Many babies become very capricious in the evening, crying more often than during the day and demanding the breast. What is this connected with?

Baby in dad's arms (photo Fotolia)

Child's nervous system

In babies under 3 months of age, this behavior is expected. And most likely, the problem is not in the mother's milk. The fact is that the nervous system of children in the first 3 months of life is very vulnerable and is easily overloaded. Many mothers of infants note that as the evening approaches, babies become more and more “tame”, they increasingly want to suck on their mother’s breasts, and it is better for them not to let go of her at all.

Children become capricious if they are tried to be put to sleep separately from their mother. And this is understandable: in contrast to intrauterine experience, the outside world is very diverse, and all the impressions that surround the child tire and overload the child’s psyche by the evening.

Co-sleeping and breastfeeding

The child wants to return to a state where it is comfortable and calm. And such a place for the baby is the mother’s hands and sucking the breast. What to do? For now, indulge the baby's needs. Usually, after 3 months, the child’s nervous system becomes more mature and the child ceases to need his mother so badly.
Of course, with such “hanging” on the chest, the mother may feel that the breasts are becoming completely soft, and some even say that. This is a normal situation. The breast still works according to the “supply and demand” principle, and the next day there will be as much milk as the baby needs. The main guideline for you is weekly weight gain: if a fully breastfed baby gains 125 g per week, then you are on the right track!

Night breastfeeding after one year

The quality of milk does not deteriorate with the age of the child; there are studies that indicate the opposite: there are more immunoglobulins, the milk becomes even fattier, the amount of microelements and vitamins remains the same. Therefore, from the point of view of the benefits of breastfeeding a child after a year, this is only a plus. If breastfeeding your baby after a year is not a burden for you, continue to feed. ? There are 2 options: leave everything as it is and wait until the baby grows out of breastfeeding. Or, if you are ready for more effective methods, gradually call it a day and try not breastfeeding at night. When you see that the child has coped with this normally and no longer wakes up for night feedings, teach the child to fall asleep without the breast.

Baby in a crib next to his mother (photo: Fotolia)

There are many reasons why a child may be capricious. In each case, it is necessary to deal with the problem in order to avoid serious consequences in behavioral, psychological and physical development. Unfavorable factors that can lead to whims include improper upbringing, health problems, poor family climate, and age-related changes.

The appearance of a child in a family is a great joy. Parents have new worries and new responsibilities. If the baby is capricious and cries, then the condition completely unsettles the parents. In the first months after birth, crying in most cases is caused by imperfections in the nervous and digestive systems. By three months, the causeless crying goes away, and parents already recognize the reason.

Whims in the evening and at night

When a baby cannot fall asleep in the evenings, and the parents know for sure that he is full and is not bothered by gas, the reason is due to overexcitation. The baby becomes hysterical and falls asleep only closer to midnight. Perhaps we walked a lot during the day and met new people. Having screamed enough, the child falls asleep. Some babies need to be rocked in your arms.

Causes of whims and methods of dealing with them

If the cause of the whims is related to illness, then it is necessary to call a doctor at home. He will prescribe the correct treatment. You cannot give any medications on your own. Otherwise, the cause is easily eliminated. You need to either change a wet diaper, feed him milk, put him to bed or give him something to drink.

Physiological imbalance

In infancy, a child cannot yet explain his desires and is not fully aware of his feelings. The result is a physiological imbalance. The baby begins to cry and be capricious due to hunger, thirst, illness, or poor sleep.

Improper sleep patterns

The lack of a constant routine causes disturbances in the child’s behavior. Therefore, parents should make adjustments to their daily routine:

• A newborn baby sleeps up to 18 hours a day. The duration of night and daytime sleep does not exceed 3-4 hours. The waking time should not exceed two hours. If you miss this time, it will be difficult to put the baby to sleep. During night awakenings, there is no need to turn on the light, play or talk for a long time with the baby.
• By three months, sleep duration decreases to 14-15 hours. During the day, the baby should go to bed twice. If he does not sleep during the day, or sleep duration is no more than 35 minutes, you should consult a doctor.
• If the baby sleeps little at night, the reason may be due to dry air in the room, uncomfortable clothes, or bright daytime emotions. A baby may have trouble sleeping due to a cold or teething.

