Why Does My Newborn Cry So Much At Night – A common complaint that many parents express is the way the baby cries when placed on the floor. At first, it may seem adorable that the baby doesn’t want to be separated from you. However, over time, this addiction can create sleep deprivation in babies and parents. Are you a parent wondering what to do when your baby starts crying the moment you put him down?
To find a solution, you must identify why your baby cries as soon as he leaves your arms. Read this article to understand some of the most common reasons babies start crying when lying down and tips on how to avoid them.
Why Does My Newborn Cry So Much At Night
The reasons a baby cries when placed on the floor can be mostly behavioral or habitual, and rarely due to a medical condition. Here are some possible reasons why your baby cries when you put him down.
Tips To Handle A Baby Who Cries When Put Down To Sleep
Your baby has been nestled in your warm, cozy tummy for nine months, so it’s only natural that they feel secure and comfortable in your arms. From birth, babies like to have skin-to-skin contact or be held in your arms. Separation anxiety is normal in babies. Studies suggest that almost all babies between the ages of 18 months and three years suffer from separation anxiety and are clingy to some degree (1).
So if your baby is happy and content in your arms or lap, but starts fidgeting and squirming as soon as you put him in his crib, it’s probably separation anxiety.
It is completely normal for a small child to cry when placed on the floor. The first four months of age are also known as the 4th trimester. It is a period of transition between being in the womb and being out of the womb. Babies in this age group prefer to be held tightly, cradled and listen to white noise.
Babies need time to adapt to changes. Whether it’s a new crib or the nursery, your baby may initially refuse to sleep in it. If they’ve been sleeping in your bed (in a crib) for a while and you’ve now decided to move them to the new crib in the nursery, they may cry when their body senses the new environment.
Understanding Your Child And Their Crying
Your baby falls asleep on your lap while nursing, but as soon as you put him down, he starts crying. Sound familiar? It is quite common in newborn babies. When their bellies begin to fill, they tend to fall asleep, and when disturbed by this comfortable position, they may begin to cry.
If your baby cries excessively throughout the day, it may be due to colic or he may be going through the PURPLE cry period. Infant colic is defined as fussing or crying for more than three hours a day, more than three days a week. It is a common and self-limiting condition (2).
Purple crying is a period when the baby may cry more each week between two and five months. This also resolves on its own (3).
Excessive crying accompanied by loss of appetite and irritability can indicate an underlying problem such as an infection or ear pain (7).
Baby Cries During Diaper Change
One of the main reasons behind a baby crying is hunger. Because newborns don’t know of any other way to communicate their needs, they tend to cry when they’re hungry. Make sure your feeding schedule is on track and keep your baby’s tummy full.
Babies sleep peacefully when they establish a routine. When fed or put to sleep on time, they are less likely to cry and fuss. This may be because they have clear expectations about nap times or mealtimes.
Sometimes older babies fuss and cry when placed on the floor to get your attention. If your baby is used to being held, he may cry when you put him down or leave him alone.
Whether your baby’s crying is behavioral or physiological, you can fix it by following a few simple steps. However, if the baby’s excessive crying interferes with sleep and feeding, it is best to consult a pediatrician.
Reasons Why Babies Cry In Their Sleep And 5 Best Sleep Solutions– Nested Bean
With small changes and a little more patience, you can teach your baby not to cry when you lay him down. Teaching him to calm down is essential so that you and the baby can get a good night’s sleep.
Cry it out is an effective and quick method to train babies to sleep (8). However, parents may find crying stressful.
Try to put your baby to bed when he’s drowsy and not fully asleep. Also, if your baby seems inconsolable and you are stressed, take a break and place the baby on his back in his crib. “Cry it out” is not recommended for newborns. However, a brief period of crying is not harmful to newborns.
Let your baby spend time in their crib or bassinet during the day. Play with them while they are there to make the place familiar to them.
Why You Need To Know About Purple Crying?
According to NCT, “There is evidence that babies may sleep longer at night if a bedtime routine is started before 12 weeks of age (9).”
Swaddling or dressing the baby can help babies sleep, but it should be done safely. You can sing softly and use “convenient seats”. Here you place your calm, sleepy baby in their awake crib and gently stroke and cuddle them to help them fall asleep. You can comfort them with soft “sshhh” sounds (4) (5).
Babies with acid reflux can sometimes find lying on their backs uncomfortable. However, there is no risk of choking in this position, as the baby automatically coughs or swallows the liquid that he has coughed up due to the gag reflex. Sleeping on your back is the only recommended position until babies can roll over independently, as it is the best way to reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SID) (6).
Crying is one of the primary ways babies communicate their basic needs. However, sometimes they may cry due to reflux or gas. Therefore, you need to react immediately to your baby’s crying during the first few months. Even if you don’t pick them up every time, you can stroke or caress them and make soothing sounds. Responding to a baby’s cry and giving it immediate attention won’t spoil the baby at this age (10). However, as the baby grows, you need to gradually train him to calm down. Most babies can settle down by six months (11).
Colic In Babies: Signs, Symptoms, And Relief
Although it can be overwhelming at times, it’s normal for babies to cry when placed on the floor, and some simple techniques can help control crying. If your baby only stops crying when you hold him, it may be because he wants you near him and hasn’t learned to calm down yet. Be patient with them and give them time to adjust. If maintaining a bedtime routine, feeding, or soothing him in his crib isn’t working and he continues to cry for long hours, see your child’s doctor to identify any underlying issues.
Baby crying when placed on the floor, especially to sleep, is not a rare phenomenon experienced by most new parents. Although newborns like to be held for a variety of reasons, you can use the tips in the infographic below to lay your baby down after sleeping.
The journal’s articles are written after analyzing the research work of authors and specialized institutions. Our references consist of resources established by authorities in their respective fields. You can learn more about the authenticity of the information we present in our editorial policy.
Dr. Neema Shrestha is a pediatrician with a special interest in neonatology. She has an overall experience of five years working in the field. Currently working in Kathmandu, Nepal, she completed her MBBS from Kasturba Medical College, Manipal in 2008, a Diploma in Child Health from D.Y. Patil University in 2011, MD of Nepal Medical College in 2015…more
What Parents Need To Know About Pain In Newborns
Rohit Garoo is a writer-turned-editor with over 9 years of experience in writing, editing, and content marketing. He did his Bachelor of Science from St. Xavier’s College, Hyderabad, and Masters of Business Administration from Osmania University. Additionally, he holds a Certificate in Developmental Psychology from the University of Queensland and enjoys furthering his knowledge through certifications in various…moreIn this article, we explore different reasons why babies sometimes cry in their sleep and different methods to calm them down.
It can be very upsetting to see your baby cry in his sleep, but it’s often completely normal. It is therefore useful to know how babies really sleep, why they sometimes seem to be disturbed in their sleep and what you can do to help them.
As you may have noticed, babies don’t sleep the same way as children or adults. Not only do they sleep longer overall and for shorter periods of time (especially newborns), but their sleep patterns are also different (BASIS, 2018). The main difference is that they spend more time in REM sleep than adults.
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