What to do if your child has trouble falling asleep at night? Doctor's advice

A baby, like no one else, needs healthy sleep. After all, lack of sleep can negatively affect the development of a child’s nervous system. Full sleep It is also necessary for a new mother, especially in the first months after childbirth - the climate of the family completely depends on her well-being and mood.

Did you know that only 20% of babies can fall asleep on their own, without the help of adults? And if you are reading this article, your baby is probably not one of the lucky ones.

Are you exhausted trying in vain to put your baby to sleep? Don't despair! You - good parent! Most likely, you just need to figure out why infant can't sleep. This is very important! If you do not eliminate the cause of concern, your actions will be ineffective, and euthanize infant It will be done with great difficulty.

Therefore, in this article we will look at the main reasons that prevent normal falling asleep and restful sleep.

Hunger will never let your baby sleep peacefully. If the mother does manage to rock the hungry baby to sleep, he will definitely wake up soon. Feed him, let him be full!

Most often, the little ones are bothered by their tummy. When the baby grows up, and he digestive system learns to work without interruption, a new misfortune arises. This is teething. In such cases, your pediatrician will definitely advise what to do. Do not self-medicate. Trust a specialist!

Another reason may be uncomfortable clothing. Breasts are especially sensitive if the fabric is “pricked” or “scratched” in the area of ​​the seams. Because of the discomfort, they can cry restlessly for hours, exhausting themselves and you, but they will not be able to say so. Check all the baby's natural folds. Perhaps some speck that got from his clothes is haunting him. Also change your diaper. It's not very pleasant to fall asleep wet. Most children understand this truth from birth.

Remember about comfortable conditions in the room. In a stuffy, hot room, it is difficult not only for adults, but also for children to fall asleep. The air in the room should not be too dry or too humid. And if the house is cold, the child should be bundled up accordingly. He shouldn't be cold!
Overexcitement and excess emotions will also prevent the baby from falling asleep. Monitor your child's emotional state.

Too much attention from adult relatives and others will be a burden to the baby. Overfatigue often occurs in the absence of a sleep-wake schedule. Therefore, each mother, together with her baby, must develop her own regimen. Active children may have trouble with their hands while falling asleep and sleeping. It makes sense to swaddle a newborn baby tightly, along with the arms. Remove any light source that is too bright and isolate it from loud noises if possible.

Weather conditions are another reason why parents fail in the fight against insomnia. As you know, not only elderly or sick people, but also small children react to changes in weather. In this case, you just need to be patient, because you cannot eliminate this reason.

So, we have looked at the main reasons why an infant cannot sleep. Armed with this information, dear mothers, it will be much easier for you to put your baby to sleep.
Be patient and good luck!

At night and how to deal with this problem. In addition, we propose to analyze the most popular mistakes of parents that lead to this violation, consider useful recommendations pediatricians.

The appearance of a child in a family is a great joy, but young parents are tormented by many questions, which are sometimes not so easy to cope with. When the baby is just born, mom and dad enter the so-called “golden time” period. The baby is not so active, eats and sleeps most of the time. But when he grows up, the time for sleep decreases, and the baby strives to explore the world. For older children, six hours a day is enough for rest, and sometimes even two.

Many children have a very bad attitude towards falling asleep; for some families this becomes the cause of huge scandals. This is a big mistake of young families! Instead of dealing with the problem, they begin to sort things out, which, again, does not have a very good effect on the baby’s well-being. What to do in this situation? What methods do doctors recommend? These and many similar questions will be discussed in detail in this article.

Baby's sleep

Let's start this section with a well-known fact: a person spends a third of his life sleeping. But we're talking about adults. And the child needs even more rest. As mentioned earlier, newborn babies do only this - sleep and eat. In order to answer our main question- why a child has difficulty falling asleep day and night - it is necessary to understand the very concept of “sleep”.

There are many theories about why sleep is needed. The main one, which will be understandable not only to the scientist, but also to an ordinary person- theory about the accumulation of fatigue. The thing is that while the brain is awake, it collects a lot of information, which makes it very tired. In order to relieve this fatigue, we sleep.

We can of course go deeper into this problem, study various studies, where we will find a lot more reasons why you want to sleep. But perhaps, let’s focus on the clearest and most understandable of them - sleep is necessary for normal life.

Parents' view of their baby's sleep changes as the child grows older. Do not forget that sleep for an adult is a way of unloading and relaxation, and for a baby it is also a way of adapting to the new world, gaining strength for further development. Newborn babies normally sleep from eighteen to twenty-two hours a day. The child can wake up only if he needs another portion of food. A newborn sleeps continuously for no more than two hours. It is important to note that babies do not yet live according to a routine, and crying, signaling that it is time to feed, can be heard absolutely at any time of the day.

