Home Prevention Caring parents will never allow their child to go to bed late! This is very dangerous for him. Why does a child go to bed very late? A child goes to bed very late, what to do?

Prevention

Caring parents will never allow their child to go to bed late! This is very dangerous for him. Why does a child go to bed very late? A child goes to bed very late, what to do?

Sleep is one of the few physiological needs person without whom he cannot live. Health, well-being, fullness of life and the overall well-being of the body depend to a very large extent on the quality and duration of sleep. This is true for both adults and children, and therefore it is very important that everyone in the family gets enough sleep.

If parents encounter a problem when a child falls asleep late, then in most cases it can be solved on their own. But there are situations when a violation baby sleep requires contact with specialists.

A child falls asleep late at night: what to do?

Giving advice on what to do if a child falls asleep late is a thankless task. Because almost everything depends on the specific situation. It matters how old or months old he is, after which the “normal” bedtime was disrupted, what exactly the baby does during the hours when he is not sleeping, and how he behaves. It is equally important how the parents and relatives living with him behave.

Therefore, let's start with the fact that each of us, including each individual child, has not only his own need for sleep, but also his own natural biorhythms. Some kids and their parents find it more convenient to go to bed later and sleep longer in the morning, while others choose to go to bed early and get up early in the morning. Some children get full sleep and regain their strength within a 9-hour period. daily sleep, others need 12-13 hours for this. This also largely depends on age, character, type of temperament and energy consumed during the day.

Very often, parents underestimate the importance of the conditions in which the child is put to sleep. Firstly, it must be a suitable relaxing atmosphere, excluding loud sounds, bright lighting and other irritating factors. Secondly, it must be a suitable room with the right microclimate: clean, humid and cool air. This means that before going to bed, the children’s bedroom needs to be ventilated and, ideally, humidified. Upholstered furniture, carpets, crib canopies and other dust collectors are very undesirable in the interior.

If a child sleeps poorly, often wakes up, screams and cries, is capricious and nervous, in general, shows obvious anxiety or malaise, then it is necessary to discuss this with a pediatrician and find the cause of the child’s sleep disturbance. It can be infant colic, period of teething, a number of diseases and nervous disorders. If the pediatrician is unable to determine the cause himself or select necessary treatment, then he will refer the baby for consultation to a specialist.

Today we will discuss a situation where a child simply falls asleep late at night, but behaves “normally”; he simply does not want to sleep. Wherein " clinical picture"can be very different. The child may fall asleep for a short time and, after dozing a little, wake up, and then remain awake until late at night or even in the morning. Often children fall asleep very late and then sleep for a long time the next day. Some of them sleep during the day, others fall asleep in the evening, and others do not sleep at all during the day. But in general, during the day the child “gets enough sleep” for a certain number of hours, that is, there is sleep, but it is distributed “incorrectly” throughout the day.

The child falls asleep late and gets up late

There are a lot of recommendations on the topic “How to put a child to sleep,” most of which boil down to creating a bedtime ritual. This refers to the performance of some action, always the same and repeated over time, followed by sleep. This could be a bedtime story, a lullaby, an evening bath, and others. hygiene procedures. The baby begins to understand that if he was bathed and read a book in the evening, then sleep will follow.

Most families successfully use this approach in practice, but at a certain point it stops working. The child simply does not want to sleep, demanding that the fun continue: he wants to play, communicate with his parents, runs, sings, fools around, asks to eat, drink, go to the toilet, and invents many other different tricks.

Analyze recent events in your child's life and find the reason why the previous schedule has changed. Very often this happens after an illness, when the child, who did not sleep due to illness at night, then made up for the lack of sleep during the daytime. If a child attending kindergarten or school stayed at home for some time and slept longer in the morning than usual, then naturally such a schedule can become a habit. Perhaps you had guests, because of which the whole family went to bed at least once later than usual, and the very next day the child could not sleep until late. As a rule, changes in children's sleep patterns have quite specific reason, which can be installed.

In the cases described or similar, if parents want to ensure that the child goes to bed earlier, it is necessary to return to the previous regime. Wake up a child who fell asleep late (even in the morning) at the same time, for example, at 7 or 8 in the morning. If he still sleeps during the day, then do not allow him to compensate for this lack of sleep by nap- its duration cannot be increased. In any way, do not let your child fall asleep too early in the evening so that he wakes up within an hour or two.

