Understanding children's sleep cycles
Pediatrician Madhavi Bharadwaj from Lifetree Center (India) shared with Onlymyhealth that from about 5-6 months old, children start to experience sleep cycles lasting from 45 to 60 minutes. When switching from one cycle to another, children may wake up in an instant and turn around or need a gentle pat to continue sleeping. Such midnight wakes are very common and completely normal.
Reasons why children grope while sleeping
brain development: Children learn new skills such as rolling, cattle and repeat these skills while sleeping.
Soothe yourself: Children learn to lure themselves through movements such as handcuffs or posture changes.
Feeling hungry: Children often sleep 2-3 hours before they need to feed, can wake up once to eat and then fall asleep on their own.
Physical growth: Rapid growth makes children more restless and active at night.
Advice for parents
Create a regular bed habit: A series of activities before bed such as bathing, massaging, reading or turning on shady lights will help your baby sleep better and limit acne.
Do not immediately lure your baby when he or she cries: If the baby does not cry loudly or does not seem uncomfortable, parents should wait a few minutes before intervention. This helps children learn to return to sleep on their own.
Slow night-time feeding: For babies over 6 months, you can adjust your baby's eating schedule to sleep longer at night, avoiding waking up hungry.
Gently lift your baby: When needed, pat your back lightly, place your hands on your chest or groom for a while, do not need to lift your baby up immediately, avoid interrupting sleep.
When to take your baby to see a doctor
Although most sleep movements are normal, parents should pay attention if the baby has the following symptoms:
Screaming, crying or sweating at night.
There are twitching and repetitive movements like twitching.
Short, sluggish sleep makes your baby tired during the day or lack of appetite.
At that time, children should be taken to a doctor for more careful examination, eliminating conditions such as sleep disturbances, calcium deficiency, anemia or neurological problems.