When does a child begin to learn a sleep schedule? The older the baby, the longer the duration of one sleep cycle increases, but the intervals between them also increase. For example, at five months a child sleeps a maximum of four times a day, and the total sleep duration is about fifteen hours. Now the baby still wakes up at night to have a snack.

Closer to one year, the child can already sleep (without interruption) for about ten hours. That is, night feedings are no longer necessary. But normal daytime sleep is between two and two and a half hours.

Why doesn't the baby sleep at night?

Now we will identify the main reasons that can be considered the answer to the parents’ question: “Why does the child have trouble falling asleep at night?” Parents of newborns, as a rule, do not encounter this problem at all. In the first months of its life, a baby may sleep poorly only in the following cases:

  • he is hungry;
  • there are external stimuli (music, TV, conversations, light, and so on);
  • the baby is tormented by gas;
  • during teething.

There is no need to explain how to cope with these problems. Eliminate external irritants, feed the baby, give anti-gas medication, use a cooling gel for the gums, change the diaper.

It is very important for all parents to know that babies begin to develop a daily routine at three months. You shouldn’t miss this moment to avoid a lot of problems in the future. The most important thing for a person’s sleep (both adults and children) is comfort. It is very important to create an atmosphere in the bedroom suitable for sound, healthy sleep:

  • correct temperature regime(not lower than sixteen, but not higher than twenty degrees Celsius);
  • fresh air (be sure to ventilate the room before going to bed);
  • calm environment (no active games an hour and a half before bedtime).

In addition, the baby needs to be fed.

As for daytime sleep, if the baby refuses to fall asleep, then you can try a walk in a stroller. Fresh air will help solve this problem.

How to deal with the problem?

Once you have found out why your child has difficulty falling asleep at night, you should think about possible way solving the problem. Let us immediately draw your attention to the fact that preparing for a night’s sleep for children is a whole ritual. It is very important that the baby gets enough sleep, especially at night. There are many ways to prepare your baby for sleep. It is also very important that the system, which has already been developed, does not fail. Otherwise, the baby may confuse day with night, and it will be extremely difficult to return to normal.

So, in the evening we begin preparations. We create an atmosphere of peace, as if everything around is falling asleep: turn off the bright lights, all conversations should be muffled. Parents should also spend relaxing sessions with their child in the bath. Would be a good replacement light massage. Before bed, read a story to your child or sing a lullaby. Many mothers prefer motion sickness, but this is not the best option. If your child is used to falling asleep while moving, then without rocking you will no longer be able to put him to sleep. In addition, babies get used to holding hands very quickly and do not want to sleep in their cradle. Try rocking the baby to sleep, and then transfer it to the crib.

Breast babies

Now let’s look at the question: “Why does a child have difficulty falling asleep at night in a month and up to a year?” The causes of sleep disturbance at this age are very numerous - from the onset of illness to an abundance of impressions. A fairly common occurrence is bad dream infants as a result of the baby’s poor daily routine. For example, if he sleeps for a very long time in daytime. We remind you once again that it is quite easy to confuse day with night, but returning to normal mode causes some difficulties.

Poor sleep may be caused by:

  • cold;
  • heat;
  • hunger;
  • overfeeding and so on.

Perhaps, up to 4 months, the child has trouble falling asleep at night due to intestinal colic. And at an older age, the cause may be unpleasant feeling from teething.

In addition, poor sleep can be one of the symptoms of a serious illness - rickets, encephalopathy, and so on. In any case, it's worth restoring children's sleep. After all, its deficiency is very dangerous. This causes an imbalance in many organs and systems; in addition, there is a lack of enzymes and hormones (after all, their production occurs precisely during sleep). Based on what has been said, we can draw a small conclusion: normalizing sleep is the primary task of all parents, the health of your baby depends on it.

One year old baby

When visiting a pediatrician, mothers often ask: why does a 1-year-old child have difficulty falling asleep at night? The first thing an experienced specialist will pay attention to is the teeth. If they are in at the moment are cutting, the gums are swollen, this means that the baby is suffering severe itching and other unpleasant sensations.

In addition to this, there is another reason why a one-year-old child has trouble falling asleep at night. The thing is that one-year-old children already understand how interesting and educational the world around them is. Now there is simply no time to sleep, because there is so much to explore! This is an incorrect position, and this should be explained to the child in a calm tone.

Little ones who suffer from lack of sleep are very nervous and capricious. To avoid quarrels, you should teach your child to correct regimen day. Under no circumstances should you shout or swear! Try to calm the child with your affection and love. This will help:

  • interesting books with fairy tales;
  • lullaby;
  • relaxing massage;
  • walk on fresh air.

