An 11-month-old child does not sleep well at night: what to do at this age?

Many parents often complain that shortly before the child’s first birthday, his nights turn into a complete nightmare due to the fact that the journey to the “kingdom of Morpheus” goes very badly. This is all due to the rapid development and formation of the child’s body, which has a noticeable impact on the quality of sleep. In addition, it is at this age that the baby switches to one nap during the day, so he can be quite capricious. But before you take active measures to eliminate the problem and run to the doctor in panic, you need to understand what children's rest is like at a certain time of day.

Six main causes of childhood insomnia and methods for eliminating them

If your baby doesn’t sleep well at night, don’t rush to immediately stuff her with medications and panic. The main thing is to correctly identify the cause of the problem.

Age characteristics. Many babies 11 months of age or older require regular night feedings. The baby’s behavior in such situations depends on the individual characteristics of the body: someone will fall asleep independently and quickly again without much hassle, while another baby will constantly require vigilant attention to himself. The simplest way to solve this problem is to co-sleep with your parents. Scientists confirm that when an infant sleeps in an adult’s bed at night, he wakes up at night, cries and is capricious much less often. It’s not surprising, because in order for mom and dad to pay attention to the child, he just needs to move. And it’s much easier to survive the first meeting with nightmares in the presence of an adult. But, unfortunately, this method of dealing with insomnia is not suitable for all children. In such cases, it is important not to leave the baby alone; you will have to come to the rescue at the first request. An 11-month-old baby is simply not yet able to cope with a changing world, so pay more attention to tactile contact. Also, just talk to your child and find out the reason for his fears and do everything possible to drive out phobias. This can be done by turning on a night light, a plush toy on a pillow, or a “wind chime” above the door.
Specifics of temperament. When transitioning to the one-year mark, infants very often experience the phenomenon of hyperactivity, which is expressed through mild excitability, a quick “wind-up” from a half-turn and a prolonged “cooling down.” The baby becomes overly demanding of the world around him and its conditions, as well as of the adults who are nearby. American pediatrician William Sears even coined a special term for such patients - “children with increased needs.” Such newborns need special care at any age, be it a month, a year or five. It is for these reasons that babies may not sleep well at night, primarily due to the inability to relax on their own, and at an older age - due to excessive impressionability and nightmares. If in the previous case, co-sleeping was proposed as a recommended measure, then in this situation it is almost the only correct solution. In most cases, a child with special needs simply cannot be put into his own crib, so all that remains for his exhausted parents is to take the situation philosophically and purchase a new three-size bed or a special children's sleeping place designed for co-sleeping. Adjusting the baby’s lifestyle is also important: adults must carefully ensure that overexcitation is kept to a minimum, but the child’s energy is not wasted. Do developmental activities in moderation, walk in the fresh air more often, do gymnastic exercises and visit the pool. Don't forget about evening bathing with motherwort tincture or pine extract and a relaxing skin massage.
Wrong lifestyle. Insomnia in children can also occur due to the fact that an 11-month-old child expends too little energy and practically does not get tired. On the one hand, it may seem that the baby is quite active: he plays with cars throughout the entire walk! But you need to take into account the fact that small children are so full of energy that they really get tired only after running for hours. What to do? It's not all bad. It’s enough to simply increase your time spent outside, keep your offspring engaged in sports activities, and play outdoor games more often.
Uncomfortable environment in the bedroom. Yes, such a banal reason can also become a prerequisite for serious problems. Sometimes loving mothers, overly fearing for their child’s health, wrap him up too much and put on pajamas that are not suitable for the weather. The delicate children's skin may not like too hard sheets, stuffy air in the living room or a strong draft.
Changes in well-being. Even a strong adult body with any discomfort, for example, abdominal pain and erupting wisdom teeth, refuses to sleep peacefully at night. What can we say about a small, fragile baby? When reaching the age of one year, “problems” in the system are almost constant, so the baby’s well-being leaves much to be desired, so she sleeps poorly. Therefore, all that needs to be done in this situation is to minimize pain and alleviate discomfort. Depending on the cause of its occurrence, it can be an antipyretic, analgesic, gels to reduce pain in the gums, etc.
Changes in lifestyle. The child's body is a subtle psychological structure that reacts sharply to the slightest changes in the environment. Such factors may include moving to another city, changing place of residence, the appearance of another child in the family, or a sudden change from sleeping together to sleeping independently. A little toddler can even worry about a quarrel between his parents, no matter how fantastic it may sound. In cases where adults cannot change anything, you just need to be patient and not deny your offspring the affection he needs. In such cases, insomnia will go away on its own, it just takes a little time.

