3 month old baby cries in his sleep. Why does a child cry often in his sleep? Why does a one-year-old baby cry at night?

Until the child masters speech, crying - the only way attract attention. The tears of an adult are grief and worry, the tears of a baby are a natural means of communication. Parents gradually get used to the fact that this phenomenon is normal and not at all scary, but they are lost if the baby suddenly starts Why does this happen?

Baby's sleep

Sleep is a special physiological state that performs two main functions: replenishing energy costs and consolidating what the baby has learned during the waking period. Adequate sleep is both a condition for a child’s development and an indicator of his physical and mental health. Therefore, parents are very concerned if the child’s rest is interrupted, and even more so if the baby cries in his sleep.

The sleep norm for a child up to six months is from 18 to 14-16 hours a day. But in the first months of life, the baby can wake up every 3-4 hours, and there is no pathology in this: a stable daily routine has not been developed, and confusion between day and night often occurs.

The baby usually wakes up due to a feeling of hunger, discomfort, or simply showing a normal instinct. Therefore, mothers need to have patience and remember that sleep is conditioned reflex activity, which means developing a certain ritual for going to sleep at night and observing rules of three"T" (warm, dark and quiet) will help cope with the problem.

Night sleep

By what age is a child able to sleep through the night without waking up? This is purely individual, but most babies by six months can sleep uninterrupted at night for 10 hours. The child does not need to be rocked or put to sleep by force. He can easily cope with this task on his own if the parents catch the signs of drowsiness in time: the child yawns, closes or rubs his eyes, fiddling with a toy. If fatigue is present, the period of falling asleep is normally up to 20 minutes. If you do not create conditions for sleep (bright light, noise, presence of strangers), then this can provoke a situation where the baby cries in his sleep.

The process of falling asleep itself will be difficult, and night's rest will be disrupted due to the baby's overexcitement. To understand why this happens, you need to understand the main phases of sleep.

Sleep phases

Science distinguishes two: active and slow. They alternate with each other every sixty minutes. The activity cycle involves work thought processes, which is expressed in the following manifestations:

• A smile on the baby's face.
• Movement of the eyes under the eyelids or their brief opening.
• Leg movement.

It is at this time that the baby cries in his sleep without waking up. Processing in progress nerve cells information received while awake. While experiencing the events of the day, the baby continues to react to them. Crying can be a reaction to experienced fear, a feeling of loneliness, or overexcitement.

During slow - deep - sleep, the child completely relaxes, restoring spent energy, and he produces growth hormone.

To wake up or not?

Whimpering, quiet crying and sobbing during the active phase of sleep is the absolute norm. The baby is able to see dreams that reflect impressions last day. But children's tears may have another meaning - an instinctive desire to check whether he is safe, whether he has been abandoned by his mother. If there is no confirmation of this, the child may actually wake up and burst into tears for real. What should parents do if their baby starts crying in his sleep?

Main reasons for crying

Why does a baby cry in his sleep if he wakes up? This means that he gives signals that must be deciphered, because he has no other way to attract attention to himself. Pediatricians identify about seven reasons for a baby’s tears. Dr. Komarovsky typifies them, highlighting three main ones:

How to recognize?

There are many reasons, but how to understand which one caused the baby’s tears? There is only one way - analyzing the actions after which the crying stops. You should start by identifying the causes of discomfort. It often happens: while awake, the child is distracted from what is causing him discomfort. For example, a rubber band gets stuck. When activity decreases, discomfort comes to the fore and interferes with falling asleep. If a child calms down after being picked up, then instinct has worked. There is a lot of controversy about this: is it worth reacting if a baby cries in his sleep for fear of loneliness?

There are pediatricians who say that it is even beneficial for a child to cry a little: the lungs develop, the protein from tears, which has antimicrobial effect, enters the nasopharynx. This develops the body's anti-infective defenses. Some parents call the baby a little manipulator and try to raise him without consciously reacting to crying or picking him up. Is it correct?

Neurologists believe that infant is not able to consciously manipulate the situation, and the answer lies in a different plane. Babies raised from birth in government institutions, they cry extremely rarely. There is simply no one to respond to their calls. They withdraw into themselves and stop hoping. This leads to developmental disorders - hospitalism. If a baby cries in his sleep, you should not be afraid to spoil him. The need for affection and care is a vital need for a baby in the first year of life.

What should you be wary of?

Nervous system a child under one year old is often susceptible to diseases due to: pathology of pregnancy, difficult childbirth, intrauterine infections and injuries. Together with other symptoms, disturbing sleep may indicate neurological or somatic problems. Every three months, a neurologist examines the baby, monitoring his development. He should be interested in finding an answer to the question of why a baby cries in his sleep in the following cases:

• If this is accompanied by a persistent sleep disorder (difficulty falling asleep, shallow or insufficient sleep).
• If sharp, hysterical crying is repeated regularly.
• If parents are unable to identify the cause on their own.

If the baby cries without waking up, the reason is the peculiarities of children's sleep. If tears are associated with the transition to the wakefulness stage, it means that the child is signaling the presence of problems that require adult intervention to solve.

Healthy, deep sleep – the best remedy to relieve stress. When a person sleeps well, he is said to sleep like a baby. However, not all babies sleep peacefully. Often, young parents have to spend sleepless nights with their baby, who cries in his sleep. In this article we will look at the main reasons why children cry at night and figure out what to do in such situations.

Why does a baby cry in his sleep?

Depending on the age, the reasons for night crying in children may vary. Thus, newborn babies are most often bothered by pain in the tummy, and already at an older age one of the reasons restless sleep It can become a nightmare for a child.