When a child wants to sleep, he yawns and rubs his eyes with his fists. If parents notice that the child wants to sleep, but does not fall asleep, they need to help him. You can give a massage, rock him in your arms, sing a lullaby.

Thirst

From birth, the baby should be given plain water to drink, especially if he is formula-fed. If the room is hot and the air is dry, then the amount of liquid should be increased.

Hunger

You can understand that a baby is capricious due to hunger by the following signs:

• crying appears immediately after feeding;
• whims after a short period of time after the next portion of milk;
• daytime sleep became short;
• greedily begins to suck on the breast or bottle.

If other signs appear, then the cause may be related to other factors.

Family microclimate

A child is negatively affected by a bad atmosphere in the family. Quarrels and conflicts between parents lead to hysterics and bad behavior.

Parents need to sort things out when the child is not in the room. He needs to be raised in love, calm, affection and understanding.

Excessive care and spoiling

You shouldn’t do everything for your baby right from infancy. He should be given the opportunity to act independently in some situations. Excessive attentiveness, frequent gifts, and the desire to protect the baby from troubles negatively affect his behavioral sphere. The baby gets used to achieving everything with tears and hysterics.

Age-related changes

As a child grows up, there are several periods of crisis. During crisis stages, changes occur in the psychological and physiological state. At this time, the child is capricious a lot, wants to do everything the opposite, in defiance of his parents, wants to declare his adulthood.

Medical Causes of Sleep Disorders

Medical causes of sleep disorders in children include:

• neurological diseases (neuroses, hyperactivity);
• somatic disorders (rickets, liver or kidney pathology).

In all these cases, the help of specialists is necessary. In most cases, it cannot be done without the use of medications.

Other reasons

The task of parents is to clarify the cause of whims and crying in the baby as early as possible. Sometimes the condition indicates a disease. In the latter case, other symptoms appear (rash on the body, fever, cough, change in stool).

Colic in a newborn

The accumulation of gases in the intestines is accompanied by sharp, unpleasant pain, so the baby begins to cry. The phenomenon is most troubling in the first months of life. Additional symptoms are:

• baby is pushing;
• twitches his legs and presses them to his tummy;
• clenches his fingers into a fist;
• blushes.

If the baby is breastfed, colic often occurs due to the foods that the mother ate. A nursing woman should strictly monitor her diet and not eat prohibited foods.

Crying after vaccination

Many children's behavior changes after vaccination and their condition worsens. After vaccination against hepatitis B, the child feels unwell, dizzy and has a headache, he may feel sick, his body temperature rises, and indigestion occurs. The trip to the hospital and the injection itself is stressful for the baby. In response to all these phenomena, the baby becomes capricious, screams and cries, sleeps and eats poorly. Therefore, doctors recommend giving antipyretic, anti-inflammatory, and painkillers in the first days after vaccination.

After vaccination with DTP, the body temperature rises, the functioning of the digestive organs is disrupted, and a cough and runny nose may appear. Often the development of allergic manifestations.

On the day of vaccination, the child should be given a remedy for fever and pain, as well as allergies. These days, it is recommended to put the baby to the breast as often as possible. The BCG vaccination is accompanied by unpleasant symptoms, against the background of which the baby becomes capricious and whiny. Sleep is disturbed and appetite disappears.

On vaccination days, you need to pay as much attention to the child as possible. Small children do not understand the reason for their feeling unwell, therefore, the task of parents is to give medicine and provide a calm atmosphere.

Change of weather

Experts say that weather conditions negatively affect the condition of some children from birth. Bad influence:

• sudden change in temperature;
• increase in atmospheric pressure;
• wind;
• increased air humidity;
• magnetic storms.

Children born ahead of schedule those who have recently undergone surgery, as well as those who have problems with work internal organs.

A few days before the weather changes, the baby changes in behavior. He may be capricious all day, sleep is disturbed, and appetite decreases. Parents should tell their doctor about this. As a preventative measure, massage, physiotherapeutic procedures, acupuncture, and exercise therapy can be prescribed.

How do whims manifest themselves depending on age?

It is important for parents to take into account age-related changes and crisis stages in the process of education. Only in this case can you avoid conflicts with your child and prevent the appearance of whims.

