How to properly lay the baby at night. Features of laying infants

23.11.2019 -

A body rolled up into a ball, arms and legs crossed, knees under the chin - this is the position the baby takes before birth in the womb. But after giving birth, everything changes. A tight cozy corner in my mother's tummy is replaced by a large bed. Now you need to look for a new comfortable position for sleeping and waking. So what position (on the back, tummy or on the barrel) is preferable for the little man?

On the back

This is a comfortable and safe sleeping position for the baby. Thus, it is possible to lay the crumbs both for a short daytime and for a relatively long night's sleep. If the little one does not like to fall asleep in this position, let him fall asleep in a different position, and when he is sound enough to sleep, put him on his back.

REMEMBER! There are situations when it is worth limiting lying on the back (for example, with dysplasia hip joints) - then the doctor recommends frequent laying of the awake crumbs in the position of a frog (on the tummy with legs wide apart).

On the tummy

This position is suitable for being awake, but not for sleeping. If the baby likes to fall asleep like this, let him do it, but then be sure to turn it over on its back, because in this position the baby can bury his nose in a mattress or blanket and he will have difficulty breathing. Studies show that sleeping on your stomach does not guarantee the safety of young children - in this position, the risk of instant infant death syndrome increases seven times! So don't risk it. But with a calm mind, let the baby “walk” on the tummy after waking up: it’s more convenient for him to look around and train the muscles of the neck, back and shoulders, raising and holding his head.

REMEMBER! One "session" of lying on the tummy should not last longer than fifteen minutes.

on the side

This position is recommended for daytime sleep when you have the ability to control the little one. Even more Small child he can roll over from his side to his back on his own, but he will not be able to return to his original position (this skill comes only at the age of 5-6 months). It is recommended to lay children on their side, who spit up profusely after eating (so the baby will not be able to choke). Some pediatricians advise placing a blanket or bath towel under the back of the little one so that the baby cannot roll over.

REMEMBER! If you often lay the baby on its side, try to ensure that once it lies on the left, and the other time on the right side. Also keep in mind that the side position is not suitable for babies with hip dysplasia who are not yet three months old.

Head above body level

This position is mandatory when feeding crumbs. The head of a baby who suckles at the breast or drinks milk from a bottle should be above body level. Otherwise, the little one will choke on milk and swallow a lot of air during feeding, and this is a sure way to painful colic and profuse regurgitation.

REMEMBER! Even if you hold your baby correctly during feeding, this does not negate the need to hold him for several minutes after sucking on the breast or bottle in an upright position.

The topic is relevant for new parents who have no idea how to put a newborn baby to bed if he does not sleep at night. Such sleep disturbance in a child under one year old is not new to anyone, however, the question is, how to deal with it?

Formation of sleep and food intake in the first months of a newborn's life

The first few months after birth, the child spends almost all his free time sleeping and wakes up every 2-3 hours, because he is hungry. According to the norms of sleep, babies from 1 to 12 months sleep from 12 to 18 hours a day, i.e. sleep takes up most of the day.

The norm of sleep for infants up to 3 months is about 17-18 hours. Closer to three months old daily rate reduced to 15 hours, and on daytime sleep accounts for about 5 hours, the rest of the time the baby rests at night.

As the baby grows, it is necessary to establish a feeding regimen and gradually reduce feeding at night. To establish a daily routine for the crumbs and reduce night snacks, it is necessary to feed the baby well before a night's rest.

Borunova E.K., children's instructor physiotherapy exercises scientific center children's health,Moscow

How to put the baby to sleep at night if he is too active? It is necessary to abandon noisy games and loud music, which in no way conducive to peace.

take care of proper routine days needed during pregnancy. By the seven-month gestation period, a certain one is formed in the child. Future mom should begin to monitor her daily routine a few months before the birth, so that in the future she does not wonder how to put the baby to sleep at night.

According to medical research, women whose pregnancy proceeded calmly and without fuss, who devoted the prescribed 8 hours to sleep, face the problem of restless or short sleep of the child much less frequently.

