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Are you wondering why your little one won’t close those cute little eyes, and KEEP them closed? Here’s some common reasons why babies fight sleep and how to cope!
The Uphill Parenting Battle
It’s been a long day and you’re trying to wind down that bundle of joy in your arms. With each rock, their little eyes grow heavier and heavier, and you slowly begin to make your way towards the crib or bassinet. Then all of the sudden, as if on queue, baby is wide awake and cranky! Does this sound familiar? If you’ve recently experienced the infamous sleep-shuffle, you aren’t alone!Â
Why Babies Fight Sleep
If you’re on your third or fourth cup of coffee and reading this for answers, we’re glad you’re here! Before we get to ways you can cope with your restless little one, here’s some reasons why baby might be fighting sleep.
Over or Under TirednessÂ
Perhaps being “under” tired makes a bit more sense than being “over” tired. A baby who perhaps napped longer than the recommended amount, hasn’t had an adequate amount of daytime play, or napped too close to bedtime may not be quite ready for nighttime sleep. However, babies can also be overtired, where a cortisol stress response is activated due to do inadequate sleep quality (and quantity).Â
Over Stimulation
In conjunction with being overtired, babies can also be overstimulated. Too much (overly) loud noise in the room, excessive lighting, loud voices, or an unfamiliar environment can result in an overstimulated (and thus untired) little one. Excessive play before bedtime, especially if electronics are involved, may result in baby being overstimulated.Â
Growth Spurt or Regression
If your little one is going through a growth spurt, milestone or regression stage, a skewed sleep schedule is an extremely common biproduct. While growth spurts can sometimes accompany more (welcomed) sleep, they can also do the opposite. Thus, a sleep regression is when a baby’s typical sleep pattern is temporarily disrupted, resulting in trouble getting to sleep and staying asleep for longer than 2-3 hours at a time.
Separation Anxiety
Separation anxiety is extremely common in babies, often resulting in the “waking right when being put down” struggle that many parents are all to familiar with. Later in this article, we’ll provide some tips on how to remedy this specifically.Â
Tips to Overcome!
Despite the reason your baby wont sleep, you need answers on what to do next! While every child is different and responds to different queues, here’s some popular remedies that might make your nights less sleepless.Â
Use White Noise
While overtly loud and sudden noises can wake a little one, a room that is overly quiet can make them equally restless. Especially in the early months, white noise can be a saving grace. While in the womb, your little one was exposed to all kinds of sounds, gurgles and tones. White noise can help them feel more at ease, and comfortable enough to stay asleep.
Establish a Bedtime & Nap Routine
While it can’t be said enough that every baby is different, developing a nighttime and daytime nap schedule can work wonders in the long run, and help prime your little one for a mindset of sleep. For example, try giving your baby a bath right before their last feeding of the night. Overtime, they’ll begin to associate bath time with their last feeding, and their last feeding with nighttime sleep.Â
Use a Sleep Sack
In addition to traditional swaddling, sleep sacks for babies over 8lbs can be extremely useful. As a wearable blanket/bodysuit, sleep sacks provide an added layer of warmth, security and comfort that has been proven to reduce restlessness and anxiety in babies. For peace of mind, consult your pediatrician prior to trying a sleep sack.
Physical Contact Before Bedtime
Especially if your baby struggles with separation anxiety, having physical contact-based play before bedtime can help make the transition to the bassinet or crib a bit easier. Consider some extra snuggling or tumble play close to bedtime, and when the time comes to start their nightly routine, slow down a bit.Â
Take it in Stride
Remember, the days are long but the years are short! Especially as a new parent, it can be easy to think your little ones sleep struggles are a “parenting fail”, but remember, they’re far from it! Keep your chin up mom and dad, you’re doing great! We’ll get through this one cup of coffee at a time. Lastly, if you feel your little one’s lack of sleep may be due to something more serious, don’t hesitate to contact your family doctor.