Infants

Children under one year old require special attention. Whims and crying can indicate discomfort and illness, so behavior cannot be ignored. Why are babies capricious at 1 month? One month old baby is capricious and cries due to hunger, fever, wet diaper. As soon as the discomfort is eliminated, the baby becomes calm and cheerful. At 2 months, the baby cries due to discomfort (wet diaper, uncomfortable clothes, hot air, change of weather), lack of attention and communication, fatigue or pain.

All of the above reasons can cause anxiety in the behavior of a 4 and 5 month old baby. An additional factor teething occurs. At 8 months, the child begins to actively explore the world around him. The appearance of new people, prohibitions, improper daily routine, little attention - all this negatively affects the child’s behavioral sphere.

Baby is naughty before bed

If a two-month-old baby is periodically capricious before bed, the reasons may be associated with intense emotions and pain. Emotional overload. Not only negative, but also positive emotions excite the baby's nervous system. Two hours before bedtime, active games and watching TV should be avoided. It is useful to bathe your baby in water, listen to calm music, and read a book. The same reason can lead to changes in the behavior of a child older than 6 months.

Wrong daily routine. From the age of 3 months, your baby should be taught to get up and go to bed at the same time. Accustoming needs to begin, as closer to 7 months it will be more difficult to do. Parents sound the alarm when the baby suddenly suddenly becomes capricious when rocked. This usually happens to infants over 10 months of age. Older babies no longer need to be rocked to sleep; they can simply be put into bed.

During feeding

When a baby cries or whines during feeding, the condition may indicate a disease (otitis media, stomatitis, sore throat).

If your baby is crying and fussing at the breast, there may be not enough milk, a strong milk flow, or an unpleasant taste in the milk.

Whims in one year

At 1.5 years old, whims and crying appear in response to prohibitions and refusal. Parents need to be consistent and constant in their demands.

Two years

Children already understand what is possible and what is not. It is easier for them to explain the reason for the ban. In case of whims, it is easy to switch the child’s attention to another object or event.

Crisis of three years

By the age of three, the social circle of friends expands. At this age, many children are sent to kindergarten. Conflicts between peers and parents often become the cause of whims and hysterics.

How to calm a baby?

How to cope with whims? The following tips will help:

• pick it up and press it to your stomach;
• get a massage;
• distract attention with a ringing bright object or a loud voice;
• turn on a pleasant melody;
• changing hands helps, for example, the baby can be given to grandma or dad;
• Toys and mobile phones are distracting.

What to do if a child cries? A walk outside will help. How to respond to a child's bad behavior? You cannot raise your voice in response to whims and crying. You should remain calm and try to redirect the baby’s attention.

Prevention of capricious behavior in children

How to wean a child from whims? Psychologists advise following some rules:

• There is no need to suppress the child’s independence and perform simple actions for him (buttoning a jacket, putting away toys).
• It is important to control your emotions in response to your baby's tantrum. You need to be calm, self-possessed, and under no circumstances should you shout back. It is better to ignore the moment of whim, and then calmly explain the behavior.
• Blackmail tactics should not be used in education. For example: “If you don’t put away your toys, you won’t go for a walk.” This behavior provokes a response in older age: “If you scold me for bad grades, I won’t come home.”
• It is important to be consistent and faithful in your chosen behavior tactics. You cannot solve a problem one way today and another tomorrow. If a decision has been made to refuse something, then this should become the rule.

Blame the baby for bad behavior not worth it. You need to explain to him that the action upset him, but this is not a reason not to love him.

When you need specialist help

If your child is often capricious for no reason, you should consult a specialist. Problems begin to be solved by visiting a pediatrician and neurologist. A child may cry and be capricious all the time due to diseases of the internal organs, so the help of other specialized specialists will be required.

Kelly Bonyata, B.S., IBCLC (about the author).

Translation by Anna Dorogavtseva, with permission of the author; Edited by Maria Sorokina and Victoria Khudyakova

Quite often, newborns behave restlessly and constantly breastfeed in the evenings, especially in the first months of life.

My daughter has been fussy almost every evening for several months (fortunately, this really goes away!). I spent entire weeks sitting on the couch while the baby constantly fed and/or fussed in my arms. This was repeated daily from 6 to 10 pm.