Why does a newborn have trouble sleeping at night?

The answer is obvious, if a child is capricious and does not sleep, wakes up often or groans constantly (What to do if a baby groans in his sleep), then something is bothering him. If you eliminate the factor that irritates your baby and prevents him from falling asleep, then you yourself will sleep well and the child will be calm.

It should also be understood that in the first months of life the child will not sleep all night long in any case. You will need to get up to feed your baby. A hungry baby will definitely not let you sleep, and not feeding him all night is highly not recommended. All other problems can be solved. Let's look at the main reasons why your baby doesn't sleep well at night.

We have already dealt with the first reason. This is hunger. Feed him at night in any case and he will not demand and be capricious.
Intestinal colic, gas. This is generally a whole separate problem that requires a whole range of measures to prevent it. Gases bother almost any baby in the first months of his life. To make life easier for the child during this period, including at night, it is necessary:

After each feeding, carry the baby in a column until he spits up air;
During feeding, place the nipple or bottle with formula firmly against the baby's mouth. The baby should not take in air with food.
Don't let your child get too hungry. Hungry children begin to gasp for air along with their food.
Use a gas tube, especially at night. If gases have accumulated in the baby’s intestines and are bloating it, then the tube will help get rid of excess gases that cause discomfort to the child.
Give your child drops like “Espumizan” or “Happy Baby” for the first time. They replace the good old “dill water”.

A child may have a tummy ache at night also due to the fact that something in the mother’s milk did not suit him. So, if you are breastfeeding, then watch your diet too. There should be nothing fatty, spicy or allergenic. You will have to eliminate all foods that your baby will react negatively to. We tried some new product, just a little bit, if the next day the child screams and tucks his legs, then this may well be a reaction to your yesterday’s food. So choose, either sleepless nights or a diet and a calm child.

Many mothers complain about sleepless nights and at the same time eat everything.

If you feed a formula, then its choice also needs to be carefully approached and tested. The mixture can also cause allergies and stomach pain.

The diaper is already so wet that it has begun to give the baby anxiety. It would be wise if you change his diaper at night when you feed your baby. (How to change a newborn's diaper).
The baby started teething. This is also a separate topic for reflection and this phenomenon is temporary. For example, the first two lower teeth will come out within a week, and then he will worry less. The baby's first teeth can start to bother him as early as two months.

The child may be too cold or too hot. The problem is solved by determining the optimal temperature for your baby. If you sleep in a hot room in the summer, then it is possible that he is also not comfortable at this temperature, and you also wrapped him up.

An uncomfortable bed, noise in the next room and other distractions.
The child is afraid of the dark or to sleep on his own. Yes, this happens often. It may be more advisable for you to put your baby to bed with the light dimmed (a night light with a low-power bulb).

Try putting him to sleep with you, and when he is fast asleep, transfer him to the crib. The main thing is not to oversleep the feeding, otherwise he will wake up on his own and even hungry, imagine how much screaming there will be.

Incorrect schedule. That is, you put him to bed at night, but he does not fall asleep, because he had already slept half an hour before and also had a good rest during the day. It’s okay if it’s the first month or two, because during this period children generally sleep almost constantly, but if they’re older.

Quite often, the reason that a child of 4, 5, 6 months does not sleep well at night is an incorrect schedule or the absence of one at all. The baby should go to bed tired in the good sense of the word. He should play well, bathe and not sleep immediately before bed (sorry for the tautology, but there is no other way to explain it).

How do you know when it's time to go to bed?

To prevent daily bedtime from turning into a real and very painful “execution”, both for parents and for their precious child, as already mentioned, you need to focus on the temperament and individual character traits of the little man. Every child should ideally sleep according to biorhythms, so the mother’s first priority is to organize the correct feeding, sleep and wakefulness regime, which will help determine when exactly to go to bed. When an 11-month-old baby is “almost” asleep, he acts like all children - he becomes lethargic, capricious, yawns and constantly rubs his eyes. It is important not to miss the key moment of the “I want to go to bed” stage, otherwise you will have problems falling asleep.

