How to properly wake up a child so that the rest of the day is productive? Evening sleep directly affects morning awakening. How to put your baby to sleep correctly? These and other questions are answered in this article.
Most children like to sleep well in the morning. Parents have to try very hard to wake up their babies, wasting their time and nerves. How can you learn to easily wake up your child and return the morning peaceful atmosphere to your home? First you need to know that children of different ages and personalities need to be woken up in their own way. Parents must also determine whether it is necessary to wake up the child.
How can you not wake up your child in the morning?
- Shout When the baby is still having a magical dream, the parents wake him up with a loud, frightening scream, thus causing invisible harm to the child, psychological trauma. Although the mother’s cry awakens the child’s brain, other organs do not have time to become active as quickly. At this time, it seems that the child has woken up, but he has a frozen facial expression, inhibited reaction, no desire to move, indifference to food, absent-minded attention, and sometimes the child may start crying non-stop. Over time, such awakening can cause unhealthy sleep, jet lag, and even affect the child's growth and development.
- Rip off the blanket When time is running out in the morning, and you have already called the child a couple of times, but he is still sleeping, many of us cannot stand it and, entering the child’s room, with a sharp movement, throw the blanket onto the floor. Undoubtedly, your child’s mood will be rudely ruined for the whole day.
- Spank Some parents, unable to bear it, may spank their child. The baby will, of course, wake up very quickly from pain. But by doing so, you not only show disrespect for your child by humiliating him, but you can also scare him or at least ruin his mood
- Waking up in a hurry Sometimes we let our children sleep longer and wake them up a few minutes before going out. Thus, the child does not have time to properly wake up and do all the morning chores, and you are in constant tension, afraid of being late.
IMPORTANT: Why is it so important to start the morning well, in a great mood? The fact is that not only we, but also our children have a difficult and eventful day ahead. To effectively acquire new knowledge and work well, you need an appropriate positive attitude.
The main reason why children do not want to get up in the morning is that they go to bed late and do not sleep enough time. A healthy child over 3 years old should sleep about 10 hours at night. In this case, we can advise you to properly organize the child’s daily routine so that he goes to bed earlier. An hour or two before bedtime, you should stop active games and ventilate the bedroom. Let's look at some special cases:
Not like adults
Anna, is a child’s sleep different from an “adult’s”?
As you know, all people have different phases of slow and fast sleep. In infants under three months of age, slow sleep is not yet divided into stages; it is called “quiet”. After three months, the stages of slow-wave sleep begin to stand out, and after six months, the child’s sleep becomes similar to the sleep of an adult. By the age of 10 months, a child’s sleep cycle, like that of an adult, lasts, on average, an hour and a half - slow sleep gives way to fast sleep.
Is it true that children grow up in their sleep?
Of course, growth hormone is released during sleep.
Why doesn't a child want to go to kindergarten?
In addition to all the above reasons, it may be that your child simply misses you and does not want to leave home and familiar surroundings, his toys, which is why he resists getting up and getting ready in the morning. In this case, talk to your child and find out if he is having a good time in the garden. You can reduce the time your child spends in kindergarten for a while or spend more time with him in the evening. When getting your child ready for kindergarten, try giving him his favorite toy.
Sleep is very important for a baby. This is when your baby is growing. Scientists say that the habit of good sleep should be cultivated from infancy. Below are some useful tips:
Suitable sleeping environment
You can already begin to teach a three-month-old baby to go to bed early; for this, after eight in the evening you do not need to play with the child, start preparing the child for bed in advance, turn down the volume of the TV, keep silence, you can turn on quiet music or sing a lullaby to the baby.
The difference between day and night
- Using light and sound, begin to shape your baby's biological clock. With the help of light and darkness, teach your baby to distinguish between day and night, the difference between wakefulness and sleep. In the morning, when it’s time for the newborn to wake up, put him in a brightly lit room, preferably filled with daylight, gently hug the baby, use quiet music, and wake him up
- In the evening, an hour or two before your child goes to bed, dim the bright lights in his room. When it's time to put your baby to bed, turn off all lights completely, leaving only a small night light. Close the door well to prevent extraneous noise and light from entering the room. It is better to hang thick curtains on the windows that would not allow outside light to pass through.
Note: It is better to choose blue night light for your baby.