After the birth of the baby, the newly-made mother should not forget about the regimen that she followed during pregnancy:, “ quiet time". Now she is responsible not only for herself, but also for her baby. The sleep and feeding regimen will help to avoid problems with a night's rest.. Her duties include adjusting the daily routine and controlling the time of rest and wakefulness of the child if he confuses day with night.

Causes of restless sleep and how to fix them

Teething

With an established regimen, the child is calm, active during wakefulness, gets enough sleep and pleases parents good mood

In addition to the fact that the child wakes up at night from a feeling of hunger, there may be other reasons for nighttime wakefulness, for example,.

Tooth growth may also be accompanied. How to put him to bed when the children start teething, and therefore they do not sleep at night and are naughty?

The surest remedy in this matter is to eliminate the feeling of discomfort from teething. You can use special tools.

There are children's gels, such as Dentol-Baby and Baby Doctor, which include extracts of chamomile, calendula, plantain. They are aimed at removing redness of the gums, relieve pain and eliminate discomfort during teething.

It is not recommended to use gels containing lidocaine (for example, Calgel, Kamistad) for children, because. lot side effects. Dentinox is an emergency remedy, but it contains lidocaine.

If the baby does not sleep at night and, you can also use Viburkol candles. They alleviate oral discomfort and undisturbed sleep the child will not be disturbed. And the question of how to teach a newborn to sleep at night, if teeth are cut, will be resolved.

Other reasons

But what if it's not teeth? Then why does the newborn not sleep at night?

Karkashadze G.A.,Head of the Department of Cognitive Pediatrics, Scientific Center for Children's Health,Moscow

Baby sleep is an important part of a baby's life. Any sleep disturbance leads to mental disorders, behavioral disorder. As practice shows, the baby does not sleep well at night due to medical problems.

It is necessary to ensure conditions such as room temperature and humidity. The temperature for comfortable sleep should not exceed 21 degrees, but be above 18.

The most basic reasons are:
1
The baby can wake up not only from a feeling of hunger, but also because of an excessively dense evening meal. If he is worried about colic, bloating, then the baby sleeps restlessly at night. It is necessary to observe the line between "tightly ate" and "overate" and. In addition, if a mother is breastfeeding a baby, she must monitor her diet.

2
Loneliness is one of the causes of poor quality sleep. Newborn babies can be put to sleep next to their mother - so they sleep more peacefully. At this age for babies co-sleeping will only benefit, because they will feel safe next to their mother. possibly closer to 6 months. How to choose the first bed for the baby, you can find out in this.
3
How to put a baby to sleep if he is overexcited emotional state and shows no signs of fatigue at all? Active games before going to bed, fun and loud music will only cheer up the baby. Eliminate all distractions, such as loud noises or strong lighting.
4
A wet diaper or insufficient air humidity can also cause sleep disturbance. A feeling of discomfort can also be caused by an allergy, accompanied by itching and.
5
Various neurological diseases can also cause short sleep. If the baby is very naughty and constantly crying, to identify the exact cause, you need to consult a doctor. How to choose an orthopedic pillow for a baby with torticollis, read.

How to organize the day and sleep schedule so that the child sleeps well at night

Little tips for new moms and dads on how to put a newborn baby to bed if he does not sleep at night:

Create a bedtime ritual: a quiet environment, bathing, reading a book or a lullaby, sleeping. Repeat it daily. In the future, the baby will begin to understand that it is time to sleep.
Often, women make a small mistake when laying the baby down: as soon as he falls asleep, they try to leave the room as soon as possible. According to research, the first 20 minutes after falling asleep, the restless phase of superficial sleep lasts, and any rustle or movement can pull the child out of sweet slumber. Stay close to the baby or, if possible, sleep with him.
You can put in the crib a thing that mommy wore throughout the day. Feeling the smell of his mother nearby, the child will fall asleep faster.
Fitball. The benefits of this fitness equipment have been noticed not only for sports, but also for motion sickness of the baby. Uniform swaying on the fitball in the mother’s arms acts in the manner of swaying in the womb and, moreover, does not heavy load on mom's back.
Not every baby needs motion sickness or lullabies. As practice shows, some children fall asleep faster if you just sit next to them, stroke or let them hold on to their fingers.
Quiet classical music has a beneficial effect on baby's sleep. Observe the reaction of the child: as a rule, this contributes to a quick lull.

