Why does the baby cry at night? What should I do if the baby cries and doesn't sleep at night?

Many babies have the problem of crying and not sleeping at night, which makes many new mothers very distressed. It seriously affects sleep and is not good for the growth and development of babies. So why do babies cry at night? What should I do if my baby cries and doesn't sleep at night?

What to do if your baby cries at night

It is normal for babies to cry, but it is not normal for babies to refuse to sleep and cry loudly at night. If babies cry constantly, not only will they not be able to sleep well, but also affect their work and life. They will also receive complaints from neighbors, which is a headache for parents. So what should parents do if their babies cry at night?

The baby's crying at night is most likely caused by calcium deficiency, which is a common phenomenon and can cause the baby to sweat excessively and other discomforts. Parents can supplement vitamin D and calcium appropriately.

The reason why babies cry incessantly at night may be that they are easily frightened when they sleep at night without their parents holding them. Therefore, we should reduce the surrounding noise and know how to eliminate children’s fear in life.

When your baby sleeps at night, you should choose the thickness of the quilt according to the climate temperature. Don’t cover your child with too many quilts because you are worried that the child will catch a cold, and don’t cover your child with too few quilts because you are afraid that the child will get too hot. The heat will make the child feel uncomfortable and cry. So parents should know how to judge!

Why does the baby cry at night?

In the outpatient clinic, mothers often ask why their babies cry easily at night. As a pediatrician with 30 years of medical experience, I have summarized the following reasons for mothers based on my personal situation and clinical experience:

Improper feeding: Pediatric feeding should be scientific and rational. Complementary food should not be added too early or too late. Regardless of whether the mother's milk is sufficient or not, the baby should be exposed to food of different flavors in time during the food adaptation period, so that the baby can get enough nutrition and not be hungry. In addition, the baby should be exposed to the sun more often, because the sun can synthesize vitamin D in the skin, and calcium absorption requires the help of vitamin D. Not being partial to food + getting more sun can ensure that the baby's nutrition is balanced and less noisy at night.

The child lacks a sense of security: Try to speak softly to the baby after dark to let him know that it is time to sleep at night. If the child cries, comfort him more and respond to his needs in time. Many parents say: My child falls asleep when I hold him, but wakes up when I put him down. Young babies do not have very developed senses, so they wake up easily when they are put down, but there will be a significant improvement in 3-4 months. Believe that the child will be fine when he grows up.

Too excited during the day: With a baby, it is best for the entire family to follow the child's schedule. For example, starting from the evening, the baby should not be too excited, the whole house should be quiet, the TV volume should be turned down, and the voice should be lowered. At the prescribed bedtime, it is best to implement a fixed sleep routine: for example, draw the curtains, dim the lights, and hint that the baby is going to sleep, so that the child will form a conditioned reflex over time. After the baby has started to eat complementary foods, he can drink a cup of warm milk before going to bed, which will make it easier for the child to fall asleep.

Scared: Children's nerves are not well developed and are easily affected by stimulation. Therefore, babies are often frightened by sudden noises in their sleep and burst into tears. Therefore, it is recommended that adults try to control their emotions in front of children, care for them, and give them enough sense of security.

Sick: If the above reasons are excluded and the baby still cries, parents should be alert to whether the baby is unwell or sick. If necessary, please consult a pediatrician on the medical information platform or go directly to the hospital for timely medical treatment.

How to deal with a crying baby at night

We all know that babies always cry and wake up in the middle of the night, which is the most troublesome problem for parents. Once the baby cries, it means that the whole night's sleep is gone. It not only affects the health of the body, but also affects the work of the next day. So how should parents deal with babies crying at night?

First, parents can massage their babies appropriately. Various pats and massages can help calm babies down. You can try to let the baby sit upright on your shoulders and pat his back. But don't massage the baby's belly before the baby is four weeks old, and avoid the spine.

Second, you can play music for your baby. Rhythmic sounds or music can help soothe a newborn. Even the hum of a washing machine or vacuum cleaner can help calm the baby. Listening to music can cultivate your baby's optimistic personality.

Third, sucking. Whether it is the mother's breast, the bottle, the pacifier, or the baby's own fingers, sucking can always play a soothing role, but the mother should sterilize the bottle and pacifier at ordinary times, and keep the baby's fingers clean to avoid diseases from the mouth.

Fourth, rock your baby gently in your arms or cradle, or push him in a stroller. You can comfort him with gentle hugs and soft singing.

Fifth, some babies feel better after burping, so try sitting your baby upright on your shoulder and patting his back.

Sixth, you can give your baby a bath. A warm bath can immediately calm some babies, but be aware that this may have the opposite effect.

The adverse consequences of baby crying at night

Baby's crying at night will affect growth and development

It is often said that "children who get enough sleep grow taller", which is a completely correct scientific fact.

The growth of the human body depends on growth hormone. The main physiological function of growth hormone is to promote the synthesis of various tissues in the human body, especially proteins. It can stimulate the growth of bone joint cartilage and epiphyseal cartilage, making people taller. Once the human body lacks growth hormone, growth stagnation will occur. Growth hormone is secreted the most when the child is asleep at night. If the child cries for a long time at night, the secretion of growth hormone will inevitably be reduced, thus affecting the speed at which the child's height increases.

The reason why babies cry at night is initially related to their biological clock. The central nervous system of newborns is not yet fully developed, and the conditioned reflex of waking during the day and sleeping at night has not yet been established. They are easily generalized to external stimuli such as sound and light, causing sudden crying. Generally speaking, the conditioned reflex of the cerebral cortex of newborns gradually begins to form 15 days after birth. When they sleep too much during the day, they will cry at night. Other factors, such as the temperature and humidity of the environment, or being too cold, too hot, or too stuffy, can also make children uncomfortable and cry. Some babies must be fed once in the middle of the night, and they will cry if they are not fed. Some babies will cry if their diapers are wet and are not changed in time (disposable diapers can avoid this phenomenon).