Find an approach to your baby, then this problem will disappear forever from your calm and measured life.

Two to three years

Now let's take a closer look at another age category. A child does not fall asleep well at night at 2 years of age for many reasons, which will be discussed in this section of the article.

When a child turns two years old, naps become a real challenge for parents. Some mothers make the gravest mistake - they refuse to put the baby to bed at all. This is not true, because now the child still greatly needs daytime rest. Afternoon nap helps normal development and is important for the emotional state.

Why does a 2-year-old child have difficulty falling asleep at night? As mentioned earlier, getting ready for bed is a whole ritual, and this age is no exception. No active games, computers, cartoons, bright lights or loud conversations. Best option- night light, glass warm milk, interesting tale or muted classical music.

Poor sleep at this age may be caused by:

  • change of environment;
  • parents' quarrel;
  • the appearance of another child in the family;
  • first visit to kindergarten;
  • night terrors;
  • scary dreams and so on.

We will talk in detail about why this happens in the next section of the article.

Causes of sleep disturbances

As mentioned earlier, a child has trouble falling asleep and sleeping well at night for a variety of reasons. And they differ greatly in children under one year old and three year olds. Let's say a few words about the latter. Three-year-old children are much more difficult to cope with. Why? Let’s answer this question: the child becomes more independent and already understands that mom and dad can be manipulated. It is very important not to miss this moment and show who is boss in the house.

On the other hand, if the child is already relatively old, it is much easier to identify the reasons why he wakes up in the middle of the night. There are a huge number of them, now we will only list them a small part of them.

  1. Active games before bedtime can invigorate a child. Try to exclude them, do other things: coloring books, reading books, doing puzzles, and so on.
  2. Watching films and cartoons. The thing is that at the moment there is a release of a large flow of information, which is not at all needed before bed. In addition, there may be scary scenes (even in cartoons) that will evoke nightmares.
  3. If a child goes to bed late during the day, the consequence is falling asleep later at night. Try to normalize your daily routine, then you won’t have problems falling asleep.
  4. Overwork can also cause poor sleep. The thing is that there is an additional surge of emotions (the so-called second wind). Then, instead of relaxing, the child wants to jump, run and have fun.
  5. Perhaps the child has accumulated a lot of energy that he was unable to expend during the day. In this case, the only solution is to spend more time with your child during the day, fool around with him, run, jump, and walk more often.
  6. Taking very long naps during the day is one of the most common causes of poor sleep at night. Very important! If your baby sleeps for a long time during the day and does not wake up on his own, you should wake him up.

As mentioned earlier, these are just a few of the reasons why a baby may suffer from poor sleep. Please also note that if you have poor sleep both day and night, you should immediately contact a neurologist. Maybe the reason lies in some disease.

Let's go to bed

If your child doesn’t fall asleep well at night, don’t make a fuss. In many cases, it is the parents who are to blame for this. Mom and dad must learn some rules that will eliminate poor sleep for the baby. Let's get started!

  1. Do not disturb the baby before bedtime, no active games.
  2. Dads often spoil their child with a new toy in the evening after work. The baby responds to these actions with a sea of ​​emotions, which probably will not subside very quickly.
  3. Follow the rules of getting ready for bed: small good fairy tale, taking a bath with soothing herbs.
  4. If the child is already in school, it is better to find out why he received a bad grade and have other unpleasant conversations at a different time. Don't call negative emotions before bed.
  5. All parents should have one main rule: no cartoons in bed.
  6. You can use a good folk recipe to calm down: a glass of warm milk and a little honey.

Try to use these tips, then you won’t rack your brains about who is to blame and what to do. The child does not fall asleep well at night in most cases due to the fault of the parents themselves. Before looking for a problem in your child’s behavior, take care of yourself.

Parents' mistakes

If your child has trouble falling asleep at night, then look in this section for the most common mistakes parents make. Perhaps you repeat them too? If this is the case, then try to eliminate them, and problems with your baby falling asleep will never arise again.

Many parents believe that putting their baby to bed later will help him sleep better. This is a very big mistake. Optimal time for bed - nine o'clock in the evening. As mentioned earlier, you cannot allow yourself to become overtired, otherwise everything will turn out completely differently. Pediatricians even advise keeping a special diary in which to note the baby’s sleep time every day.

Another big mistake is sleeping while moving. If a child gets used to falling asleep this way from childhood, he will demand it in the future. Try to rock the baby to sleep, and then give him the opportunity to fall asleep in the crib on his own.

Never put your child to bed with lights, music, or the TV on. And remember: there is no universal ritual for putting a baby to bed. Try to find your own approach.

