Do Babies Cry In Their Sleep?
Many mothers wonder if babies cry in their sleep, as the baby’s sleep is a matter of great concern. The rest of the little ones influences the alteration of the child’s mood and behavior. In addition, it irreversibly affects the mother’s well-being.
The first thing to keep in mind is that if your baby wants to communicate with you, he will do so by crying or complaining. Therefore, they tend to cry to let you know something is wrong with them and they require your attention.
You may have been woken up in the middle of the night by a crying baby and you thought it needed attention. To your surprise it was not like that, because his eyes remained closed and he was still asleep. This situation is more common than you might imagine, but many mothers do not know what to do in these cases.
Why do babies cry in their sleep?
In the early years of the baby, it is common for him to wake up frequently during the night. Babies have a different sleep cycle than adults.
Babies repeatedly have trouble falling asleep even though they feel exhausted; this causes them to cry while they sleep. Some even try to get back to sleep, but they can’t because they don’t know how to do it. The reason? They need you.
Nightmares are also another reason why babies cry in their sleep. Like adults, they dream and most of their dreams are associated with lived experiences.
Sleep disorders in babies
The baby goes through several phases of sleep that are part of its development process, such as nocturnal awakenings. These can be mild, such as when the baby emits a sob or a soft moan.
However, crying may arise that is more persistent and distressing and, therefore, causes more disturbance in the child. This is known as night terrors.
In both circumstances, the same behavior is repeated: when the mother goes to attend to her baby, she confirms that, although he is crying, he is still asleep. The reason for this disorder occurs when the baby is in the slow sleep phase, also called Non-REM.
In the Non-REM phase, the baby is deep in sleep. Therefore, he is not able to wake up fully and does not fully realize what is happening.
When babies cry in their sleep they may feel agitated, confused, and scared and are unable to react to external stimuli. Night terrors are short-lived; they last for a few minutes, after which the baby falls asleep again.
Meanwhile, when it comes to confusional awakening, it can take around 5 to 15 minutes. If you try to comfort the baby, the situation worsens and the episode lasts longer.
What to do to calm the baby’s crying if he is still asleep?
If your baby cries but has his eyes closed , the ideal is that you have patience, wait and observe him. The fact that he cries or makes a noise does not mean that he wants to wake up. As long as your eyes are closed, it is a sign that you are still asleep.
It is essential to pay attention to the sound of crying when babies cry in their sleep; This will determine what kind of need they have. You may be cold or hungry, and if your basic needs are not met, you will not be able to quickly fall asleep. It is essential that you always attend to him at the moment so that he feels better.
When these awakenings happen in the early morning, they should be quiet and calm so as not to wake the baby again. Tend his needs with a dim light and avoid turning on bright lights so that he understands that he must sleep at night.
Finally, keep in mind that if your baby makes any noise when sleeping, it is absolutely normal. On the other hand, if the little one cries or complains, you should look at him to verify if he is awake or not.
Advice for the mother
The most important suggestion is that you do not try to wake the child during these nightly incidents. A key strategy is to stay quietly next to him and wait for him to calm down.
Ultimately, these awakenings may occur spontaneously, but they can also be caused by some external stimuli. For example, they could be caused by a persistent noise or a change in position in bed. Hence, it is recommended to avoid any type of alteration during the hours of rest.
