Why Is My Newborn Only Fussy At Night

Recognizing The 4 Month Sleep Regression

To put it simply, your babys sleep schedule just turned on its head. The good news? This probably means that your baby is growing. According to research done by Rijt and Plooij, authors of Wonder Weeks, your baby is becoming more engaged in the world around him. As your baby realizes that he can interact with his world, he also begins to realize that his actions affect others, and that he has a bit more control of his surroundings. More commonly, this sleep regression is associated with growth spurts. You may notice that your baby has outgrown his current wardrobe, or has begun to increase his mobility.

Parents often cant figure out why their sweet baby is suddenly a sleep deprived, fussy, cranky, overtired baby overnight. They begin to question if it could be an ear infection, teething, lack of supply for breastfeeding moms or maybe hes got refluxthe list goes on. What parents often dont realize is that around this time your babys sleep rhythms have also changed.

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Try Several Soothing Techniques

Its easy to get stuck in our usual rut. You may have gotten used to soothing your baby by bouncing her on a yoga ball, so when she fusses even then, youre likely to get frustrated. Why are you still crying even though were bouncing on the yoga ball?! you might say to yourself.

Thing is, not everything works perfectly all the time. Start off with your usual go-to moves, but if you find that theyre not working, try other techniques as well. Here are a few ideas to calm her down and get longer stretches of sleep:

• Give her a baby massage
• Walk around the house with her in your arms
• Put her in a swaddle
• Pat her gently on the back
• Put her down unswaddled so she can stretch out any gas she might have
• Give her gas drops
• Clear her nose in case shes having trouble breathing
• Offer a pacifier
• Place her in a swing
• Turn on a fan or white noise machine

Collect several ideas to try and run through your list during the newborn witching hour. Give it a few minutes, and if it doesnt work, move on to the next one. At least you wont drive yourself crazy doing the same thing over and over with no results.

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Soothing A Crying Baby

All babies cry, and some more than others. Crying is your baby’s way of telling you they need comfort and care.

Sometimes it’s easy to work out what they want, and sometimes it’s not.

The most common reasons for crying are:

• a dirty or wet nappy
• being too hot or too cold
• overstimulation

There may be times of the day when your baby tends to cry a lot and cannot be comforted. Early evening is the most common time for this to happen.

This can be hard for you, as it’s often the time when you’re most tired and least able to cope.

The amount babies cry tends to peak when they’re around 4 to 8 weeks old, then gradually tail off.

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Causes Of Baby Crying During Feeding

Half the battle is finding out why your baby is crying and fussing when they should be enjoying their time at the breast. You want to know your baby is getting enough milk and thriving. But its hard to be sure when they always latch on and off, crying in between.

Lets discuss some possible causes.

You Can Help Your Newborn With Touch And Feeding Through The Difficult Time

Though you may be exhausted, holding your baby and allowing them frequent meals at the breast or to suck on a pacifier between bottle is one of the best ways to help them as they get through their fussy times in the evening. Grab your exercise ball and bounce while holding your baby in a carrier. The motion and snug closest to your body will help your baby as they go through their evening.

In the first few weeks, evening fussiness may seem like it is at its peak. Your baby is going through a normal transition – rest assured that you have everything your baby needs to weather this time!

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Why Is My 2 Week Old So Unsettled

The crying and fussing with colic can happen at any time, but often occurs in the late afternoon and early evening, especially in babies between two weeks and four months of age. It is very common for young infants to have crying and unsettled times, and the usual soothing techniques just dont seem to work.

Your Baby Doesnt Like Too Much Stimulation

In some cases, even the slightest amount of stimulation can set off a high needs baby.

Some infants can sleep with a radio or TV on in the background, and not flinch at the sound of a vacuum cleaner or other loud noise.

These noises, however, might be too much for a high needs baby to handle. They might melt down when overstimulated in other areas, too, such as being in public or around a lot of people.

Keep in mind, too, that some high needs babies need stimulation to feel calmer. And if so, your baby might be highly agitated at home, but calm down if you go for a walk outdoors or do other things outside the house.

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Watch For Signs Of Growth

Yes, this is a trying time, but youll be amazed at all of the new discoveries that your baby will make during these weeks. You may find that your baby learns to roll over, or perhaps shes beginning to master sitting up. These developmental changes are both exciting and exhausting for her. You may also find that your baby literally grows during this time, as her body is changing and developing, which can lead to her needing even more sleep, so be sure to watch for those sleep cues!