This rather popular doctor also gives some advice. What to do if your child has trouble falling asleep at night?

It is very important to set priorities. A healthy and happy toddler is, of course, very important. But cheerful and well-rested parents are the key to a good mood for the little one. You shouldn’t completely adjust your regime to your child; you should show him that he is not the head of the family. Create a regime that would suit absolutely any family member.

Another useful advice- no sleeping in a shared bed! The child must have his own bed with an orthopedic mattress. It is worth excluding all kinds of feather beds and bulky pillows. Monitor the temperature. During sleep, you should use only high-quality, proven diapers; the child should not be wet.

Remember also that extra daytime sleep is the reason why children are capricious at night. The more and more active you move during the day, the more soundly your baby will sleep.

Often parents are faced with this difficult situation when the baby not only does not want to go to bed, but on the contrary, the child wants to sleep, but cannot fall asleep. Moreover, it does not necessarily have to be a baby - this can happen to a child of two or even three years old. Here, experts recommend clearly separating the child’s refusal to simply fall asleep with his fatigue and whims, as well as a simple reluctance to stay in bed.

Why does the child not want to go to bed?

Most often, babies simply refuse to close their eyes after they wash themselves and lie down. Moreover, sometimes the child wants to sleep, but cannot fall asleep. In this case, psychologists talk about the presence psychological problem, which comes down to several psychological points at once, namely:

1. The child is in a stressful state, that is, he may be scared or impressed by something or simply being in an environment that is not familiar to him.

2.Parental manipulation. This is typical for those cases when the child himself is accustomed to being constantly persuaded to do certain actions, and then consent is reinforced financial incentives. This is usually typical for children over two years of age who are learning to draw their own conclusions.

3. The child did not have time to get tired during the day. This happens if the child is played and engaged too little, leaving him completely at the disposal of the computer or TV. It is not surprising that sleep disturbance is noted precisely because of the lack of physical and mental stress.

In other words, various disorders sleep does not always mean that the child really does not want to sleep. After all, sometimes a child wants to sleep, but cannot fall asleep. There are also a number of reasons for this.

Why is this happening, and what to do?

Typically, children who want to sleep, but cannot fall asleep, are distinguished by their lethargy and capriciousness. At the same time, the baby yawns and rubs his eyes, that is, the mother will unmistakably determine that the baby really wants to sleep. But any attempt to put him down, the child begins to cry. The reasons for this behavior may be the following:

1. The child is afraid to fall asleep. In fact, the fear of falling asleep itself can be a very serious problem. It is usually caused by a fear of the dark and childhood nightmares. Parents have no choice but to be patient and allow the child to get rid of his fears on his own.

2. The child does not want to leave what is interesting to him. It could be some kind of exciting activity or interesting people, including parents.

3. The child has physical discomfort or health problems. This may be due to teething or painful conditions, as well as thirst, uncomfortable clothing and even uncomfortable indoor temperatures.

At the same time, children can be capricious and not go to bed not only in the evening, but also during the day. Moreover, many parents cannot withstand the whims and, after a couple of hours, simply stop putting the child to bed during the day. However, some people mistakenly believe that the child will be able to fall asleep easier in the evening. But this is not true, because the baby’s nervous system is not yet very well developed, so it is not able to work hard for 10 or even 12 hours in a row. It is not surprising that with severe overstimulation during the day and lack of rest, it will be even more difficult to put the child to bed in the evening. Therefore, a child must have a nap during the day, at least until the age of three or four.

With the arrival of a baby in the family, parents have many questions and situations that they do not know how to cope with. The first months pass quietly. Most of the time the baby sleeps and eats. Many psychologists call this period the “golden time” for young mothers and fathers. Time goes by, and children need to learn the world around us, develop. It takes no more than 5-6 hours a day to sleep during the day. And at an older age, 2-hour rest is enough for children.

For many parents, the issue of a child having trouble falling asleep at night is so acute that it leads to huge scandals in the family. How to do it right similar situation, we find out in the article.

A few words about babies' sleep

It is worth noting that a newborn is able to sleep almost 24 hours. This is natural and due physiological needs body. The process of childbirth for babies is quite a difficult job, after which a well-deserved rest is required. Also, the brain must process and cope with information that comes to it in huge streams. As a rule, at this time parents do not have problems with rocking the baby. It is enough to give him a bottle of formula or a breast, and he will fall asleep instantly.

Do not be alarmed if you see that in a dream a child shudders and waves his arms and legs. is considered active (and not passive, as is common in adults). There is no need to immediately consult a doctor and do an ultrasound of the fontanel; just wait a little and everything will return to normal.