But with my son, we couldn’t afford the luxury of sitting on the couch. At this time of day, Alex was unhappy and cried if I didn’t carry him in my arms (and sometimes this only calmed him down a little). It happened that he was very restlessledAnd during the day. He rarely settled down on the chest (unlike my daughter), so unfortunately I couldn't usually use this method (although I always tried it). His concern was so pronounced that I began to look for others possible reasons(For example,sensitivity to certain types of food ). But we were never able to determine the cause of the problem, and the rest of the day he was calm and smiling radiantly. Evening whims gradually began to subside at the age of 3-4 months (which corresponds to the norm), but the first months were very difficult for us. Nowadays I am often asked: “Is he always so cheerful?” So remember: this difficult period too will pass...

Periods very frequent or almost continuous long-term feedings(in English “cluster feedings, bunch feedings”) - these are periods when the baby practically does not take breaks between the next and previous feedings at a certain time of the day, that is, he suckles almost constantly, and at other times of the day he may require the breast much less often. This is a fairly common phenomenon, and it usually happens in the evenings. Often (but not always) this period is followed by prolonged sleep, it may even be longer than usual. The baby needs to refuel tightly before getting a good night's sleep. For example, your baby may breastfeed every hour (or even suck constantly) from 6 to 10 pm, then fall asleep for a long time, and possibly sleep peacefully throughout the night.

Such feedings often coincide with periods of anxiety in infants. The baby sucks for a few minutes, drops the breast, fusses, cries, sucks again for a while, then drops and cries again... and so on again and again... for several hours. All this can be VERY exhausting, and the mother begins to ask herself if the baby has enough milk, or what she ate wrong, or maybe it seems to her that EVERYTHING she does is wrong and the baby doesn’t like it... All this can significantly undermine your self-confidence, especially if someone close to you asks you the same questions (your mother, your husband, mother-in-law).

But this behavior is NORMAL! It has nothing to do with milk or your care of the baby. If your baby is happy the rest of the day, if you don't feel like he's in pain (like colic), just keep trying to calm him down and don't blame yourself for being the cause of this behavior. Let your baby hang on your chest as long as he wants, as often as he wants. Ask dad (or another helper) to bring you food and necessary things (book, remote control, phone, etc.) while you feed and carry the baby.

Does this behavior mean that the baby needs more milk than I can give him?

No. Don't give your baby a bottle - supplementing will simply tell your body that you need LESS milk today, and that won't help solve the problem. Also keep in mind that artificial babies also behave restlessly in the evenings - this behavior is typical for all newborns, regardless of the type of feeding. The Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine explains this situation in its:

There are typical clinical situations where it may be necessary to assess the situation and help organize breastfeeding, but the introduction of supplementary feeding is NOT RECOMMENDED, including [in the following situation: - approx.]... The child behaves restlessly in the evenings or continuously suckles at the breast for several hours.

Why do kids act restless in the evenings?

One popular explanation for this behavior is that milk supply decreases somewhat in the evening due to the natural daily hormonal cycle. However, Dr. Peter Hartmann, who has done a lot of research on breastfeeding, says that the milk supply of the women he studied was Not was low during this period of the day. Even if the milk volume decreases in the evening, the fat content usually increases in the evening (especially if the baby controls his latching, that is, feeding on demand), as a result, the number of calories the baby receives should not be much different. Milk in the evenings Maybe coming out of the breast more slowly, which may be what upsets some children.

Doctors often associate evening moodiness with the immaturity of the child's nervous system (after all, this behavior goes away when the child grows up, usually by 3-4 months). However, Dr. Katherine Dettwiler (who conducts research on breastfeeding in traditional communities in different nations) states that, for example, tribal children in Mali (West Africa) and other traditional societies do not have colic or fussiness in the afternoons and evenings. These babies are carried all day and are usually latched to the breast several times an hour.

Thus, it is likely that none of the explanations presented provides a complete answer to the question of evening vagaries. It seems that many babies use this behavior to express the need for frequent feedings, when they can receive milk in small portions, as well as movement and being held and cuddled a lot. Babies who are given pumped milk or bottle formula as much as they can eat (note: feeding pumped milk by bottle reduces your milk supply!) often behave similarly in the evenings. The baby sucks a little of the expressed milk (or formula) and falls into a light sleep (and restlessness), then drinks a little more, and so on. Perhaps the children “remember” that during pregnancy the mother was very active during these hours, and want to be carried, rocked, and fed continuously again.

It may be that babies simply need to be latched to the breast more often during this time - rather than need to eat more milk.

