Babies are the cutest creation of God. Everyone loves to play with them. But when they cry people get irritated easily. Sometimes they cry often and this becomes a matter of worry about the caretakers. However, most babies crying during sleep is a phase rather than a matter of worry.

The biggest challenges for the caretakers are sleep-related issues during the initial time or the toddler years of the baby. Sleep problems are usually seen in 30 percent of babies. Most babies wake up in between the night hours. While some babies are super babies who sleep for continuous 10-12 hours starting at the age of 3-4 months of age, mostly little one wake up at night and cry out for parents. The developmental and behavioral explanations for the awakenings have scientific logic.

In this article:

Reasons Why Babies Wake Up at Night
How to Soothe a Baby who is Crying in their Sleep?

Baby Wakes Crying in Sleep: Reasons Every Parent Should Know

Reasons Why Babies Wake Up at Night

Sleep Cycles

The most basic reason for the babies to wake up at night is because the shift of brain wave and cycle changes every time they move from REM (rapid eye movement) sleep to non-REM sleep. The different types of wave patterns in specific periods define “stages” of sleep. Babies transition when they move from one stage of sleep to another. During this transition, babies will awaken. Sometimes they out and sometimes they cry. They do wake up when they are hungry. Usually, the babies wake up 4 to 5 times a night. Moreover, the adults wake up and again sleep back quickly that they rarely remember the awakening.

“Good Sleepers” Versus “Bad Sleepers”

There are some good sleepers and some are bad sleepers but there are also some good sleepers with bad habits. As a parent, it is their job to create a good sleeping habit in children. Many a time it is related to consistency from one night to the next night.  Many babies have a habit of getting a nurse to sleep, always rocked to sleep or held to fall asleep. Then, when they awake in the middle of their sleep they cry out for the same association again to go back to sleep. Such an association leads to good sleepers with bad habits.

Mom’s or Dad’s Role at Night

Studies say Parents have an important role in changing the infant’s sleep. It has been observed that infant sleep disorders are affected by the way and number of times a parent comforts the baby at night. The more the parents remain in the room till the baby falls asleep, the more parents transfer the baby into the crib after asleep and more they pick the baby up at night which makes baby more sleep challenges.

Brain Waves

The majority of babies sleep for more than 6 hour period of time for at least the initial six months of infancy. After months their brain waves usually change and appear to be similar to that of the adults. But this does not imply that the babies do not wake up throughout the night have abnormal brain waves but simply mean the babies have progressed through infancy, they get more mature when it comes to sleep.

Crying is an Important Part of Being Baby

Many doctors believe cry out is a way the baby learns to self-soothing skill (turning over, sucking fingers and more mobility) for him usually starting at age of 4-6 months of age.

Pacifiers / Bottle

Babies are found to sleep while sucking up something usually. This habit begins soon after the birth when the new ones instantly fall asleep during the breastfeeding or when they suck milk bottle. Many babies aged between 6 to 12 months wake up in between as soon as the pacifier falls out from their mouth.

Infection

After 6 months of age, children have an upswing in infections. It is this age when children are prone to infections as during this phase of life they put in new objects in their mouth which gives exposure to germs. Many children develop upper respiratory infections which wake them up during sleep by congestion or coughing.

How to Soothe a Baby who is Crying in their Sleep?

Every parent has a responsibility and responds to their baby’s cry. Try out breastfeeding, skin – to- skin contact, soothing sounds or gentle moves to calm baby who is upset. But sometimes baby screams or cries in distress in the middle of the night while being asleep.

The best way is to cuddle the little ones and then wait and watch their response. Paying attention to their cry is an important task because it may be due to hunger, cold or even sick. Such an awakening requires quiet and calm behavior of the parents to deal with.

It is not necessary that baby cry at night is an issue of worry. But if it becomes frequent then it is advised to parents to visit a doctor. In such cases, parents need to calm themselves and respond maturely. As such, there is no need to worry about the night cry of the baby.

References

https://www.healthline.com/health/parenting/baby-crying-in-sleep

https://www.babycenter.com/0_12-reasons-babies-cry-and-how-to-soothe-them_9790.bc