Of course, the child will be tired, capricious, nervous, and the mother will be excited and upset, but the adjustment will only take a few days - this is a proven fact. In the future, regardless of the circumstances, adhere to the established regime with a “convenient” time for the child to go to bed: when hour X approaches, turn off the lights and go to bed - unlikely small child It will be interesting to wander around a dark apartment for a long time.

You must understand that a child cannot go to bed at 8 and get up at 12, because it is convenient for you, and also that his need for sleep constantly decreases as he grows up. But adjusting a child’s sleep to the rest of the family is possible and even desirable. Lie down all together and get up too - give or take. If everyone goes to bed late and sleeps until noon, then there is no point and it is even wrong to try to put the baby to bed early. The most important criterion for children's sleep is its strength and duration, as well as daily duration.

If the child sleeps for several hours in a row at night, as well as for some time during the day, that is, in general, gets enough sleep, and this schedule suits you, then there is nothing to worry about. If you are not satisfied, you can correct it if you want. Reduce the duration of sleep during the day (wake up earlier or delay the moment of falling asleep as much as possible). Even the floor one year old child you can wake up during the day and not allow you to “get enough sleep” at night if you set this as a goal. But as for small children, there may be some more nuances.

The first, very common and quite likely associated with children's bathing. Most mothers bathe their babies in evening time, before bedtime. A bath helps the body relax, relieve tension, tone, and fatigue. After water procedures Appetite improves, and a well-fed child sleeps better. Pediatricians recommend evening bathing in a large bathtub in cool (well, at least not very warm) water, performing gymnastics or massage.

However, for some (and even many) children, a seemingly relaxing procedure has the opposite effect - it is very exciting. And even traditional soothing herbs, such as valerian, motherwort, mint, can irritate the child’s nervous system.

If you notice that your child falls asleep late after an evening bath, then try rescheduling it to another time convenient for you: for example, before or after naptime.

Babies also switch from day to night very often. This phenomenon is temporary, but can last for several months and bring a lot of inconvenience to your life. daily life families: dad has to go to work, and mom has a lot of household chores. In general, in any case, everyone should get enough sleep, and therefore it makes sense not to let the child get enough sleep for a day or two, so that on the third day he will “pass out” at night.

In addition, children's specialists identify several crisis periods during which the physiology and psyche of children in the first months and years of life undergoes serious changes. For example, approximately six months begins intensive growth bones and teeth, which entails large losses of calcium reserves, and the lack of this element, as is known, is fraught increased irritability, nervousness and overexcitement. By eight months, the child’s sense of smell and touch are actively developing: hearing, vision, and feelings of fear appear.

During this period, many parents notice that children become more restless and require a lot of mother’s attention and warmth: they sleep better in their mother’s arms, more often “hang” on their chest, and ask to be held in their arms. A child needs a feeling of safety and security, and this can also affect his sleep and routine. After a year, a child who is actively developing and learning about the world must spend a sufficient amount of energy during the day and receive the right dose of emotions, including (and this is necessary!) from communicating with parents.

If he doesn't finish the game, doesn't reach the end, doesn't finish the game creative activity, doesn’t laugh enough, doesn’t finish studying, doesn’t get your attention, then at night from an overabundance of emotions and energy unused during the day, he will wake up or will not be able to sleep at all. Enroll your child in a creative developmental school or study with him at home for 15-20 minutes every day, go outside every day, provide him with active leisure, but in the evening, make sure that he does not get overexcited: 2-3 hours before departure By bedtime, games and activities should be calm, and no TV in the evening.

By the way, about energy. Any person, and especially a child, spends very large reserves of it on maintaining a stable body temperature. That is, if he is not wrapped up and dressed in a hundred clothes, then the body will constantly spend part of the energy on “warming up”. Among the huge variety of reasons why children should not be overheated, this is not in last place.

And it is also necessary to note the importance of nutrition. Breasts fall asleep better and sleep more soundly if they eat their fill before bed, but it is important that the nursing mother monitors her diet. Older children's sleep also depends on the time of their last meal and the quality of dinner. Heavy, fatty, sweet dishes immediately before bedtime do not contribute to easy falling asleep, as do foods that stimulate the nervous system. Milk porridge or boiled tenderloin with vegetable salad are perfect for dinner.

The child falls asleep late and gets up early

Many parents worry that their child falls asleep late and gets up early. It seems to them that he is not getting enough sleep, that he sleeps less than he should. In pediatrics, there are approximate average norms for the duration of children's sleep in at different ages, but they are quite arbitrary.