How to calm your child during “restless” hours

• Carry the baby in a sling or other carrier. This will free up one or both hands for other tasks (cooking dinner, caring for other children) while you carry, soothe and feed your baby.
• Take a break from your routine. Let dad spend time with the baby while mom takes a shower or just relaxes and recovers after a long day
• Go outside. Take a walk, it will help both you and your baby relax; Or you can just sit outside and enjoy fresh air. Try to do this a little earlier than your baby's usual "fussy" time.
• Comfort with sounds. Sing, hum, purr, whisper, listen to music, or use white noise. Try different sounds, styles of music and singers with different voice types.
• Comfort with rhythmic movements. Walk, swing, jump, dance, you can even try driving a car.
• Comfort with touch. Carry the baby in your arms, or bathe him, give him a gentle massage
• Remove irritants. Dim the lights, reduce the noise, swaddle the baby.
• Change feeding positions. Try feeding while lying on your side, lying on your back, having your baby suckle at the breast, lying belly to belly, etc.
• Feed on the move(while you rock him, cradle him, walk, etc.)
• Combine rhythmic movements and soothing sounds.
• Avoidfeeding schedule, especially during hectic evening hours

More resources about restless babies

@ KellyMom website

• My baby is fussy! Is something wrong? What is normal, reasons for fussing, and comfort measures for baby.
• My baby is gassy. Is this caused by something in my diet?
• The Distractible Baby
• Is your baby nursing all the time?

@ other sites

• Fussy babies – is it the arsenic hour? from the Australian Breastfeeding Association
• Cluster Feeding by Lisa Hassan Scott, from the September 2014 Breastfeeding Today
• Infant fussiness from Mother-2-Mother.com
• The Pitfalls of Supplementing a Breastfed Baby by Cheryl Taylor White

It is not too correct to say that the baby is capricious. A whim, according to Ushakov’s dictionary, is a whim, an unmotivated desire. Whereas a baby cries only if he is uncomfortable and needs something. What exactly a crying baby needs needs to be determined by its mother. In reality, there are not many reasons for crying. Not all of them, however, are easily removable.

Desire for comfort

There can be several reasons for a baby's crying. Among them, the simplest and most common is a wet diaper. Intuitively, the baby wants to be warm and dry. As soon as he feels that he is uncomfortable, he will call his mother. Especially if this feeling prevents him from sleeping. The only way to call my mother is to cry. Therefore, the mother’s first action to calm her down is changing the diaper.

Hunger

If the baby is hungry, he will definitely tell his mother about it by crying. In the first month of his life, a child most often wakes up from hunger. In fact, it is in order to eat that he wakes up. After all, urination, for example, occurs in a dream. Therefore, after changing the diaper, the baby needs to be fed.

Pain

Pain is also a feeling of discomfort that the child needs to be helped to cope with. The causes of pain can be different. This could be intestinal colic or teething. If the baby's diaper was changed, he was fed, but he does not stop crying and cannot sleep, then most likely the reason is pain. If the baby is 1-3 months old, then the pain is more likely associated with colic. In this case, you should apply a warm diaper or heating pad to the baby's stomach, massage the abdomen clockwise and give medications for infant colic.

Crying from toothache is more likely when a baby is over 5 months old. In this case, painkillers will help.
For the baby, breastfeeding itself gradually becomes something more than just a way to remove hunger. It is also a method of natural pain relief. Therefore, a slightly older baby may ask for the breast not only from hunger, but also to calm down and reduce pain, including dental pain.

Desire for communication

The desire for physical contact and touch is not just a baby’s whim, but his vital need. Therefore, the baby can be well-fed, dry, nothing hurts, but he continues to cry. This happens because he wants attention and communication. In this matter it is necessary to find a “golden mean”. It is ideal for the baby to be in the arms of the mother around the clock. But it is quite clear that this is impossible. Therefore, the mother must find the necessary balance so that the baby has the opportunity to be in her arms, and she herself can do the necessary things. Both the bias towards constant hyper-care for the baby (the mother drops everything and always immediately runs to the child at the slightest cry), and ignoring the baby’s need for communication leads to the formation of a capricious child.

In any case, you first need to eliminate the simplest reasons for the baby’s possible crying and whims - a wet diaper and hunger. If the suspected cause is pain, then one should not expect an immediate effect from the measures taken to alleviate it. Reducing it can be difficult and time-consuming. Sometimes you just need time and the care of your beloved mother for the baby to calm down.

