How to help babies sleep soundly

This is an automatically translated article.

The article is professionally consulted by Master, Doctor Ngo Thi Oanh - Pediatrician - Pediatrics - Neonatology - Vinmec Ha Long International General Hospital. Uncle Ho has over 10 years of experience working in the field of Pediatrics and has strengths in examining, diagnosing and treating respiratory, digestive, urological, and child nutrition diseases.
Sleep is very important for infants in their nervous and emotional development in the first weeks after birth. In order to adapt to a new environment, usually babies do not sleep deeply and wake up many times in a few hours, understanding the child's sleep mechanism will help parents take good care of their children as well as have appropriate methods. Help children sleep better.

1. How do babies sleep?

Newborns up to one month old sleep almost all day and night and only wake up to feed (2-3 hours/time). Because they can't distinguish between day and night, babies can sleep throughout the day and wake up more at night (8-9 hours during the day and about 8 hours at night). For babies from 3 months old or 6 kg will start sleeping through the night (6-8 hours) without waking. At that time, parents do not need to wake the infant to feed, but should be careful not to let the baby sleep for more than 3 hours without feeding. For special cases such as prematurity, low birth weight, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) may require more frequent feedings.

2. What are the stages of an infant's sleep?

Children's sleep is also divided into many stages like adults, depending on each stage, children can lie still or have movements. There are two types of sleep: fast sleep and slow sleep. Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep: this is light sleep, the baby will dream and the eyes move rapidly in the forward and backward direction. REM sleep accounts for about half of a child's sleep during the day, so even though he sleeps up to 16 hours a day, he only sleeps deeply for about 8 hours. Slow sleep (Non-REM- Non-rapid eye movement: no rapid eye movement): This sleep consists of the following 4 stages:
Stage 1: Drowsiness - eyelids droop or blink continuously, sleep dozed off Stage 2: Dozes- Baby still moves, startles, twists or groans Stage 3: Deep sleep - baby is quiet and doesn't move Stage 4: Very deep sleep - baby is quiet and no movement. Your baby's sleep will progress sequentially in 4 stages, then go back to stage 2 and switch to REM sleep. A child's sleep may have shoulder sleep cycles on. During the first few months of sleep, babies often startle when they go from deep sleep to lethargy and have difficulty falling back to sleep.

3. Infant awakening stages

If the baby wakes at the end of the sleep cycle, the baby will enter the “quiet awakening” phase. During this stage the child remains quiet despite being awake and aware of his surroundings and responding to sounds and touch
Then the child will move into the "active awakening" stage when the child pays attention to everything. motion pictures and sounds. Then there will be the “cry phase” where the baby moves more and may cry loudly, the baby is hyper-excited which needs to be calmed down by hugging the baby tightly or wrapping the baby in a towel/blanket. During the crying phase, your baby may be too upset to breastfeed, so it's a good idea to breastfeed before going through this stage.

4. Methods to help babies sleep soundly

4.1 Practice good sleep habits for babies Recognizing signs of sleepiness In the first 8 weeks after birth, babies cannot stay awake for more than 2 hours in a row because then they will be too tired and become difficult to sleep. Signs of sleepiness in children such as continuous blinking, half-lidded, prolonged, yawning or dark circles under the eyes will help parents put their children to bed to ensure a good night's sleep
Teach children the difference between day and night One Some babies have a habit of staying up at night right from the womb and when they are born, they also maintain the same habit. In the first few days after birth, it is not possible to change the child's habits immediately, but can only start teaching when the baby is 2 weeks old.
During the day when the baby is still awake, it is necessary to play with the baby as much as possible, talk and sing to the baby during the daytime feedings, ensure the light in the bedroom and do not need to remove the usual daytime noises such as TV, radio, ... gently wake the child up when he is asleep. At night, keep quiet and speak softly when the baby is feeding at night, keep the room dark and quiet.
Teaching babies to sleep on their own When babies are 6-8 weeks old can start teaching babies to sleep on their own. Parents should put the baby in the crib or bed when the child is sleepy but still awake. The way to soothe the baby in the first 8 weeks after birth is very important because it will form a habit for the baby, so it is necessary to choose the form that is feasible for you such as: lullaby, listening to music, patting the bottom, scratching the head, etc. .. Do not let the baby sleep in his arms and then put it on the bed because it will create bad habits for the child.
4.2 Preparing children for sleep Good sleep preparation for children is very important to help children sleep well and deeply. There are 7 steps to prepare as follows:
Feed the child a full meal before going to bed: It is necessary to ensure that the child has had enough to eat, except for the reason that eating causes the child to "lose sleep" during the night. Create a peaceful atmosphere to help your child fall asleep. Put the child to bed early: let the child sleep at about 8 pm to form a good routine, which is convenient for the child when they reach school age. Coaxing children to sleep according to their age. Avoid creating excessive stimulation of the senses when putting the baby to sleep: a quiet, airy space with light and light decoration will create peace to help the child's nervous system to be stable when sleeping. Arrange your baby's bed with soft blankets and pillows: Your baby will sleep in a soft, comfortable environment and feel as safe as in the womb while helping to keep the baby warm throughout the night, which is also an obstacle to help children sleep. The child does not fall to the ground during the "swinging" of sleep. Make your baby comfortable before going to bed: Parents need to put their children in a space with dim light and suitable temperature, turn off the TV and reduce the volume of music and phones to create comfort for the child. If the baby has difficulty sleeping or does not sleep deeply, the influence of the pathology cannot be ruled out. Parents need to continue to monitor and observe their children's other symptoms to actively take them to the doctor's office early if they see any abnormal signs.
Children need to provide enough elemental zinc/day for them to eat well, reach the correct height and weight and exceed the standard. Zinc plays a role in affecting most biological processes taking place in the body, especially the breakdown of nucleic acids, proteins... Organs in the body when zinc deficiency can lead to a There are a number of diseases such as neurological disorders, irritability, etc. Therefore, parents need to learn about the role of zinc and guide them to appropriate zinc supplements for their children.
In addition to zinc, parents also need to supplement their children with other important vitamins and minerals such as lysine, chromium, B vitamins,... errands.
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