Natural and artificial feeding.

Ekaterina Rakitina

Dr. Dietrich Bonhoeffer Klinikum, Germany

Reading time: 8 minutes

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Last update articles: 03/27/2019

How much sleep should children sleep at this age? Children during the newborn period sleep on average up to 16 hours and are rarely awake. How long does a 3 month old baby sleep? From 14 to 15 hours. Children of this age do not yet have the same biological clock as adults (the so-called circadian rhythm); they sleep “whenever they have to.” That is, when he gets tired and eats. He falls asleep on his own after playing and eating. Why does the baby sleep poorly? Can interfere with healthy sleep various factors, in this case you will have to put the baby to bed.

Many parents complain that their children don't sleep enough. Firstly, objectively, modern children sleep less than their parents and grandparents. Secondly, if a child wakes up often, he may not be sleeping little, but poorly.

How do newborns sleep?

Usually in short periods of 2 to 4 hours. How long can a 3 month old baby sleep at night? About 5-6 hours without a break. The baby falls asleep at any time of the day or night. When he is clean, fed and feels good.

During the transition from wakefulness to sleep and back, the baby's body may twitch, and the eyes may become dark. This is normal for the first weeks of life. A child may sob while sleepy - this is also normal.

Normally, by the 6th week after the first stage of adaptation, a certain rhythm or routine appears in the child’s life. He sleeps more long time, the longest periods of 4 to 6 hours in a row occur at night, during the day the baby sleeps for 1.5-2 hours, devoting some time to play. Normally, a child can be awake for up to 2 hours during the day. At the same time, he feels well, is active and cheerful.

If the child stays awake for a longer period of time during the day or night, he will become overtired. Both emotionally and physically. He will no longer be able to fall asleep on his own, and it will be difficult to put him to sleep.

It is important to promptly notice the first signs of fatigue; if you do not put your baby to bed at this moment, the body will begin to produce special substances to combat sleep and fatigue. When the situation is repeated several times and overwork is regular, the routine that has just begun to form is disrupted and the baby has difficulty falling asleep, sleeps poorly or little, and often wakes up.

It is not so difficult to recognize when a child wants to sleep, he rubs his eyes, and with age he begins to yawn, the movements of his limbs become more chaotic, and at an older age (6-9 months) he begins to miss his movements.

In the first weeks of life, a child does not react too violently to light or sound, provided they are constantly exposed, and is frightened by sharp pops or flashes. It is better to put your baby to bed in a quiet and shaded place, this will help the baby sleep regularly and rest fully.

A three-month-old baby sleeps 2/3 of the night, but how long does he sleep during the day? IN daytime he rests 3 times during the day for 40-90 minutes (at least one nap should be 1.5 hours). This means that it is formed normal mode sleep. Not all babies sleep exactly like this, these are averages. Baby needs more attention outside sleepy state for play and development, he actively smiles and waits for his mother. However, he still has to spend a lot of time sleeping. If you don’t reduce the emotional intensity of the game in time, don’t calm the baby down, and don’t put him to sleep, he will cry for a long time and have trouble resting, as if he feels pain.

If the baby is hungry, sick, uncomfortable, hot or cold, he pooped, he will not have good sleep. Children up to 3 months of age are often disturbed intestinal colic and flatulence, but by 3 months bowel function normally improves. And this cause of sleep disturbance ceases to bother the baby.

Basic rules for night and daytime sleep

At 3 months of age (or slightly earlier), the baby begins a 24 (25) hour solar biocycle. He begins to sleep longer at night. It is at this time that it is necessary to “normalize” physical stimuli (light and darkness, noise and silence, feeding, playing and bathing, etc.), during the day and at night. If the baby's sleep time does not exceed the upper or lower limits of the norm, small deviations are not significant. Why is that?

There is no clear relationship between age in months and sleep duration. Getting used to the 25-hour rhythm depends on the development of a certain part of the brain responsible for the “biological clock.”

If a child sleeps poorly or sleeps little, not because he is sick, he has psychological problems, he is hungry or uncomfortable, he needs to be taught the difference between night and day.

It is important to remember that newborns sleep differently than children at 6-9 months, and they sleep differently than a 2-year-old child. Sleep patterns change with age and very quickly in the first year of life. The sleep cycle of a baby up to 3 months is 3-4 hours of sleep, food, a little play, changing diapers, bathing in the evening and sleep again. Normally, the child regulates his sleep himself; if he sleeps poorly or little, you need to find the reason (hot-cold, stuffy-painful, etc.).