Why Newborns Are Fussy At Night And Wont Sleep

If your newborn is extremely fussy and will not stop crying or sleep, some possible causes include:

• Your baby is still hungry.

• Your newborn may be too hot or cold.

• Your newborn may have a dirty or wet diaper.

• Your baby may be experiencing tummy troubles.

• Your newborn may be overstimulated.

• Your newborn may be overtired.

• Your baby may be sick. Take your babys temperature, and if theyre running a fever, call your doctor right away.

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Soothing Techniques For The Fussy Times

• Wear baby in a sling or baby carrier. This will free one or both hands for other tasks while you hold, soothe and nurse your baby.
• Change of pace. Let dad have some baby time while mom takes a shower or simply gets some time to herself to relax and regroup after a long day.
• Go outside. Relax baby with a walk, or just sit and enjoy the outdoors. Try this a little before babys regular fussy time.
• Soothe with sound. Sing, hum, talk, murmur shhhh, listen to music, or use white noise. Try different types of sound, different styles of music and singers with different types of voices.
• Soothe with rhythmic motion. Walk, sway, bounce, dance, swing, or even try a car ride.
• Soothe with touch. Hold or bathe baby, try baby massage.
• Reduce stimulation. Dim lights, reduce noise, swaddle baby.
• Vary nursing positions. Try side lying, lying on your back to nurse with baby tummy to tummy, etc.
• Nurse in motion .
• Combine rhythmic motion with soothing sounds.
• Avoid scheduling, even more so in the fussy evening hours.

Why Newborn Babies Are Fussy In The Evening

If your baby is an angel during the day, but suddenly becomes incredibly fussy at night , you might be experiencing whats commonly known as the witching hour.

It might start right around dinnertime, and it might seem as though theres no cause. It can often feel as though nothing helps your baby calm down. Pacifiers wont hold in the fussiness and the feedings dont seem to provide any relief.

Its important to remember that nearly all babies go through this stage of getting fussy during the evening. It will typically happen after they are a couple of weeks old and might last until they are about three months old.

Why does my infant get fussy at night?

There are several reasons why your baby might be getting fussy right around the same time each evening.

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Fussy Evenings Vs Colic

Parents who have fussy babies often wonder if their babies have colic. Although its very common for babies to have fussy periods in the evening, colic is less common.

Dr. Johns explains that colic is defined as a baby who cries for more than three hours a day, more than three days a week, and for three consecutive weeks. The evening fussies tend to last for a shorter amount of time each day and don’t involve hours in a row of intense crying.

More Tips For Calming Fussy Newborns Who Wont Sleep

If vigorous rocking and white noise dont soothe your baby, you can try some of the below tips for calming fussy newbornsand preventing nighttime fussing in the first place:

• Create a schedule during the day. This will help prevent your little one from getting overtired…and cranky.

• Design a sleep-friendly environment. Your baby may be hot or cold, or maybe theres too much light in the room. Be sure to limit light at night and keep your baby at a comfortable temperature.

• Encourage pooping. Some belly massage and knee-to-tummy exercises may help get things moving during the day so nighttime sleep isnt disturbed.

• Learn your Babys wake windows. Learn how long your baby should be awake between sleeps so you can put them to bed before they get too tired and sleep eludes you!

• Understand sleep cycles. A babys sleep cycles are shorter than an adultsand theyre lighter sleepers, too. Understanding your bubs natural rhythms will help you both sleep better.

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Symptoms Of A Gassy Baby

Some things you will notice about a gassy baby:

• they burp a lot
• tummy feels hard
• turns red when trying to pass gas

Most of the time, the gas doesnt bother the baby. Even if their face turns utterly red while passing gas, they are not usually in any discomfort. If your baby is happy between the times when they are turning red and farting, they are not bothered by the gas.

However, if they seem inconsolable and upset in-between passing gas, they may be uncomfortable. Your baby will usually be squirmy and arch their back when trying to pass gas. They will also pull their legs up a lot.

What Causes The Baby Witching Hour

No one knows what causes these fussy periods in babies. Around 20% of babies develop colic, usually when they are 2 to 4 weeks old. Your baby may just be sensitive to stimulation and not be able to self-soothe yet. Though it’s stressful for you, colic won’t cause any long-term harm or medical problems for your baby.

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Tummy Time For Gassy Babies

Tummy time is great for newborns. It helps them strengthen their muscles and can also aid in relieving gas. Being on the floor on their tummy helps babies develop the muscles needed to sit up independently.