Massage in the form of stroking will help to relax the child's body and set it up for a comfortable sleep - first on the tummy, then on the back. You can sing a quiet, calm lullaby, or turn on soothing music. Don’t wrap your baby up too much, following the principle: “When he gets warm, he falls asleep.” An unformed organism exhibits noticeable sensitivity to overheating. Also refrain from stimulating games before bed.

General rules for organizing children's sleep

Now we know why the child does not sleep well, and we can take adequate measures. The following recommendations will help you provide your baby with full and healthy sleep, which will give him strength for new achievements. So, the crib should be small, and the mattress should be firm enough so that the baby does not fall into it. Often, parents buy spacious cribs for their children too early, in which they cannot sleep because they are stressed.

Create an optimal microclimate in the children's room. Maintain the air temperature between 20 and 23 degrees. The humidity level should not fall below 50-55 percent, otherwise the nasal mucosa will become excessively dry. This can lead to the destruction of small capillaries. Do wet cleaning and ventilate the room daily.

When the baby is getting sleepy, there is no need to disturb him. Carefully place your baby in the crib. Don't try to distract him with games. There is a high probability that you will completely disrupt the already unstable routine, and the baby himself will not be able to fall asleep normally even at the scheduled time.

Completely exclude active and overly emotional games before relaxing. They do not tire infants, but excite the nervous system. After this, putting the children to bed becomes even more difficult. Let your child be active during the day. Immediately before bedtime (a couple of hours before), protect your baby from strong emotions and maintain silence.

What to do if you cry at night?

If at night an 11-month-old baby not only sleeps poorly, but also cries pitifully, it is absolutely impossible not to approach him - he must feel that his parents are nearby and will always come to the rescue, he must learn to trust his family and friends. The main task of adults in this situation is to do everything so that the child returns to sleep just at the moment when they come to his call. How to do it?

Wait a few minutes before approaching the crib. During this time, nothing bad will happen to your child, but the child will improve the skill of falling asleep independently. Put your own fears aside: just move the crib further away or lower the volume of the baby monitor. When the baby is really feeling bad and she needs you, believe me, you will know about it.
Does your baby not calm down for a long period of time? Try to completely eliminate all factors of possible disturbance for him: extraneous noise, too bright light, unfavorable temperature conditions (hot/cold), dirty diaper and teething.
Solve children's problems as quickly as possible so as not to wake up the baby even more. You can pick it up, but it’s not advisable to do it too often. Replace the next “bastards” with gentle stroking on the back or tummy, conversation, and reassurance.

Recommendations for mothers

A child always needed a mother, her love and affection. A baby needs tactile contact no less than material food. If you pay more attention to a little person, take him in your arms and caress him, this has a beneficial effect not only on his psyche, but also on blood circulation and metabolic processes. In childhood, a child is most attached to his mother, and you should not be annoyed if he does not want to fall asleep with someone from the family, but demands her.

Falling asleep on your own

The reluctance to lie down alone in his crib manifests itself in a child at any age, and even a preschooler may demand that one of the adults sit or lie down with him. Such problems arise for those who initially did not transfer the baby to the crib, trying not to wake him up, sleep an extra minute, or not get up to bed at night.

The older the child is, the more difficult it will be to teach him to fall asleep on his own. And this is an indispensable condition for a successful transition to an adult stage of life and independence.

Pediatricians' opinion

Pediatricians believe that the deadline for transitioning to independent sleep is the age of 5 years. But there is another opinion, according to which the baby should definitely sleep in a separate crib, and the mother can be present nearby until he falls asleep soundly.

During difficult periods of age, during periods of ill health or teething, time with mother can be increased; under normal conditions, it can be gradually reduced to a minimum, developing the habit of independence. But this, like any process of age-related changes in the regime, must be carried out gradually and delicately.

Some useful tips for parents

If a little person suffers from colic at night and standard massage techniques do not help, use modern effective remedies from a pharmacy such as espumisan. Such drugs have not only a therapeutic, but also a preventive effect. Don’t forget about dill water - it can also be useful for a baby at 11 months old. Brew a teaspoon of fennel or dill seeds, leave for a while, and then give it to your baby.