Causes in children under six months

• Intestinal colic and bloating - common reasons crying in newborn babies. During first three months, the child’s intestines are rebuilt, which can cause tummy pain. If your baby cries loudly in his sleep (sometimes the crying turns into screaming), tosses and turns and curls up his legs, then most likely he is worried about colic.
• Hunger can be one of the reasons why a baby cries at night.
• Unstable mode - newborn babies do not distinguish between day and night. They can sleep perfectly during the day and wake up at night. The period of wakefulness at first is about 90 minutes, already at 2–8 weeks of age it increases to several hours, and by 3 months some children can sleep peacefully all night. Remember that each child is individual; for some, the regime becomes stable by the age of 2.
• Absence of mother. The presence of the mother nearby is necessary for the child, just like timely nutrition and hygiene procedures. If your baby wakes up alone in the crib, he will immediately notify you with loud crying.

• Discomfort. He may cry in his sleep if he peed himself or is just about to do so. Also, the room where the baby sleeps may be too hot or cold.
• Disease. A sick child has shallow and restless sleep. Nasopharyngeal congestion and fever prevent children from sleeping at any age.

Children from 5 months to one year

• Teething is the most probable cause night crying in babies from 5 months to a year. The child’s gums begin to itch and hurt, and the temperature may rise;
• Experiences. Every day your child learns about the world: a visit, a walk or something else can cause stress in a child.

Night crying in children 2–3 years of age and older

• Psychological aspects. Children at this age are very sensitive to experiences, whether they are positive or negative. Around this age, children are introduced to kindergartens, which causes a storm of emotions in the kids. Their appetite may also worsen, and those who are especially sensitive may even have a fever. If your child is already used to kindergarten and still cries in his sleep, take a closer look at the microclimate in the family - perhaps his nightly crying is somehow connected with the fact that relatives are loudly sorting things out.
• Fear. Fear can also provoke crying in children at this age. If your baby is afraid of the dark, leave him a night light on at night; perhaps he is afraid of some picture or toy - remove it from the child’s eyes. Nightmares can also be caused by banal overeating.

If your baby is afraid, try not to leave him alone for a while - he needs your support and a sense of security.

Unusual situations

What to do if the child suddenly starts crying, cries and arches, or cries constantly? The reasons for this behavior of the baby can be different, it is obvious that he is tormented by pain. This may be colic, high intracranial pressure, etc. Be sure to consult your doctor, he will prescribe necessary treatment. You may need to undergo a series of examinations to clarify the reasons for this child’s sleep behavior.

What measures to take?

Knowing the reason for your baby's crying at night, you can try to solve this problem. If the cause is colic, then a light massage of the tummy (clockwise), a warm diaper on the tummy, dill water and special drops will help you cope with this problem and provide healthy sleep to kid. If your baby is teething, you need to consult a doctor and choose a special gel that will numb the gums. If the reason for the child’s crying is some kind of disease, you need to consult a doctor and immediately treat the baby. If the reason lies in the fear of the dark, leave the night light on at night.

The baby may cry due to some kind of emotional turmoil, in this case, try to calm him down: tell him how much you love him, how wonderful he is. It is very important to adjust the daily routine: if the child goes to bed at the same time, then it will be easier for him to fall asleep. It is not recommended to give your child a hearty dinner; the baby should eat no later than 2 hours before bedtime. You should not play gambling or active games before bed - reading a book or an evening walk is best.

In our article, we examined the main reasons for night crying in children. of different ages. Usually, serious reasons There is no reason for parents to worry. But, nevertheless, if your baby often cries at night, you can seek help from a doctor who will help you pinpoint the cause and tell you how to solve this problem.

After the birth of a baby, parents must be mentally prepared for sleepless nights. A baby's biorhythms are different from those of adults. The child sleeps often, but little by little. However, a baby's crying in his sleep can alert young parents and cause anxiety. There are many reasons for crying in your sleep. They can be not only physiological, but also psychological in nature. You can figure out the reasons for your baby’s behavior without the help of a specialist; the main thing is to monitor his behavior. Let's look at the most common reasons for a child crying at night at the age of three months, as well as ways to solve them.

Reasons for a baby crying in his sleep

A child aged three months is very sensitive to any discomfort. Therefore, a baby at this age cannot be left unattended, and if he starts crying, you need to approach him.

The main reasons for crying include:

1. Colic. The most common reason for a baby crying in his sleep. Children aged 3-4 months very often experience discomfort in the abdominal area. This is due to the immaturity of the nervous system, which regulates the gastrointestinal tract, lack of enzymes for digesting food, and flatulence. If the cause of night crying is colic, you need to contact a pediatrician who will prescribe special drops or herbal teas, but the most the best way The treatment is mother's warmth. It is necessary to stroke the baby's tummy or press his tummy to you.
2. Hunger. Many parents prefer to feed their baby on a schedule. It can also cause nighttime crying. The fact is that when feeding a baby on demand during the first months of life, he establishes a comfortable eating regimen. In this case, the baby may not wake up for 4-5 hours at night. When feeding "by the clock" you must be prepared for nighttime crying and the need to feed every 2-3 hours.
3. Wet diaper. If you want your baby to sleep soundly and not cry in his sleep, we recommend using disposable diapers at night.
4. Lack of parents nearby. The baby is accustomed to falling asleep next to his mother during feeding. Waking up at night and not feeling his mother, he may start crying. To calm your baby down, just pick him up and rock him to sleep. You can also teach your child to fall asleep on his own. To do this, do not approach him if he wakes up and starts crying. Give yourself time to calm down and fall asleep on your own.
5. Uncomfortable air temperature. Small child very sensitive to the temperature of the room in which he sleeps. Therefore, if the room is too cold or stuffy, he may cry in his sleep. Therefore, ventilate the room as often as possible and maintain its temperature at about 20°C.

