What to Do When Your Baby Won’t Go to Sleep

Are you wondering what to do when your baby won’t go to sleep and looking to perfect your infant’s sleeping patterns? We have the answers that put an end to working nonstop through the night and help you establish a healthy sleep routine for your little one.

Your Infant Is Far Too Excited to Get Any Rest

Your infant may be spending their evenings engaging in polar opposite of winding down activities. This could include things like being thrown into the air by your partner, watching a film, or simply splashing around in the bathtub. Not only will they develop the misconception that going to bed means missing out on enjoyment, but engaging in enjoyable activities might cause a baby who is already weary of becoming overtired.

According to Jodi Mindell, Ph.D., author of Sleeping Through the Night, when anything like that takes place, it is far more difficult for a person to fall asleep. “And [they] will wake up more frequently throughout the night.”

Your sleep solution.

Make sure that your baby’s nighttime ritual is up to date. Swaddling, lullabies, stories, and massages are all great alternatives to tickling sessions for parents who have infants who are still relatively young. Avoid watching Baby Einstein on the television since it is exciting and will make it more difficult for you to go to asleep.

When deciding on a routine for your infant, you should also take into account his or her disposition; not all bedtime routines are calming for every child. It’s possible that your infant should avoid even taking baths. According to Ann Douglas, author of Sleep Solutions for Your Baby, Toddler, and Preschooler, “Some babies find them exhilarating and get worked up.” If such is the case, the time spent in the tub should be moved to an earlier part of the day.

Pay attention to your own state of mind as well; if you’re stressed, it’s likely going to rub off on your child. Dr. Mindell recommends that parents take it easy on themselves while helping their children get ready for bed. “Move gently and dim the lights. The hour before bed should be spent cuddling up with your kid.”

Your Newborn Is Highly Sensitive to Their Surroundings

You put in a lot of time and effort during your pregnancy to find the best lullaby CD and the most comfortable bedding for your baby’s room. However, despite all of your efforts, they still could not be comfortable.

According to Harvey Karp, M.D., the developer of the book and DVD titled The Happiest Baby on the Block, “certain babies are extraordinarily sensitive to both the exterior and interior environment in which they find themselves.” It’s possible that the ringing of the phone, the sensation of a garment label, or even sensations in their body, such as food being digested, are all things that irritate them. Babies are able to block out these feelings during the day when there is a lot of background noise, but it is far more difficult for them to do so at night.

Your sleep solution.

You should try to create an atmosphere that is as calming as possible for your infant. If you aren’t sure what’s upsetting them, try removing the tags from their pajamas, using softer sheets, and making their room darker. These are all good places to start. And despite the common belief among parents that infants must be kept warm at all times, your child may already be too warm. Dr. Karp advises patients to “Feel [their] neck and ears.” “Take off one or two layers of clothing if they’re too hot,” the instructor instructed.

On the other side, particularly if they are younger than four months old, your youngster could become agitated since there is not enough stimulation in the room. According to Dr. Karp, “babies were frequently held, rocked, and stroked while they were still in the uterus, and there was always white noise.” “The lack of that rhythmic tranquility prevents many infants from being able to relax,” It’s possible that a tight swaddle and a white noise machine will help mimic that experience of being in the womb.

During The Day, They Are Not Receiving Enough Amount Of Light

Too worn out to take a stroll with the infant before three o’clock in the afternoon, or too preoccupied to open all of the window coverings? It’s possible that your baby’s erratic sleep schedule is due to the fact that you keep them in the dark. According to Dr. Mindell, “infants that get more exposure to light during the day during the course of the day sleep better.”

Your sleep solution.

Exposure to the light of the morning is essential. According to Dr. Mindell, “It inhibits melatonin, which is a hormone that governs the sleep-wake cycle, for it to peak at the appropriate moment.” You should try to feed your child in the brightest part of the house, so you should move their high chair or nursing pillow there. Even on gloomy days, going for a stroll first thing in the morning is a worthwhile activity; however, if that is not an option, lighting several lamps indoors is an acceptable alternative.

However, you should be sure to turn the lights down an hour or two before going to bed. According to Dr. Karp, “you want your infant to identify light and activity with the day,” and “you want your baby to associate darkness and inactivity with the evening.”