Lupandina-Bolotova G.S.,head of the department of physical therapy,Scientific Center for Children's Health of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences

The question of how to put the baby to sleep arises for many parents. Walking in the fresh air will help solve the problem. AT evening time It's quiet outside and the air is fresh.

As practice shows, the rustle of leaves and the rocking of the stroller have a beneficial effect on falling asleep soon.

Conclusion

There can be many reasons why the baby does not sleep at night - stomach cramps, disturbing teeth, long daytime sleep. The secrets of young parents can help if the baby does not sleep well day and night.

Armed with such simple tips, each pair of young parents will be able to decide how to put their newborn to bed if he does not sleep at night. After all, the sooner this problem is solved, the sooner both the baby and the father and mother can rest.

In contact with

In the first months of a child's life, young parents inevitably face a number of difficulties. One of these problems is the dilemma of how to put the baby to sleep. Sophisticated methods and advice are used.

However the best option there will be an acquaintance with the recommendations of pediatricians who have the appropriate knowledge and practical skills on how to quickly put the baby to sleep.

The importance of good sleep

During the first month of life, the baby sleeps most of the time. Sometimes the duration of sleep reaches 20 hours - this is the norm, given the importance of sleep for development baby. For example:

when a newborn falls asleep, its growth accelerates;
there is a restoration of strength and energy reserves;
sleep strengthens the nervous system.

Development of deviations due to poor sleep

Obviously, it is impossible to underestimate the rest, especially in the case of a baby. Despite the abundance of information from parents, the statistics are sad: sleep deprivation in young children is increasingly common. Based on the facts that prove the benefits of sleep, the logical outcome is stunted growth and underdevelopment.

Such consequences are easily explained. It is during sleep that the active production of growth hormones is fixed. Healthy sleep helps the baby to better remember information during the waking period. In addition, lethargy caused by lack of sleep prevents the full assimilation of new knowledge.

It is also important to remember that in low-sleeping infants there is a decrease in the protective properties of the body. This increases the likelihood of developing diseases. With a lack of sleep, the cardiovascular and nervous systems suffer. It is noteworthy that a small amount of sleep disrupts the functioning of the central nervous system, which is expressed in excessive nervousness, absent-mindedness, and fussiness in infants.

Step-by-step instructions for normalizing sleep

The opinions of doctors on how to put the baby to sleep at night or during the day differ. First of all, it is recommended to focus on the individuality of the child. However, there is a set of universal rules:

Orientation in time, even in a three-month-old baby, and sometimes older children, is not fully formed. Due to the difficulty of recognizing day and night. Direct the infant mode in right direction is the task of parents. This can be done by preparing the baby for bed in the period from 19:00 to 21:00.
Teach your child certain rituals to associate the end of the day. It's about about procedures going on daily in the same sequence. For example, taking a relaxing bath, massage, lullaby in the crib, feeding, etc.
Limit the activity of the baby a few hours before rest, to avoid overload nervous system. Give preference to quiet activities - reading a book, listening to soft music, etc.
For comfortable sleep, avoid sources loud sounds and bright light next to the bed.
Arrange a comfortable place for evening feeding. A cozy atmosphere, coupled with a lullaby and breastfeeding, creates an atmosphere of safety and comfort for the baby.
Warm up the bed before putting a sleeping baby to bed. For this, use a heating pad.
At first, lay the baby on its side, changing sides from time to time. If the baby prefers to sleep in a crib on his back, pediatricians advise periodically turning the head. Later, the baby will independently choose a comfortable position.

