and soft. Using a pillow can be dangerous. A soft toy that the baby likes can be put on the bed. You should never sleep in the same bed with another child. If you are a deep sleeper, never take it to your bed.
A bath before bed can be relaxing. Soft music and gentle shaking movements can make it easier to fall asleep. It is necessary to avoid excessively exciting activities, computer games and television in older children before sleep. Before going to bed, it is necessary to get used to learning the time of sleep by doing certain rituals such as wearing pajamas and reading a book.