IN modern world There is a tendency to shorten children's sleep. Today's babies and preschoolers are developing very quickly and, accordingly, sleep less than their peers in years past. This evolutionary moment, of course, affects the child’s psyche: almost every child is diagnosed with hyperactivity.

However, it all depends on the specific case. If night sleep The baby is short (as it seems to you), but he sleeps more during the day, then this may be the norm. Here, again, this schedule can be adjusted if necessary. You can maintain calm if your child is active, calm, playing, running, frolicking throughout the day, as it should be.

If the baby does not sleep during the day, falls asleep late and wakes up early, that is, clearly does not get enough sleep, then it is better to go for a consultation with a neurologist. You may need relaxing, sedative therapy. Perhaps the reason is the child’s lack of B vitamins. Or maybe everything is fine?..

After all, many, if not most, parents complain that their child sleeps late at night. However, many also share their experience that it goes away after some time. A visit to kindergarten or school can put everything in its place: a child who is forced to get up early in the morning falls asleep much earlier in the evening. The child cannot stay awake at all, and therefore it is almost always possible to establish a routine.

Especially for - Margarita SOLOVIOVA

Any parent should be concerned about their child going to bed late. In addition to the fact that the baby has trouble falling asleep, sometimes he is very capricious in the evening, throws tantrums and does not want to go to his bed. Of course, every person on the planet has their own internal biorhythms in the body, so a child can be a little “night owl,” but if he goes to bed later than 10 p.m., or falls asleep by 12 a.m., then, of course, this is not normal.
Before figuring out what to do if your baby is used to going to bed later, you first need to understand the reason why this problem arose. It is necessary to determine all the factors due to which the child does not have the correct regime, and then solve this problem.

Main reasons

There may be many various reasons why does a child have a habit of falling asleep late? Each family has its own factors. Most often, the baby goes to bed late for the following reasons:

During pregnancy, a woman went to bed later, therefore, while in the womb and being born, infant I'm used to this rhythm;
dad and mom have the habit of going to bed later, the baby does the same;
there is no sleep pattern, or something has disturbed it, so the child has an incorrect association with night rest;
the children's bedroom does not have a very convenient and comfortable environment, perhaps too noisy, light, cold or hot;
A one-year-old and a 2-year-old child take a long time to go to bed if they are teething or have a tummy ache;
the baby is too tired or overly excited due to emotions and active games;
receives too little physical and mental stress.

Very young children, for example, a child of 4 months, may strongly protest being put into a crib. Why? Because such young children often wake up several times at night due to freezing, fear, hunger or wet underwear. Of course, at night you need to wait longer for your mother than in the daytime. This is why the child goes to bed late, delaying falling asleep until the last minute.
If a baby is used to falling asleep in his mother's arms during feeding, then when he becomes one year old, he, of course, will not want to sleep alone in a cold bed. Therefore, you need to get used to correct regimen as soon as possible.
When mom or dad calls, for example, a 3-year-old child to go to bed, they tear him away from some fun activity, maybe at this time the little one is watching his favorite cartoon, playing interesting game, draws, or does something else that he really likes. Of course, this baby will go to bed later.
When children grow up, the reason for delaying sleep may change, because the child will already be well aware that mom and dad go to bed much later, so he will want to be just like them.
Another reason why a 2-3 year old child is used to falling asleep in the evening may be the fear of the dark. It's worth talking about this, and perhaps leaving a night light or dim lamp on. And when the baby falls asleep, you can turn off the light.
Why does my child go to bed late? Some parents put their children to bed too early, when they are not yet tired and have bursting energy. Maybe it’s worth moving your bedtime to an hour later; no one will suffer from this, but the process of going to bed will occur without resistance and whims.