By three months, he should already have learned the difference between sleeping during the day and at night, for this he needs to follow several simple rules:

You don’t have to close the curtains during the day (the exception would be when the sun shines directly through the window), and at night you don’t need to leave the night light on;
During the day, you should not create special silence in the house, move on tiptoe and whisper; at night, on the contrary, you should not make noise, it is better to turn off the TV, this will help the baby to fully rest;
Before going to bed at night, you should give your baby a bath, you can add herbs (chamomile and chamomile) if he doesn’t have allergies, this will help your child sleep better;
Before going to bed, it is necessary to ventilate the room where the baby will rest (during the day, a 3-month-old baby can doze outside, in a stroller).

Not needed to calm baby 3 one month old, immediately offer him the breast. Medical contraindications such behavior does not have, but psychological ones - yes. This is due to the fact that the feelings of sleep and hunger are controlled by the same area of the brain. If you soothe your baby with milk, firstly, he may have trivial symptoms, and secondly, he will form incorrect associations with sleep. Children who are accustomed to falling asleep under the breast or with a bottle often grow into adults who “eat away” their problems.

As for whether a child should sleep on his own from birth or whether he should not be deprived of his mother’s company, this is still a debatable issue. In this case, the responsibility falls on the parents, and their choice of behavior should be guided by common sense.

Three month mark

Many children during the newborn period sleep 5-6 hours at night; upon reaching the 3-month mark, all children should do this. If initially the baby fell asleep on his own, and there was no need additional measures, or, on the contrary, the child fell asleep under the breast, was rocked to sleep, rocked to sleep, carried in a stroller or driven in a car, then it’s time to change habits and develop a routine.

For nine months, mothers have been eagerly awaiting the birth of their long-awaited child. How much happiness and joy parents experience when they hold their newborn child in their arms.

However, at first, every couple may encounter a situation where a 3-month-old child does not sleep well. The problem applies to both daytime and nighttime.

The importance of daily routine

Tiny baby doesn't adhere after birth a certain regime day. Usually he most time he sleeps and wakes up for feeding. But a three-month-old baby becomes more active, spends more and more time in a state of wakefulness, learning the world. AND the main task mothers gradually accustom him to a certain daily routine.

However, one should not discount individual characteristics child's body. But even if infant at three months he behaves actively after a long period of wakefulness, this does not mean at all that he does not need sleep. The little one just doesn’t know how to realize this yet, so the mother’s task is to put the baby in the crib on time and make every effort so that he gets at least a little sleep.

The importance of daytime and night sleep

If adults have enough sleep at night, then the baby’s rest at 3 months should include nighttime and daytime hours.

Rest is important for a child’s body because during this period:

all growth processes are actively underway;
the nervous system is formed;
the received information is being actively processed;
the foundations of physical and mental development baby.

If a child constantly has poor rest, this may indicate the presence of diseases that require medical intervention. Mothers should definitely be wary if their baby is capricious before bed, and when falling asleep, often wakes up and tosses and turns.

Long-term sleep disturbances are fraught with mental and physical disorders for the baby.

For a sound sleep and falling asleep quickly a specific preparation ritual should be developed, which may include:

Taking a soothing bath will help normalize restless rest.
Reading a book, don’t be surprised, but babies love to listen to their mother’s favorite voice.
Singing a lullaby.
Laying your favorite toy nearby.

Only a mother knows what will help her baby sleep, because every child is unique from birth. You just need to carefully observe the baby and find out what has a positive effect on his rest.

Walking before bed for good rest

Every pediatrician will tell you that you need to walk with your baby in any weather, but a walk is also important for a good night's rest. If a three-month-old baby does not sleep well at night, then maybe the whole problem is that he is in a stuffy room all day long?

Sometimes it’s enough to take a walk before going to bed, then take a warm bath, which will certainly affect the quality of your night’s sleep. The baby will fidget less when falling asleep, and wonderful dreams are guaranteed.

Mothers should remember that rest in a stroller cannot be called complete, because it is not deep. After falling asleep, you need to transfer the baby to the crib.

Pediatricians recommend feeding your baby not by the hour, but on demand. But some mothers do not agree with this, because if a breastfeeding child falls asleep in his arms or is too lazy to suckle, then, naturally, he does not eat completely and literally after an hour and a half he will again demand food.

This may be a small problem during the day, but at night the child will have difficulty sleeping due to hunger. Most often, babies fall asleep after eating, so mothers need to walk with the child before feeding, communicate, not allowing him to doze off. Then, after eating, your little one will fall asleep soundly.

Sleep standards for babies at three months

If, after being discharged from the maternity hospital, the baby can sleep up to 20 hours a day in the first month. The further development and duration of sleep in a three-month-old baby depends on the innate temperament. Even at three months, he can already scream loudly if you decide to put him to sleep without wanting to.

There are standards for how long a child should sleep, but you need to understand that everything is purely individual. A baby's sleep at 3 months is 16-18 hours. This time is divided between daytime and nighttime.

If there are deviations from the norm in any direction, but the child eats well, develops normally and looks cheerful and cheerful, then there is no need to panic, it means that this time is enough for his body.