Little tricks of parents

Lack of stuffiness in the children's room. Fresh air and keeping the temperature between 18-20 degrees will help the baby fall asleep faster.
Mom's toy. To add your scent to your child's favorite toy, sleep with it for a few days, and then transfer it to a crib. This method will help relieve the baby of the feeling of loneliness and give a feeling of security in a dream.
Cozy nest. Not all babies like to sleep in a spacious crib, where they may feel uncomfortable due to the large space. Swaddling or using a baby nest will help to cope with this.
Creation of monotonous noise. You should not strive to create a ringing silence around the baby - perhaps he will be much more comfortable if a softly working TV or the buzzing of a washing machine can be heard in the background.
Providing tactile contact. We are talking about laying the newborn in the parent's bed. However, this method should only be used in extreme cases. For example, when the baby is sick or the mother is tired. You can also maintain tactile contact by simply holding the baby's hand or stroking the head.
Turn on a quiet, soothing melody or sing a lullaby.
Tummy massage. Suitable for night sleep, when you need to relax the child as much as possible and prevent the formation of colic in the tummy.
Aromatherapy. A small concentration of anise or lavender oils in the air will help you tune in to dreams.
Hanging carousel. The monotonous rotation and melody of the mobile above the crib attracts the attention of the baby and contributes to calming and sound sleep.

Creating a comfortable environment

The natural position in a dream, from the point of view of physiology, for a baby is a position on the back with legs and arms spread out in different directions. It is not forbidden to lay the baby on its side or tummy - these are also convenient and comfortable positions. Moreover, each of the options has its own characteristics.

motion sickness

You can put the baby to sleep in the crib using a proven method - motion sickness. This is effective method and the natural need of the baby. With the help of the procedure, there is a rapid falling asleep, the correct development of the vestibular apparatus and coordination in space.

Rocking a baby, according to psychologists, is necessary in order to convey the warmth of his own hands to him and provide a sense of security from the outside world.

Thanks to such manipulations, in the absence of diseases, the baby will not be capricious, angry and throw tantrums. On the contrary, monotonous movements will ensure the development of a calm, balanced personality.

About feeding

An affordable way to prepare a baby for sleep is to attach to her mother's breast. Nipple sucking soothes and lulls even overexcited babies.

The presented method is especially effective during the first 2-3 weeks of a baby's life. However, over time, it is necessary to start looking for other ways to transition to sleep, since by 6 months the child should be weaned from falling asleep during meals.

Joint rest

With natural feeding, joint sleep can be considered indispensable for mother and baby. Thanks to him:

a balanced psyche is formed;
provides control over the breathing of the crumbs;
the amount of milk in the mother increases;
a single regimen is established for parents and the child.

It should be noted that many pediatricians oppose co-sleeping, making the following arguments:

Risk of crushing a small child.
Low level of hygiene.
The likelihood of further problems with falling asleep crumbs separately from the parents.

The final decision on how to put a newborn to bed falls on the shoulders of the parents.

Creating conditions for baby sleep

It is impossible to overestimate the importance of the conditions in which the baby sleeps. Direct relationship between comfortable environment and duration baby sleep- is obvious, so it is worth considering them separately:

Microclimate. How much and how much the baby will sleep directly depends on the air temperature in the room. Doctors recommend keeping the temperature within 19-20 degrees during the day and 20-22 degrees at night. Not less than important indicator microclimate is the level of humidity, which should not be below 50% and above 70%. If there is a lack of moisture in the house, use a humidifier or simple means. For example, put a jar of water and more often carry out wet cleaning with airing the room.
Cozy bed. When buying a crib, you need to focus not only on an attractive appearance but also safety, comfort and hygiene. The material of manufacture must be environmentally friendly. Also pay attention to the rods - the width between them should not exceed 6 cm. One of the most important parts of a bed for a baby is a mattress. It is recommended to give preference to orthopedic models that are suitable in size to the crib.
Bed dress . Newborns do not need a pillow. An alternative is a diaper folded in 2-3 layers. The choice of bedding should also be approached responsibly. Sets of linen are enough 2-3 pieces. Products must be made of soft natural fabrics. In addition, you will need a mattress pad made of waterproof materials, a blanket and a blanket.
Security. Special bumpers will help protect against impacts on the side bars. The canopy will become reliable protection from drafts and unnecessary light, and also give the baby a feeling of comfort. With all this, the main condition for the safety of the child in the crib is the regular change of bedding using wet and heat treatment.
Swaddling. Tight swaddling can cause circulation and work problems respiratory system, as well as injure the soft bones of the newborn.

Falling asleep on your own

Establishing evening rituals can be a bath followed by a feeding and culminating in bedtime and lullaby singing. Repeating the same procedure from time to time will allow the baby to build an association with rest.