Does your child wake up hungry? Feed him, give him breastfeeding or bottle water. Perhaps the main reason that a baby does not sleep well at night is simple malnutrition. Then it is necessary not only to supplement the baby’s feeding, but also to completely reconsider his feeding regimen. Also check the diaper. And not only for fullness, but also for hypoallergenicity. Perhaps the baby feels uncomfortable because the diaper does not suit him. Babies also often experience heat rash. Special ointments and powders will help to cope with this phenomenon.

In cases of nervous overexcitation due to too active games or severe fright, as well as an abundance of impressions, even positive ones, try to adjust the daily routine and, at least temporarily, until sleep more or less improves, eliminate the phenomena that give rise to troubles.

Teething is one of the most painful and intractable problems. The anxiety can last for months and there is little that can be done about it. The only help is special homeopathic remedies, such as “Dantinorm Baby” or pain-relieving suppositories.

If an 11-month-old baby spends too little time with his mother during the day, the cause of insomnia may be a lack of tactile contact. Because of this, the child does not sleep well at night, constantly demanding the presence of his mother nearby, even during sleep. The solution to the problem is active communication with the child during the daytime, walking in arms while awake and simply demonstrating your love.

Considering the fact that at the age of 11 months several factors of insomnia cannot be ruled out simultaneously, you can try using herbal teas with a sleeping effect, for example, based on chamomile, motherwort or valerian. If your child already drinks cow's milk, try adding a little natural honey to it.

Why is sleep disrupted in infants?

Baby sucks breast

An 11-month-old child, like an adult, sleeps according to biorhythms. If they are disturbed, then the baby rests for a long time during the day, but at night he is mostly awake. The baby's nervous system is still immature, so you need to help your baby establish sleep rhythms. He should associate day and sunlight with activity; in the morning he should open the curtains. In the evening, the child should tune in to sleep, so it is recommended to dim the lights and not turn on loud music and TV.

Note! If the baby is healthy, has not been out for a long walk during the day, has eaten heavily before bed, and his diaper is empty, the causes of the sleep disorder should be looked for in the conditions in which the baby is located.
First of all, this is the temperature and humidity in the room.

Doctor Komarovsky's opinion

A well-known pediatrician today outlined the basic rules that parents must adhere to in order to improve their offspring’s sleep, regardless of what age the baby has passed. These principles are as follows.

Correct prioritization. A child will never sleep well, even with a healthy daily routine and proper nutrition, if his parents are completely exhausted, exhausted and have not gotten enough sleep themselves. Love and take care of each other, enjoying every moment.
Determination of the daily routine, which must be agreed upon with all family members. You need to prepare your child for rest at night in advance: clearly define the bedtime time and try to stick to it with enviable regularity.
Designation of who sleeps, in what place and with whom. The ideal option for a child who does not have a good rest on his own is to place a bed in the parent’s room.
Oversleeps - wake up. If the baby turns into a real sleepyhead during the daytime, you should not allow excesses.
Feeding optimization. After passing the six-month mark, the baby no longer needs night feeding. Therefore, if in the dark the baby requires communication, rocking, etc., then the more often the demands are satisfied, the more actively they will be required next time. Therefore, at the penultimate feeding it is better to slightly underfeed the child. It is categorically not recommended to close a child's mouth with food at the slightest squeak, because overfeeding is fraught with pain in the tummy, and this, again, is insomnia.
A good day is an active day. During daylight hours, you need to walk more, play outdoor games and sleep in the fresh air. Give your offspring enough physical activity in the morning.
The air in the bedroom should be cool and clean. Regular ventilation, wet cleaning and artificial air humidification play an important role.
Organization of a sleeping place. The mattress should be smooth and dense. Up to two years of age you may not need a pillow at all. It is better to choose linen made from natural fabrics, washed with a special children's washing powder.
Using high-quality diapers, as mentioned above.

To summarize, it should be noted that, according to leading authorities in modern pediatrics, it is better not to teach a child to fall asleep for a long time. It is much healthier to stay active during the day. The best cures for insomnia are proper nutrition, care, help with the tummy and a ritualized bedtime. And remember that a healthy baby is, first of all, his healthy parents.

Sleep characteristics of an eleven-month-old baby

Children at 11 months are quite active, many are already starting to walk. In order to rest and recuperate, they need about 14 hours of sleep, 11-12 of which occur at night. Some babies try to switch to one nap during the day. Readiness for this can be determined by the following signs:

The child stays awake for about 5-6 hours in a row, while remaining active and joyful, does not become capricious, does not scream or cry;
In the morning, the baby wakes up earlier and earlier;
The second sleep is shifted to a later time, and the baby gets up when it is time to rest at night.

