The 8 Most Common Causes of Baby Sleep Problems

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The 8 Most Common Causes of Baby Sleep Problems
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Important Notice
APPROXIMATE MINUTES This ebook does not contain
medical diagnoses, opinions or suggestions. In
cases of suspected health problems a doctor or a
qualified healthcare practitioner should be
consulted. The author is not liable for any harm
resulting from non-compliance with the above
statement.
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On baby sleep problems
Like almost everything in life, sleeping must be
learned.
In the beginning, a baby can wake up even 3-4
times to eat in the
night. At the age of six months this may be
reduced to 1-2 times
per night.
This is of course an average number, concrete
cases can deviate
either upwards or downwards.
In certain life stages the baby's developement
implies more
superficial or uneasy sleep.
We can call it a sleep problem
if s/he wakes up much more frequently,
if s/he wakes up for other reasons than eating,
or has difficulty to fall asleep after eating.
This may be due to several causes
certain illnesses,
too much or too few daytime naps,
developing bad sleep habits,
poop in diapers,
excessive tiredness,
separation anxiety,
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On baby sleep problems
too much stimuli, e. g.
travel,
guests,
music,
loud speech
changing lifestyles, e. g.
change in feeding,
moving, even only to another room,
The best thing to do is to prevent sleep problems
by developing
appropriate sleep habits.
The next few pages show the most common causes of
sleep
problems.
.
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Stomach ache
Phenomenon
From 2 weeks to 2-3 months the most common cause
for waking up are
stomach aches.
Can't or hardly can fall asleep again after
breast-feeding, raises his/her legs
or arms, cries, groans.
If cries often and the belly feels hard to the
touch, you should pay attention.
Cause
Babies' digestive system isn't fully developed,
they are unpractised in eating.
For example, they swallow much air which will
cause pressure in the stomach.
Still they may have difficulties with digesting
lactose.
Too much or too fast eating also can be the cause.
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Stomach ache
Solution
His/her stomach should be empty before eating (it
takes 2-3
hours). This is important for prevention. Also
provide sufficient
amount of fresh air.
You can cure the existing ache by
burping,
laying your hand on his/her stomach,
stomach massage,
letting the baby lying on tummy (tiger in the
tree hold),
warming the stomach (fomentation, possibly with
hair dryer),
vertical positioning,
possibly 1-2 small spoon of fennel tea.
If the problem persists, by
lactase enzyme supplement,
probiotics,
homeopathic medicine,
herbal infusions,
food supplements,
medicine (by a doctor's prescription only).
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Reflux
Phenomenon
In the first months, even until the 10th month,
after feeding baby
often spits up some of the milk or other food.
This can cause discomfort or even coughs.
It can harden when baby starts to move and crawl.
This is to be comsidered as natural, if
baby is healthy otherwise,
only spits up a small amount,
develops normally,
it takes only about 10 minuites after feeding.
Reflux disease (GERD)
Otherwise if
causes frequent wake-ups in the night,
baby vomits greater amounts,
comes with strong coughs,
comes with stomach ache,
takes a long time after feeding,
development is lagging substantially
then it can be gastroesophageal reflux disease
(GERD).
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Reflux
Cause
Babies' digestive system and sphincter is not
strong at the
beginning. Swallowing air, eating too eagerly and
undeveloped
brestfeeding technique also can contribute to the
problem.
Solution (for normal reflux)
Don't panic, it's not a disease
Treat him/her with care, don't put suddenly
into vertcal position
5-10 minutesa of burping after feeding is
really important, also to
avoid vomiting and stomach ache
This is especially true if you can hear him/her
drinking too fast
Changing the diapers after feeding also helps
burping by making
the baby moving
APPROXIMATE MINUTES
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Colds Flu
Phenomenon
Coughs
Snuffles
Fever
Sore throat and/or earaches
It's no joy if the baby is sick, but still not a
disaster. Don't panic!
Cause
Babies' immune system is not as effective as an
adults or even an
older childs.