How to teach your baby to go to bed on time

You can teach any child, at any age, to have the habit of falling asleep on time. What should I do for this? It is necessary to start as early as possible, while the baby is still small, to accustom him to the regime from one and a half to three months. Why? When a child is already one year old or older, he already has various habits that prevent him from getting used to a new, correct schedule. So, you need to do the following:

place the newborn in his own crib. Why is this so important? Because the baby must get used to falling asleep separately, he must develop a habit that will prevent problems with his sleep schedule in the future;
when the baby is not sleeping, you need to teach him to be alone in the crib, but if he starts crying, then find out what’s wrong. When he behaves well and feels calm in his bed, plays, looks at everything around him, his legs and arms, you shouldn’t disturb him in this. During this time you can do a lot different things, and let him get used to being without his mother, thanks to this, in the future, when he falls asleep alone, he will be calm, he will not panic and cry, since he is used to being alone;
Separate sleep time and meal time. Sometimes a child goes to bed late if he is used to eating in his mother’s arms or in his crib. It is necessary for the baby to fall asleep only after eating; you must strictly adhere to this plan. Gradually accustom children to a short time of wakefulness after eating, or you can let them eat after sleep, so that the baby does not develop a pattern in his head: food - sleep;
If one year old child or younger categorically refuses to go to bed in his own crib, then you can start putting him in it only once a day, and after a while put him in the crib 2 or 3 times a day;
when the baby begins to be capricious in his crib and does not want to go to bed, then learn to calm him down without picking him up. You can pet the baby, sing him a lullaby, try to rock him to sleep or tell him a story, but just don’t pick him up;
Soothes a one-year-old child well and a pacifier for younger ones. Doctors and specialists do not advise parents to accustom their children to nipples, however, thanks to this device, sucking movements appear, the baby quickly calms down and falls asleep;
Newborn babies sense their mother's scent well, so they learn to fall asleep in their arms. To overcome this habit, you can put clothes with the smell of your mother in the crib;
get into the habit of going to bed at the same time. Experts say that thanks to a clear schedule, a reflex is developed in the small brain, and the baby gets used to the correct regime. If there is no such schedule yet, then watch the baby when she begins to rub her eyes or act up, then it’s time to put her to bed.

Prevention

If the baby goes to bed late and wakes up later in the morning, then the problem already exists. However, it is much better to prevent falling asleep late by using some preventive actions. The first step is for parents to establish a clear schedule for daytime play and nighttime rest.

The children's room should have as little upholstered furniture and plush toys as possible. Why? Because soft objects collect dust very quickly, and small mites often live in dust, which cause childhood allergies; because of it, the baby can have difficulty falling asleep and have trouble resting at night.

It is advisable that the same person put children to bed, because when the baby gets used to his mother’s lullaby or fairy tale, he may categorically refuse to fall asleep if his father, grandfather or grandmother rocks him to sleep. In addition, it is necessary to teach him to fall asleep in the same place, so that once in the crib, the fall asleep reflex is triggered. In addition, there are the following preventive actions:

the children's mattress should not be very soft, preferably of medium hardness;
Parents should not quarrel, conflict and shout in front of their children, especially before a night's rest; this has a very detrimental effect on nervous system and the mental state of the baby. Dad and mom go to bed late themselves, they should be an example for the children;
study during the daytime active games, spend as much time outdoors as possible;
Children should not sleep too much during the day;
after six months, the baby does not need to be given food at night;
The children's room before going to bed should be well ventilated, the optimal temperature in it is 18-22 degrees;
It is necessary to buy high-quality baby diapers or nappies so that they do not irritate delicate skin.

If you can’t put your children to bed on time, there is no need to despair and give up. If you make an effort and try to stick to the schedule, then over time you will definitely be able to overcome this problem.

Does your child go to bed late? And all attempts to lay it down earlier just increase the laying time? Does it also happen that a child goes to bed at 11 pm, falling asleep on the floor with toys? Does it happen that the baby only wakes up after a nap at 19:00, and even after 2-3 hours no one can put him to sleep by any means? Our article will help you understand this situation.

Why does my baby fall asleep too late in the evening or late at night?

There may be several reasons for falling asleep late:

Very long daytime nap.

Calculate how much daily sleep your baby gets in total, try to compare it with sleep standards. Analyze whether your child sleeps too much during the day? Because it is very important for a quality night's sleep. The baby can get enough sleep during the day, and accordingly, in the evening he is not ready to go to bed so early. What to do? It can be recommended to wake up the little sleepyhead if the daytime nap is prolonged. Or remove excess daytime sleep if it interferes with night sleep.

The waking time before going to sleep at night is very long.

If the baby stays awake for too long, the baby becomes overtired and the body produces water that has such an invigorating effect on the child that it can be compared to a cup of strong coffee. But under the influence of cortisol, the quality of sleep suffers because it is very poorly excreted from the body, and as a result, the mother observes frequent awakenings at night, early rise, and signs of lack of sleep. Our grandmothers called the effect of the stress hormone with the familiar and familiar word “overnight.” In such a situation, it is important to: monitor the child, avoid overtiredness, and when putting the baby to bed.