If so early age The child has trouble falling asleep at night, which means the parents are doing something wrong. Perhaps the baby is malnourished, he lacks breast milk. If it turns out that the reason is not food, try changing the brand of diapers. There is a possibility that the baby feels discomfort. Remember: a baby who is 1 week old needs fresh air. Daytime walks are a must; they not only help strengthen the immune system, stimulate appetite, but also improve sleep.

Why did the baby stop sleeping?

Many parents do not understand why they have difficulty falling asleep at night. At the same time, as a rule, there are no complaints about daytime sleep. Leading pediatricians say that during this period the baby should fall asleep quite well, since he spends most of the time in this state. The following are situations that may affect this process:

    Perhaps one of the most popular reasons at this age is that the child confused night and day. Such situations occur all the time. To prevent this from happening, try to develop a certain routine from the first days of your baby’s life. It is also important to let your child understand the difference between the times of day. Let the day pass actively, during feedings let him listen to calm music, talk affectionately to the baby. You shouldn’t turn on the lights at night, tell stories, and so on. From the cradle, the baby should understand that at night he should behave quietly and calmly and sleep.

    Another mistake is not to swaddle the baby when falling asleep. During the day, the child receives a lot of information, the nervous system cannot yet cope with it in full, so the baby can move its arms and legs chaotically, thereby waking itself up.

    If a child (3 months) has difficulty falling asleep at night, the reason may be colic, which can torment babies during this period. Massages and a warm diaper will help cope with the problem.

It is worth paying attention if your child has trouble falling asleep for a long time. At the same time, his condition is restless, accompanied by crying and hysterics. In this case there may be neurological problems with your health, you need to contact your pediatrician.

How to help your child cope with the problem?

Many parents are so tired during the day that they wait for the night as their salvation. But there are situations when the baby screams and does not fall asleep. What to do in this situation? How to deal with the problem correctly? A pediatrician can answer these questions or First of all, you need to consider age characteristics crumbs.

    Why does my child have difficulty falling asleep at night? 4 months is the time when a number of things happen in the baby’s body physiological changes. Colic recedes and dental problems take their place. Gums become swollen, itchy, oral cavity preparing to welcome the first guests. Of course, this causes trouble for the baby, he becomes irritable and cries. In this case, special ointments for gums and chewing gums can help. They will calm the child down for a while.

    Does your 5 month old baby have trouble falling asleep at night? There can be many reasons, ranging from a wet diaper to a lullaby that he doesn’t like. But it is worth considering the fact that this time period is accompanied by the active physical capabilities of the baby. He learns to crawl, roll over, and sit. Nerve endings simply cannot cope with the accumulated information, so in the evening an overexcited child does not think about sleep. To help in this situation, it is enough to give him a light massage in the evening and bathe him in warm bath with the addition of soothing herbs (mint, chamomile, lemon balm and others).

    “The child is 1 year old and has trouble falling asleep at night, what should I do?” - the main question of parents. Perhaps they are defining his mode incorrectly. At this age, children are able to hear and understand the words of adults. They are already consciously doing certain actions. If a one-year-old child has trouble falling asleep at night, try to exhaust the baby during the day, play active games, watch books, sing songs, visit playgrounds, so that by the evening he has no energy left to scream and cry. Don't forget about the evening water treatments to remove from the baby nervous tension. In this case healthy sleep both the child and the parents will be provided with.

    If you listen to the advice outlined above, you can forever forget about the question: “Why does my child have trouble falling asleep at night?”

    Your child is 1.5 years old and has trouble falling asleep? We are looking for ways to solve the problem

    After a baby appears in the family, the life of the parents changes dramatically. At first he sleeps almost the whole day, then his routine seems to return to normal, and then the problems begin again. Often mothers at a pediatrician’s appointment ask the question: “Why does a child (1.5 years old) have trouble falling asleep at night?” The main reason is that the baby may be bothered by teeth. Itchy, swollen gums make themselves felt.

    It is also worth noting the developmental features of children during this period. They begin to understand that the world is so interesting and entertaining that there is no time to sleep. Of course this is not true. After all, a sleep-deprived baby behaves simply disgustingly: he is nervous, capricious, and does not obey.

    If a child (1.5 years old) has difficulty falling asleep at night, the most important thing is to explain to him that sleep is mandatory. Try not to fall for the tricks and shouting that your baby is used to resorting to. With the help of affection and love, calm the baby down, sing a song, give a relaxing massage, and such a problem will disappear once and for all.

    Children 2-3 years old. A few words about them

    Many mothers often have a question: “What to do if a child (2 years old) has trouble falling asleep at night?” Doctors assure that if before this time there were no problems with sleep, then there is no need to sound the alarm. The main explanation for this problem is the age characteristics of the baby, or, as psychologists say differently, the crisis of 2-3 years.