If you do everything possible to create a comfortable environment for your baby to sleep at night, he will wake up and cry much less often. However, young parents need to be patient. In order for a child to feel safe, parents must be ready to calm a crying baby at any time.

Healthy, sound sleep is the best way to relieve stress. When a person sleeps well, he is said to sleep like a baby. However, not all babies sleep peacefully. Often, young parents have to spend sleepless nights with their baby, who cries in his sleep. In this article we will look at the main reasons why children cry at night and figure out what to do in such situations.

Why does a baby cry in his sleep?

Depending on the age, the reasons for night crying in children may vary. Thus, newborn babies are most often bothered by pain in the tummy; even at an older age, one of the reasons for a child’s restless sleep can be a nightmare.

Causes in children under six months

• Intestinal colic and bloating are common causes of crying in newborn babies. During the first three months The child’s intestines are rebuilt, which can cause tummy pain. If your baby cries loudly in his sleep (sometimes the crying turns into screaming), tosses and turns and curls up his legs, then most likely he is worried about colic.
• Hunger can be one of the reasons why a baby cries at night.
• Unstable mode - newborn babies do not distinguish between day and night. They can sleep perfectly during the day and wake up at night. The period of wakefulness at first is about 90 minutes, already at 2–8 weeks of age it increases to several hours, and by 3 months some children can sleep peacefully all night. Remember that each child is individual; for some, the regime becomes stable by the age of 2.
• Absence of mother. The presence of the mother nearby is necessary for the child, just like timely nutrition and hygiene procedures. If your baby wakes up alone in the crib, he will immediately notify you with loud crying.

• Discomfort. He may cry in his sleep if he peed himself or is just about to do so. Also, the room where the baby sleeps may be too hot or cold.
• Disease. A sick child has shallow and restless sleep. Nasopharyngeal congestion and fever prevent children from sleeping at any age.

Children from 5 months to one year

• Teething is the most likely cause of night crying in babies from 5 months to a year. The child’s gums begin to itch and hurt, and the temperature may rise;
• Experiences. Every day your child learns about the world: a visit, a walk or something else can cause stress in a child.

Night crying in children 2–3 years of age and older

• Psychological aspects. Children at this age are very sensitive to experiences, whether they are positive or negative. Around this age, children are introduced to kindergartens, which causes a storm of emotions in the kids. Their appetite may also worsen, and those who are especially sensitive may even have a fever. If your child has already gotten used to kindergarten and still cries in his sleep, take a closer look at the microclimate in the family - perhaps his nighttime crying is somehow connected with the fact that relatives are loudly sorting things out.
• Fear. Fear can also provoke crying in children at this age. If your baby is afraid of the dark, leave him a night light on at night; perhaps he is afraid of some picture or toy - remove it from the child’s eyes. Nightmares can also be caused by banal overeating.

If your baby is afraid, try not to leave him alone for a while - he needs your support and a sense of security.

Unusual situations

What to do if the child suddenly starts crying, cries and arches, or cries constantly? The reasons for this behavior of the baby can be different, it is obvious that he is tormented by pain. This may be colic, high intracranial pressure, etc. Be sure to consult a doctor, he will prescribe the necessary treatment. You may need to undergo a series of examinations to clarify the reasons for this child’s sleep behavior.

What measures to take?

Knowing the reason for your baby's crying at night, you can try to solve this problem. If the cause is colic, then a light tummy massage (clockwise), a warm diaper on the tummy, dill water and special drops will help you cope with this problem and ensure healthy sleep for your baby. If your baby is teething, you need to consult a doctor and choose a special gel that will numb the gums. If the reason for the child’s crying is some kind of disease, you need to consult a doctor and immediately treat the baby. If the reason lies in the fear of the dark, leave the night light on at night.

The baby may cry due to some kind of emotional turmoil, in this case, try to calm him down: tell him how much you love him, how wonderful he is. It is very important to adjust the daily routine: if the child goes to bed at the same time, then it will be easier for him to fall asleep. It is not recommended to give your child a hearty dinner; the baby should eat no later than 2 hours before bedtime. You should not play gambling or active games before bed - reading a book or an evening walk is best.

In our article, we examined the main reasons for night crying in children of different ages. As a rule, parents have no serious reasons for concern. But, nevertheless, if your baby often cries at night, you can seek help from a doctor who will help you pinpoint the cause and tell you how to solve this problem.

If you are soon expecting a new addition to your family or a newborn has already arrived in your home, prepare yourself mentally in advance or simply come to terms with the upcoming sleepless nights.

I was lucky with my eldest daughter: she beeped only once around midnight, practically without waking up, fed, and continued to sleep until 6-7 in the morning. She fed again, stayed awake a little and fell asleep again before 9-10. In general, with her I practically did not suffer from lack of sleep.

Such a “gift” with my first child even convinced me that every baby can live like this, the main thing is to find an approach to it. But it was not there. 6 years later, my youngest daughter proved exactly the opposite to me. Throughout our common first For 11 (!) months, my only need in life was an insatiable desire to sleep.

Why do children cry in their sleep?

Physiological reasons

The child is hungry

All young mothers first check to see if the baby is hungry. And this is an absolutely healthy and correct approach.

Pediatricians old school or your mothers and grandmothers may convince you that a newborn must be accustomed to a strict feeding regime, and then he will sleep at the prescribed time, and wake up for feeding strictly on the clock. Don't listen to them. If you choose to breastfeed, your baby should breastfeed on demand.

This regime will make him healthier both physically and mentally. But, if for some reason you have chosen to feed with artificial formula, then you will simply have to feed the baby hourly and carefully follow the norm calculated by the neonatologist for the amount of formula per feeding.