Your Infant Requires Snacking Throughout the Night

According to Cathryn Tobin, M.D., author of The Lull-A-Baby Sleep Plan, “this is probably the number one reason why babies have problems going asleep,” and she is probably right. When you put your baby down for feeding right before putting them to sleep in their crib, they will associate nursing with going to sleep, particularly if you let them fall asleep while they are breastfeeding you. That might not be an issue at 7 o’clock in the evening, but it could become one at three in the morning when they find themselves wide awake and in need of food in order to fall back asleep.

Your sleep solution.

According to Dr. Mindell, you don’t have to eliminate breastfeeding before sleep completely; rather, you should simply transfer it to an earlier period in the pattern of napping or going to bed. You may try feeding them, then changing their diaper, and finally putting them down when they are awake. It’s also a good idea to avoid feeding your child in their bedroom if you want to assist them in understanding that their room is only for sleeping.

Your infant will eventually acquire the ability to self-soothe if they wake up in the middle of the night. But if they aren’t getting the hang of it, it’s possible that they don’t have anything in their stomach. Dr. Karp recommends that you feed your baby every one to two hours in the evening in order to pack in additional calories so that they are not hungry during the night.

For instance, if bedtime is at 8:00 p.m., you should feed them at 5:00 p.m., or 6:00 p.m., and at least once more prior to putting them to bed. Another alternative is to perform what is known as a “dream feed,” which involves putting the child to bed at 8 o’clock at night and then waking them up to feed them right before you go to sleep.

Your Infant Is Refusing to Fall Asleep During Naptime

Babies who are unable to fall or stay asleep cost their parents more than just a little bit of free time during the day. According to Dr. Mindell, a child will have a more difficult time going asleep and will wake up more frequently throughout the night if they skip their nap or only take a short one.

Your sleep solution.

According to Dr. Tobin, the issue is often one of timing in infants who are younger than 12 months. “You have to reach that exact moment—the beginning of the yawn, the heavy eyes—or you will often lose the opportunity for a nap,” said a person. “You must strike that exact moment.” At that time, individuals are overtired but unable to fall asleep because they are still wired. Keep an eye out for signs that your baby is getting tired, and if you see any, put them down right once. Furthermore, be consistent.

If you sing a lullaby and read a story before going to bed at night, you should do the same thing before naps. It’s OK with me if they sleep. Even if they do nothing for an hour, that’s OK; having some time to relax and recharge is still preferable to having none. Newborn will sleep whenever they feel like it, but by the time they are four months old, babies have typically settled into a nap schedule that includes either two longer naps per day or three shorter ones. Newborns sleep whenever they feel like it.

They Won’t Fall Asleep in Your Absence

Whether you rock your baby to sleep or massage their back till they nod off, they will only sleep if they are in your company. They now can’t function without you.

Your sleep solution.

Don’t just give up on them completely. Instead, you should begin by spending progressively less time in their room each night, and you should utilize a transitional object such as a blanket to make the process smoother. However, a baby is not allowed to sleep with a lovey until they are approximately one year old. Prior to that age, anything that is not securely fastened in the crib raises the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). However, according to Dr. Tobin, you can begin swaddling them with the blanket that will eventually turn into their favorite toy.

If you see that your infant is drawn to their stuffed lamb, you should make it a part of their bedtime routine and keep it there until they are old enough to sleep with it in their crib.

They have Difficulty Breaking Their Habit of Sharing a Bed

You are at last prepared to take back possession of your bedroom, but your infant roommate has no desire to stay in their solitary crib. The longer you’ve co-slept with another person, the more challenging this process is going to be for you.

Your sleep solution.

Dr. Mindell advises patients to “make the break gradually” because the process takes some time. First, get them used to nap on their own by sending them to their room for a nap; once they’re comfortable with this, you may start the nighttime process there. Then bring their crib into your room or put them down in their own room, but continue to bring them into your bed whenever they wake up during the night. The other option is to put them down in their own room.

If they are having trouble adjusting to spending the full night alone, you should give them some time to be upset in their room. However, once they realize that you will not come to rescue them, they will learn how to calm themselves down.

Meaningful articles you might like: 7 Unsafe Sleep Items To Keep Away From The Crib, How To Keep Your Baby Sleeping After You Put Them Down, 10 Common Sleeping Errors That Parents Make