Why is my baby fighting sleep?

Are you able to get your baby to sleep but they won’t stay asleep? Do you do everything right to make sure they are as comfortable as possible yet they are still sleep fighting instead of sleeping peacefully?  It’s common for parents to hit this obstacle during the early stages of their child’s life. So don’t worry, you are not alone! Keep reading to find out what causes babies to fight sleep and what you can start doing right now to correct that behavior.

The Basics

Sometimes all it takes is going back to the basics. Your baby could be upset for the simplest reasons and they are just having a hard time communicating it. Some of the causes of your baby’s struggling to sleep well could be:

• Hunger
• Gas
• An uncomfortable room temperature
• Too much light in the room
• Teething

You want to look into these possible causes first before really honing in on whether or not this is a deeply rooted issue. Make sure you understand your baby’s body language and start to learn their cues so you can easily figure out what they might need at that moment. You also want to be keeping up with a proper bedtime routine. This routine should be done every night in the exact same way! You can add or subtract certain bedtime activities as needed, but you want to make sure that overall you’re staying consistent. Remember, consistency is the key! If you’ve checked the basics off of the list and you’re still not seeing any improvement, then it’s time to think about what else your baby is experiencing that might be causing this issue.

Over Tired or Under Tired

Being over tired or under tired is a very common cause of sleep fighting in babies. If your baby is getting too much or too little sleep it can make them extra fussy, irritable and lead to them having much discomfort when trying to sleep. Something like this can be solved by changing their nap time schedule and being stricter on how long they are sleeping. Nap time schedules really vary depending on your child but you want to find the balance they need so when bedtime comes around, they are ready. For example, if you have an overtired baby, try shortening either how many naps they take per day and/or how long each nap is for your baby. Your little one’s naptime shouldn’t be any longer than two hours per nap depending on their age, but ideally you want to try and stay below the two hour mark per nap, especially if they are getting more sleep than needed at that age. For under tired babies, it may seem like trying to keep them awake will actually help them sleep through the night. However, this often backfires. So instead, try organizing your naptime schedule so that your last nap isn’t too close to bedtime. These methods can create much better results for you and your baby.

Separation Anxiety

The bond that you form with your baby is absolutely priceless. However, sometimes the bond becomes so strong that it can result in your baby having separation anxiety. The stress your baby starts to feel when you aren’t around during sleeping hours can lead to them waking up all throughout the night. So how do we combat this issue? Depending on the severity, it can be extremely helpful to seek out the guidance of a professional, but if you want to work through it on your own to begin with, there are a few methods you can try.

If they are still in the transitional period of sleeping on their own, don’t be afraid to take things slow. You want to get them used to their bedtime routine but it’s okay to stay with them until they fall asleep or comfort them when they need you especially during the beginning. As the routine progresses, you can then phase out how much you’re in the room when it’s time for them to go to bed. Build trust with your baby. It may be easier said than done, but you want your baby to understand that just because you left the room that doesn’t mean you won’t still be there for them. This again, starts to be easily recognized when you move at a slower pace that’s comfortable for your baby in order to build that strong foundation of trust so that they can eventually sleep through the night peacefully without any interruptions.

How We Can Help

Is your sleep schedule all out of whack because both you and your baby aren’t getting enough rest? Are you trying everything you can possibly think of to get your baby on track and sleeping comfortably but nothing is working? Well, it might be time to look into getting a sleep consultant. Sleep consultants are infant and toddler sleep specialists that can help families get their nights back to normal by providing remote or in-home sleep training. They provide you with the supportive care needed for you and your baby to get back to your beauty sleep. Sleep Shop is staffed with many well certified sleep consultants that have plenty of personal experience along with excellent skills and techniques. We also tailor our techniques to each individual family’s unique parenting style and goals so that we can confidently restore your peace of mind.