If the baby still has two naps during the day, then their total duration should not exceed 3 hours. Parents need to carefully monitor the child, notice signs of extreme fatigue, in order to painlessly make the transition to one rest during daylight hours.

Eleven-month-old babies often no longer wake up at night to eat. The main thing is that the child eats well before lights out. If the baby is calm and comfortable, he sleeps until the morning without waking up.

A quick way to put your baby to sleep

The activity of children at this age is truly fantastic, so even exertion during the day often does not lead to fatigue. In any case, most children think that this is exactly how it is. However, for normal development, children need sufficient rest.

If your 1-year-old is having trouble sleeping at night, the key to getting your baby to bed quickly is maximizing comfort and a proper bedtime routine.

Let's consider the most effective recommendations for making this procedure as painless and enjoyable as possible:

all emotional and noisy events, as well as outdoor games, must be completed two hours before bedtime; after 7 pm only quiet pastime is permissible;
You should not watch too funny (and, especially, scary) cartoons before going to bed, so as not to cause overstimulation of the nervous system; in addition, action-packed cartoons can cause restless dreams in children;
ventilate the room at night, as the baby needs additional oxygen; in a stuffy room, children sleep poorly, often wake up and cannot fall asleep for a long time;
It is mandatory to follow evening rituals every day, so the baby’s psyche is additionally tuned to sleep with the help of the subconscious;
It is advisable to talk to your child before going to bed; in addition, do not forget about tactile contact - children at this age still really need the constant presence of someone close to them;
Provide your child with soft lighting; there is no need to put him to sleep in complete darkness;
it is necessary to get rid of external stimuli;
It is advisable to give the child warm milk to drink; you can do this even in a crib; satiety will only speed up the process of going to bed;
you can take a bath with aromatic soothing herbs - decoctions of valerian or lavender help you relax faster and provide a smooth and deep sleep;
If your baby wakes up at night and is unable to fall asleep, help him - sit next to him, calm him down, tell him a story or sing a song.

If your baby is accustomed to the pacifier and has not yet given it up before the first year of life, you should not start weaning him at that age. Wait 2-3 months until your sleep returns to normal.

How to help your baby?

So we get to the main thing: how to help your baby get enough sleep at night? After all, this is the main guarantee of his proper growth, good mood in the morning, high cognitive and physical activity during the day.

What should you do to help your baby get a good night's sleep?

Adjust your daily routine;

Try to walk for at least 2 hours every day so that the baby gets enough oxygen;
Move all active games and entertainment events to the first half of the day, so that by night the fidget has time to calm down;
Monitor the duration and timing of daytime naps. The child should have enough time to get tired at night;
Sometimes it is enough to shorten the time of the last day's rest by 15-20 minutes or put the baby to bed half an hour earlier.

To understand when and how much a baby should sleep, read the article Sleep norms for children under one year >>>.

Follow bedtime rituals. They will help the child figure out what bathing, massage, song, etc. - this is preparation for bed;
Provide the most comfortable conditions for sleeping: darkness, silence, comfortable clothing, etc.;
Show your child that day and night feeding are different: after night feeding you need to continue to sleep. During the day, you can sing a funny song or tell funny rhymes. At night, feed your baby by night light, without talking. He will grasp the cause-and-effect relationship quite quickly;

Also, you will find a lot of useful tips on this issue in the article The child confused day with night>>>.

Improve the psychological climate in the family. This will certainly make the baby calmer, which means he will fall asleep better and sleep more soundly;
If your 10-month-old child is sleeping restlessly and experiencing an attack of separation anxiety, show him that you are always there. Don't close the door to his room, let's fall asleep in your presence. During the day, gradually teach your mother that when she leaves, she always returns, that her departure is not the end of the world.

If you see that the child does not let you go day or night and you should always be nearby;
If there is no night break without breastfeeding;
If, upon awakening, the child needs the usual conditions for falling asleep: rocking, hugging, sucking at the breast, then this is a reason to look towards learning to fall asleep independently.

At 10 months it is quite possible to do this in 2-4 weeks.

