Baby Cries in Their Sleep: Harmless or Should I Be Worried?
Your baby cries in his/her sleep, suddenly screams loudly or whimpers softly to himself? You wonder if you need to be worried? We’ll find out what’s behind all this.
The life of a newborn baby is incredibly stressful. One moment sheltered and protected in the confinement of mum’s tummy and the next moment in the bright, noisy world with so many impressions – no wonder that all the new impulses are processed, especially during sleep. So it’s totally normal that your baby cries, whines and even laughs while you sleep.
Baby cries in their sleep: These are the causes
If the baby suddenly sobs and cries in its sleep, many parents worry. Does something hurt the offspring or does the baby have bad dreams? There are many different causes for crying at night, but in most cases they are completely harmless. In most cases, your baby doesn’t even notice that he or she is crying, but continues to sleep calmly. Reasons for crying at night:
- Bad dreams
- Processing experiences from the day
- Stomach ache, flatulence or other health problems
- Night terrors
- The first teeth
What can I do if my baby cries in his/her sleep?
Baby cries but won’t wake up
If crying doesn’t wake your little darling up, best just let him sleep. You can then check whether your baby is comfortable and warm enough and whether a fever might be the reason for the whimpering, especially if the first teeth are breaking through. Once you are convinced that your baby is fine, you can relax.
Baby cries in his/her sleep and wakes up
If your baby wakes up and keeps crying, cuddling and lots of physical contact helps. As soon as he feels that mummy or daddy are around, he will certainly calm down and fall asleep again quickly.
Sleep better through evening rituals
If your baby generally has trouble resting, finds it difficult to get to sleep and wakes up often, evening rituals such as a lullaby, brushing teeth and putting on a sleeping bag can help. A familiar, steady rhythm has a calming effect on babies, which also affects their sleep patterns. Sometimes the stimulus satiation during the day is also to blame for the restlessness at night. Then it helps to do as quiet as possible, few activities with the baby and also to spend a relaxed day only at home.
If your baby cries regularly and often in his sleep, you should have your paediatrician check to see if there is any pain or colic behind it.