Overexcitement before bed.

Stormy emotions from bright events, guests, new toys, of course, take the child away from the relaxed state that he needs before bed. Try to exclude such events before bedtime, let the baby receive a charge of positive emotions from the long-awaited toy in the morning. The child’s psyche is not yet so perfect, so adults help calm it down: in the evening, through quiet activities and games, gently move on to bed and sleep.

Parents' lifestyle.

Adults do not like routine, often neglect their sleep, and therefore they themselves go to bed late and put their baby to bed late in the evening or late at night. If you are faced with the fact that your baby is sleeping very poorly, then it’s time to make sleep a priority for the whole family. A routine for a child is familiar, predictable, and therefore associated with safety. Help your child get used to the routine. Remember that first of all, through our example, we teach the child - take care of your sleep, go to bed early!

The baby is waiting for mom or dad from work.

Sometimes it happens. Of course, communication with loved ones - important factor harmonious development and formation of healthy attachment between parent and child. Therefore, here you need to be flexible and consider options: invite your child to meet dad only on Tuesdays and Thursdays, say “good night” to dad via video Skype, or get up early in the morning to “talk” with loved ones!

What if my child falls asleep too late in the evening?

To solve the problem of going to bed too late, it is important to understand how suitable this regime is for the child?

If you are satisfied with how your baby sleeps at night and during the day. If the baby, even with a late regime, gets his feelings, he feels great and is active enough for his age, falls asleep and wakes up in good mood, does not demonstrate, and the late regime fits into your family concept - congratulations, you are doing well! No need to look for a problem where there is none!

But if you have to put a lot of effort and time into bed, sometimes even up to 2 hours... If you need to persuade the child, rock him to sleep, read 10 fairy tales, involve all the relatives... If you are exhausted and tired, you fall asleep on your own, and the baby is still fiddling with toys or jumps around the apartment. If, after being put to bed for two hours, he still falls asleep, but wakes up screaming several times in the middle of the night... If in the morning, in spite of everything, he wakes up too early or at lunchtime, throws tantrums all day, protests against daytime sleep, while physical activity decreased, appetite became worse... Evening came and again he went to bed by midnight. If you recognize your situation in this description, know that you are not alone. And think about it, maybe it's time to try switching to early mode.

What is "early mode"?

When exactly should your baby sleep at 7:35 pm or 8:15 pm? In fact, the styling intervals indicated are quite wide in 1.5 hour increments, because our recommendations take into account age and individual characteristics. All children are different and each child is special, with its own rhythm of sleep and wakefulness. To build this rhythm comfortably for the baby, parents need to be attentive and patient, observe signs of readiness for sleep, find the golden “sleep window” and gradually switch to a new regime.

The child goes to bed too late not because he is mischievous and capricious, but because you yourself allow him to do so.

The fact that a child goes to bed too late is not good for either the parents or the baby. And no arguments or justifications in the sense that “putting a fidget to bed is a big problem” will be inappropriate here. Be that as it may, timely rest and sleep for a growing person is the key to almost everything: mental development, mental and physical health. Life according to the regime, no matter how strict this phrase may sound, is the surest and most correct option if we, loving parents, want to raise disciplined, collected and attentive people from our children.

At one time I had the opportunity to observe how a young couple with a small three-year-old child lived. I didn’t have enough patience to hear the baby crying, screaming, knocking after 12 at night, or even later. On one of these noisy nights, I finally decided to go up to the floor above and ask why their child was still not sleeping? Young girl ( good looking) began to apologize to me for the inconvenience caused and explain that she could not put her son to bed, and that she would try to calm him down right away (and calmed him down, by the way). To be honest, my indignation was caused not by the fact that I was being inconvenienced, but by the fact that the parents, it turns out, do not feel sorry for their baby at all. Of course, I understand that anything can happen, but if a child goes to bed too late every time, then what is he like in the morning? After all kindergarten and no one has canceled the work yet?! And in this situation, it is quite obvious why the mother has such problems with the baby. He lives the way he wants, there is no regime, it is he who dictates the conditions and sets the rules. And just try to go against them: tears, whims and screams.

And now, dear parents, let's take a closer look at why it is extremely undesirable for a child to go to bed too late.