With the question of regime baby food There is another controversial point: pediatricians say that the average infant does not experience hunger for 2-3 hours after feeding. I am convinced that this conclusion can be attributed specifically to artificial people: they “eat away” their norm, calculated in accordance with age and weight, and, indeed, become saturated for these 2-3 hours.

Besides, artificial mixtures- This is a denser food for babies. It is carbohydrate-rich and heavier in fat, so it gives you a feeling of fullness faster, and it lasts longer. And a baby who receives lighter and less dense, but better balanced in composition, mother's milk may well get hungry much faster.

My personal experience and observations of numerous young nursing mothers show that newborn babies sometimes require breastfeeding every hour, and sometimes more often. Thus, the first reason babies cry at night is hunger.

Diaper soiled

The second action in the behavior algorithm for young mothers: if the baby cries in his sleep, but the mother has already made sure that he is full, check the diaper.

In the old days, before the era of disposable diapers, newborn babies could actually scream if their diapers got wet. IN modern world A wet diaper rarely causes the baby to start crying. Well, perhaps if it hasn’t been changed for a very, very long time.

But it is necessary to check the presence of poop in the diaper, because they irritate the baby’s bottom and cause painful sensations. If you don't change a soiled diaper in time, you'll end up with a screaming baby all night.

Tummy hurts

The third most common cause of nighttime crying in newborns is intestinal colic. Breast baby fed, his diaper is clean, his bottom is fine, but he still screams. Mom instinctively takes him in her arms and begins to rock him to sleep.

Attention: look at the child’s behavior. If he winces and moves his legs, most likely his tummy hurts. This is colic. During the first month of life, a newborn adapts to to the outside world, and him internal organs and systems continue to form and adapt to an “autonomous” life, already separate from the mother’s body.

Because the type and method of nutrition changes dramatically after birth, gastrointestinal tract reacts with painful colic, and the child cries in his sleep.

Teeth cutting

In babies under one year old, teething can cause crying at night. Usually the first teeth emerge at the age of about 6 months, but acceleration shows more and more early teeth: at 4-5 months, sometimes even at 2!

If the eruption process is not accompanied severe pain and temperature, the baby may cry during sleep without even waking up. But such crying quickly stops.

Temperature discomfort

And finally, an infant may cry and not wake up if he is sweating or, conversely, cold. The conclusion suggests itself: the baby is hot and stuffy, or, on the contrary, cold. Remember that for this reason, children can cry both before and after one year. Even at 2 years old they can.

Psychological reasons

The baby should always be close to the mother. This is his nature. For newborns, this is at the level of instinct: they express the slightest need by screaming. Maternal presence calms children and creates a feeling of security.

If the mother separated the baby by putting him in the crib, he, without waking up, feels it and screams. It is clear that no mother can hold her child in her arms around the clock, and not all mothers are ready to sleep with their babies. Then it is important to organize the common space so that the baby feels that his mother is nearby.

A child's sleep may be disturbed due to overstimulation. Excessive activities, intensive exercises and massages, a long walk, too hot and long a bath before bed - young parents hope to “wind up” their child in the hope that he will fall asleep in a rich sleep.

But no. The baby gets overexcited, or, as our grandmothers used to say, “overacts,” and, as a result, cannot fall asleep at all.

Health problems

Trying to make diagnoses on your own based on crying at night is absolutely pointless. Some at 6 months, some at a year old, some at 2 years. Even if we are just talking about teething.

If your baby has a fever at night, or you notice something completely unusual and not very healthy in his behavior, call a doctor and let him personally notify you about his teeth. Or he will make a different, correct diagnosis and immediately prescribe treatment.

Children get sick, sadly. But everything can be fixed if you don’t let the disease take its course. And don’t forget that in some cases you can help the child yourself, for example, detect a runny nose and clean the baby’s nose, and then apply baby drops.

What might cause an older child to cry in his sleep?

Children older than infants may cry at night because they are scared and dark. I wanted to go to the potty, but it was pitch black all around. Of course, he will get scared and cry. This is such an ancient and often unconscious fear. If an older child cries and does not wake up, most likely he has nightmares.

Uncomfortable sleeping position, stuffiness and overheating, cold, runny nose, holding your breath, unsuitable mattress or pillow - all this can cause night crying in children of preschool and sometimes primary school age.

How to help a baby if he bursts into tears in his sleep?

Newborn

With newborns - sequentially perform all the steps of the algorithm described above: pick up, check the diaper, feed. If the newborn is definitely not hungry, rock it.

Be prepared that your newborn baby may have to be carried in your arms every night. It's hard, but it usually ends in a month. Can get rid of such a prospect co-sleeping mother and child.

But here it should be borne in mind that not all parents can sleep with their baby. Moreover, fathers, even if the young mother is ready for this. Unfortunately, newborn children can separate husband and wife in bed for a long time and lead to a situation where mom sleeps with the baby and dad sleeps in another room.

I know families, and there are many of them, in which the spouses never returned to their shared bed, even when the need to sleep with the child ceased.

For colic

If the baby twitches and twists his legs, also pick him up and press his tummy to yours; it is better to hold the baby upright. Rock him like this.

You can try giving the baby a special gas reliever, baby tea, or dill water, but especially inventive babies don’t want to drink all this, and if you have already managed to stuff a similar liquid into his mouth, they spit it out.

By the way, a very warm bath helps with colic and gas. You will be surprised how instantly the child becomes silent. Well, if you're willing to run his bath in the middle of the night, of course.

For an older child

It’s easier to calm older children who are crying: wake them up, console them, hug them. As a last resort, take him to bed with you or lie down next to him.