Should I wake my baby for feeding?
WHO experts say that healthy sleep for a baby cannot exceed five hours. This can lead to dehydration and reduce the rate of weight gain.
Therefore, experts recommend establishing a mixed feeding regimen. When breastfeeding occurs on demand, but the breaks between them should be no more than 4 hours.
This feeding regimen helps establish lactation. In this case, in general, you need to wake up the baby for feeding, including at night.
Why long breaks in feeding are harmful:
- The baby may develop dehydration and low blood sugar levels.
- In the mother, this can cause mastitis or lactostasis.
Sleeping more than 5 hours may indicate health problems in the child.
Is it possible to wake a child for a bath?
Many children fall asleep well after a bath. Every day, in the evening, at the same time, when the child is already a little sleepy, bathe him in warm water, then immediately put him to bed. Give the baby milk to drink, turn off the light in the room and go to bed with the baby next to him. Lightly pat him on the back, and the baby will fall asleep very quickly.
Note: If you have not had time to bathe your child and he has already fallen asleep, you should not wake him up. You can give your child a bath the next morning or skip it once.
What to do if your baby falls asleep while feeding
It is generally a bad practice to let your baby fall asleep while nursing. What should you do if he falls asleep without being completely satisfied with the milk? Such cases are possible, especially if the child recently experienced a difficult birth or the mother was injected with some drugs during labor. Although, in the first month of life, increased sleepiness is quite normal for a child.
What recommendations do I have in a situation where the baby falls asleep while eating:
- Lightly lift the baby by the arms, pull him towards you and lower him. This way you can provoke the sucking reflex, and the child will continue to eat.
- Sometimes it’s enough just to gently blow into the little one’s face or slightly lift his leg.
- Try to start undressing the baby.
- Gently wipe your baby's face with a damp cloth or damp cloth.
- Talk to your child in a gentle voice.
How to motivate a child to wake up early?
If the child is sleeping in a very deep sleep, it is best for the mother to lightly touch the baby on the shoulder, stroke the cheek, and call quietly about 10 minutes in advance. Together with a light external stimulus, the baby will be able to gradually move from deep sleep to a state of light sleep and then wake up. After waking up, let the child lie in bed for a couple of minutes, stretch, and then just start dressing the baby, avoiding any sharp calls.
When you don't need to wake up your baby to feed
If a child is sick, he needs to be allowed to sleep. Long sleep is the best medicine.
You can let your baby sleep even after a tiring day. Long trips, trips to the clinic, and overstaying guests disrupt the baby’s routine. They tire and overstimulate the baby, so after them you can let the baby sleep.
If this is not the first night you notice that after an “emergency” awakening the baby does not latch onto the breast, give up this idea. He will wake up on his own when he is hungry. The rule applies to healthy, full-term babies.
The best way to wake up a child: tips and reviews
- Depending on the character and age of children, you need to choose different methods: awakening
- Small children should be awakened by gentle stroking
- Slightly older children can wake up from a small alarm clock
- For children who are very reluctant to get out of bed, use objects that the child might be interested in, allow the child to make adjustments to getting up in the morning, and reward his success.
Be patient with your child. Remember that how a child gets up in the morning largely depends on you and your organization. By giving your child your love and patience, you help your baby, starting with a joyful morning, have a great rest of the day.
Preparing the bathroom and water for the first bath of a newborn
First of all, it is worth refuting the myth that you cannot bathe a child until the umbilical wound has completely healed.
You can bathe your baby from the first day of life, but you need to approach this issue extremely responsibly so as not to introduce infections. Bath
. The main thing to remember is safety. Therefore, take care of purchasing a baby bath in advance. There are many reasons not to bathe a child in an adult bath - dangerous location, rough surface for the baby's skin, residues of aggressive detergents, risk of injury and even accidental drowning.
The baby bath is safe for the baby in all respects. There is no need to save money when purchasing it. There are anatomical bathtubs, “mother’s belly” type bathtubs, regular ones, built-in bathtubs for adults, and inflatable models. The safest for newborns are “mummy tummy” baths. They have a cup-shaped shape, eliminating the possibility of slipping, are stable, comfortable for mothers and maintain temperature. In addition, they help with intestinal colic and support newborns who cannot hold their heads in the correct physiological position.