The vast majority of parents face problems with their newborn sons and daughters falling asleep, which are accompanied by prolonged crying.

Restless tearful sobs disturb the new mother and father day and night: sometimes neither sweet lullabies, soft rocking motions, nor light music help the newborn to fall asleep.

Why is the child worried? What makes him cry before going to bed, and how can he be helped in this situation?

Psychological reasons for crying before bed

Surprisingly, newborns cry close to sleep for a variety of reasons. Moreover, before the age of one year, most babies may cry not only before sleep, but also after it. After all, every day during the first few months of life turns into severe stress for them.

If a child cries before going to bed, the reasons may be:

Excessive nervous tension

In most cases, infants cannot independently cope with the colossal load that affects the nervous system throughout the day. For this reason, the baby begins to cry hysterically about one to two hours before bedtime, so much so that it is almost impossible to calm him down.

In such a situation, parents should not panic, since such behavior of the baby is the norm. Screaming helps release unused energy through crying nervous tension removed and neutralized.

Increased nervous excitability

Often, parents, exhausted by the prolonged evening tearful hysterics of their infants, seek advice from a neurologist, and eventually hear a diagnosis that sounds like “increased nervous excitability.”

Do not be alarmed; when examining children under three years of age, this diagnosis is made in seventy percent of cases. Increased excitability prevents the child from sleeping until he has cried out all his energy. Then the baby calmly and serenely falls asleep.

In this case, there is again no reason to worry. For a child, crying is an excellent opportunity to calm down.

Non-compliance with the daily routine

In most cases, this reason is associated with trouble falling asleep. Most parents make a serious mistake when they allow their child to go to bed whenever he sees fit.

According to modern pediatricians, it is important to have a strict daily routine, which the child will associate with calm and stability.

Worried that his mother will leave him while he sleeps

A large number of babies are also very worried about separation from their mother, who is the most important thing for them. important person in infancy.

Nightmares and fear of the dark

Fright is also common cause restless behavior of the child before bedtime. A child may be afraid of the darkness in which he does not see his mother or does not feel her presence. Sometimes children may also have scary dreams, after which they wake up crying loudly. The best option The solution to this problem is to sleep together with your mother.

Physiological reasons for crying before falling asleep

No less rare small child cries before going to bed and because of the peculiarities of his physiological state:

Teething

Often the appearance of the first teeth is accompanied by sleep disorders and increased anxiety. Swelling of the gums, pain, and itching make the baby irritable and cause significant discomfort.

To help the child, you should lubricate his gums with a special gel with an anesthetic effect and give him a soft teether.

Intestinal colic

In 90% of cases, the first three months of life of infants are tormented by colic, which is manifested by strong pressing of the knees to the stomach and loud crying. To calm the baby in this case, you need to apply a warm diaper to his tummy or place the baby with his stomach on his mother’s bare stomach.

If a warm compress does not help, the baby should be offered Plantex or tea that includes fennel. However, situations can be quite complex. In this case, parents, after consulting with a pediatrician, can use medications.

How to help a restless baby fall asleep?

Parents should understand that the crying of a healthy newborn is an absolutely understandable and natural phenomenon.

Satisfying physiological needs

First, it is necessary to correctly establish the cause of the baby’s anxiety, why exactly he cries shortly before bedtime, excluding such physiological circumstances as:

• dirty diaper,
• uncomfortable position
• cold,
• tight clothes,
• hunger.

If mom and dad have fixed all this, but the baby is still crying, you need to check his gums for swelling. Maybe he is cutting his first teeth. In this case, it is enough to treat the gums with a special gel.

Rule out the disease

In addition, in this case, parents should tell the local therapist observing the baby about the child’s anxiety and crying. In some cases, the attending physician may refer the child for examination to a neurologist or other specialist.

Increased excitability and persistent daytime and nighttime sleep disturbances can cause serious illnesses. This problem must be solved urgently, since without sound, normal sleep, the proper functioning and development of a child’s body is impossible.

Psychological balance of parents

A new mother should know that her connection with the baby is strong enough, so her emotions and mood should be positive, positive. Before going to bed, she should be as calm as possible, then the baby will be able to sleep soundly.

If parents are nervous about the baby's crying, he will become even more capricious and will not be able to calm down.