In the online course on children's night sleep, you will receive a step-by-step diagram for eliminating all the causes of a child's poor night sleep and will be able to rest and get enough sleep.

Read more about the course here: How to teach a child to fall asleep and sleep without breastfeeding, night awakenings and motion sickness>>>

Sleep problems in children under one year of age, for the most part, arise due to our incorrect actions.

Once we find our mistakes and correct them, everything goes back on track. You just need to learn how to search correctly.

And I will help you with this as much as I can.

Baby doesn't sleep well during the day
Why does a child wake up at night?
The child sweats in his sleep

Causes of sleep disturbance in a one-year-old baby

List of main reasons

disorders of the gastrointestinal tract;
nasal congestion associated with allergies, the onset of a respiratory disease;
violations of microclimatic conditions in the baby’s room;
lack of sleep patterns (daytime, nighttime), its disturbance, incorrect associations with sleep;
overwork of the child (physical, emotional)
extraneous noise;
wet diaper;
violation of the diet, as a result of which the child wants to eat or drink at night;
phobias, nightmares;
teeth are being cut;
neurological diseases;
bad feeling.

These are the main reasons why a baby's sleep may be disturbed.

Details about each reason

For example, intestinal colic goes away by the age of 3 months, but even at the age of one, this phenomenon can bother the baby from time to time. This is due to the fact that the child tries more and more new products. And some can cause flatulence, are poorly absorbed, or cause allergies and intestinal disorders. Such phenomena pass quickly enough and cannot be the cause of permanent disturbances in the sleep-wake pattern.

If your child has a stuffy nose, they may not be able to sleep through the night. Firstly, it is difficult to breathe, and secondly, the brain is not sufficiently supplied with oxygen. Hypoxia affects the state of the baby’s nervous system, and, as a result, the quality of his sleep. It is also difficult to sleep soundly and sweetly if the child is cold or hot, stuffy or uncomfortable.

If a child is overheated (dressed or covered too warmly, there is no flow of fresh air), he will sleep very restlessly, constantly spin and try to throw off the blanket. He can also wake up from thirst. Flashes of light, loud bangs (cars driving past the house with very loud music in the cabin, fireworks) can cause a baby to have poor sleep.

If your baby's diaper is so wet that urine oozes out of it, the baby's skin is irritated - this makes it very difficult for the baby to sleep.

The child does not sleep well at night and constantly wakes up if his daily routine is not organized correctly. Children who are not active enough during the day get tired a little, do not sleep very well at night, and wake up constantly. But this does not mean that the child should have no daytime sleep, or should be tortured half to death with games.

Overwork is just as detrimental to sleep quality as insufficient activity. It would seem that the child missed his daytime nap, is tired, and will sleep all night “without his hind legs.” But this is not true, firstly, overexcitation makes it very difficult to fall asleep. Secondly, sleep becomes superficial, thirdly, increased physical activity leads to the fact that the baby shudders in his sleep, jerks his legs and arms, and constantly wakes himself up.

If you skip bedtime, when the child shows all signs of fatigue, waiting for “regular time” can overload the nervous system and lead to the fact that the baby will be capricious until midnight. If a child is used to sleeping with his mother, and suddenly they decide to “separate” him from her. He may sleep poorly and wake up constantly without feeling safe.

At the age of one, children's teeth, or rather the process of teething, can cause a lot of trouble, both during the day and at night. Some babies tolerate this process very steadfastly and do not suffer from excessive salivation or severe itching in the gum area.

But not everyone is so lucky, some have so much salivation that babies do not have time to swallow saliva and can choke and the itching is very strong, so that they turn their heads in their sleep and even try to scratch their gums on a pillow or sheet. This is not a constant phenomenon, the itching intensifies, then subsides. But during the period of active teething, children sleep poorly and wake up very often.

A child may feel unwell for a variety of reasons, sometimes they are even difficult to detect, but the malaise will certainly affect the quality of sleep. Children with elevated ICP sleep very poorly and restlessly. Especially when weather conditions change. It is difficult to fall asleep with a severe headache.

Weather-dependent babies may feel unwell both when atmospheric pressure changes and when solar activity increases. Children suffering from various types of neuroses also sleep restlessly, cry in their sleep and often wake up. They, more often than other children, are bothered by unpleasant dreams and frightening illusions when falling asleep (this disrupts the process of falling asleep) and during a sharp transition from a state of sleep to a state of wakefulness (for example, with a sharp sound).