Many factors can disrupt a baby’s sleep, the most common include:

Feeling of hunger due to feeding disorders.
External stimuli, such as loud voices, bright light, noise outside the window.
Overwork and overexcitement.
A feeling of discomfort that may occur due to an overfilled diaper or an uncomfortable room temperature.
Diseases.
Feeling lonely because my mother is not around.
Conflicts between parents.
Lack of daily routine. If the child is not accustomed to going to bed at the same time, then gradually this will become a problem for the parents.

Many causes can be easily eliminated, so make every effort and your little one will sleep soundly.

Associations with sleep

Very often, when a problem arises that a 3-month-old baby does not sleep well during the day, it may be associated with the associations that the baby develops. For example, in the first months of life, children immediately fall asleep as soon as they find themselves in a stroller or car. But with age, sleeping for a long time in this position is no longer possible, and the habit, unfortunately, has formed. Thus, a problem arises in which the mother puts the child in the crib after a walk, and he begins to yell. In such a situation, the baby no longer has time to sleep, fatigue and irritability appear.

Parents must make an effort to either ensure that their baby gets plenty of sleep in the car or stroller, or to prevent it. If this can be done during the day, then before sleeping at night it is important not to allow the baby to fall asleep in a crib other than his own.

Errors in feeding

It is necessary to adhere to a certain diet, especially in the afternoon. A 3-month-old baby may have trouble sleeping at night if he hasn’t had enough to eat. And this can happen due to receiving a smaller portion, for example, you fell asleep in your mother’s arms under your breast without being full, or the calorie content of the food does not allow you to sleep soundly all night.

It must be taken into account that some babies, especially those who are underweight, need night feeding, but it is important here fast reaction moms. If she hears the baby begin to spin and gives the half-asleep baby the breast, then he may not wake up completely, but will continue to sleep soundly.

If there are problems with sleep due to disrupted feeding, it is important that mother and baby sleep in the same room.

The influence of diseases on the baby's rest

Sleep may be disturbed feeling unwell child, if the baby cannot fall asleep or wakes up and cries, then it is possible:

colic or tummy pain;
temperature increase;
teeth are being cut, and the pain does not allow you to sleep;
there are other pathologies that cause painful sensations at the baby's.

Children cannot yet communicate what is bothering them, so mothers should carefully monitor the child in order to show him to the doctor in a timely manner.

Establishing a child's daily routine

For good rest at night and sound sleep during the day, it is important that a certain regime be followed. The baby quickly gets used to going to bed at the same time, eating and walking, and it is easier for parents to put him to bed, the problem disappears on its own.

If the mother cannot cope with her child on her own and the problem bad sleep remains, it is recommended to visit a specialist. The somnologist will give the following recommendations on establishing a baby’s daily routine:

Often, after feeding or immediately during it, babies fall asleep, but such sleep is short-lived and leads to disruption of the entire regime. After feeding, distract your baby from sleep, talk to him, walk around the room, play.
By the age of three months, the child should sleep approximately three times during the day and soundly throughout the night.
Try to put your child to bed at the same time every day.
Adjust it to your sleep general mode day.
Gradually stop feeding at night, as it disrupts sleep.
Before going to bed, you should not engage in active games.
It is necessary to develop rituals that make it easier to fall asleep.

It will take about three weeks to develop a specific regime, but all this time parents must strictly follow all the rules and recommendations.

Famous children's doctor Komarovsky notes that even a three-month-old baby’s regimen should be constant. It is unacceptable to put your child to bed at 9 pm today and let your child stay awake until 11 tomorrow.

For small organism It is important that the routine is standardized and developed gradually. The body gets used to it and abrupt change or violations over time can negatively affect the child’s health.

The regimen can be adjusted, but taking into account the needs of the growing baby. For a full and sound night's sleep, it is important to devote a lot of time during the day to playing with your child and communicating, then in the evening the tired little one will quickly fall asleep.

Your child develops new interests and is faced with increasingly complex tasks! It's fun, but it will probably result in your whole family getting less sleep.
Now sleep associations become habits... and in a wonderful way cause this very dream.
It's time to debunk five common misconceptions about infant sleep, including the most famous one - the connection between cereal and sleep.
What kind of sleep is considered normal for babies? Expect shorter naps during the day and longer naps at night.
Sleeping in the same bed is becoming safer, but moving your baby into the nursery will be easier than before... The choice is yours!

One trimester, such a big difference!

When I ask expectant parents to describe the difference between a newborn and a three-month old, they usually say, “Hmm, I don’t know... is one bigger than the other?” Many simply don't realize the huge difference between a wonderful, fetal-like newborn (who could barely smile) and an inquisitive little user social network, who is three months old!

