Here’s two reasons your baby is fighting sleep
Do you have a little one who just won’t settle down for sleep? It can often feel like an endless cycle, trying to coax your baby into slumber, only to be met with resistance. If you’ve been struggling to understand why this is happening, don’t worry—you’re not alone. Here are two primary reasons why your baby might be fighting sleep and how you can help them—and yourself—get a better night’s rest.
Timing Isn’t Quite Right
One common reason your baby may be resisting sleep is that the timing isn’t aligned with their needs. While it’s tempting to rely on guidelines about awake times you find online, remember that every baby is unique. Those general rules are helpful, but your own baby is the best indicator of their needs.
Watch for your baby’s signals—tiredness sneaks in when they need help staying content but haven’t yet begun showing typical sleepy signs like rubbing eyes or yawning. It might be too soon to start nap time when these signs appear. If you discover that you have to entertain a little too energetically to keep them happy, this might be your cue that sleep is approaching. Let your baby guide you in finding this sweet spot for nap or bedtime, and their resistance to sleep might just lessen.
Micro-Naps During Feeding
Another reason could be small, unintended naps your baby may be taking while feeding. Whether feeding from the breast or bottle, these micro-naps can last just a few minutes as your baby enters a lighter sleep stage. Often, you’ll notice this as longer blinks and slowing of sucking motion. These brief moments can disrupt the build-up of sleep pressure, which is necessary for a full nap or a restful night. The result? A baby who’s still overtired and grumpy but unable to sleep.
To combat this, try stopping the feed before your baby starts drifting off—this can be a game changer. By breaking this pattern, you help maintain the necessary sleep pressure that supports better sleep cycles.
Test These Tips and Find What Works
Implementing these strategies can be transformative in easing your baby into sleep more smoothly. Try adjusting the timing based on the cues you observe and stop micro-naps in their tracks. As with all parenting advice, take it with patience and remain flexible. What works for one baby might need tweaking for another, but persistence and attentive parenting help pave the way to peaceful nights. Let us know how these strategies work for you!
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Carrie Bruno RN, IBCLC, MSCP