Water
. Babies can only be bathed in boiled water and weak herbal decoctions. The water temperature for the baby’s first bath at home should be 36.6 °C, if the mother does not want to cause fear of water in the newborn for the next few months. The baby should not feel the temperature difference. In order to control this aspect, you need to buy a bath thermometer in advance. Or a bath with a thermostat that will maintain the desired temperature.
To avoid infection in the umbilical wound, you can add a solution of potassium permanganate to the water for the first bath. To do this, you need to make a strong, bright purple solution, take clean gauze, folded in two or three layers, and pour the solution into the bath, filtering through the gauze. Pour until the water turns slightly pink. You can also add strong herbal solutions to the water - chamomile, linden, dill.
Bathing products.
If possible, you should make do with water and herbal infusions with potassium permanganate, but if you must use detergents, you should avoid antibacterial products and soaps. You can only use special foams for babies. The packaging must indicate that use is acceptable from birth (0+). The foam must be dissolved in a small amount in water in the bath.
The temperature in the bathroom is also very important.
If the water temperature sharply contrasts with the air temperature, the least you can expect is tears and screams; more – pneumonia. The bathroom should be warm, as well as the room the baby will enter after bathing.
The child's first bath should be as traumatic as possible. Try to follow all the recommendations so that it does not become a cause of long-term fear.
Child's daytime sleep. Why does a child need to sleep during the day?
Natalia Ishkova
Child's daytime sleep. Why does a child need to sleep during the day?
CHILD'S DAY SLEEP . WHY DOES A CHILD SLEEP DURING THE DAY ?
A child's daytime sleep is essential for his normal development. The results of various studies and observations of pediatricians and parents indicate that good daytime sleep contributes to a longer concentration of attention in the baby and has a beneficial effect on his mental state. well-rested child is calm , does not need outside attention and is inclined to have fun on his own. Such a beneficial effect is exerted not only by the baby's daytime sleep , but also by the child's daytime sleep after one year . Daytime naps are also deservedly considered the main means of preventing neurological and behavioral problems in older children.
You should not hope that a child who has not slept during the day will fall asleep more easily in the evening and sleep longer at night. Rather, it’s the opposite: an overexcited baby cannot fall asleep for a long time, and then sleeps restlessly, which is a consequence of overworked nerve cells.
As the famous pediatrician B. Spock correctly notes, only in infancy can you be sure that the child sleeps as much as he wants. By the age of 2, his psyche becomes more complex, and sleep may be reduced due to excitement, anxiety and other reasons. Constant lack of sleep, regardless of the reasons that cause it, negatively affects a child’s , the state of his immune system and his behavior - he becomes capricious and irritable. Therefore, an important task of parents is to properly organize the child’s daytime sleep in order to ensure his normal physical and intellectual development, and also, importantly, the normal life of the whole family.
How long should a child sleep ?
Young parents are always interested in how many hours a day their child should sleep . The correct answer to this question can only be given by the child . All this is very individual: one sleeps a lot, and the other sleeps very little. If you are sure that your child is not hungry, not wet, has enough time in the fresh air, and the room where the child sleeps is fresh and cool, let him sleep as much as he wants and don’t worry about it.
According to Dr. E. Komarovsky, in modern pediatrics the following average daily sleep requirement for children is accepted as the norm: up to 3 months – 16–20 hours; 6 months – 14.5 hours; 12 months – 13.5 hours; 2 years – 13 hours; 4 years – 11.5 hours; 6 years – 9.5 hours; 12 years – 8.5 hours.
Children under 3 years old and sleeping less than 12 hours a day are quite rare. Typically, such a child compensates for insufficient daytime sleep with night sleep or vice versa. But if, nevertheless, the duration of your baby’s sleep clearly does not reach the recommended norm, and at the same time he remains cheerful, cheerful and inquisitive, it means that his norms are different.
Well-fed and healthy newborns tend to sleep from feeding to feeding. As the baby ages, he sleeps less and less. Usually, the baby first begins to be awake in the afternoon, from 4-5 pm. Then the number of such periods increases, and a child’s daytime sleep up to one year becomes two times a day, and by one and a half years - once a day, lasting about 2.5 - 3 hours. By the age of 3-4, some children generally refuse to sleep during the day , but most maintain this habit until they are 6-7 years old. The duration of their daytime sleep is approximately 1 hour .
