You're at the end of the rope and you're not sure how much more you can
take. You adore your newborn baby, but you desperately need her to sleep a
little more regularly.
Is there something you can do to tackle this problem without taking her back?
You bet!
Generally, if your baby struggles to sleep, a solution is somewhere out there. There
are some things you should do first to examine the situation a little
more closely. I suggest you also read about
how you are often
the cause of if your baby cannot sleep.
It is wise starting to rule out any potential medical concerns that could be
a potential problem.
The things to check for here include:
Labored breathing at night. Listen to baby as she sleeps. If her breathing
sounds labored or shallow, it might be time to contact a doctor.
Signs of allergies. Allergies can cause real problems for babies and create
a rather big baby sleep problem. If her nose is runny, her eyes water and there
is no sign of a cold, you might need to ferret out the source of the irritation.
Removing it might help her sleep much better.
Stomach concerns. Acid reflux and other gastrointestinal issues are
bigger
problems in newborns than many realize. If she seems too gassy, fussy or
uncomfortable, it could go beyond colic. Check with a doctor to be certain. If
this is the issue, there are things doctors can do to help baby feel better and
tackle the baby sleep problem at the same time.
Not every sleep problem is caused by medical concerns. In fact, most are
much less shameful. If it happens regularly, check such
things as:
The lighting in baby's room. Is it too bright? Does the window need better
coverage from the sun's rays or streetlights? If so, fix this and see if your
baby sleep problem goes away.
Hunger. Is baby on a four-to-five-hour eating schedule, but she's still
waking up starving every three hours? It's possible her routine needs to be
changed. If you're concerned about adding more food at one sitting or increasing
frequency, check with your pediatrician.
Noise. It's almost never a good idea to walk on eggshells around a
sleeping baby. But if there is too much noise in the house, it could be the problem.
Try to keep your home reasonably quiet as baby sleeps.
This doesn't mean you
cannot talk, watch television or go about normal life. Just keep the radio down
and the distractions at a minimum. Remember, babies spend a lot of time in REM
(rapid eye movement) sleep, which means they can be woken up rather easily. This can cause a baby
sleep problem in and of itself.
Lack of noise. Believe it or not, silence is not always the best, especially
for a newborn baby. Remember, she's used to hearing your stomach gurgle, your
voice and other noises from the womb. Perhaps a bit of white noise or a womb
sounds toy would help?
When your baby won't sleep, it can seem to be a huge crisis. The
best way to approach it for a cure is make sure there are no serious problems at
the heart of the sleeping issue and then seek out viable solutions.
Chances are
the fix is a lot easier than you realize.
For more sleep aid tips and ideas, get your free 21 Surprisingly Smarter Baby Sleep Tips.
Fill in the details below and Submit.
Labored breathing at night. Listen to baby as she sleeps. If her breathing
sounds labored or shallow, it might be time to contact a doctor.