Bathing with herbs

A young mother whose baby is anxious when falling asleep should make it a rule to bathe her child in the evening in a warm bath with the addition of a decoction from a set of soothing herbs. A special infusion used for bathing will help the nervous system relax and also prepare it for sleep.

The same sequence of actions before bed should be followed every day.

Taking sedatives

If we talk about drug therapy, you can use valerian infusion. Every evening you can add a drop of valerian to your baby's milk or water. However, the result may not be quick, since this method has a cumulative effect.

After a month-long course of treatment, the baby will become calmer. But we note that before using valerian drops, you should definitely consult with your pediatrician.

Peculiarities of children's sleep: why can a baby cry for no reason?

Infant sleep has its own characteristics. Daytime and night sleep are characterized by alternating periods of sound, deep sleep and shallow sleep. In infancy, the stages of light sleep, which repeat every hour, are longer than in adults.

While in this phase, the baby can wake up from the slightest sound, after which it will be very difficult to lull him to sleep, for this reason newborns very rarely sleep more than four hours at a time.

In some cases, the baby may sleep during the day, waking up every 30-40 minutes. This circumstance cannot be considered the norm, however, it cannot be classified as a disease, provided that sleep at night is not interrupted with the same frequency.

In such cases, anxiety is most often explained by the need for maternal affection and warmth. Some parents argue that there is no need to hold a newborn too often. This is fundamentally wrong. Every mother should realize that a lack of parental attention will have an alarming effect on the baby’s body.

Often mothers who show more care and tenderness to their child take him in their arms and notice that the baby’s day and night sleep becomes measured and the baby stops crying for no reason when he falls asleep.

When a child turns one year old, he begins to sleep twice a day for one and a half to two hours, while night sleep lasts up to ten to twelve hours. By this age, the baby’s biological clock should be fully adjusted.

On average, a one-year-old child sleeps about 13-14 hours a day, 2.5-3 hours of which are naps during the day.

By the age of two, the biological need for daytime sleep will decrease. Therefore, a child may protest against sleep by crying loudly. However, the baby still needs to be calmed down, allowed to cry and put to sleep. Over time, the child will get used to the routine and will fall asleep calmly and without crying.

How to adjust a child's biological clock?

For approximately the first six weeks of his life, the baby will get used to the changes in the external world that have overtaken him. When the baby gets used to it a little, parents can teach him to sleep during the day and at night.

The most effective method of adjusting the functioning of the biological clock is considered to be teaching the baby to a routine. If your baby falls asleep crying before naptime, he should be distracted from vigorous play.

To do this, you can collect toys with your baby and make the bed together. Modern pediatricians do not recommend feeding or rocking the baby shortly before bedtime, so as not to develop the corresponding habit. It is best to lie down next to the child and hug him.

The room where the child will sleep should not cause him negative emotions. Even if a child is afraid of the dark, you should not leave the light on at night. So that your baby can distinguish between daytime and nighttime, you can turn on the night light at night.

Also, a “toy protector” will help against crying, which can be a soft children’s blanket or a teddy bear. The first night, mom can put the toy to sleep next to her so that the material can absorb its smell.

Babies are endowed with a delicate sense of smell, so such a “talisman” can calm them down before a night or daytime sleep. A child can fall asleep crying at any age, but from four to five months the child can be allowed to cry.

Before going to bed at night, at the same time, you should bathe your child, feed him, read calm stories to him or sing lullabies. The child must be clearly aware that night has come and he will have to sleep in the next 10-12 hours.

If a child wakes up at night, the mother should not talk to him. Only in this way will the baby understand that night is not the time for games or conversations.

Why can a baby cry in his sleep?

The most common cause is nightmares. Children may have unpleasant dreams after a heavy, hearty dinner just before bed.

Therefore, parents should not feed their baby later than an hour before bedtime. For dinner, it is better to choose light foods. Warm milk is ideal. The likelihood of nightmares can be minimized by a regime that can be deviated from with rare exceptions, for example, due to a visit or a trip.

Another popular reason is watching TV or computer games. It doesn’t matter what the baby watches shortly before bedtime, even the most harmless cartoons can provoke terrible dreams. Therefore, in order to avoid problems with falling asleep, it is necessary to minimize the time he spends in front of the TV.

You can calm your baby at night by gently stroking his back. Light rocking on your arms will also help.