For symptoms of illness

Remember, all of the above techniques apply to healthy children. If the temperature rises or the child gets sick, take appropriate therapeutic measures.

In severe cases, you will have to call an ambulance, in simpler cases, lower the temperature, give warm drinks, put babies to your chest, call a doctor in the morning.

Let’s end this article with the hope that your children will be healthy and will eat and sleep well, to the delight of mom and dad. During.

Video: reasons for children's crying during sleep

“Sleeps like a baby,” they say about a person sleeping soundly. However, not all babies sleep peacefully. Many mothers experience nighttime crying and often cannot determine its cause. Today we will talk about why children cry at night and what a mother can do in this situation.

Crying children are a difficult test for every parent. It's no secret that for small child Healthy sleep is very important, since it is during these hours that it accumulates strength for development. However good rest His mother also needs it; only after resting can she give the baby her love and good mood. How to react to nighttime tears and what does the baby want to say with them?

The child cries at night - the main reasons

Babies interact with their parents through crying - they talk about their needs and problems: hunger, thirst, pain or the desire to communicate.

Older children relieve stress through tears and try to restore a comfortable state.

Therefore, in each specific case, the age of the baby and his psychological characteristics should be taken into account.

Why does a newborn cry?

Very young children scream in their sleep due to any inconvenience. Parents should not ignore such emotional manifestations.

You definitely need to approach the little man, pick him up, examine him, and check if he is cold. What can cause night tears?

1. A whining baby wants to tell you that he is hungry. If you look at the clock, you will immediately understand from the demanding cries that it is time for the next feeding. Usually, a newborn falls asleep quickly as soon as he has had his fill of milk.
2. Newborns often suffer from intestinal colic, as they digestive system is not yet able to fully cope with her responsibilities. It is the hardest for artificially fed children, although breast-fed children are not immune from this scourge. Try giving your baby special drops and take them in your arms, warming them with their warmth.
3. If you are sure that the baby is not hungry or colicky, he has probably just relieved himself and is communicating that he is uncomfortable and wants you to change his diaper or diaper.
4. Why does the baby cry in his sleep? He just misses his mom. He's already used to falling asleep in my mother's arms, and when he stops feeling her presence, he begins to whine. In this situation, you can simply take the baby in your arms and wait until he closes his eyes again.
5. The room temperature that is comfortable for you is not always ideal for a baby. If he cries, throws out his arms and legs, and his skin is covered with sweat, then the room is too hot. A baby with goose bumps and cold extremities is cold; you need to wrap him up warmer or turn on the heater.
6. If one month old baby cries all day and night and you cannot calm him down, perhaps the problem lies in the excessive sensitivity of the nervous system. Show the newborn to a neurologist and try to find a way out of this situation together.
7. If the baby wakes up at night crying and does not calm down for a long time, it means he is sick. Clear signs ailments are heat, wet or dry cough, runny nose.

The following diseases can also cause night tears:

• abdominal pain;
• stomatitis;
• discomfort during urination and bowel movements;
• inflammation of the middle ear.

In this case, you cannot hesitate or hesitate, but you must urgently contact a pediatrician.

Why does a one-year-old baby cry at night?

The reasons why children aged one year and older cry are, in most cases, related to psychological characteristics this age. Two-year-olds experience nightmares caused by disruption of their daily routine or excessive activity before bed.

1. Having a heavy or late dinner can cause sleep problems. Care must be taken to ensure that last appointment food was about a couple of hours before bedtime. And, of course, the food should be simple and light.
2. Often the prerequisite for restless sleep, interrupted by crying, is overexcitation. This is caused by overly active games and excessive impressions throughout the day. To avoid such situations, practice soothing evening procedures - a warm bath, light massage, gentle stroking.
3. Uncontrolled TV watching and early computer use can also lead to night crying. Young children do not need to see scenes of violence and cruelty; harmless cartoons in large quantities. You should reduce exposure to blue screens, especially in the evening.
4. Overly excitable children react sharply to family scandals, conflicts with peers, fears, and resentments, which results in sleep disturbances. Try to support, encourage, and speak kind words to the child.
5. Another reason for crying at night is fear of the dark. Let your baby fall asleep with a night light if he is afraid to be alone in a dark room. This way you will help your child feel safe and avoid the occurrence of childhood neuroses.

Baby cries at night - what to do?

If you encounter similar situation, When infant sobs in your sleep, you must definitely find out why this happens. To ensure that your child’s night’s rest is as calm and as long as possible, follow a few simple tips:

1. Be sure to ventilate the nursery before going to bed.
2. Remember that the preferred air temperature in the room where children sleep is from 18 to 22 degrees.
3. Make sure that your baby is not disturbed by sharp and loud sounds(reduce the TV volume, install soundproof windows).
4. Particular attention should be paid to lighting - night lights, lamps.
5. Many children sleep more peacefully if their loved one is in the crib. soft toy. Maybe you should buy a plush friend for your child too?

Try to respond to every call of your child. The baby needs to understand that you are always there and will certainly come to his aid.

If he whines but doesn't wake up, don't wake him up. Carefully check if he is cold, if anything is bothering him, pat him on the head and calm him down.

Reasons why your baby or one year old child cries at night, a lot actually. Your main task is to take a closer look at it, identify the traumatic factor in order to react to it correctly.

One baby needs the help of a pediatrician, while another only needs your presence. However, all children, without exception, need their mother’s love and care.

Other information on the topic

A healthy baby sleeps so soundly that he does not even react to sudden sounds. But not always children's sleep so deep and calm. Every mother is familiar with the situation when a sleeping baby suddenly begins to scream and cry without opening her eyes. If this happens infrequently, then there is no serious cause for concern. And when such nightly “concerts” become regular, you should be alarmed. They can be a symptom of pathological changes in the baby's body.