How to organize a child's nap ?
The quality of your baby's sleep directly depends on his lifestyle - how he eats, where and how much he walks, how he is dressed, what room he sleeps in, etc. Therefore, do not waste time on proper nutrition, playing in the fresh air, and wet cleaning premises, to ensure that the child’s bed is soft , dry and clean.
helps a lot to organize a child’s daytime sleep . His body gets used to eating, playing, walking, sleeping at the allotted time. With its onset, the internal clock is triggered, and at the usual time the child more easily perceives the transition to sleep. It is not necessary and even impossible to maintain a daily routine with scrupulous precision. If the child looks tired , put him down a little earlier than usual, but if he is interested in playing or watching a cartoon
, give him the opportunity to linger so that he can go to bed without tears and hysteria.
You should not keep your baby in bed if he woke up earlier than usual, just as you should not persistently wake him up if his daytime sleep is very deep .
Focus more on his behavior rather than on the watch. categorical refusal to sleep at all during the day means that he is not physically tired enough or is very excited. Increase the duration of walks in the first half of the day, play more sports, make sure that his activities and games before bed are calm: draw with him, read a book.
To avoid disrupting your baby's positive relationship with naps , never use the crib or nap time as punishment. Choose a soft toy that will “ sleep ”
together with
the child .
Her presence will eventually help the baby fall asleep. Make it a tradition to perform certain actions before bed: eat, wash your hands, go to bed and listen to a fairy tale. This is how a habit is developed. The optimal air temperature in a baby’s bedroom for sound sleep is 18-20°. Overheating contributes to frequent waking up and causes thirst. If it is not eliminated, frequent awakenings become fixed as a reflex, and rest becomes less complete.
Do not use heating devices in the bedroom; it is better to dress your child warmly .
And remember that a child is not a wind-up machine that can be turned off by putting him to bed. The time it takes to fall asleep depends on the age of the child : preschool children 3-4 years old fall asleep in half an hour, and 3-year-olds sometimes need a whole hour to do this. So don't be annoyed or worried that your baby is tossing and turning and doesn't fall asleep for a long time. You are required to have calm persistence, love and patience.
POSITIONS IN SLEEP AND HUMAN CHARACTER
A person’s thoughts and character can be read by the poses he takes in his sleep. The theory has a serious scientific basis. When deciphering the sleeper's signals, they take into account the time and stage of sleep. First a person is in "alpha"
-pose.
This is the first stage of sleep. Having fallen soundly asleep, the body takes on “omega”
poses that interest us. It is the position of the body in deep sleep that reveals the characteristic features of a person.
"Omega"
- the position is comfortable for the sleeper.
In most cases, he spends almost the entire night in it. Moreover, a person can spin, roll over, but still returns to his “favorite”
body position.
How to find out your "omega"
- pose without assistance?
Very simple. Try to get a good night's sleep .
When you wake up, you will find yourself in the most natural position. The bad thing about an alarm clock is that it takes a deep-sleeping person by surprise. In total, there are four main postures that speak about the character and psychotype of the sleeper. The remaining poses are combinations of the four basic ones.
SLEEPING LIKE A FETUS
The sleeper lies on his side. His legs are bent and pulled towards his stomach. He often lies cuddled with a pillow or blanket; he prefers to sleep near the wall or in the farthest corner of the bed.
Such a person is afraid of life. He cannot overcome the fear of participating in events, so all the most interesting things pass by. "Embryo"
needs the support and care of a strong partner who will protect him from problems and take responsibility.
I sleep on my stomach
The man lies on his back in a futile attempt to grasp the bed. Arms hug the pillow or lie along the body, legs spread.
Such a person values independence, tries to manage his life, and makes significant decisions himself. He does not like outside criticism, since he considers himself right 100% of the time. His tenacity in achieving his goals is legendary, as is his pedantry.
SLEEPING ON YOUR BACK
A person sleeping on his back is very strong psychologically. He is relaxed and confident. He is not afraid of difficulties, he keeps the situation under control, and is ready for new knowledge and acquaintances. Sometimes such a person can be overconfident. Hypertrophy of character is indicated by the sleeper's attempt to occupy the entire bed. He spreads his arms and legs wide, taking in as much space as possible.