But you are aware of it. It's only been three months, but I'm willing to bet your pregnant friends are now bombarding you with questions like you've become Wikipedia for everything baby-related. You are actually now a true baby expert!

However, it is not yet time to rest on our laurels. Judging by various studies, approximately 46% of babies experience sleep problems during the first year of life. These difficult periods can drag on for months and lead to quarrels, fatigue, overexertion, irritation and hair loss (when you tear your hair out of despair!).

So, even if your baby is sleeping well now, don't rush to brag about it to friends. Big changes are coming soon (stopping swaddling, a sharp increase, bowel changes) that can completely disrupt your baby's sleep (and yours!), and then your little one will again start waking up every three hours, like a newborn.

And even if the next few months pass quietly for you, remember that sleep may be disrupted between six months and a year due to new difficulties (teething, first colds, increased artificial nutrition, constipation, complementary feeding, attempts to stand on your feet, etc.).

All of these common stressors cause so many sleep problems between three months and one year that many experts simply give up and tell parents to let their babies “cry it out.” But is this really the best we can do? Parents from other countries think us Americans are crazy for leaving crying baby in a room alone - let him scream until he gets tired.

I'm not saying it's ineffective; in fact, this approach might work. But this defeats one of your most important goals as a parent: to instill confidence in your child... and in you.

Fortunately, most children can learn to sleep well—and become more independent—even without this extreme measure. In the following pages, I'll tell you how to become an expert soft methods sleep training.

But first... let's talk about the amazing progress your baby is making right now.

Baby Gray Matter: What's Going on in Your Baby's Mind?

Congratulations! Your baby has reached three months of age... and is now completely "ready to be born." Seriously, look at how his head and body have increased in size, and then you will understand why merciful Mother Nature made it so that children spend the fourth trimester outside the mother's womb.

Over the next nine months, you'll have a lot of fun watching your baby develop into an emotional, inquisitive, flirtatious, and self-controlled member of your family. And despite the fact that he appeared in your home so recently, it will soon be difficult for you to imagine your life without his smiling face.

But that doesn't mean he will always smile.

Your child's temperament is beginning to emerge

It is incredibly important to understand what your baby's temperament is, because your task is not just to raise any child... your task is to raise your child.

It's only been a few months and you can already be considered the world's best expert on your baby. You know him very well nice smell and a funny smile, and you also understand his moods, you know about his courage, perseverance and what causes a strong reaction in him. If you know your baby's temperament, you can predict whether he will sleep soundly during your holiday trip or whether he will have trouble sleeping due to unfamiliar shadows and new smells.

There is a chance that your baby is one of the 40% of children who have an easy character. These are flexible, happy and not very lively children. They love surprises and new situations, waking up joyful and ready for a new day.

About 25% of children have a complex character - they are either very sensitive and have difficulty accepting new people, or, conversely, energetic and playful. Such children demand special treatment at this stage of life.

Cautious children

At five months, when most children give out smiles like free samples in stores, cautious children frown at the sight of strangers and glance anxiously at their mother, looking to her for salvation. These sensitive little gnomes squawk if you give them a new pacifier, if there is too much light coming into the room from the hallway, or if you put on a new perfume.

Wary children need a clear and constant sleep schedule and strict adherence to routine.

Lively and energetic children

These cubs need a lot of attention and many hours of movement. (“No, Mom, you don’t have to sit down!”) They wait about a minute for food and then explode in indignation.

Lively children are constantly excited - the world around them makes them curious. These are children for whom the key phrase is “Me too!” They don't want to miss a minute of pleasure, they fight sleep until they are so tired that they pass out while laughing or suddenly shrink and turn into completely weak-willed creatures.

For this reason, it is best not to allow these children to become overtired or overstimulated before bed.

“He’s a genius!”: Babies are great students

One of my favorite books on child development, The Scientist in the Crib, shows just how brilliant our little children are.

Now you are already a wise parent and know what giant steps your child has taken in his development. Just a month ago, he could hardly look straight at you, his eyes were always crossed. And now he can easily follow all your movements with his eyes, even when you are in another part of the room.

Over the months, your baby will transform from a little bundle into a real athlete, while coordination will develop from top to bottom. First, he will learn to control his eyes and face and “walk” at will. Then his neck will become stronger; then he will be able to suck his fingers without poking them in the eye. (Be careful, because he'll also start ripping your glasses off your face... and reaching for your hot tea.)

Then he will begin to sit, crawl and even stand up. (For a nine-month-old baby, the latter can cause sleep problems - he will get up and stay in that position, unable to figure out how to lie down again!)

All this movement is endless fun, but it can also result in your buddy clamoring for more when it's bedtime and you having to struggle to get him to lie in that boring crib.

appears in your child's brain great amount new connections or synapses (about 20 million per second!). As these connections between neurons develop, the various brain centers in the child’s head begin to work as one team: smoothly, quickly, clearly.