Establishing order and ensuring uniformity in the first months of a baby's life is the key to successful upbringing. You need to be patient, decide on a mode that is convenient for you and constantly follow these principles, and the result will not be long in coming.

Ways to prepare a baby for sleep without motion sickness and breastfeeding

The decision to wean the baby to fall asleep without motion sickness requires patience and a determined attitude. There should be no escape routes, because this will only confuse the crumbs and aggravate the situation. Find rituals that could be a worthy replacement for motion sickness.

Among folk methods laying without a breast can be found:

giving the child the opportunity to "scream";
the invention of an alternative ritual for going to bed;
use of a pacifier, etc.

Famous pediatrician Komarovsky, based on personal practice, identified 10 golden rules for children's healthy sleep:

Prioritization. It has been proven that the psychological connection between mother and child leads to the fact that the baby begins to actually copy her state, behavior and mood. For this reason, the constant lack of sleep in the mother, fatigue and unfavorable conditions in the house cause anxiety in the baby. Thus, the priority during this period is the proper rest of all family members.
Sleeping mode. It is important to choose a convenient time for laying the crumbs in the afternoon and evening and relentlessly observe it.
A place to sleep. It is better to equip a separate place for viewing dreams for a newborn. Up to a year, the crib may well stand in the parent's bedroom, and then it is more expedient to transfer it to the nursery. Correctly organized space and a high-quality bed will allow the baby to associate it with sleep and fall asleep faster.
Avoiding long daytime sleep. Parents who feel sorry for waking up the baby during the day are advised to remember that with a long duration of daytime sleep, the duration of nighttime rest will be much less.
feeding mode. Observe the behavior of the baby after eating. With increased activity after eating, Komarovsky advises feeding at least 1 hour before bedtime. At night, a monthly baby requires food 1-2 times, after 3 months - no more than 1 time, and six months old baby should not eat at night at all.
Daily activity. Try to spend all the energy of the baby during the day and devote the evening to quiet activities.
Air in the children's room. Provide in the room where the baby sleeps, the temperature and humidity of the air. Do not forget to regularly ventilate the room and carry out wet cleaning.
Bathing before bed. Water procedures help maintain hygiene of the baby, strengthen muscles, relieve fatigue. Additionally, it contributes to relaxation and the formation of a mood for the coming vacation.
Crib. For the proper organization of the sleeping space, a firm mattress, a light hypoallergenic blanket and bed linen made from natural materials are required. A pillow for babies is not required.
Sleep diaper. A properly selected diaper will give the baby a good night's sleep without experiencing discomfort.

Healthy sleep is important for the development of the baby, this explains the close attention to the problem under consideration. Which of the methods to give preference to is the decision of the mother and father. The main condition is accounting individual features baby.

It is believed that only 20% of babies can fall asleep without the help of adults. In practice, this figure is probably much lower, because. question " how to put baby to sleep” is very common among parents.

How to put your baby to sleep

Before putting your baby to sleep, pay attention to the following points:

the room must be ventilated;

the air temperature should preferably not be more than 23 degrees and less than 20;

clothes on the child clothes are loose, without coarse seams, fasteners and overhead decorative elements that can cause discomfort to the baby during sleep;

the child himself wants to sleep: he rubs his eyes with his fists, yawns, becomes more sluggish.

How to put a baby to sleep: easy ways

To begin with, we will give the most common and easy ways that will answer the question of how to quickly put the baby to sleep.

Flaw: suitable for very young, later it causes physical inconvenience for the mother: the weight gain of the child affects both the back and the arms.

Falling asleep at the end of feeding

If the baby is breast-fed or even formula-fed, at the end the baby often falls asleep on his own, then there is no need to think about how to put the baby to sleep.

Flaw: very often at the end of feeding, and even more so if it is necessary to transfer the baby, sleep instantly disappears. In addition, this method works for the time being, while breastfeeding.

Swaddling or creating a cozy "nest"

Flaw: only suitable for very young children.

Co-sleeping

The babies were 9 months old next to their mother, and now it is a great pleasure for them to fall asleep next to them. On the one hand, it is convenient: especially during night feeding, but it is better to try not to resort to it or do it when absolutely necessary.