A 6-month-old child does not sleep well at night: causes of sleep disturbances and ways to overcome them

Causes of the disorder

Parents, exhausted by their children's insomnia, often begin to panic, because it seems to them that something is wrong with the child. Disturbances in the functioning of the nervous system can indeed negatively affect a child’s sleep, but in most cases the reasons are more banal. Let's take a closer look at what keeps children from sleeping at night:

Overwork. It may seem strange, but nine-month-old babies are very often overtired. This is due to their increased curiosity and activity; the baby wants to know everything as quickly as possible. However, his nervous system is still not fully formed, so it gets tired too quickly. Overwork provokes the production of a stress hormone, due to which the child cannot fall asleep in the evening. Increased excitability of the nervous system. This is not a terrible diagnosis, but a feature of 70% of children under the age of 3 years. Kids are too sensitive and react sharply to any changes or events. Their nervous system is constantly under tension, therefore, when putting the child in the crib, it cannot adjust in time from wakefulness to rest. Wrong daily routine. A nine-month-old baby should already have his own daily routine. It includes feeding, games, walks, naps, bathing, massage, exercise and communication with family. If the order of actions is chaotic and changes every day, it is difficult for the baby to figure out what he needs to do at a certain moment. Without a well-established routine, children feel unprotected, disoriented and cannot sleep well at night. Long daytime sleep. If the mother allows the little one to get enough sleep during the day, it is likely that at night he will not want to rest

It is important that the total daytime sleep does not exceed 4-5 hours, otherwise the baby will not be able to rest properly at night. Excess energy. It is important for children at 9 months to play a lot of active and educational games, spend enough time outside and do other things.

If the child cannot expend all his energy during the day, it is likely that at night he will prefer playing with his mother to restful sleep.

Poor sleep hygiene. If children sleep in an uncomfortable bed, in hot or tight pajamas, or suffer from cold or heat, then they will not get normal rest. Parents should ensure that there is always an optimal microclimate in the toddler’s room, and that his clothes and linen are comfortable. No ritual for falling asleep. A special ritual of falling asleep is an important process for a baby. Mom must carry out preparatory procedures for rest in strict sequence and pronounce the same words. This way, the child will develop an association of certain actions with sleep, and he will fall asleep better. Incorrect care. Often young parents simply do not know how to properly prepare their child for bed. Insufficient food for dinner, dirty diapers, too many toys in the crib and other shortcomings can cause the baby to have poor sleep. Mom's nervous tension. If the mother is irritated, upset or experiences other negative emotions, the child is unlikely to be able to sleep. Children very keenly sense the mood of the person closest to them, and quickly adopt it.

Health problems. At 9 months, babies may still be bothered by digestive problems and teething. Infectious and inflammatory diseases also often appear in children of this age. This can cause insomnia, moodiness, tears and loss of appetite.

The child began to sleep poorly at 11 months, what is the reason for this?

Every baby sometimes woke up its parents in the middle of the night. Most mothers and fathers are familiar with the situation firsthand, but not everyone knows what to do and how to get rid of this problem. First of all, it is necessary to determine what caused the baby to wake up.

The norm for a baby to sleep at eleven months is about 14 hours: three of them should be given to two sessions of daytime rest, the rest of the time at night. Some children at this age sleep once a day.

Signs of restless sleep

When a baby doesn't sleep well, it manifests itself in frequent awakenings. He tosses and turns in his crib, unable to find a place for himself. Problematic rest, accompanied by sweating, can be expressed in the fact that the baby will crawl with a sweaty part of the body - in an attempt to eliminate the discomfort, he rubs his head or palms on the sheet.

It is worth considering how much a child cries when waking up. Usually he calms down as soon as he gets what he wants (he sees his mother, is held in her arms, eats, drinks water). But sometimes, due to pathology, the baby begins to dramatize - crying resembles true suffering, the baby is irritated. It is difficult to calm him down; it will only be possible for a short time, and then a new, even greater, storm of emotions and indignation will begin.

Reasons for frequent awakenings

There are many factors that can explain why an 11 month old baby is not sleeping well at night. Some are associated with developmental characteristics and are common to many - they are temporary and go away as soon as the child gets a little older. Others occur suddenly and can cause harm.