Main reasons

Babies cry often. Until they learn other ways of communication, crying is the only way available to them to get attention. After a couple of months, almost any mother can determine by the nature of the crying and its intensity what caused it and what the baby wants. But this is during the day. But to understand why a child starts screaming in his sleep without waking up can sometimes be very difficult.

Physiological

Not too intense crying during sleep is most often caused by purely physiological reasons - the baby experiences some discomfort, but not so strong as to wake up.

The baby may whine and toss and turn due to:

• wet diaper or panties;
• feeling of hunger;
• uncomfortable air temperature;
• low air humidity;
• uncomfortable body position;
• pillow too high or low;
• when sounds or light prevent you from falling asleep soundly.

These causes of crying are the easiest to detect and eliminate, so you need to start with them. If after this the baby continues to sleep peacefully, then everything is fine and serious problems No.

Psychological

The psyche of a newborn is still extremely unstable: he gets excited very quickly, and it takes some time to calm down. Therefore, daytime experiences often affect the quality of sleep, and not only negative ones. Stormy joy is also stress, albeit a pleasant one.

Sometimes a baby cries in his sleep without waking up because:

Important! If during the day the parents sort things out too vigorously in the presence of the child, this will definitely be deposited in his subconscious, and at night the baby will sleep restlessly. The baby feels very acutely emotional condition loved ones, and negativity scares him.

There is also such a thing as a sleep crisis, which occurs several times during the first year of life and manifests itself in the fact that the baby, who previously slept peacefully, begins to wake up frequently or cry at night. He has physiological reasons and associated with age-related changes, occurring in the baby’s body. Typically, a sleep crisis goes away without any intervention within an average of two weeks.

Pathological

It makes sense to worry when the day has passed calmly, the baby has been provided with comfortable conditions for rest, in the evening he is full and happy, but at night he still starts crying and screaming. This may already be associated with acute or chronic diseases that need to be quickly diagnosed and treated:

• spicy respiratory diseases infectious or viral nature;
• chronic ENT diseases in which breathing is difficult;
• otitis accompanied by severe ear pain;
• intestinal infections that cause fever and bloating;
• increased intracranial pressure, causing headaches;
• neurological diseases that provoke panic attacks.

Often, parents whose babies regularly cry at night run to the doctor in horror, but it turns out that the source of the problem is intestinal colic or teething, common in infants. But it’s better to play it safe and take at least basic urine and blood tests, which will show whether there are inflammatory processes in the baby’s body.

It is also advisable to consult a neurologist - he will be able to identify pathological changes on early stage when they can still be dealt with quickly.

What to do

If a baby, lying in his own crib, bursts into tears, then first of all he needs to be calmed down. Moreover, this should be done carefully - the child continues to sleep and a sudden awakening will only increase stress.

Dr. Komarovsky advises doing the following:

• approach the crib and carefully place your hand on the baby’s tummy or head;
• with the second hand, check whether the bed is dry and whether there are any creases or folds that interfere with sleep;
• carefully pick up the baby in your arms and hold him close to you;
• if he wakes up, offer him some water or breast;
• if the child is wet, change his clothes and diaper;
• check the temperature and humidity in the room;
• If the baby seems hot, be sure to set a thermometer so as not to miss the onset of the disease.

Don't put him back to bed and leave immediately. If your baby is crying a lot, hold him in your arms until he calms down completely. Or put him in a crib, but at the same time maintain tactile contact: stroke his tummy or head, lightly massage his legs and arms. When your baby falls asleep again, watch him for a while longer.

Prevention of crying

To prevent a child from crying at night, he needs to create comfortable sleeping conditions and correct mode day. Komarovsky claims that a well-designed bedtime ritual in 90% of cases provides the baby with a good night's rest.

The main elements of this ritual for the baby should be bathing, changing clothes, laying out the crib, switching the lighting to night and soothing communication (lullaby, fairy tale, etc.).

But the quality of a baby’s sleep is directly affected by events throughout the day. Here are the TOP 5 important principles that can provide a baby with healthy, sound sleep.

Daily regime

Ideally, your baby should wake up in the morning and go to bed at night at the same time. Naturally, with age the regime will be adjusted. But you need to do this smoothly, shifting daily by 10-15 minutes. And if you put your baby to bed every day different time, his body and psyche cannot adjust to sleep normally.

And don’t be afraid to wake up your child in the morning if the baby is too sleepy. Otherwise, he will not have time to get tired during the day, and sleep will not be sound.

Place to sleep

There is nothing more calming for a baby than consistency. Therefore, it is very important from the very first days of his life to decide where he will sleep at night. Many people now practice co-sleeping. If you decide so, let the baby sleep in your bed, but then put him next to him every day.

But it is better to immediately accustom the child to his own crib, which he will associate with a cozy and safe nest for sleep.

Feeding schedule

The mistake of many parents is that they overfeed the baby in the evening (at 17-18 hours), and he does not eat well at night. Naturally, after 3-4 hours of sleep at night, he begins to feel hungry - that’s where you get restless.

During the first “dinner” it is better to underfeed him a little. Then at night the baby will drink plenty of milk and sleep peacefully all night.

Active day

A healthy child is always full of strength and energy, which must be released during the day so that its remnants do not interfere with sleep at night.

But outdoor games, learning, communication with peers and visiting relatives must be planned so that they end no later than 16-17 hours.

Quiet evening

Your baby's evening should be as calm and relaxing as possible. You shouldn't make noise or fool around after 17-18 hours. There are many other interesting activities: drawing, reading a book, building a house out of cubes. Try to keep your baby calm and positive during evening playtime.