In addition to the increased muscle control I just talked about, your baby will make big strides in his ability to express feelings (from sadness to fear to joy) and you'll notice amazing improvements in his ability to control his emotions - he'll stay in control longer. attention, sleep better and recover quickly from big troubles. (Regular screaming due to colic will soon become a distant memory.)

This improvement in "wiring" will also lead to improved memory. It's amazing that by four to six months, your baby will already remember who is part of your family and who is not. (And depending on his temperament, he will treat strangers as entertainment or as a threat.)

Memory development may explain why your six-month-old baby, who was fast asleep, suddenly wakes up at 2:00 am and is ready to play. (“I went out with Mommy today. It was great. Hey Mom! Wake up, let's go out again!”) And this also explains why your nine-month-old might protest if you put him to bed one day without his favorite toy (or without the same toy!).

And finally, it is precisely in connection with the development of memory that the daily routine and routine become so important in a child’s life. Young children love established order, and for them predictability is like an oasis in a hectic and unreliable world. Having a routine for getting ready for bed gives your child confidence and a feeling of security. (“Oh yes! I know what is about to happen. Kisses, a lullaby... and a sweet dream.”)

Sleep associations: how to turn a reflex into a habit

Every day, your child notices that certain sights and sounds always go together. He understands: “When I smile, dad smiles too.” In a few months, he will understand that “when mom looks at something and points at it, she wants me to look at it too” and “when I hear the garage door open, it means that dad will soon appear "

Between three and five months the calming reflex gradually disappears, and 5 special techniques no longer have an automatic effect on the baby. (If you try to say “shhhh” to an angry ten-month-old baby, he will probably respond with the same “shhhhh.”) But this is where learning comes in.

Because your baby has this new ability to associate, he may learn that once the routine of getting ready for bed has begun, the playtime is over...it's time for bed. ("ABOUT, White noise, I'll fall asleep soon. Oh, I already feel tired!”)

White noise and rocking can still calm a baby (ocean sounds and rocking can lull even those in their nineties to sleep), but they only work if your baby is ready to calm down. Now 5 special techniques do not activate the desired reflex, but turn into calming rituals for falling asleep like teddy bears only in sound and other versions.

Don't Believe it! Myths about sleep for children aged three months to one year

In addition to the myths associated with newborn sleep, there are many misconceptions about sleep in older children. Below are five of the most common misconceptions.

MYTH 1: Children sleep longer if you don't let them sleep until they are very tired.

FACT: Tired adults do sleep better, but tiredness can have a different effect on young children, making them cranky and restless.

When talking about newborns, I said that sleep begets sleep. This is also true for older children. If you miss nap or putting the child to bed later at night, this will not make his sleep sounder - quite the contrary, everything can end nervous breakdown and restless sleep.

This especially applies to inquisitive children. They blink, rub their eyes, and fight sleep to watch you talk or their big brother fooling around next to you.

Your baby will be happier, fall asleep faster, and stay asleep longer if you put him down during the day and ready for bedtime before he starts yawning and looking glassy-eyed.

MYTH 2: At three months you should stop swaddling your baby.

FACT: Parents often hear that when swaddling they should leave their arms free so that the baby can suck his finger and self-soothe, or that he will get used to being swaddled for too long, or that swaddling slows down muscle development. But that's not true!

First, during the day, when baby is awake and not swaddled, he has plenty of free time to practice thumb sucking. Secondly, babies do not develop dependence on swaddling. And thirdly, it is obvious that children do not train all muscle groups while sleeping! And during the day, when they are free from diapers, they can calmly learn to roll over and take a sitting position.

I recommend swaddling your baby until at least four months because a swaddle makes it harder for him to roll over onto his stomach, meaning there is less risk of SIDS. In fact nervous kids With poor coordination, swaddling can be beneficial for up to five, six or even seven months until they get stronger and stop accidentally hitting themselves in the face.

MYTH 3: It is necessary to teach a four-month-old baby to sleep through the night.

FACT: I guess it depends on what we mean when we say “all night.”

After birth, your baby needs to be fed frequently to nourish his rapidly growing brain and body. (A baby's body doubles in size in the first six months of life. Imagine how many times a day you would have to eat to achieve this!)

By three or four months, most babies' brains are developed enough for them to sleep at least six hours at a time without waking up for feedings.

MYTH 4: If you feed your baby rice porridge in the evening, he will sleep better.

FACT: For decades, our grandmothers - and doctors - assured us that giving a baby a couple of spoonfuls of cereal would fill his stomach and keep him sleeping through the night. But several studies have shown that eating porridge before bed does nothing to promote sleep.

If you think about it seriously, you will probably realize that this idea is completely crazy. Children's rice porrige much less filling (and much less nutritious) than breast milk or formula. Milk is a mixture of fats, carbohydrates and proteins that curdles in the stomach and is slowly digested. Milk also contains many other beneficial nutrients, such as the amino acid tryptophan, which promotes sleep.

