How to Handle Nighttime Crying
Every mother dreads hearing her baby crying at night. It is hard to know if you should comfort her or let her cry until she is back to sleep. Unfortunately, this is just part of parenting and hearing your baby’s cry is something to be prepared to hear. But you might be wondering what to do when your baby is awake at night.
A mother’s reaction to her baby crying at night might be depended upon the baby’s age. If the baby has learned how to sleep by himself at an early age then the mother should be more cautious of the nighttime crying. Your baby might simply be hungry if she hasn’t eaten in a few hours. Especially since the stomach is tiny at a younger age, the baby gets hungrier more often. On the other hand, if the baby hasn’t become comfortable with sleeping alone until she is older, then you don’t need to be as worried with the nighttime crying.
When you get up at night every time your baby cries, the baby will associate the crying with you coming into her room. Your baby will become too comfortable with you coming in at night when she cries and will sleep for shorter periods at a time.
Don’t worry; you don’t need to stay awake in bed while listening to your baby crying. You can always check on your baby as long as she doesn’t see you. It is recommended to make sure your baby is okay but try to refrain from picking her up and rocking her in your arms. This will only reinforce nighttime crying and will make it harder for the baby to stop crying at night.
It is key to keep in mind the baby’s eating schedule. Your baby might be crying because she is hungry. If it has been a few hours since your baby has eaten then this is probably the case. Therefore, instead of ignoring the crying, it would definitely be safe to try to feed your little one.
Nighttime crying is always a heartbreaking sound to hear. No mother wants to lie awake at night while hearing her baby cry. Remember to let your baby try to fall back asleep without bothering him. But also be aware that he might just be hungry. Try to find the right balance that feels right for you and your baby. After all, no one knows your baby better than you do!
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