The emotional and physical state of his parents, especially his mother, is also very important for the baby. He is connected with her energetically and immediately senses if the mother is tired, dissatisfied with something, upset, or sick. He will cry because bad feeling his mother causes him psychological discomfort.

When caring for your child, never forget about yourself. Make the most of your sleep time (ideally, sleep at the same time as your baby), and don't be shy about asking your family for help or admitting that you need extra rest.

One of the basic principles that Komarovsky promotes: “A calm mother - healthy baby" And it's very simple and valuable advice, which is worth listening to.

Sound children's sleep is a fundamental part healthy development child. Often, young parents in the first year of a baby’s life face problems with night sleep. A baby can start crying and screaming for the most basic reasons, be it hunger, stomach cramps or a full diaper. But there are times when mothers and fathers notice that the child is crying in his sleep and does not wake up. What to do in such a situation, how to understand and eliminate the cause of the baby’s crying? Let's try to figure it out.

Crying during sleep: possible causes

If parents began to worry about such behavior of the child in a dream, then this was probably not an isolated case. But there is no need to sound the alarm in advance. If a baby cries in his sleep, there is a completely understandable reason for this.

Children under one year of age.

In infants, the reasons for crying can be caused by the most harmless factors. If parents carefully monitor the baby, the picture of the appearance of crying will become clear very quickly. So, why do children cry in their sleep:

• colic/gas in the tummy– babies 3-4 months old have digestive problems due to swallowing air during feeding. Abdominal bloating causes discomfort in the baby, which he will certainly announce by crying or moaning in his sleep;
• teething– Children aged 6, 7, 8 and 9 months may experience soreness in the mouth. It's all due to swollen and itchy gums. Not everyone finds teething easy. sore gums they itch a lot. Because of these unpleasant symptoms the baby cries in his sleep without waking up;
• separate sleep– some babies feel uncomfortable if their mother is not around 24 hours a day, including during sleep. Even if the mother taught the newborn to sleep separately from the first days, at the age of 10-11 months the child may cry and toss and turn due to the lack of maternal closeness in sleep.

Children 1-3 years old.

In older babies, the above reasons for restlessness and crying may appear. night sleep, but with less frequency. However, at this age other factors appear that can provoke disturbing sleep:

• violation of the daily routine– the sleep of a 1-1.5 year old child may suddenly become restless if there is a disruption in the usual daily routine. Unexpected guests, unplanned trip, or you're just celebrating New Year– the body of a child who is 2 or 3 years old will react with mini-stress;
• large portion of food before bed– an overfed baby’s stomach will be forced to work all night. When digesting food at night, unpleasant sensations may occur, and the child will cry in his sleep.

Children 4+ years old.

Even those who left infancy children may cry in their sleep. If you notice crying in your child who is already 4 or 5 years old, pay attention to the following reasons:

• fear of the dark– at this age children develop their first fears, which can cause nightmares and bad dreams. At the age of 5, a child screams in his sleep after watching dark cartoons and films, so it is imperative to protect the child’s still fragile psyche from them;
• active evening games– before bedtime there is absolutely no need to excite the child’s nervous system. A very tired child cries in his sleep without waking up. There should be no throwing over your head, dancing or jumping after 19.00.

Crying in a dream. Doctor Komarovsky's opinion

According to E.O. Komarovsky, the most likely cause of crying in infants, if it occurs several times during the night, is increased tone nervous system. At five to six month old babies, active growth of bones and baby teeth begins. Calcium supplied from food may not be enough, and in this case increased nervous excitability occurs. The solution to the problem is to take calcium gluconate to meet the need child's body in calcium.

A child screams in his sleep - what to do?

The sudden cry of a baby in a dream can seriously frighten parents. But, according to the observations of pediatricians, such cases are not at all uncommon. A child may cry at night for the following reasons:

– increased nervous excitability;

– after suffering stress or an event that excited him during the day;

– many hours computer games or games with gadgets.

If a child periodically cries out at night, parents should seek advice from a neurologist to determine the cause of the night sleep disorder.

How to make your baby sleep more peacefully

When a child cries in his sleep at night, the concern of young parents is understandable. Something is bothering the baby, but he continues to sleep. In such situations, you can try the following options:

– don’t wake up a whimpering baby. See if there is visible reasons for crying: a dropped pacifier, a wet diaper, and if possible, eliminate them;

– sometimes the baby cries at night if it is uncovered. A blanket and plaid give small children a feeling of comfort and security. Try to cover a crying baby, and in case of constant opening, buy a sleeping bag and the baby’s sleep will become less disturbing;

– if everything is fine in terms of comfort for the child, but he cries a lot in his sleep, then stroke him gently on the back and comfort him in a whisper. A few minutes, and the child will further fall into a restful sleep.

Lyudmila Sergeevna Sokolova

Reading time: 10 minutes

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Last update articles: 04/01/2019

Sleeps like a baby. Familiar to us all catchphrase, which means – strong, sweet, full. But any mother knows that almost no baby sleeps like that. Newborns suffer from colic, babies are cutting teeth, and they are overwhelmed by a stream of new knowledge and impressions. And about peaceful sleep It’s not a question, both for the baby and for the mother.

If children cry often, grandmothers say “they’ll outgrow it.” Of course, the child will grow up and a number of problems will go away, but is it worth waiting until a problem with unknown consequences ceases to be obvious? It’s probably better to figure it out in a timely manner and help the child adapt. Why do 4 month old babies cry?

When does a baby cry?

The question is exactly when does a 4 month old baby cry? And how does he cry, and how much? Does he sleep with his mother or in his own bed?

For example, babies may cry or laugh during REM sleep. This is absolutely normal. After 3 months, babies begin to dream, some of which can cause crying. This is physiological crying - quite normal phenomenon. It will pass with time.