Porridge is just white starch (and a little iron). Therefore, the very idea that a tablespoon of quickly digestible starch could be more effective than a couple of hundred milliliters of warm, full-fat milk is absurd. (And in any case, it is stupid to use rice as a first complementary food, since it brings almost no benefit and is not a complete replacement for milk.)

MYTH 5: Children at six months should eat nutritious food in order to sleep well.

FACT: Yes, spoon feeding your baby is great! But there is absolutely no hurry.

Children love to watch us eat, and most six-month-olds snatch our forks. (But they grab everything we have in our hands!) And let's be honest: many of us are just dying to shove a spoonful of food into our baby's adorable, wide-open mouth.

But it is wrong to think that at this age a child needs complete complementary feeding. In fact, milk is still the main source of energy for a six-month-old baby. It's delicious and full of everything. essential microelements and helps the child gain weight. Concerning baby food, then it is on it that supermodels sit, sitting on strict diet, - carrots, apples and peas.

At six months, the baby gets 95% of his calories from milk (and other foods are more entertainment than nutrition). By nine months, milk still provides about 75% of calories, and by one year it makes up 50% of the baby's nutrition.

So make sure your baby doesn't skip milk feedings or fill his belly with other things during the day. Otherwise, he will start waking up from hunger at night.

Sleep: what is normal at this stage?

As your baby develops by leaps and bounds, he begins to develop more predictable sleep patterns. Below are sleep statistics from the Sleep Encyclopedia, based on national survey data. These statistics show how your baby's sleep will change as he grows and develops.

By three months, the child’s fragmentary sleep begins to intertwine into increasingly longer periods of sleep during the day and night. When he wakes up, he falls back into sleep more easily (both on his own and with your help) and does not start crying. However, some aspects of sleep remain the same as in the first months. For example, both newborns and three-month-old children sleep for a long time during the day, and in general, sleep lasts about fourteen hours a day.

A 2004 survey of 1,500 families by the National Sleep Foundation found that, on average, babies sleep three to four hours during the day and fall asleep within ten minutes of turning off the lights. , and them night sleep lasts ten hours, with 71% of them waking up at least once a night (and just under half of babies waking up two or more times).

Of course, these are general indicators, everyone is different. Approximately 5% of babies sleep only ten hours a day, and another 5% sleep as much as eighteen!

However, in general, in the first year of life you will experience something like the following:

INCREASING THE TOTAL DURATION OF NIGHT SLEEP. The duration of night sleep increases from eight hours at birth to nine hours by three months and to eleven hours by one year.
LONGER SLEEP AT NIGHT. Half of babies are able to sleep five hours at a time (midnight to 5am) by two months of age - and exactly half can sleep eight hours at a time (from 10pm to 6am) by five months. (And the situation will probably only improve if you introduce the right sleep associations: for example, white noise.)
GRADUAL REDUCTION IN THE TOTAL DURATION OF DAY SLEEP. Daytime sleep decreases from eight hours at birth to four and a half hours by three months and to three hours by one year.

Melatonin: Natural Sleep Elixir

"You're ruining my melatonin!" - my wife gently reminds me if I accidentally turn on the light while she is sleeping.

Around four months of age, your baby's ability to distinguish between day and night (circadian rhythm) becomes better, thanks to the fantastic functioning of the neurons that carry messages to his brain. And now every night there is a release of melatonin.

If you remember, melatonin is a natural sleep hormone; it is produced by the pineal gland, or pineal gland, which is located deep in the brain. Bright light stops the production of melatonin, helping us stay awake and active throughout the day, and in the dark, melatonin is produced again to help us sleep.

It is thanks to this blessed substance that your baby now sleeps less during the day and more at night. And that is why I strongly recommend that you dim the lights at home half an hour or an hour before you are going to put your baby to bed, and after he falls asleep, make sure that no bright light enters the room.

When a baby starts having trouble sleeping at 3 months of age, some parents start to panic. And completely in vain. After all, to get rid of them, it is often enough just to adjust some everyday aspects. This is confirmed by recent studies baby sleep. However, a number of Russian neurologists and pediatricians often attribute restless sleep even in a 3-month-old baby neurological disorders. Having made a non-existent diagnosis, they immediately prescribe drug treatment.

And yet, if your baby begins to sleep poorly during the day or at night, do not rush to stuff him with drugs. In most cases this is not necessary. You can get your baby to sleep well using safer methods. To do this, you should experiment to find out the cause of the child’s anxiety.

Why does my baby sleep restlessly during the day?

Daytime sleep disturbances in a 3-month-old baby are not uncommon. If you see that your baby often wakes up and is capricious or has completely stopped sleeping during the day, you need to try to independently find the cause of this condition. We list the main factors due to which infants may have problems with daytime rest.