    During this period, children become independent and clearly realize that they can manipulate the situation and their parents. The main thing is to prevent the problem from growing and put the child in his place in time, pointing out who is in charge in the family.

    Many parents, faced with the fact that their child (2 years old) does not fall asleep well at night, make a huge mistake, scolding the baby and humiliating him in every possible way. There is no need to do this, thereby you instill self-doubt in the child and provoke him to even greater hysterics.

    The main reasons why sleep may be disrupted

    You can often hear the question from parents: “Why does my child have difficulty falling asleep at night?” 3 years is a period when coping with children is much more difficult than at an earlier age. It would seem that the baby has grown up, he can already do a lot on his own, but the problems are not getting smaller. In this case, you need to find out the reasons why the baby is up at night:

    Active evening games.

    Watching cartoons.

    Late afternoon nap.

    Child psychology and physiology. Many guys experience an additional surge of emotions after overwork. And instead of relaxing and falling asleep, they, on the contrary, want to have fun, run, jump.

    The child has a lot of energy that he does not spend during the day, so he has problems falling asleep.

    Daytime naps last too long. If your baby falls asleep and can’t wake up, you definitely need to wake him up.

    Evening quarrel, showdown. After scandals, it is very difficult for children to recover.

    If a child has difficulty falling asleep both day and night, makes constant scandals, and does not respond to parents, it is better to contact a pediatric neurologist.

    It's time to sleep

    Before scolding children, you need to figure out whether the parents are behaving correctly. Indeed, in many cases when a child does not fall asleep well at night, mom and dad are to blame. They need to learn the basic rules for putting their baby to bed:

      Avoid active games at night. This will only agitate the child and make it very difficult for him to fall asleep.

      Situations often happen when dad brings a new book or toy from work in the evening. Of course, the baby will react to this with a sea of ​​emotions, which will not be easy to calm down.

      Develop rules for getting ready for bed. To begin with, you can read a non-scary fairy tale, then take a bath in warm water with aromatic foam or herbs.

      If your child is a schoolchild, you should not find out the reason for bad grades or other negative situations in the evening.

      Don't let children watch cartoons after they've gone to bed.

      If your child has trouble falling asleep at night, you can try a folk sedative: a glass of warm milk and a teaspoon of honey. This option is only suitable for those children who can control their urination well.

    Using the above tips, you can eliminate the problem of your child having trouble falling asleep at night from your life.

    Never repeat other people's mistakes

    There are wrong things and actions that parents do when putting their children to bed. If your child has trouble falling asleep at night, read carefully to see if you are making the following mistakes:

    You go to bed quite late. The optimal time for rocking a baby is nine ten o'clock in the evening. Remember: if your baby is overtired, he will have trouble falling asleep. Many doctors even advise keeping a sleep diary.

    Remember: sleeping while moving is not the norm. Having become accustomed to this method of motion sickness since childhood, the child will seek and demand it in the future.

    Sleeping with light and music is unacceptable.

    There is no single ritual before going to bed.

Try to correct these mistakes, and the child will fall asleep without problems.

What to do if your child has trouble falling asleep at night? Komarovsky suggests the following:

    The most important thing is to set the right priorities in life. Certainly, healthy baby- this is very important, but cheerful, happy parents are also the key to success and proper development crumbs.

    A regime that would suit all family members. There is no need to completely adapt to the little toddler; show who is in charge in the family.

    Children should sleep in a playpen.

    No extra naps during the day.

    After the baby is 6 months old, he does not need night feedings.

    An active day is the key not only to health, but also to good sleep.

    The optimal temperature in the room where the child sleeps is 16 -19 degrees.

    Properly equipped sleeping place. None soft beds and there should be no feather pillows. An orthopedic mattress is a must.

    Using proven diapers to keep your baby from getting wet at night.

If you adhere to these rules, you can forever forget about the problem of your baby’s nighttime motion sickness.

Briefly about the main thing

If your baby has trouble falling asleep at night, there is no need to immediately run to the doctor. It is important to find out the reason for what happened yourself. Perhaps he is worried about colic and teething. In this case, a tummy massage and a special gel for the gums will help. If the child has grown up and similar problems It can’t be, it’s worth thinking about and analyzing your daily routine. Perhaps it needs adjustments. Pediatricians recommend making a schedule and finding out where you made a mistake. In most cases, daytime naps are to blame. The baby goes to bed late, sleeps for a long time and, of course, does not want to go to bed in the evening.