Common childhood problems

Perhaps the most common cause of poor sleep in children is teething. This process is accompanied by painful sensations, the gums begin to itch. The discomfort will disappear when the tooth erupts; until then, the baby will not be able to sleep either day or night.

Poor sleep also causes conditions that do not meet children's requirements. Too warm pajamas or a blanket, rough seams on clothes, hard underwear do not allow the baby to completely relax and fall asleep.

Features of the age period

Eleven months is the time when the baby begins to fully sense the emotional background around him. A tense situation at home or troubles during a walk will affect his thoughts and the mood with which he falls asleep. This can cause nightmares, which deprive the child of the opportunity to sleep normally.

Also, the first year of life (especially starting from the sixth month) is accompanied by studying oneself and one’s body. The baby learns to control his arms and legs, tries to get up and sit. New information accumulated during the day is processed at night - this is manifested by sudden sharp movements of the limbs, unconscious screams, croaking, and attempts to move. Occasionally this leads to the baby waking up; in this case, he just needs to be reassured, and he will fall asleep sweetly again.

Nuances of parenting: falling asleep next to your mother

Both a newborn and an 11-month-old baby take their mother as their main hope and support. In general, this is quite natural, but sometimes addiction develops into a problem - without her hand nearby, the capricious little one will not fall asleep. In addition, the child may wake up in the middle of the night to be fed, and not seeing his mother near him, he will start screaming and crying.

Symptoms requiring emergency measures

There are many diseases that are accompanied by restless sleep in a child. Other symptoms will help confirm the presence of the disease - breathing problems, high fever, sweating, rash or redness.

The development of diseases is also accompanied by the following manifestations: the child spins in bed, often wakes up, and begins to arch. This can be caused by internal painful sensations in the baby, both harmless and temporary, and serious.

The dangers of sleep deprivation in children

A lack of normal healthy sleep greatly affects human activity and the functioning of the body. In the case of an infant, it can cause even more damage. Discovering the world, the baby spends a huge amount of energy and needs normal rest. Sleep disturbances have the following consequences:

whining, whims, hysterics;
lethargy, fatigue, malaise;
pallor;
lack of appetite;
sudden hyperactivity.

The above signs of lack of sleep can simultaneously be a signal of a developing disease. Nervous parents, taking their child to the doctor, find out that the baby simply did not get enough sleep. If your baby suddenly notices one or more of the signs described above, it’s too early to worry - the disease should be accompanied by other symptoms already mentioned in this article.

Causes of sleep disturbances in children

There are a huge number of factors contributing to the appearance of this symptom.

Colic. This phenomenon can torment babies from the first week after birth to four months of age. In this case, a sudden attack of crying occurs, arching of the back, pulling of the legs towards the stomach. To eliminate them, it is necessary to find out the cause and eliminate it.

If you suspect colic, you should contact your pediatrician to find out what causes it and how to eliminate it.

Teething. This phenomenon begins to bother children most often at six to seven months of age and older. At the same time, the baby becomes restless, cries, tosses and turns, and does not sleep well.

If the pediatrician confirms this reason, he can prescribe special medications (in the form of ointments, tablets, etc.) that will help alleviate this condition.

Childhood fears. At the age of one, children may develop their first phobias, because during this period their imagination actively develops.

Watching films, cartoons, and programs with aggressive manifestations is not recommended. Because this can contribute to the appearance of nightmares in the baby.

Emotions. Negative emotions and fear can contribute to the appearance of this symptom. Even newborns feel and feel the emotional situation in the family, so parents need to try their best to make it favorable.

An hour or two before bedtime, it is recommended that the baby engage in a calm activity. For example, looking at a book.

Physical discomfort. That is, these manifestations can occur due to uncomfortable pajamas, synthetic bedding, pillows, toys and other reasons.
Uncomfortable microclimate. This may happen because the room is too hot, cold, or too dry.

Before you start putting your baby to bed, it is recommended to ventilate the room and make sure that the temperature in the room is comfortable for sleeping.

Diseases of organs and systems. The reason for this can be both otitis media, dysbacteriosis, and more severe pathologies - brain tumors, etc.
Incorrect daily routine (due to the fact that the baby has not spent energy, he cannot sleep).

It is recommended that the child be as active as possible in the first half of the day and moderately in the second.

Age-related changes. In infancy, this occurs due to the predominance of shallow sleep over deep sleep.