Baby Crying In Sleep: Probable Causes & How To Soothe Them

Dealing with the sleeping patterns of a baby is challenging. However, it becomes even more challenging when you find your baby crying in sleep.

Have you ever found your baby crying in the middle of the night, and then found out that are crying in their sleep? Well, this is something parents often face, and this triggers a lot of questions among first-time parents.

Some say babies cry in their sleep when they are hungry, or when they are having a nightmare. Well, let’s find out the probable causes and how you can help your baby in this stage. But, start with the sleep cycles of babies.

Normal Sleep Patterns By Age

Sleep patterns for babies keep changing rapidly. Moreover, it is different for all individual children over the first three years of their life. Their sleep schedule and sleeping duration keep changing with time.

The sleep cycle of a baby is shorter than any adult, and most of their time is spent in light sleep. This is one of the major reasons why they wake up often, make noises, and grunt in their sleep. Let’s check their average sleep patterns at their different ages.

Newborns (1-3 months)

The first month is the trickiest. There is no proper schedule, they sleep, wake up, take naps, then sleep for longer periods, and a lot more. However, they mostly wake up in 2-3 hours and often get up when they are hungry.

Exposing your baby to natural daylight can regulate their sleep patterns. In these first few months, they are still adjusting to the life they are having outside the womb. Some babies often develop a regular sleep schedule.

Newborn crying in sleep is normal during this phase. They often wake up and cry because of hunger. Their sleep sessions mostly last 3.5 hours and under.

Infants (3-12 months)

Babies in this phase go through different developmental changes. This is the time you will see the 4-month as well as 8-month sleep regression. This is the time when parents start to sleep-train their babies.

If babies are learning to sleep on their own they might struggle more with the transition and self-soothing. However, if this is the reason, then it will go away in a few minutes.

Toddlers (12 months and older)

Toddlers mostly need 12-14 hours of sleep in a day. This includes their nighttime sleep and their naps.

Their sleep schedule changes when there is a change in their routine, like when they are going through a developmental change or when they are sick. This is when a baby crying in sleep is normal.

Sold kids often choose a companion during this age. For instance, their favorite squishmallows. With these, they sleep well and soothe themselves back to sleep with them. However, make sure you wash your squishmallows to keep them clean.

Baby Crying in Sleep: What Are The Probable Reasons?

Do babies cry in their sleep? Yes, they do. Even though baby crying in sleep is not essentially common, it happens. When you know the reason behind this behavior, you can help your baby effectively.

Transition From One Sleep Cycle to Another

Babies sleep in cycles, and transition from one cycle to another quickly. Moreover, they spend more time in light sleep than in deep sleep.

This is known as REM sleep, or rapid eye movement during their sleep. They often move their limbs, and open their arms while sleeping. Moreover, baby twitching in sleep and crying with their eyes closed are also known to happen.

Overtiredness

An overstimulated baby, or when a baby does not get enough sleep, they get overtired. For a 3-month-old, 60-120 minutes is the wake period.

If they stay awake more than that they get overtired and it becomes difficult for them to fall asleep because of the fatigue-fighting hormones.

Crying before sleeping and overtiredness are some of the major causes of baby crying in sleep. This is also one of the symptoms of the witching hour.

Teething Pain

Teething babies let you know of their discomfort very evidently. They get fussy and irritated because of the discomfort they are facing. Moreover, this is irrespective of day and night.

You will often notice your teething baby crying in their sleep because of this. You can consult a pediatrician to soothe their discomfort or next, you will find your baby fighting sleep because of teething discomfort.

How to Soothe a Baby Crying in Their Sleep?

If your baby randomly cries in sleep, then here are a few tips that you can try to soothe your baby, or settle them back to sleep.

The tips are mentioned here:

• Adjust the bedtime routine
• Comfort them
• Observe their sleep pattern
• Be patient

1. Adjust Their Bedtime Routine

If your baby is overtired, and crying in their sleep, then all you have to do is change or adjust their bedtime routine. You have to get them to bed before they get too tired.

Moreover, if you know that they are already very tired, then skip a few steps of the regular bedtime routine. You can get them in a swaddle, or apply a lotion and massage them a bit till they doze off.

2. Comfort Them

If you know your baby is upset or irritated, it is better to spend some extra time with them. Turn on the white noise or sing to them.

Some babies like the rocking motion, or soothes themselves when you give them a pacifier. Try these methods to comfort them. Moreover, you can try rubbing their back or stomach to comfort them.

3. Observe Their Sleep Pattern

Sometimes babies cry in their sleep when they are transitioning from one sleeping phase to another. Some babies cry when they are falling into deep sleep, or when they are about to walk up.

All you need to do is identify their sleeping pattern and you will be able to soothe them better. Even though there is no evidence that babies have nightmares during this phase, some believe when babies are in their light sleep phase they dream.

So, if you think they are crying in their sleep because of a nightmare, assure them that you are right there by them, and comfort them. Also, some babies find comfort when you nurse them in their sleep.

4. Be Patient

It might take a while before they stop crying. If you cannot calm them down, hand them over to your partner, or if there is a caregiver present. When they stop, then get them back to sleep.

When to Be Concerned About Sleep Crying

If your baby has some nighttime crying issues, or if there are any other sleep-related issues, and you see the below-mentioned symptoms, then you can consult a doctor.

• Baby screaming in sleep out of pain.
• Their sleeping habits are changing suddenly.
• If this persists for a long time, it is causing issues with their daily functions.
• If their sleeping pattern is causing other problems like feeding difficulties, a bad latch, or formula sensitivity.

Frequently Asked Questions

When discussing the baby crying in sleep, parents often think of these few questions. The commonly asked questions are mentioned here.

Overcome The Challange

After all this information, getting your baby to sleep seems like a challenging task. More so, in the first few months of their life. However, every baby is different and has their requirements.

Eventually, you will get the hang of it and understand their temperament. Slowly and steadily, you will understand how to soothe their crying and maximize sleep. However, make sure they are comfortable and feel step.