Create comfortable conditions for a child. The first point is the temperature regime. The room should not be stuffy or too hot. Many pediatricians claim that the maximum permissible level is 22 degrees. Don’t forget to ventilate the room, 5 minutes is enough.

“Why does my child have trouble falling asleep at night?” - perhaps this is a question that has worried every parent at least once in their life. In fact, there can be many reasons, ranging from age-related changes, occurring in the body, and ending with nervous disorders.

Good day, dear parents. Today we will talk about a situation when a child does not want to go to bed. You will find out why this happens, consider individual options for daytime and night sleep, as well as quiet time in kindergarten. You will find out the reasons why your baby cannot fall asleep when he really wants to. Ways to solve the current problem will be considered.

Why do you need to sleep during the day?

Dreaming during the daytime is important for full development little toddler. They have a beneficial effect on a good mood, the absorption of information, and remove the stress hormone cortisol from the body. Thanks to sleep during the day, the baby accumulates energy and gets physical rest. As children grow older, they gradually stop going to bed during the day. However, the possibility of premature withdrawal must be taken into account, which can lead to serious strain on the nervous system baby. For parents to understand whether their little one is ready to completely give up daytime dreams, they need to pay attention to a number of signs:

  • the baby is in good mood throughout the day;
  • due to the fact that the little one went to bed during the day, he cannot fall asleep for a very long time in the evening hours;
  • parents spend a lot of time trying to lull their baby to sleep during the day, sometimes they succeed, and at other times they are unsuccessful;
  • If the child does not sleep during the day, go to bed in a timely manner in the evening and sleep soundly throughout the night.

According to statistics:

  • at 3 years of age, 90% of children have daytime sleep;
  • in 4 – 50% five times a week;
  • at 5 years - 25%, on average 4 times a week;
  • at 6 years old - children give up daytime dreams.

Daytime sleep problems

Sometimes parents are faced with a situation where the child does not want to sleep during the day. In most cases, this is observed in children aged 2 years. The reasons for this behavior may be the following factors.

  1. Late awakening. This leads to the fact that the baby does not have time to get tired. If a child does not have a routine and wakes up at the time he wants, for example, at 10 o’clock, then the period of wakefulness is not enough to go to bed at lunchtime.
  2. Excess of emotions does not allow you to go to bed. This can happen when guests arrive in your home or when they try to put the child to bed, for example, at a grandmother’s.
  3. Uncomfortable bed. Perhaps the little one is hot under the blanket or he doesn’t like the new pillow, maybe he has grown up and is now cramped in the crib.
  4. Lack of active games and walks in the fresh air. The child does not expend energy in the required amount, so there is no need for daytime rest.
  5. Distractions. It is difficult for a child to fall asleep if the room is too cold or hot, the lights are on, or extraneous noise is heard.
  6. Child hyperactivity. Perhaps your little one is simply too active and, in principle, it is difficult for him to stay in one place for a long time and do nothing.

How to help your baby

  1. Be sure to walk in the morning and allow him to move more. It's good to spend energy and get tired, you can use or. You can have a great time and tire your baby out by jumping on a trampoline.
  2. Establish a daily routine. Wake up your baby early. It is advisable that waking up and going to bed always occur at the same time.
  3. Please ensure that the room has optimal temperature and humidity and that there are no irritating factors.
  4. Provide your child with quiet playtime, starting an hour before bedtime.
  5. If you still can’t get your baby to sleep, then don’t be nervous, scold or blackmail your child. It’s better to just do something pleasant, for example, draw together.
  6. You shouldn’t rule out the possibility that your child simply stopped sleeping during the day. In this case it night sleep should increase and emotional state should be great.
  7. It must be remembered that children fall asleep more slowly than adults, especially during the day. Give your baby at least half an hour to do this.
  8. If your child gets too busy playing, carefully redirect his attention to a calm activity. You can play with the same toys, but in calmer games. And then move on, for example, to reading.
  9. Set an example for your child. An older brother or mother can lie down next to him.

My son, when he was 3 years old, had a period when he agreed to go to bed during the day only if I lay down next to him. So they fell asleep together.

  1. Explain to your child why it is so important to go to bed during the day.

Unwillingness to sleep at night

Probably, many parents are faced with a situation where the child does not want to sleep at night. What are the reasons for this behavior?

  1. Active and active games in the evening, just before bedtime. It could also be some new activity, for example, a child is looking at a new book, he is very interested in it, of course, he does not want to go to bed.
  2. Fear of staying in a dark room.
  3. A recent nightmare. The child may be afraid that this will happen again.
  4. The little one tries not to fall asleep as long as possible in order to spend more time with his mother. Especially if the child lacks her attention.
  5. If shortly before bedtime the baby was present during a quarrel or was in a noisy room.
  6. Can't sleep in a new place.
  7. Uncomfortable clothes or a hot blanket, an uncomfortable pillow.
  8. Incorrect temperature or high humidity in the room.
  9. The little one cannot sleep because he is thirsty or very hungry.
  10. The child may have trouble sleeping at night due to the onset of the disease.