Flaw: it is difficult to wean the child, the likelihood of waking or hurting the child during sleep, as well as inconvenience for dad.

Other ways to put your baby to sleep at night

1. Bathing the baby before bed: a warm bath most often has a calming effect on the baby.

2.Breast massage: sometimes massage relaxes the child, and falling asleep occurs more calmly. You can read how to massage a newborn in the article.

3. Falling asleep with a toy: in advance, a soft toy can sleep with mom for several days, because. mother's smell in the future, being next to the baby, will soothe him.

4. Monotonous noise, music, lullaby. A fairly simple and effective way to quickly put the baby to sleep. For some reason, little children love the noise of a vacuum cleaner, hair dryer, washing machine. If your baby is also one of them, use this to your advantage: record the sounds on your phone and let's listen to it before bed.

Another option: pick up musical compositions that your child falls asleep to. Sometimes, it can be an unexpected melody for you. The main thing to understand is that you just need to develop a habit.

If you do not want to turn on the equipment every time, you can sing a lullaby to your baby yourself: the mother's voice always works flawlessly.

Flaw: except for the mother, no one can put the baby to bed.

5. Carrying out rituals. This method is suitable for children a little older, not earlier than at 6-7, or even 9-10 months, since the child should already understand what you want to achieve from him. The ritual essentially involves a series of some sequential actions that you will perform before putting the baby to sleep at night. In time, this should not take more than half an hour, it is important that the actions are the same. What exactly it will be, choose with the convenience for yourself.

For example:

swim in the bathroom;
read a fairy tale
sing a lullaby.

swim in the bathroom;
watch a short cartoon
go to bed with a soft toy.

Falling asleep alone

As the baby grows, you can add methods that will make your life easier in the long run. They will require time and patience from parents, but sooner or later you will have to develop the habit of going to bed in your child on your own, therefore, as soon as you decide to do this, you can use the tips on how to properly put the baby to sleep:

1. "Timer"

The baby eats before going to bed, after which the mother shows him the clock and says that when the bell rings, the milk will run out. Strictly on call, namely after 10 minutes, the mother takes the baby from the chest and puts it in the crib. Try to react calmly to crying and screaming, soothe with your voice, stroke, but in no case do not take it in your arms.

2. "Leaving the Room"

When signs of fatigue of the child appear, you need to put him in the crib. Then exit the room. At the sound of crying, wait at least 3 minutes, go in and try to calm down without picking up. If it is not possible to calm down with stroking and words for 3-5 minutes, take it in your arms, and then, without waiting until the child is completely asleep, return to bed again.

The method really requires patience and is not the most humane. At first, it can take up to 1 hour for such lulling and take up to two weeks for the baby to get used to it.

3. Gradual sleep training

Every mom will have her own The best way how to put a baby to sleep, because all babies are different. Try different methods to find the perfect one for your baby. And remember that in addition to the above methods, your mood and the situation in the house are also important, since the child reacts very sharply to the screams and quarrels of adults.

Author of the publication: Valeria Samoilova

Happy young parents, having waited for the birth of a long-awaited miracle, face many problems in the first days of communication with the baby. One of the most important is the organization of healthy sleep for the baby. What kind of advice does not fall on the head of the newly minted mom and dad: the mother-in-law requires the creation of perfect silence, the mother-in-law is against co-sleeping, experienced friends recommend falling asleep on their own from the first days.

Let's try to figure out how to properly put a newborn to sleep.

The importance of good sleep

In the first month of life, the main place in the life of an infant is sleep. It lasts up to 20 hours a day and is of great importance:

in a dream, the baby grows;
restores strength;
strengthens the nervous system;
accumulates energy to explore the new world.

Creating conditions for baby sleep

strong and good sleep a newborn is directly related to the conditions created for him by his parents. These include the following factors.

Bed, mattress, pillow

A place to sleep should meet the requirements of safety, convenience and hygiene. Choice of baby cots modern market huge. They have different functionality, differ in shape, parameters, design. The main thing is that it is made from environmentally friendly materials. If this is a classic option, the width between the bars should not be more than 6 cm.