Negative points:

Obvious harm to health
Here we must consider both physical and mental condition health. We all, adults, know what it’s like to wake up in the morning when it seems like we fell asleep quite recently. We haven’t rested at all, we haven’t gained strength, our thoughts are confused. But we have already grown up, and we have nowhere to go. With children the situation is completely different - their small organism is still growing and developing. Lack of sleep for him is like lack of food and air. Due to excessive and prolonged activity, there is a huge load on the spine and the entire skeletal system, because the baby is on his feet all day and evening. The immune system weakens, the mental activity of the brain decreases, and attention becomes even more unstable. Moreover, the child becomes irritable, capricious, can be either hyperactive or overly calm, or rather, detached from reality. It is almost impossible to impart some basics of various skills and abilities into such a “broken” child. In addition, it should be remembered that it is at the age of 3 that a child’s speech is actively developing, which means his head should be clear and his body rested.

If there is a regular lack of sleep, the baby may experience big problems with discipline and composure. But these are precisely the qualities that a child will need when he goes to school. And in favor of the regime here we can cite the fact that those children who do their homework at the same time become excellent students faster than others.

Inconvenience for parents
When parents put their child to bed late and whenever necessary, they cannot even approximately make their plans for the evening. But they should also relax and spend time for their own pleasure. And, as a rule, they have to lull the baby to sleep through persuasion, whims, and the like. In a word, there is little pleasant here. What to do with a fidget and how to put it to bed on time?

Only for those parents who have not taught their child to go to bed at certain hours, getting ready for bed is sheer hard labor. But believe me, everything can be (and is!) completely different. You just need to make an effort and develop a clear routine, no “a little more” or “okay, play some more.” If you need to sleep at 20.00, then at 20.00. Over time, the child’s “internal clock” will be “tuned” and he will fall asleep literally in a matter of minutes. The main thing is to firmly endure all his hysterics, if before that he fell asleep when he wanted, and not follow his lead. But forceful methods should never be used here. The baby needs to be taught by cunning.

Here are some tips that should help:

– if bedtime is approaching, try to protect the child from active and emotional games and entertainment

- leave all household chores, telephone conversations and a computer (and even guests will wait if they stopped by)

- come up with interesting shape carrying out all evening water procedures

– read books and tell stories, talk to your baby before bed

– if there is some event coming up tomorrow (buying a toy, going to the zoo, for example), play up the situation so that the child wants to fall asleep faster

– eliminate all distracting details from the nursery (luminous objects, musical objects, TV, etc.)

– buy nice pajamas, bed dress and also use them as an enticing technique

And remember, the child goes to bed too late not because he is harmful and capricious, but because you yourself allow him to do so. And then, as often happens, you also punish for such disobedience. But, in fact, he is not to blame for anything.

Why does a child fall asleep late?

Sometimes, even a very tired child who has fallen asleep in your arms wakes up and starts crying when you begin to transfer him from your arms to the crib. Why does my child go to bed late? There may be several reasons for this:

Very young children (babies) quite often wake up at night because they are cold, hungry, scared or wet. Agree that at such moments mom has to wait much longer than during the day. Therefore, next time the baby will desperately protest putting himself in a separate crib.
Having become accustomed to falling asleep while breastfeeding or simply in the arms of his mother, the child will never want to go to bed in a cold crib again and will resist this to the last.
When you call your baby to sleep, you often tear him away from some interesting activity: fun game, watching cartoons, drawing, etc. It is clear that the child will fight such injustice to the end.
Older children know that adults go to bed later than him and will want to match them, delaying the moment of falling asleep until the last minute.
Maybe your baby is afraid of the dark.
Sometimes children are put to bed when they are not yet tired enough.

How to teach your baby to fall asleep on time?

It is possible to teach a child to go to bed at a certain time at any age, but the easiest way to do this is starting from 1.5 - 3 months, when the baby has not yet acquired all sorts of habits that prevent him from adapting to the requirements of his parents.

