Problems with sleep

The causes of poor sleep in a baby can be:

1) a painful condition;

2) the feeling of hunger;

3) uncomfortable bed.

The formation of the child's brain, as well as the growth and development of the whole organism, occur more quickly during sleep. There are two types of sleep: calm and active, during which there are dreams. Both phases of sleep alternate, changing one another during the night, and form successive cycles. During active sleep the child moves, opens his eyes, closes them again, sucks his fingers, smiles or snorts. Therefore, if you saw that the sleeping baby has unexpectedly opened his eyes, perhaps even met with you a look and smiled, do not immediately run up to him, take him in his arms and feed. A child can be taken out of bed when it is obvious that he is hungry. If it is not time to take the baby in his arms, it will be difficult for him to fall asleep again, the rhythm of his sleep will be disturbed, in addition, he can get used to falling asleep only in the presence of adults. For the same reason, it is better for a child to be in a separate room, and not with her parents. When the baby is hungry, he will be able to tell you about it loudly enough.

The alternation of two kinds of sleep, although programmed by nature, requires the infant to get a certain addiction, skill. Therefore, if parents do not want to disturb the rhythm of sleep during the first 3 months of a baby's life, do not set too strict a feeding regime, then at the end of the night feeding period the child will sleep all night without waking up.

After 3 months, night feeding is usually stopped. If a child cry loudly at night, you must go and comfort him, without lifting her hands and lighting the light.

In the first weeks of life it is convenient when the newborn sleeps in the parents' room. Mothers are so much easier to feed and watch the baby. But then, when the rhythm of sleep is established, the kid needs rest and his own living space. In the bedroom, a calm sleep is not always provided. Over time, the child increasingly reacts to events occurring in the room.

Many parents initially make a big mistake, putting the baby to sleep with him in the same bed. Becoming older, he himself will come to them at night. A child who occupies a territory that does not belong to him becomes more demanding and day-in day, objects to various prohibitions, interferes in the affairs of adults, shows obstinacy and jealousy. To prevent this, parents should remember that the baby, even a newborn, needs his own territory, his own bed, which belongs only to him.

As for the crib, the opportunity to sleep in it alone is very important for the baby, and the more comfortable it is, the better.

It is believed that up to one-year-old age a child can perfectly sleep in the light, it does not interfere with the baby. But after a year it's better to spend the night in the dark or in the shade, which can be created with the help of a small lamp.

The quality of sleep in a baby depends not only on comfortable conditions and health, but also on a number of other factors. For example, in rainy and gloomy weather, a child sleeps more than in a clear sunny. When weather changes, pressure drops and temperatures, during magnetic storms, when there is a strong wind in the street, many kids can be capricious and cry for several days, forgetting only in a dream, often wake up. In such cases, before going to bed, you must do:

1) relaxing massage;

2) longer to soak the child in a warm bath;

3) water can be added herbal infusions with soothing action;

■ 4) warm the bed with a hot water bottle or hot water bottles;

5) pat the baby back and handles from the back of the wrist to the elbow fold;

6) make a small sleep-pillow from the collection of medicinal herbs the size of a matchbox and hang it on the crossbar of the crib of the baby. In such a cushion you can put the grass and flowers of marigold, chamomile, mint, hop cones, valerian roots, eucalyptus leaves, of course, provided that the child does not have an allergic reaction to herbs. These procedures have a calming effect.

It also happens that the baby for some reason sleeps more during the day and less at night, in this case they say that he confused the day with the night. Mom should try to reduce the duration of day and night sleep by taking classes with the child during the daytime wakefulness. At this time, you can spend with gymnastics, massage and other wellness activities, listen to music and talk with him. Before a night sleep it is useful to carry out procedures with a calming effect. Do not expect a quick adjustment from the child. Return to normal mode should be unobtrusive and gradual.

But we should never forget that before you put the baby to sleep, you need to ventilate the room, filling it with fresh air.