You should carefully approach the choice of a children's mattress: the ideal option is a special orthopedic one that fits snugly against the walls and exactly matches the size bed. Initially, for the convenience of communicating with the baby, the mattress is fixed at the highest position, then, when the child learns to stand up on his own, it falls lower.

Ideal conditions for a baby - lots of light and fresh air. Do not forget about daily ventilation, wet cleaning of the room and frequent change of linen.

How much does a newborn sleep

The duration of a child’s sleep up to a year depends on the individual characteristics of the body and is not the main indicator of the development of the baby. The baby is not aware of the time of day, so he sleeps and stays awake the way his biological clock is set.

According to the average data in the first month of life, 16-20 hours of sleep per day is considered the norm. The older the child gets, the less he sleeps. By the year, daytime sleep can be one or two times, and nighttime sleep can not be interrupted for feeding. Sleep disturbance indicates health problems, nutrition, intestinal colic.

There are generally accepted sleep norms, presented in the table:

Child's age, months	Daily duration of sleep, hour.	Night sleep	Sleep periods, hours.	Wake periods, hours.	Number of nap breaks
0–3	19 – 21	8 – 9	2,5 – 3	0,5 – 1	4 – 5
3–6	18 – 20	8 – 9	2 – 2,5	1 – 2	4
6–9	17 – 18	10 – 11	1,5 – 2,5	1,5 – 2,5	2 – 3
9–12	15 – 16	10 – 11	1,5 – 2,5	2 – 3	1 – 2

The indicators indicated in the table are conditional and vary depending on individual characteristics.

The sleep time of a newborn is also related to the microclimate of the family. Fatigue and emotional exhaustion of the mother directly affects the condition of the child. His sleep can be restless, short-lived.

It is important to adhere to the regime from the first days. Preserving the health and sleep of a baby means creating a cozy and comfortable family environment.

What position to choose for sleep?

Physiologically, the natural position is the position of the newborn on the back with legs spread apart and half-bent arms thrown back behind the head, clenched in fists. Sleeping on the back with the head turned to the side is not dangerous, suitable for daytime and nighttime rest.

It has been proven that it is necessary to monitor the position of the baby and constantly change it (especially the position of the head) for the correct formation and development of the musculoskeletal system.

Sleeping on one of the sides and down with the stomach is considered by pediatricians to be convenient and comfortable positions. Let's consider them in more detail.

Sleep on your side

The safest sleeping position due to structural features gastrointestinal tract babies. Because of the inferiority of the cardiac sphincter, babies may spit up, often profusely. This position will not allow you to choke on the regurgitated mass. They practice laying on a half-side with laying a rolled-up towel or. Remember to regularly change the position of the baby's body to avoid the development of torticollis.

Sleep on your stomach

It has a positive effect on the development of the child, helping to strengthen the muscles of the back and neck. This position is especially convenient in the first three months, when the baby is worried about intestinal colic. The position on the stomach relieves accumulated gases, guaranteeing a restful and sound sleep.

However, this provision requires increased vigilance: in order to avoid sudden infant mortality syndrome, one should constantly monitor, especially in the first three months of life.

The baby is not able to control his body and can bury his nose, cutting off the access of air, which is fraught with cessation of breathing.

Do not leave the baby on the stomach for a long time. It is worth changing the position after a while. Experts recommend laying on your stomach during sleep several times a day.

Contraindications for different sleeping positions

Putting the baby to sleep, first of all, remember the safety of the position in which he is. There are a number of contraindications:

sleeping on the side and on the back is contraindicated for newborns with improper development of the hip joints;
lying on your back you can’t sleep with muscle hypertonicity (in this case, tight swaddling is shown) and a vivid manifestation of colic;
the head of the child should not exceed the position of the body.

To form a healthy spine, it is better to put the baby on a perfectly flat, hard horizontal surface with the head and body fixed at the same level.

Your intuition and love for the baby will tell you how to put the baby to sleep and what sleeping position will be the most comfortable.

How to put your baby to sleep?

Parents adapt to the biorhythms and behavior of the baby and choose the most convenient way to lay the baby. Numerous options to help fast falling asleep newborn, are reduced to three main ones:

motion sickness;
joint sleep;
self-sleeping.

Consider how to quickly put the child to sleep, resorting to these methods.