Of course, newborns sleep best in cribs. So if you save tradition of a baby falling asleep in a crib, then in the future you will not have problems keeping it on schedule.
While awake, you should not leave your baby alone in the crib for a long time, but you should not constantly carry him in your arms either. If a child is crying, then you definitely need to come to his aid. But if he feels calm alone, examines his arms, legs, and surrounding objects, it is not recommended to disturb him. This will allow you to redo a bunch of things, find a free moment for yourself, while your baby gets used to space without mom, which in the future will allow him to feel calmer when falling asleep.
Separate food and sleep. Many babies get used to falling asleep immediately after feeding and prefer to follow this particular schedule. To establish a strict regime, it is advisable to accustom your baby to being awake for a short time after eating and falling asleep regardless of the hours of eating. You can feed the baby after waking up. Then he won’t develop the “eating-sleeping” stereotype.
If your baby flatly refuses to fall asleep in a crib, start by putting at least one once a day, gradually increasing the number of such falls asleep from day to day.
Learn to calm your baby without picking him up. When your baby once again starts crying in his crib, try to calm him down by rocking him, stroking him, a lullaby or pleasant coaxing.
Sometimes it helps you sleep and pacifier. Although modern experts do not recommend teaching children to use pacifiers, some children still cannot do without them. Whatever one may say, sucking movements calm babies, simultaneously relieving tummy problems that sometimes interfere with sleep.
Mom's smell. Infants feel it especially acutely. Sometimes even older children cannot do without the olfactory sensation of their mother’s presence. In such cases, you can put a recently worn item of clothing in the crib that has your mother's scent.
Well scheduling will serve as the main condition for the baby to fall asleep independently. A strict daily routine will give you knowledge of what hours your baby is really tired or ready to sleep. If you have not installed one yet, be guided by your inner voice or intuition, as well as external signs The child is ready for sleep: rubs his eyes, is capricious.

Sleep rituals for older babies

If a child falls asleep late, what should you do? I think there is no need to remind you that an hour before bedtime you need to provide your baby with calm environment, exclude outdoor games, bright lights, loud music, and annoying TV shows.

Actions that are constantly repeated every day will help you tune in to sleep. Before going to bed, putting on pajamas, reading bedtime stories, hygiene procedures, bathing, and massage will help your child understand that it is time to go to sleep.

Favorite toy Going to bed with your baby can be a good help in teaching him to fall asleep independently on a schedule.

Drawn curtains, dim lights, a kiss from mom and dad should become the final stage ritual of falling asleep for older children.

Bathing It does not have a calming effect on all children. Violent games in the bathroom with rubber toys, splashing and splashing have a stimulating effect. Therefore, this bedtime preparation item can be excluded if your baby is too active during the bath. Although for such “little souls” it is recommended to use soothing bath products: essential oils, sea salt, if the child is not allergic to them.

Relaxing massage after a bath it acts as a sleeping pill, even on adults. What can we say about babies who instantly fall asleep after lightly stroking and rubbing their growing little body.

Good fairy tale at night, read in the gentle voice of mom or dad, will also serve as a good signal for the child to go to sleep. But make sure that the book does not contain evil characters or exciting plots. They will not only drive away any sleep, but will also disturb it at night, coming into dreams.

An analogue of a bedtime story can be a story of your own writing, a conversation about the past day or plans for the future. Such things allow the baby to feel calm, realizing that everything that happens around is predictable. Children's holiday, going on a visit, kindergarten, school, store will prepare him for the upcoming event and force him to behave according to the situation.

With the onset of conscious age in children (3-4 years), it is possible give an example of his peers, who at this time also go to bed, preparing for tomorrow. You can also let your child know by personal example that it is time to sleep. If you tell your child that when you were little, you also went to bed at this time, he will more adequately perceive your proposal to go to bed earlier. Sometimes going to bed in front of your baby is also a strong argument.

There have been cases when children couldn't sleep in silence. Accustomed to light noise during the day, they felt uncomfortable before bed. In this case, you can leave the door to the nursery ajar and not tiptoe around, but go about your usual business with a standard noise level. You can promise your child: “Now I’ll go, wash the dishes, finish the soup, wash myself in the bathroom, and then I’ll come to you again to wish you good night.” Such words have a calming effect on children. And the next time you enter the nursery, your child will already be snoring peacefully in his crib.

Many authors argue against watching TV in the evening. However one cartoon or program " Good night, kids" won't hurt to your child. And if they are part of the evening ritual of preparing for bed, then, on the contrary, they will evoke only positive emotions in the baby.

Of course, no one knows children better than their parents. Therefore, we encourage you to approach the early bedtime of your babies individually. All of the above recipes are only a general guide to action. By adapting to your child, his character, needs, interests and preferences, you can easily find the right approach to teach him to fall asleep on time.

Which one should be compiled? Advice for young parents.

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