Top 5 Mistakes About Sleeping Patterns in Babies
Between the ages of 0 and 3 is the most important period for brain and physical development. Making the best use of such an important process is through educational games, healthy eating and quality sleep. Sleep; It plays a very important role in the lives of both new babies and children. Because researches show that growth hormone increases during sleep, new pathways are formed in the nervous system and protein synthesis accelerates. It also relaxes the body and relaxes the mind in babies, just like in adults. Thus, babies are more willing to learn and develop.
However, it is not always easy to ensure sleep patterns in babies. Some babies may be stubborn not to sleep even if they are sleepy, or they may have difficulty falling asleep due to various mistakes. Here are the 5 most common mistakes about sleep patterns in babies and children.
Month by Month Sleep Pattern in Babies
Without mentioning the mistakes made about the sleep pattern, it is necessary to learn a little about the sleep pattern according to the ages. While almost 70% of babies start to sleep regularly after completing their 3rd month, this figure reaches 90% after 9 months. At the end of the 6th month, most babies begin to develop their sleep patterns like adults. However, unlike adults, their need for daytime sleep continues. If there are still problems with sleep patterns even after 6 months, it may come to mind that the baby has not developed the ability to sleep on his own. In addition, sleep problems are more common in babies who are accustomed to sleeping at the breast, rocking while sleeping, or having a short daytime sleep. For this reason, it is recommended that parents teach the baby to sleep on its own. It is definitely not recommended to accustom the baby to actions such as shaking in the early periods to sleep.
5 Mistakes About Sleeping Patterns in Babies
Sometimes the mistakes that parents make unintentionally can make it difficult to settle the sleeping pattern. Here are some of those mistakes…
1. Not Providing a Proper Environment
Just as we adults turn off the light before going to sleep and distance ourselves from the noisy environment, it is necessary to prepare a sleeping area for babies where there is no noisy or active environment. For example, it can be checked whether the room temperature is suitable for the baby, and a dim and quiet area can be prepared. However, it should not be forgotten that a simple room design will not attract the attention of the baby and will facilitate the transition to sleep, and the fact that the bed and duvet cover are made of cotton fabrics will prevent sleep interruptions due to sweating.
2. Not Creating a Sleep Routine
The most important step in facilitating the transition to sleep for babies is definitely to create a sleep discipline. sleep discipline; They are a set of verbs that are applied at the same time every day, in the same order, and prepare the baby for sleep. For example; You can create a routine that most mothers follow, such as taking a bath at the same time every evening, then relaxing the baby by massaging with natural oils, feeding and cleaning his diaper and putting on his pajamas. After a while, the baby will learn that after the bath it is time to go to bed and he needs to go to sleep. The most important point that mothers should pay attention to here is to be patient and stick to the routine. Thus, after a while, it will be observed that the baby goes to sleep more comfortably.
3. Sleeping at Different Times Every Day
Like adults, babies should have a consistent sleep schedule and this schedule should be followed. Thus, after a while, the biological clock of the babies is formed and it becomes much easier to put the baby to sleep when the determined sleep time comes. But it would be pointless to expect new babies to sleep at the same times. Because new babies spend almost 18 hours of their day sleeping and wake up frequently to feed during sleep. At the same time, the processes of adaptation to the world, the intense gas pains seen in the first days, etc. factors cause this effort to fail. For this reason, it will be more efficient to determine the sleep time after the first month of babies.
4. Not Letting Her/His Relax
Ensuring that your baby relaxes physiologically before trying to put your baby to sleep is an important step that will facilitate the transition to sleep. For example, you should complete feeding at least half an hour before trying to put your baby to sleep. You can relieve abdominal pain by removing gas immediately after feeding. If his nose is blocked, you can use an aspirator, if he has not pooped, you can gently rub his stomach to help him poop. You should definitely check the diaper and change it immediately if it is wet. Because no baby is peaceful when his bottom is wet.
While doing all these steps, you should also notice the baby's sleep signals. Almost every baby shows this with some signs when he/she sleeps. Some scratch their eyes, some yawn, and some get very restless. After getting to know your baby well, you will notice his sleep signs. If he cannot sleep even though he is sleepy, the restlessness increases due to the stress hormone and his sleep may be completely lost.
5. Not Spending Enough Time With Your Child
Babies expect attention from their parents since the first day they are born. Because you are the only thing he knows and trusts in this world he has never seen before! It is known that children who do not spend time with their parents want their families to take care of them and therefore resist sleep. That's why parents who suffer from insomnia need to check whether they spend enough time with their child.
The fact that the baby cannot have a regular sleep routine means that the sleep patterns of the parents are also disturbed. Although this is not a problem at first, it can become a very distressing situation for parents after a while. No matter how old your baby is, if you behave consistently, the sleep pattern will definitely settle. Asking for order to settle immediately is often an unrequited expectation. Give your child and yourself time and make sure to stick to your sleep schedule.
Apart from the above, a baby suffering from sleep problems;
1- He may be hungry or not sufficiently fed.
2- The six can be dirty.
3- The baby may have a gas problem.