The baby is uncomfortable. One month old baby can't explain what exactly he doesn't like. By refusing to sleep, he thus attracts the attention of his parents. Most often it turns out that the baby has soiled his diaper, wants to eat, or is sick. Look into the diaper, try feeding, measure body temperature and check if the nose is stuffy. As soon as the cause of the baby's anxiety is eliminated, he will fall asleep.
It's too hot in the nursery. A child of three months old will not be able to sleep normally in a stuffy room. Therefore, it must be ventilated several times a day. Drafts should not be allowed. The air temperature should be maintained at 19-21°C. Such indicators are the most comfortable for a baby.
The sleep schedule is not followed. To put your baby to bed during the day, you need to choose certain time and stick to it every day. Thus, the baby will form the habit of falling asleep at the same hour. It is best to plan a day's rest immediately after a walk, as fresh air promotes sound and healthy sleep.
The baby is overexcited and hyperactive. If a couple of minutes ago you were actively entertaining and amusing your baby, you shouldn’t be surprised that he can’t fall asleep quickly. Let him calm down a little first. To speed up falling asleep, it is recommended to read something to him or sing a song.
Functional disorders nervous system, as well as some somatic diseases. They can be asymptomatic and manifest only by restless daytime sleep or reluctance to sleep. The presence of such problems can be suspected when all of the above reasons have been eliminated or are absent. The final diagnosis can only be made by a highly specialized specialist after a series of tests and examinations.

And one more important note. Those who periodically push sleeping children in a stroller should take into account that sleep while moving is superficial. The quality of such holidays is extremely low.

A stroller is only suitable for rocking a child to sleep. As soon as he falls asleep, he must be moved to his crib.

Causes of poor sleep at night

If a mother has already lost count and cannot remember how many times she got up to see her baby crying in the middle of the night, we need to figure out why this is happening. In order for your baby to get enough sleep, you need to know what exactly is bothering him and how to help him.

Let's look at the most common reasons why a 3-month-old baby may have trouble sleeping:

Many babies, whose parents put them to bed separately, often wake up during the night. This is the architecture of sleep up to 6 months - the predominance of its superficial stage over the deep one.
Doctors consider sobbing, whimpering and even crying in a 3-month-old baby's sleep to be normal. In the first few months after the birth of a child, a whole barrage of information hits him. Its processing mainly occurs during the period of night rest. A baby’s dreams are a reflection of emotions and impressions received over the past day. Therefore, he can sob, smack his lips and whimper without waking up. It is also extremely important for him to periodically make sure that his mother is nearby. Whimpering slightly, the child checks to see if she is still there. If no reaction follows, he finally wakes up and screams in full force.
Trembling. A completely harmless phenomenon. It arises as a result of changes nervous excitability during the transition from one stage of sleep to another. The child may shudder and throw out his arms and legs several times during the night. As a rule, such throwing of the limbs occurs when the baby from superficial sleep plunges into its deep phase (about 20-40 minutes after falling asleep). This wakes him up and scares him.
Well-being. Even an adult will have difficulty sleeping if he has stomach pain or teething wisdom teeth. And in a 3-month-old child, such troubles happen quite often. When colic and the first teeth pecking bother him at night, he wakes up and cries.
Getting drunk breast milk or mixture, the baby usually falls asleep. However, this does not in any way affect the duration of sleep. After all, the baby might not have eaten enough, but simply satisfy the hunger that was bothering him by having a little “snack.” Then literally an hour later he can wake up again and cry for more.

A child's sleep can also be interrupted because he suddenly becomes cold or, conversely, hot. To understand how comfortable the temperature environment is for the baby, you need to touch his neck. If it is cool, dress the baby, but if it is sweaty, remove excess clothes.

From time to time he wants to feel his mother's warmth. At such moments, of course, you need to be there for the sake of healthy, proper rest for your baby.

How to put your baby to bed during the daytime

A baby's lack of normal daytime sleep at 3 months of age can trigger the development of mental disorders And chronic diseases. Parents should be wary if he does not fall asleep for a long time, often whines, and wakes up many times. After all, this clearly indicates that something is bothering the baby.

It is impossible to ignore the fact that a child does not sleep well during the day. It is very frivolous and irresponsible to think that this is a temporary phenomenon that will pass on its own. Action needs to be taken.

Before lunch, it is recommended to take a longer walk with your baby. fresh air. It is best to choose park areas for walks.
If the child begins to refuse to sleep during the day, it will be very good to give him a short bath in a slightly cool water. Similar water procedures have a hardening effect, so they are doubly useful.
Create a personal falling asleep ritual for your baby: you can read books to him, sing lullabies or any other songs, put his favorite toy next to him. Finding something that will help you fall asleep can only be done experimentally. After all, every baby is unique.

