If you are at your wit's end with a lack of shut eye, here are five tips that should help you understand what is happening and what you can do.
Check their feeding habits
Newborn babies can feed a lot and if your infant is waking up during the night hungry they might not be getting enough food during the day to settle them. Try giving them a longer feed before bed or adding an extra one during the day. While they will still wake up during the night for a feed, hopefully it won’t be as often as they are doing now.
Check the temperature of the room
Babies are very sensitive to their environment so make sure they are not too hot or too cold. Check the temperature in the room and increase or decrease it accordingly. Check where the crib is located – is it under a draft or too close to the radiator?
Rule out colic
If your infant is waking up screaming and crying excessively they might be suffering from colic. Signs to look out for include baby crying at the same time each evening, having a high pitched cry, clenching fists and pulling their legs up to their chest. If you do believe it is colic, you will need to take them to the doctor who might be able to prescribe something.
Seek a medical opinion
If you are worried that your child’s inability to sleep is something deeper than simply being hungry or a bad sleeper you should take them to the doctor. As you and your baby become more used to one another you will being to recognise their different cries: hunger, pain, tired, fussy, dirty and be able to help them accordingly.
Ride it out
For some mums the only solution is to simply ride it out for a couple of months. Newborns have yet to establish a sleeping pattern that relates to day and night and often they will sleep during the day and stay awake at night. But as your baby gets older they should eventually settle into a sleep routine over time, hopefully.