At the age of 1, my niece often made scenes for her mother and did not want to sleep at night. So they stayed awake together until midnight. At the same time, Nastena felt great, was full of strength and energy, happily sat and drew.

How to solve the problem

  1. Create a bedtime ritual:
  • read fairy tales;
  • take a bath;
  • get a massage.
  1. Closer to bedtime, carefully switch your child’s attention to calm activities; do not give your baby new toys or books before bedtime.
  2. If necessary, lie down next to your little one.
  3. If you have a baby, leave the light on. This could be a night light or a light on in the hallway.
  4. Eliminate noise and bright lighting in the afternoon.
  5. Avoid quarrels and scandals in the presence of a child.
  6. If your baby has difficulty falling asleep in a new place, do not scold him; it is difficult for him to adapt.
  7. Create a daily routine. Make sure that your baby develops, goes to bed at the same time, and has a timely nap during the day.
  8. If the little one is hungry before going to bed, then the mother should think about how to feed him correctly during the day so that this does not happen.
  9. Buy a soft toy that will act as a child's sleep guard. Tell your baby that his new teddy friend came specifically to give him sweet dreams.
  10. If the little one does not fall asleep and is moping, perhaps something hurts. Be careful and, if necessary, show your baby to the doctor.

Kindergarten

Some children who refuse to sleep during the day at home are happy to go to bed when they enter preschool. According to psychologists, this happens due to the fact that the baby finds himself in the company of other children and does not want to be different from them or simply follows the instructions of the teacher together. Other toddlers, on the contrary, easily go to bed at lunchtime at home, but not in kindergarten.

Why doesn't the toddler sleep?

  1. Change of environment and adaptation period. Parents should be prepared for the fact that the baby may not be able to go to bed during the day in kindergarten for the first month.
  2. Fear of separation from mother. Being in preschool institution is already a serious stress for the toddler’s body, he experiences increased anxiety. The child may worry that if he goes to bed, he will miss his mother's return.
  3. Having daily sleep rituals. You will definitely encounter the problem that your child does not want to sleep in kindergarten if you have taught him to fall asleep to lullabies or with a bottle in his mouth.
  4. Late morning rise. It is possible that if there is not enough activity, the child will refuse to go to bed. It is important to know that before a kindergarten baby goes to bed during the day, he needs to walk for at least six hours.
  5. No routine on weekends. You may encounter the problem of sleep deprivation in kindergarten if your baby wakes up and goes to bed at a different time on weekends than on weekdays, and also if he doesn’t go to bed during the day.

What to do

  1. If the problem is in the adaptation period, then the baby will soon get used to it and everything will work out.
  2. If the little one is afraid of parting with his mother, you must follow these recommendations:
  • When visiting kindergarten in the first days, pick up your child before naptime, then after, but be sure to be in a good mood and it is advisable to go for a walk after that;
  • talk to your baby, explain that naps are just as important in the garden as at home;
  • don’t forget to tell your little one how much you love him, hug him and cuddle him often;
  • establish contact with the teacher, it is important for you to be aware of everything that is happening in the garden;
  • if the child has a favorite soft toy, then let him take it with him to kindergarten so that the baby can fall asleep more calmly, hugging his plush friend.
  1. If your little one falls asleep after performing certain rituals, then when he approaches kindergarten, cancel all customs and teach your child to fall asleep without it.
  2. Wake up your baby in the morning at a time so that he has at least six hours before his nap in the garden.
  3. Find out in advance what the routine is in the preschool institution, and teach your child to this routine. Do not forget to comply with it on weekends.

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Tired baby can't sleep

Some children, when it is time to go to bed, remain cheerful and cheerful, and do not want to fall asleep at all. However, there are situations when a child wants to sleep, but cannot fall asleep. If at the same time parents notice that the baby is sleepy, moping, crying, most likely he has hyperfatigue. In such a situation, the following measures can be taken:

  • start putting your baby to bed as soon as you see that he is sleepy;
  • it is important that small child slept at least fifty minutes during the day;
  • lie down next to him so that the little one is calmer.

Remember that you cannot yell at your baby, and especially not at him for such behavior.

Now you know for what reasons a child may refuse daytime or nighttime sleep, as well as dreams in kindergarten. Follow the recommendations outlined in this article and everything will work out for you. The main thing is not to despair and never take it out on your baby if he refuses to sleep.