What should I do if my newborn keeps crying while sleeping? How long should I sleep?

I believe many parents have had the experience of their babies waking up and crying in the middle of the night. For newborns, crying until they fall asleep is not suitable for them because they cannot stop crying and do not know how to soothe themselves. So what should we do if newborns keep crying when they sleep, and how long should they sleep?

Newborn sleep training

Can they cry themselves to sleep? Child experts believe that newborns are too young to be trained to fall asleep on their own. Babies under 3 months old cannot stop crying or soothe themselves to sleep unless their needs are met, such as feeding or changing diapers.

Reasons why babies cry: Generally speaking, newborns cry mostly because they are hungry, have wet diapers, are uncomfortable, are too hot or too cold. As long as the baby's needs are met, the baby will usually stop crying.

When to try: Between 4 and 7 months, your baby will show some signs that they are ready for sleep training. As long as you notice that your baby wants to sleep, such as yawning, rubbing eyes and other signs of sleep, you can start sleep training and let your baby fall asleep on his own.

Not necessarily effective: This method of sleep training works for some babies but not others. This doesn't mean you're doing it wrong, it just means you need to try a different sleep training method.

Know the training limits: This sleep training method is not to let your baby cry all the time, but you should set a limit on the crying time. Parents should not let the baby cry in bed for more than 5 to 15 minutes.

Understand your baby's crying: Experts say that newborns cry for a reason, and responding to their cries and making them feel safe has health benefits. Sometimes crying for too long may even mean that you need to take your baby to the doctor.

What to do if your newborn cries while sleeping

Basic procedure: When you find your baby is sleepy, pat him/her gently while putting him/her in bed. Then leave the bed and let him/her fall asleep on his/her own, even if he/she starts to cry. If the baby is not asleep, come back and pat him/her gently after 5 minutes. Repeat and extend the time until the baby falls asleep.

Don't respond immediately: Sometimes your baby will wake up and cry after a nap. Don't respond to his crying immediately. Sometimes he can soothe himself and fall asleep again. So listen and wait until the baby cries for a long time before going over to watch, so as not to wake him up.

How long it takes: Parents who follow this training method will find that after about the third day, the baby's crying will gradually subside. By the seventh night, the baby's crying may be short-lived and he will soon fall asleep on his own.

How long do newborns sleep?

Generally, a newborn baby sleeps 18 to 20 hours a day, 2 to 3 months old sleeps 16 to 18 hours, 5 to 9 months old sleeps 15 to 16 hours, 1 year old sleeps 14 to 15 hours, 2 to 3 years old sleeps 12 to 13 hours, 4 to 5 years old sleeps 11 to 12 hours, and 7 to 13 years old sleeps 9 to 10 hours. There are also a few children who are particularly alert in the first few months, so if they seem to be in good spirits, there is no need to worry.