Why Your Newborn Is Keeping You Up All Night

This blog will explore the many reasons your baby might not sleep at night and offer practical solutions to help you both get some rest. We will examine the factors that affect infant sleep patterns. You’ll learn why your baby may keep you awake at night and how you can adjust to this exhausting time. Let’s break this down.

1. Your Baby is Still Adjusting to the World Outside the Womb

It is important to realize that newborns have to adjust to a new world. Your baby spent the first nine months of its life in a warm, dark, and quiet environment. Your heartbeat was the only sound they heard. The muffled sounds from the outside world and your gentle movements were also present. They’ve now entered a chaotic, stimulating environment filled with bright lights and loud noises. A tiny baby has a lot to take in.

Your baby’s brain is still adjusting to the new world and does not understand what day and night are. In the early weeks of life, babies do not have a circadian rhythm, which is an internal biological clock used to regulate sleep and awakeness. Your baby may not be able to distinguish between night and day, resulting in periods of waking up at night and sleeping throughout the day.

It’s important to remember that even though it feels like your baby may be “off schedule,” this phase is only temporary. Over the first few months, your baby’s circadian clock will develop. By the time he or she is six to eight weeks of age, they will be able to sleep longer at night. Don’t be surprised, however, if you find that your baby is waking up frequently at night and sleeping a lot during the day.

2. Your Baby’s Stomach is Tiny, and It Needs Frequent Meals

New parents worry that their infant isn’t eating enough or that something’s wrong when they hear their baby crying in the middle of the night. The truth is that babies have small stomachs and need to be fed frequently. Even at night, your baby may wake up to eat every two to three hours. It can be frustrating for parents hoping to get more sleep. However, this is completely normal.

For several reasons, newborns must be fed often. Their bodies are rapidly growing, and they require constant nutrition to build their energy reserves. Many newborns also go through “cluster feeding” phases, where they feed at certain times during the day or night. It is common for this to happen in the evenings, making nighttime feedings seem more frequent.

You may notice that your child wants to breastfeed for long periods or immediately after finishing the previous feed. This is normal, and it is a part of the process to establish a good supply of milk. Even if you are bottle-feeding your baby, it is important to pay attention to their hunger cues. Newborns often wake up hungry because they don’t have enough calories.

3. Your Baby Might Not Feel Well: Gas, Colic, and Other Discomforts

It’s always a concern for parents when their baby doesn’t sleep. Sometimes, the cause of this restlessness is physical discomfort. Babies are very sensitive and can be affected by several things that cause them to feel uneasy or wake up frequently at night. The most common causes of discomfort are:

• Gas Because newborns’ digestive systems are immature, they can experience gas buildup. This can be very painful. Gas can cause discomfort and bloating, which makes it difficult for your child to fall asleep. As your baby tries to pass gas, you may see them squirming or arching their spine.
• Colic: Some babies experience colic. This condition is characterized by excessive crying. Although the cause of colic has not been fully determined, it is believed to be caused by digestive discomfort. Colic usually peaks at six weeks of age and improves with your baby’s maturation.
• Teething Although babies typically start teething at six months old, some can show early signs even before that. Drooling, irritability, and disturbed sleep are some of the symptoms.

You should always consult your pediatrician if you suspect your baby is having trouble sleeping due to discomfort. You can also try other soothing techniques, such as gentle tummy massaging, cycling leg movements to relieve gas, or holding your child upright after feedings to aid digestion. If your baby is feeling agitated due to colic, a warm bath or gentle rocking may help soothe them.

4. You Need to Be Close To Your Baby

The newborn is wired to look for comfort, security, and reassurance. In the first few weeks, babies need constant love, care, and attention. Feeding your baby is not only good for their health, but it also helps them bond with you. This need to be close can go beyond just feeding. Many newborns will wake up at night to comfort their parents.

Some babies can be very sensitive to being alone. They may cry or even resist sleeping if they don’t sense your presence. You may have tried to calm your baby, but they still wake up. It could be that they need to be near you. Attachment to their caregivers is important for their emotional development but can also cause sleep disturbances in both parents and their babies.

Keeping your baby in the room with you can help to ease the need for comfort. The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests that you share a room with your baby (but not a bed), reduce the risk of Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), and provide comfort for your child. Use soothing techniques such as gentle rocking, swaddling, or offering a baby pacifier.

5. Sensory Overload Can Affect Your Baby’s Sleep

Newborns have a high level of sensitivity to their surroundings. All of it is brand new for them: the sights, sounds, and smells. It’s normal to want to play and engage with your child, but too much stimulation can result in an overactive baby who has trouble falling asleep at night.

Overstimulation comes in many forms. You can, for example:

• Loud noises or bright lights: Babies can be affected by sudden changes in their environment. Bright lights and loud noises may make it hard for them to sleep.
• Too many physical interactions or play: Babies need enough sleep to develop and grow, but too much excitement can disturb their sleep cycle.
• Caffeine If breastfeeding, caffeine in your diet may pass into your milk and affect your baby’s sleep.

Create a calm bedtime routine to avoid overstimulation. Dim the lights, speak in a gentle voice, and keep the environment as peaceful and quiet as possible. Avoid any stimulating or vigorous activities in the evening to help your child wind down.

6. Eating Comes First: Newborns’ Instincts Over Sleep

You may be surprised to learn that newborns do not have the biological wiring to sleep for long periods through the night from birth. They are born with an instinct to feed and not sleep. Nursing or bottle-feeding your baby not only provides nourishment but also comfort. This helps to grow and develop the baby in its early weeks.

Cluster feeding occurs frequently in the first couple of weeks. Babies tend to feed more often at certain times during the day or night. It is a way for them to stimulate milk production while meeting their needs. Many newborns feed multiple times during the night. It can seem as if the cycle of sleep deprivation will never end.

This time can be chaotic and frustrating for parents who are trying desperately to rest. Patience is the key to getting through this phase. As your baby grows, their digestive system will mature and the,y will sleep longer. This doesn’t happen until your baby is six weeks old, usually after the first couple of weeks.

7. When Will It Get Better?

Sleepless nights will not last forever. It may seem like your baby is stuck in a cycle of sleep deprivation and constant feeding.

Around six weeks old, your baby will begin to develop a circadian rhythm and sleep longer at night. You may not be able to sleep for eight hours straight away, but your baby’s sleep patterns will become more predictable, and nighttime feedings should decrease.

By three to four months, you’ll probably find that your baby can sleep longer at night. You may even see the beginnings of a bedtime routine. Every baby is unique, so some may take longer to adapt to longer sleep periods.

Conclusion 

Sleepless nights can be one of the most challenging aspects of becoming a parent. It’s easy to become frustrated and overwhelmed during this time. It can seem like the exhaustion of trying to calm a restless infant in the middle of the night is never-ending. You can take solace in the fact that these sleepless nights are temporary. As your baby grows, you will both get used to a predictable sleep schedule.

You can use a variety of strategies to help your baby sleep better in the interim. It is possible to make a big difference by adjusting their daily routines and feeding schedules. Even though it may seem like the progress is slow, each small change helps your child adjust to his new environment and learn better ways to sleep.

During this stage, you and your baby must be patient. You know your baby best, so trust your instincts and ask for help if you need it. You may feel that you are not doing enough, but all that matters is that you do your best. While this phase is difficult, it’s only a part of the parenting journey. Before long, you will look back at your child and be amazed by how much they have grown.