There are several reasons why a baby does not sleep well at 3 weeks. The task of parents is to provide the baby with everything he needs: food, clean diapers and provide care. When the baby is warm and protected, he sleeps well and well. A doctor will help to exclude pathology and health problems.
Newborn
Sleep features of a three-week-old baby
Newborns can sleep up to 20 hours a day. A baby at 3 weeks already shows interest in the world, staying awake for 45-50 minutes. Still, the basis of his life is sleep, necessary for growth and development. Moreover, the fast phase prevails:
- the child may flinch or smile;
- noticeably how the eyes move under the eyelids.
Note! Babies often go from shallow sleep to deep sleep and vice versa. If at this moment they feel discomfort, wake up. They try to communicate that they need something by starting to cry.
Sleep disturbances in a three week old infant
If a 3 week old baby does not sleep well and cries constantly, this is not normal. You need to look for the reason that prevents him from fully resting. If at this age the baby sleeps little, this may affect its development in the future.
Sometimes, according to the mother, the baby does not rest at all and is constantly awake. Children of this age find themselves in REM sleep as soon as they cover their eyes. Even if at this moment they continue to suckle the breast, the babies are sleeping.
Sleeps a little
In the first weeks of life, a child is awake for only 4 hours, by a month the time of activity increases to 8. A baby at 3 weeks should sleep for about 16 hours, about 8.5 of them fall in the daytime, 7.5 - at night. Rest of this duration is necessary to restore the spent strength and ensure the development of the brain, the formation of the nervous system.
If a child, who is 3 weeks old, does not sleep so much, it is worth considering whether everything is in order with his health, whether he is too restless, check for fever and other alarming symptoms. You also need to pay attention to the conditions in which the baby is.
Restless kid
Sleeps poorly
If a child at 3 weeks is healthy, but does not sleep well, often wakes up, tosses and turns, opens his eyes and cries, most likely he is unhappy with something. This is usually due to a lack of nutrition or inappropriate, uncomfortable clothing. If a child does not sleep all day for 3 weeks, this is a reason to be examined by a pediatrician.
Does not sleep at night
When a three-week-old baby does not sleep at night, but rests a lot during the day, there is nothing to worry about. The main thing is that the baby replenishes his norm in a day. The task of the parents is to help him form the correct regime when he needs to sleep at night and stay awake during the day. If a child does not sleep for several hours in a row for up to a month, you need to think about whether he is comfortable, not hot or cold. Newborn babies are sensitive to the environment that can disturb sleep.
Sleeps all day
If a child sleeps all day for 3 weeks, then most likely he confused it with the night. Usually these babies begin to behave actively after sunset. The main thing to pay attention to is the child's well-being, his mood. Also, if a newborn sleeps for more than 4-5 hours in a row, it is recommended to wake him up. He definitely needs to eat. If you can't stir the baby, then you can change him, change the diaper, talk to him, and only then offer the breast or the mixture.
Sleep disorders
When a baby is 3 weeks old, he does not sleep much due to illness or uncomfortable conditions. In the first case, symptoms will appear, by which the baby's condition can be distinguished from the usual:
- Lethargy;
- Capriciousness;
- Temperature rise;
- Mucous discharge from the nose;
- Sneezing;
- Rash.
Also, a newborn may experience colic when gas production is increased in the intestines. This condition occurs in every third baby and gives him a lot of inconvenience. He cannot get rid of air bubbles on his own, which seem to burst his stomach. Therefore, he cries, twists his legs, it is almost impossible to calm him down.
Colic in a baby
Note! Colic usually begins in the evening and may continue at night.
The things that may be uncomfortable for the baby in his clothes affect the quality of sleep:
- Not matched to size;
- Sewn from synthetic materials that rub the skin unpleasantly.
Perhaps the room is too stuffy and hot, or the baby's bed is in a draft and it is frozen. The child does not feel well in a gassed and smoky room, so his sleep may be upset.
If the baby is hungry, then he opens his mouth, making sucking movements. In this case, after feeding, he will continue to be capricious, show anxiety. If he is breastfed, the mother may not have enough milk, or it is not nutritious enough. When feeding with mixtures, you need to follow the schedule and properly dilute the adapted product.
The most common reason for a baby's frustration is the need for a diaper change. Even if it absorbs perfectly, you shouldn't change it every 12 hours, as the manufacturers advise. This should be done more frequently to avoid skin irritation.
Parental actions to normalize sleep
If the child does not sleep well, parents should first make sure that he is not hungry, dry, cold and not hot. You should always dress your child, focusing on the conditions indoors or outdoors.
Note! You can follow the rule that a baby needs one more layer of clothing than an adult.
A well-fed baby usually falls asleep immediately after feeding, he is happy and calm, does not continue to smack his lips.
Also, parents should exclude the presence of a disease in a child. If you cannot do this on your own, you can call a doctor. Specialists come to newborns first. If the children's doctor excludes pathology, then it means that the reason lies in conditions that are unsuitable for the crumbs.
If the baby has colic, then you need:
- Carry it in a column after meals;
- Use a warm diaper to relieve spasms.
It is better to consult a doctor about the need for massage and gymnastics.
Creation of comfortable conditions
To create comfortable conditions at home, to ensure healthy and long sleep for the baby, you must adhere to simple rules:
- The temperature should be between 18 and 22 degrees;
- Humidity should be kept between 50 and 70 percent. It is most convenient to purchase a special device that monitors the situation. If this is not possible, then get rid of carpets and soft toys, hang up wet sheets, especially if the room is too dry. Carry out wet cleaning daily;
- Put the baby's bed so that the sun does not shine in his face, and does not blow through the draft;
- Buy clothes only from natural materials, the same goes for bed linen. You do not need to use a pillow up to two years old;
- Purchase an orthopedic mattress or a special cocoon.
Cocoon for newborns
A baby sleeps for a long time at three weeks. Sleep, like eating, forms the basis of his regimen. If the baby is healthy, warm, dry, comfortable, and fed, then he will not worry. Then his sleep will be long and sweet.