Solution
If possible, until 1-2 months restrain the baby
from people,
especially if they have the flue
Wash out his/her nose with a small amount of
Íbreastmilk
Increase the humidity of the air
Possibly use homeopathic medicines or herbal
infusions instead
of prescription drugs. This holds true for all
illnesses
Suck snot from baby's nose before sleeping
If the illness persists, see a doctor
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Fever
Phenomenon
Fever is the natural defensive mechanism of the
body, so basically
you should not suppress it. But babies' tolerance
differs. If your
baby suffers then treat it. Don't use, however,
wet blankets or cold
bath.
Cause
Infection, colds, teething etc.
Solution
Antipyretic (recommended by a physician)
Gentle cold water wash, compress (wrist,
forehead)
More info
Perform fever testing gently
Watch the baby because fever can go up suddenly
As long as you don't know the kid's reaction,
be especially careful
If baby feels bad or the fever is to go up
fast, start treatment
early
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Food allergy
Phenomenon
Problems to fall asleep
Restless sleep
Frequent awakenings
Restlessness
Abdominal pain
Diarrhea
Gas pain, bad gas
Vomiting
Swelling
Itching
Sneezing
Runny nose
Skin rashes
Cause
Most common foods that cause allergies or
sensitivities
Lactose
Milk protein (in case of feeding cows' milk)
Spicy meals
Eggs
Gluten
Certain fruits
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Food allergy
Solution
Find out what's causing trouble.
Sometimes you need to keep a diary, as the
symptoms may
appear even days after the food have been consumed
Stop giving what has caused the problem
Add hypoallergenic (HA) formulas instead of a
milk-based formula
In case of lactose intolerance lactase enzyme
replacement can
help
In serious cases seek medical attention
APPROXIMATE MINUTES
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Skin conditions
Phenomenon
Allergy
Eczema
Urticaria
Dry skin
Bruises
Stuffy nose
Eye tingling, redness
Sneezing
Cough
Inflammation of the ear
etc.
Cause
Personal care and cleaning products
Synthetic fibers
Dust mile
Animal hair, feather
Chemicals
Pollens
Medicines
Heavy metal residues
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Skin conditions
Solution
Avoid contact with allergenic substances
Wash the baby's clothes separately, rinse
thoroughly so no
residues remain in them
Disinfect dishes, cutlery, and what s/he takes
in the mouth
Aanti-inflammatory and itch-soothing ointments
Light treatment
Medicines (per medical advice)
Moisturizing the skin
Gentle skin care, short, gentle bathing
Skin-friendly, antiallergic, odorless cosmetics
In case of lasting problems consult a physician
APPROXIMATE MINUTES
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Unsuitable environment
The ideal environment
No rotating, musical toys hanging over the bed,
which are
disturbing, not for rest / sleep
Have a separate bed, own corner, the
"designated" place for sleep
Free airflow ventilate often, do not cover the
side of the bed
Treat the night separately from daylight (dark,
silence, whispering,
etc.)
Don't expose the baby to strong stimuli during
the day (music,
strong tones, harsh lights, toys)
Communication with parents and body contact are
important
Stick to a schedule, ensure predictability
68-70 ºF (20-21 ºC) temperature, 72 ºF (22 C)
for newborns
Neither too dry nor too humid air
Trust, love
Touch him/her with care, move him/her slowly
Correcting non-ideal states
If the night (or daytime) environment is loud,
you may want to try
some calming sound. Many of such recordings can
be downloaded
from the Internet, for example. small whine,
rain, sea waves or so-
called "White noise"
If the baby have been sleeping so far with
parents, you can teach
to sleep in his/her own bed step by step
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Teething
Phenomenon
Excessive drool
Tries to chew everything
Puts fingers in mouth
Diarrhea because of the salivation
Starts in the 6th-10th month. In the beginning,
nothing can be seen
on the gums. Sleep problems usually take only 1-2
weeks for each
group of teeth until the teeth come in.
Solution
Any clean textiles or toys the baby can chew,
but can't swallow.
Even a cold spoon will help
Teethers (normal or coolable)
Pain relievers (use only by a doctor's
prescription)
Rosehip, chamomile, catnip, clove
Homeopathic remedies
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Nighttime Drapery Liner
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