A SLEEPING BABY GROWS WELL: THE RULES FOR SWEET DREAMS - PARENTHOOD

How does a baby's sleep work in the first years of life?

A mother learns about her child's character from the very first moments together; and a good chunk of time focuses on recognizing the signs of fatigue to make him fall asleep. There are many ways in which it is possible to make the little ones sleep, but did you know that the duration of sleep and its quality are also closely linked to growth? Take a peek in the video which will be its evolutionary stages from 6 to 12 months.

The importance of sleep

Like all humans, babies also need a good dose of rest. For those who have restless situations at home it will seem like a beautiful and good lie, but it is the truth. Without sleep we cannot resist: it is no coincidence that we say "collapsing from sleep"; one can hold back just a little from not resting, but at some point it is inevitable to doze off. Children are no less.

However, it is fair to tell you that a small child's sleep is not the same as that of an adult.
In general, the studies on the moment of rest are very complex, and in particular those relating to the sleep of infants and children, because their brains are constantly evolving. Suffice it to say that in the first months of life, newborns spend much more than half the time sleeping: they get to about 15-20 hours of sleep a day, an important period of time that decreases with growth.

Sleeping is functional to recharge and purify yourself from the day; for the little ones, rest also performs an "interesting function linked to cognitive development and learning". From here it is therefore easy to understand how a sleeping child is objectively a child that grows correctly, both from a psychological and physical point of view.

If you are interested in learning more about your child's sleep, read on!

Why some babies don't sleep

If sleep is so crucial to all-round development, why don't some babies sleep as much as they should?

In recent years, there has been a growing interest in pediatric sleep, so much so that some hospitals such as the Bambino Gesù di Roma have specific departments available to evaluate cases of insomnia or sleep disorders in children, making use of multi-specialist teams and examinations. polysomnographs.

It is clear that those who come to these centers are a parent with a child who does not sleep at home; a big problem not only for its growth and for the reactions it will have during the day, but also for the rest of mom and dad who have to manage it at night.

If you are a mother with a bimibo that does not rest well, you are not alone: it is estimated that around 20-25% of children in Western countries have sleep disorders. An alarming percentage and moreover increasing due to incorrect lifestyle habits, such as spending too many hours in front of video games and eating unhealthy foods.

A separate discussion concerns the sleep of the very young, or infants in the first months of life and within 3 years of age: why some do not sleep regularly and find it difficult to fall asleep?

The sleep of newborns in the first year of life

Those who are just born have a completely different way of resting compared to that of older siblings and above all compared to mom and dad.

Going back to the paragraphs above, it is shown that a newborn needs many hours of sleep a day to consolidate his memory and to retrace what "happened during the day. Not only that, when he is so young, while taking a regenerating nap. , growth hormone is stimulated. Yes, regenerating is an apt term, because through sleep even the immune system is strengthened and the brain "cleans itself" of the toxins of wakefulness.

Nonetheless, you will have heard everywhere that babies keep parents awake more than they want. Because? From 1 to 3 years, sleep cycles are much shorter than those of older children and this leads to micro-awakenings that, due to their cerebral immaturity, they are not yet able to manage independently. We adults turn to the other side or we don't even notice it. Unfortunately, they don't know what they are yet ...

Then there are some psychological factors that influence the quality of rest in the first months; first of all there is the "insecurity and the fear of abandonment".
Being separated from the mother generates in them a very strong feeling of anxiety, a biological imprint that animals also have: just as they attract the attention of the mother through the verse, so the little men cry to attract the mother figure to themselves, giving up the hours of sleep.

The separation anxiety arises between 6 and 8 months of life, and it is easy to notice because a strong impediment to rest is noticed. Even around 18-24 months it is possible that sleep regression recurs.

After the age of 2, however, we begin to discuss sleep disorders.

Sleep disturbances in children after 2 years

When you hear about sleep disorders, we generally refer to conditions that occur in children aged 2 and over.
Specifically, these are insomnia (20-30%), pavor nocturnus (night terrors), parasomnia (25%) and circadian rhythm disturbances (7%). Malaise occurs at different ages, in early childhood difficulties in falling asleep and frequent awakenings due to nightmares or feelings of restlessness predominate, while later there are more circadian rhythm disorders and sleep-related movement disorders.

A very frequent situation in children is that of Pavor nocturnus. They appear after 2 years up to about 6 years, and occur in the first hours of sleep; they last from one to 15 minutes. In these situations, the child is obviously agitated and may speak confusedly or even cry. The whole situation of discomfort can also be accompanied by tachycardia, sweating, dilation of the pupils and increased muscle tone.

They differ from classic nightmares in that the latter occur in the middle of the night (close to REM sleep) and are dreams with a frightening or distressing content. Nothing is remembered of the pavor nocturnus, while the nightmare is remembered more easily.

It is not possible to avoid these phenomena 100%, but there may be some rules to apply to accompany your little one to have sweet dreams.

Techniques for making babies sleep peacefully

Preventing sleep-related disorders is possible, with some changes in the pre-bedtime routine and adjustments in the behaviors you assume throughout the day.
Here are 10 rules for a peaceful sleep, for both children and parents!

Go to bed at the same time every night. This does not mean that if you decide to put your baby to bed at 9:30 pm, you cannot step aside a minute, but simply that it is better to get your child used to falling asleep around that time, every night. Consistency is essential! with the growth already hourly, they can adapt to new needs.
Make the baby fall asleep and sleep in the same place. Bedroom or parents' room for babies, as long as it is equipped for a restful sleep.
After the first few months of birth, separate the moment of feeding from that of "falling asleep. At the beginning it is very difficult to separate things, but with the development it is possible to notice the signals that help you to understand that it is time to sleep; if you are breastfeeding and the baby closes his eyes a little or does not suck harder, gently detach it from the breast and place it in the designated sleeping area.
Have regular meal times. We are talking about the daytime moments and not the nocturnal snacks of newborns.

Avoid using tablets and other electronic devices for sleeping, or in any case after dinner. Turn everything off at least an hour before going to bed; their light reduces the production of melatonin which is essential for a good rest.
Limit your drinking before bed. If your baby wakes up often, comfort him with your closeness or with a pacifier, rather than giving milk and chamomile.
Adjust the exposure to light while pissing. In the afternoon, prefer an area of partial shade and intensify the darkness for putting to bed at night. Our sleep-wake rhythm is based on the alternation of light and dark!
Do not provide exciting drinks after 4pm, and therefore no tea, chocolate or caffeinated drinks.
Prefer a balanced diet. An important rule is to drink a lot during the day and consume solid foods with high fiber and protein content such as white meats, blue fish, green vegetables and legumes.
No children in the Latvian. Even if it may seem like a difficult step, already from 8/10 months of life you can get your baby used to sleeping in the space dedicated to him. If he wakes up, bring him back to his bed. The first few weeks are the toughest, but if you last 2 or 3 weeks, that's it!

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