Popular actors, accustomed to receiving applause from the audience, often sleep on their backs. They know that they are loved by the crowd and take it for granted. The position on the back is sometimes called "royal"
. The sleeper feels safe and accepts the world as it is.
When awake, people sleeping on their back feel great. They are ready to share their wisdom with the world and accept all its gifts.
SLEEPING ON YOUR SIDE
A person lies on his side, but does not look pinched, like a “fetus”
. His arms are extended, his legs are straight or slightly bent. The body is relaxed, at ease. In this position, the body easily retains heat. The air gently blows on the vacationer. A person feels safe - his heart is protected. The side position leaves room for maneuver. Rolling from side to side is simple and convenient. In this case, the body configuration is not disturbed.
The pose on the side speaks of an analytical mind, adequacy, reliability, and calmness. A person sleeping on his side is able to adapt to circumstances. Mental strength helps you survive life's troubles.
By combining the definitions of the main four sleep positions, one can understand a person's character, motives and personality traits. For final conclusions, a more detailed analysis is required, but for primary conclusions, four sleep positions are more than enough.
Research by scientists says that a person can take up to 12 different poses per night. Most of these provisions are mirror images of others. Mirror poses are believed to have a general meaning.
Most poses a person takes for a short time. Sometimes the sleeper lingers, moving from pose to pose. This suggests that the person was overtaken by a dream before he changed his position.
By excluding mirror poses, it turns out that the sleeper takes only two or three poses that can be used in analyzing behavior. A person may change their favorite position after an injury or during treatment.
TEST “Rate your sleep quality”
How well do you sleep? Answer the following questions and find out what is preventing you from getting quality sleep.
1. Do you fall asleep and wake up at the same time?
a) yes, even on weekends; b) on weekdays, yes, but on weekends, whatever happens; c) I don’t have a clear sleep schedule.
2. What is the temperature in your bedroom?
a) 19-24°; b) less than 19°; c) more than 24°.
3. How quiet is your bedroom?
a) very quietly, if some noise bothers me, I put earplugs in my ears; b) I don’t notice much noise; c) very noisy - the neighbors listen to music loudly, the spouse snores.
4. Do you turn off the lights at night?
a) always, I sleep only in complete darkness; b) I leave a weak night light on at night; c) the light is always on.
5. How soundly do you sleep?
a) I sleep until the alarm clock rings; b) I wake up at night to go to the toilet or drink water; c) I constantly wake up at any noise.
6. How do you eat before bed?
a) I have dinner 3-4 hours before bedtime; b) sometimes I drink tea with something sweet half an hour before bed; c) I eat late, almost before bed.
7. How long does it take you to fall asleep?
a) after about five minutes I fall asleep; b) I fall asleep on average within half an hour ; c) I toss and turn for a very long time, sometimes until the morning.
8. What mattress and pillow do you sleep on?
a) on special orthopedic ones; b) on ordinary ones, but this doesn’t bother me too much; c) on very soft (very hard)
mattress.
9. You are very tired, but in the evening your friends invite you to visit or go to the cinema. Your actions?
a) I will politely explain that I need to rest; b) I will agree so as not to offend, although I will constantly yawn; c) I agree with joy, I’ll still have time to sleep .
Let's sum it up
• More “a”
: your sleep can be called quite healthy, you manage
to sleep well and gain strength .
• More “b”
: You have some problems sleeping. Learn to relax, pay attention to your evening meals, try to follow a routine.
• More answers “in”
: Your sleep is bad, and your health suffers from this.
Change your lifestyle so that next time the answers to all questions are only “a”
Flexible feeding schedule
Today you may well hear such a thing as a flexible feeding schedule. With this schedule, the mother does not feed the baby according to a schedule, but only when the baby is not sleeping, or at the baby’s request
And it doesn’t matter whether it happens once or twice a day, or six. This schedule is quite applicable to a calm or healthy child.
But if the child is constantly naughty or very active, then a flexible schedule can only do harm. Such a child may constantly ask for the breast just like that, regardless of whether he is full or hungry. For example, just to calm down. And in such a situation, the mother will very quickly feel tired from the endless lack of sleep and the baby’s crying. The absence of a clear schedule in such a situation may well even lead to disruption of the gastrointestinal tract, and then it will be necessary not only to start feeding according to a clear schedule, but also to undergo a course of treatment.