Poor daytime sleep can be justified only in one case - when the child manages to get a good night's sleep. To check this, it is advisable to track its behavior.

If he has a good appetite, and he is not capricious or whining, then perhaps it will be enough to just lie down with the baby for an hour or two during the day. You can listen to some audio fairy tale or read a children's book.

What you need for a good night's rest

When a baby wakes up crying several times during the night, you don’t always immediately understand what happened and how to help him. If this repeats day after day, you need to find the reason that is bothering the baby. In most cases, there is no neurological diagnosis here, which means that feeding a baby medication “for sleep” is a real crime.

We talked about the reasons for a bad night's rest above. Now let's look at several ways to eliminate them:

Let's summarize

Adequate rest during the day and night is very important for further normal development crumbs. Only by discovering and eliminating the real reason unsatisfactory sleep, responsible parents gain peace of mind about the health of their child.

First, it is recommended to analyze your own behavior towards the baby. If no errors are found in it, you can begin to analyze other factors.

In most cases, a 3-month-old baby's sleep problem can be easily resolved by eliminating its underlying cause.

Have you tried everything possible, but your baby still doesn't sleep better? Then you need to consult a doctor without delay. After all, the sooner an existing disease is identified, the easier and more successful it will be to cure it.

Hello, dear readers! The topic of our conversation today is how much a baby sleeps at 3 months. How can a mother get rid of sleepless nights

? How to put a baby to bed without tears and hysterics? These and other questions concern young parents. Let's try to find the truth together. Do you agree? Then let's go!

Sleep is a time of restoration and rest for the body. Adequate sleep is especially important for children, because to understand the world around them they need a huge amount of energy. Caring parents are concerned with the question: how much sleep should a 3-month-old baby have for its proper development? Answer to this question depends on many factors. One of them is the personal characteristics of the baby. After all, sleep patterns can vary greatly. However, there are general norms

baby's sleep at 3 months. What are these norms? Let's get a look.

Sleep norm for a three-month-old baby Typically, a 3 month old baby should sleep approximately 14-16 hours a day. At the same time, during the day the baby sleeps 4-5 times for at least an hour, and at night for 10 hours. Often, a toddler has 2 short naps of 30-40 minutes each, and 2 long naps of 1.5-2 hours each. Mine nap

The baby often spends time under the mother's breast, without letting go of the mother.

In between naps, the baby is awake. So, he can be active for 1.5 – 2 hours in a row. But not all children strictly adhere to the norm. Some sleep longer, others walk more. Therefore, you should not worry if the little one sleeps a little less or a little more than expected. Most likely, this is just his personal regime. The main thing is that he eats well and is healthy.

Proper organization of sleep To ensure the child has a strong and healthy sleep , stick to certain rules

sleep organization: That is, to keep it clean, warm and dry.
Try not to teach your little one to fall asleep in your arms. After all, he can wake up when he is transferred from his hands to the crib.
Stay close to your baby. At this age, he already spends a lot of time lying in his crib alone, but it’s better when his mother is nearby. Let the baby see you. This way he will not have the fear of being abandoned.
If your little one has trouble falling asleep in the evening, tell him a story or sing a lullaby. The sounds of mother's voice calm the children down. They begin to realize that it is time for sleep.
Choose the right time for your nap. The main condition is that the baby must want to sleep. Observe his signals: rubbing of the eyes, yawning, decline in activity. This obvious signs approaching sleep.
Make sure there is normal temperature and air humidity.
Make sure your baby is happy and full before bed.
When sleeping, dress your little one according to the season and according to the temperature in the room.
During the warm season, let your baby sleep in the fresh air during the day! Make sure you have protection from mosquitoes and hot sun.
Build a clear daily routine for your baby. Feed him, walk him, put him to bed at the same time every day. At first it may seem difficult, but soon both you and the baby will get used to the regime, and it will be easier for everyone.

Why doesn't the baby want to sleep?

At the age of three months, babies enter a period when they become intensely interested in the world around them. They look at the toys above their heads and communicate with their mother through humming and sounds. All this often excites the baby too much and prevents him from falling asleep. But not only this prevents the little one from falling asleep. So, the following reasons may also interfere with it:

Bad feeling. It is necessary to examine the baby, find out the cause of crying and anxiety. Go for a consultation pediatrician, if necessary, take the necessary tests.
The room is too stuffy. Ideally, the temperature in the baby’s bedroom should be about 22 degrees, and the air humidity should be at least 50%.
Sleep mode failure. If the baby had a very busy day, you went somewhere together, or guests came to you, and the little one could not sleep during the day at the usual time, then at night he may be capricious and refuse to fall asleep right away.
The emotional state of mom and dad. Children usually feel everything and react sharply to tension in the family.