Moreover, babies do not yet know how to laugh like adults, and they make sounds that a sleepy mother does not associate with laughter; it may even seem that the child is sobbing and is feeling unwell. But that's not true.

The main reasons for crying before bed, during sleep and during the awakening process are:

• increased excitability of the nervous system;
• overwork;
• nervous disorders;
• onset of the disease;
• overheated, dry air, stuffiness;
• hunger and thirst;
• discomfort (uncomfortable crib, tight or rough clothing, wet diaper);
• teething;
• weather anomalies (magnetic storms, changes in atmospheric pressure);
• bad feeling.

Night crying associated with the state of the nervous system

If your child cries before bed, or wakes up screaming and cannot calm down, his nervous system may be overloaded. He is overtired during waking hours, and does not rest during sleep. In this situation, the little man needs help. If your child goes to bed crying and fighting, the night's sleep will be interrupted and restless. This is truly a problem that needs to be addressed. For example, rational physical and mental stress(at this age, playing with new objects is emotional, intellectual, and physical work, quite difficult for a little person). As well as the formation of sleep and wakefulness patterns.

The reason for constant crying before going to bed and during sleep may be neurological problems. This will help clarify neurosonography (if it was not performed in maternity hospital) and an experienced neurologist.

The baby’s nervous system can be designed in such a way that his inhibition processes prevail over his inhibition processes (your choleric person is growing). This means that “it starts up with half a turn”, and under intense load “it goes into overdrive”, because it is difficult for it to stop and “cool down”, that’s how it is designed. He needs help by carefully observing his behavior, and at the first signs of fatigue, calm him down and try to get some sleep. After 3 months, all children become more intensely interested in the world around them and fight sleepiness with all their might, but excitable children are a special category. These will try especially zealously.

Four-month-old babies acutely feel the absence of their mother; they do not wake up immediately after she leaves, but in the rapid phase of sleep, when they begin to toss and turn, they react more sharply to stimuli. That's when they feel that they are left alone, and they can cry in their sleep and even wake up. You can rock the baby and try to put him down again, you can be with him during the rapid phase of his sleep, or teach the baby to sleep independently.

There is still debate about the latter among experienced pediatricians and those involved in scientific work. Some are for independent sleep child, some consider it necessary for the mother and her child to sleep together.

Crying caused by physical factors, external and internal

The set of reasons why a child under one year old may cry does not depend on his life span. This applies to reasons related to environmental conditions:

1. temperature;
2. humidity;
3. dustiness;
4. noise and light stimuli.

Internal reasons cause increased nervousness in children, no less often than heat or loud noises, for example:

• If a child is hot, stuffy, and his crib is located near a radiator, he will not get proper rest. Experts recommend that even in winter, when putting your child to bed, leave the window open until the temperature drops. environment up to -15-18 o C. It is necessary to ventilate the room well before the baby goes to bed; an exception may be the situation when the child has seasonal hay fever. In this case, the room will have to be cooled, refreshed and humidified using devices for maintaining the microclimate in the room (split systems).
• The feeling of hunger quite often wakes up children under one year old in the middle of the night. At first they whine in their sleep; if you give them milk or water, this calms them down; if they don’t get what they want, they wake up crying. If the baby is not getting enough calories daytime, at night he will demand food more than once. This will disrupt sleep for both the baby and the mother. Therefore, it is better to feed him enough during the daytime. If the child is on breastfeeding and feed on demand, mothers should think about the quality of their milk. And take a closer look at how the baby eats. Some babies do not breastfeed completely, receive only thin, superficial milk and therefore look constantly hungry.
• Teeth, or rather the process of teething, goes unnoticed by few people. This is usually quite painful for the baby and very exhausting for his mother. Sometimes teeth erupt in pairs, and there are times when they are in no hurry to appear, and then 4 teeth appear at a time. This is very painful for the child. Discomfort in the mouth, especially in the evening, leads to the fact that the little person tries to chew everything that comes to hand, becomes capricious, has difficulty falling asleep, and cries before bed. He also sleeps restlessly, crying in his sleep and upon awakening.

As sad as it is to admit, today many modern children are weather sensitive. They respond to solar activity, to changes in environmental parameters during windy weather, or when moving from sunny day to cloudy. They feel especially bad during sudden changes in conditions and heavy rain (snowfall, hail). Most often, babies suffer from this addiction after caesarean section, difficult childbirth, intrauterine infections. This is especially true for a child with increased intracranial pressure. Such children may suddenly develop a headache attack, which will cause them to cry before going to bed or during the night's rest. It is not yet possible to find out what is wrong with the baby, and it is difficult to predict the development of this condition. Most often, parents who have recognized the presence of such a problem in their son or daughter can only understand after the fact why their child behaved so excitedly and capriciously. In this case, you cannot do without consulting a neurologist.

Try to find out the cause and eliminate it. If a child cries constantly, there is obviously no reason, he definitely needs a specialist (neurologist, psychologist, pediatrician).

Over time, parents learn to recognize the reason for crying. When children are unhappy and scream, trying to squeeze out a tear to show their disagreement, when they are hungry, or they are in pain, or when they are just very tired.

To reduce the number of your baby’s complaints (before bedtime or immediately after it), you need to prepare a crib in which he will sleep, preferably with an orthopedic mattress. Or a place on your bed, comfortable and warm. Create a comfortable environment for your baby to sleep: ventilate and clean the room. Don't wrap him up too much. Change the diaper and make sure he is fed. If teeth are being cut, the child may be capricious for quite a long time before bed and sleep restlessly. In such a situation, it is better to consult a pediatrician and select suitable drops or gel to relieve swelling and inflammation of the gums.