When babies are on their tummy, there is a slight pressure on their abdomen, which encourages any gas that may be trapped to move around. Be on the lookout, too, for diaper blowouts. If your baby is constipated, it might immediately come out when some air is removed.

Be sure to have them in an upright position for about 20 minutes after eating before putting them down on their tummy. You dont want them spitting up everything they just ate. Give the food some time to settle, and be sure to burp them before attempting.

Attachment Milestone : Attention And Regulation

Attention and regulation go hand-in-hand, because a baby who cant calm down wont be able to pay attention and interact with you.

Your baby has periods when they are calm , attentive , and shows interest in faces, but doesnt necessarily engage with you at this point.

You follow your babys lead. When your baby pays attention to you, you respond with gentle touch, soothing tone of voice, and playful facial expressions. When your baby looks away, you do the same.

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When Do Babies Grow Out Of The Witching Hour

Theres not necessarily a specific age when babies grow out of fussing at night, but Bernstein says that after about 2 to 4 months of age, you may have an easier time preventing baby from getting overtired, which, in turn, would eventually ward off the witching hour. At this point, you can do some sort of sleep training thats when babies can start recognizing patterns and start to learn self-soothing, he says. At about 6 months old, most babies are happy getting 12 hours of sleep at night without needing a feeding. Part of the witching hour is recognizing that sometimes babies just need to go to sleep around 6 or 8 at night.

What Is Normal Baby Fussiness

Whether breastfed or formula fed, during their first few months, many babies have a regular fussy period, which usually occurs in the late afternoon or evening. Some babies fussy periods come so regularly that parents can set their clocks by it! The standard infant fussiness usually starts at about 2 to 3 weeks, peaks at 6 weeks and is gone by 3 to 4 months. It lasts on average 2 to 4 hours per day. Of course, there is a wide variety of normal.

To distinguish between normal and a problem, normal usually occurs around the same time of day, with approximately the same intensity responds to some of the same things each time, such as motion, holding, frequent breastfeeding, etc. and occurs in a baby who has other times of the day that he is contentedly awake or asleep. Normal fussiness tends to occur during the time of the day that the baby usually stays awake more, the most common time is in the evening right before the time that the baby takes his longest stretch of sleep.

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When Will My Baby Outgrow Fussy Evenings

You may first notice your baby getting a little fussier in the evening hours when they hit 2 to 3 weeks of age. This period will likely correspond with a growth spurt and some increased cluster feeding.

For many babies the peak of evening fussiness occurs around 6 weeks. If youre reaching that point, hold onto hope that its about to get better!

While there is no guaranteed time when babies outgrow the witching hour, it often ends around 3 to 4 months of age.

How Motion And Sound Work Together To Soothe Upset Babies

Think of calming your very fussy baby as a danceand your little love is leading. When theyre wailing, do the 5 S’s with more intensity in your shush and jiggle. Then, as your baby calms, gradually reduce your effort and guide your little one down to a soft landing where theyre swaddled with white noise , and perhaps some sucking on a pacifier or gentle rocking.

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What Should I Do If My Baby Cries More When I Rock Them Fast

At times, it can take infants a bit to realize youre doing something they like! If your baby is still yelling 30 seconds after you begin your vigorous jiggling, check your technique. Make sure your moves are fast and tiny, youre supporting your bubs head and neck, and your hands are open to allow Babys head to jiggleand dont forget the loud white noise.

Cluster Feeding And Fussy Evenings

It is very common for babies to be fussy and nurse very often in the evenings, particularly in the early months.

My daughter had a fussy time every evening for a couple of months . I spent weeks camped out on the end of the sofa with a constantly nursing and/or fussy baby every evening from about 6 to 10 PM.

With my son, we didnt have the luxury of being able to sit down. Alex was unhappy and crying unless he was upright and being walked around at this time of day . He would occasionally have a very fussy time during the day, too. Nursing rarely helped to calm his fussiness , so I usually didnt have that tool to work with . His fussiness was such that I looked into other causes , but we never determined any reason for it and he was all smiles the rest of the time. The fussiness gradually went away between 3 and 4 months, as is the norm, but the first few months were hard. Nowadays, the typical comment that I hear about him is Is he always this happy? So remember: this, too, will pass

Cluster feeding, also called bunch feeding, is when babies space feeding closer together at certain times of the day and go longer between feedings at other times. This is very common, and often occurs in the evenings. Its often -but not always- followed by a longer sleep period than usual: baby may be tanking up before a long sleep. For example, your baby may nurse every hour between 6 and 10 PM, then have a longish stretch of sleep at night baby may even sleep all night.

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