New moms always struggle with their baby’s sleeping habits. All infants need some time before they fall asleep. But, if the child is taking too long to sleep or crying a lot, it could be an infant sleep problem. You could find it difficult to understand how to make a baby sleep. Sleep is crucial for the growth and development of the infant. New-borns sleep much of the time. As the baby grows old, the duration of sleep decreases. Infant sleep problems can cause other sleep-related problems.
Good sleep is very important for the infant’s health and immunity. It’s often difficult for new parents to notice the signs of infant sleep problems. Baby’s sleep is also disturbed when they are overstimulated or overtired.
You may look for the following signs:
A new-born baby’s sleep cycle depends on their age. A 1 month-old baby sleeps through the night and 8 hours in the daytime also. Sleep duration decreases as the baby grows. Lack of sleep may cause some infant sleep problems. They include
Sleep apnea
Sometimes your child stops breathing for periods of 10 seconds while sleeping. You can hear the snoring sounds of the baby while sleeping. Baby sleeps with their mouth open and seems to be excessively sleepy during the daytime. Sleep apnea can lead to behavioural issues in the infants.
Restless leg syndrome
RLS is an infant sleep problem where the child shudders and changes sleeping position continuously. They feel sensation in their legs and often throw their legs while sleeping. The infant’s sleep quality deteriorates as a result of RLS.
Night terror/Nightmares
Night terror causes the infant to wake up suddenly from the sleep appearing shaking of agitated. This sudden disturbance in sleep can lead to intense crying of the baby. This happens during non-REM sleep- about 90 minutes after an infant goes to sleep
A point to remember - Some babies cry when they're overtired and can’t settle to sleep.<br /> .- HERA
One-month-old baby sleeps throughout the night and almost 16 hours in a whole day. Babies have different sleep cycles than adults. Infants spend less time in REM sleep (dreaming sleep). Baby sleep cycles are shorter. 3-month-old baby sleep cycles last about 40 minutes. A 3 months baby starts developing night and day sleep patterns. A 4-month-old baby sleeps long hours at night and less during the daytime. Baby sleep hours change with age.
AGE | TOTAL SLEEP HOURS | TOTAL NIGHTTIME SLEEPING HOURS | TOTAL DAYTIME SLEEPING HOURS |
Newborn |
16 Hours | 8 to 9 | 8 |
1 MONTH |
15.5 Hours |
8 to 9 | 7 |
3 MONTH |
15 Hours | 9 to 10 |
4 to 5 |
6 MONTH |
14 Hours | 10 | 4 |
9 MONTH | 14 Hours | 11 |
3 |
1 YEAR |
14 Hours | 11 |
3 |
As a new mom, it’s difficult to find out how to make a baby sleep fast. Babies may not able to sleep on their own when they wake up at night. Parents need to make a bedtime routine to make the baby fall asleep fast. Cuddling and comforting your baby during the daytime can help to reduce their separation anxiety.
Use these ways to make your baby sleep fast:-
HERA pro tip - Playing soft music during bedtime can also help the baby to sleep fast..- HERA
SIDS is an infant sleep problem that can lead to the death of the baby. The cause of SIDS is not known clearly. It can occur in the baby’s sleep hours or also when they are awake. Experts believe that certain environmental stresses like smoking, getting tangled in bed or breathing can be the cause of this problem.
Ways to reduce SIDS risk:-
It is sometimes difficult to find out how to make your baby sleep. Some tips can help you to solve that problem. The best tips include:-
The bottom line
Infant sleep problems can cause various problems in the baby later. Look out for symptoms of the infant sleep problems and try to comfort the child. Baby’s sleeping hours is very important for the growth and development of children.