Why might a child refuse to breastfeed?
The baby may be worried and not take the breast if he feels some kind of discomfort: a stuffy nose, fever, pain in the ear or abdomen, teething teeth can prevent him from sucking, and cause discomfort during feeding. Using a pacifier or bottle can also cause a reluctance to suckle at the breast: the principle of sucking a pacifier is different, the child gets used to it, and subsequently refuses to make certain efforts to “get” milk from the breast. In the first 6-8 weeks, until lactation is established, the flow of milk may be too strong, the baby cannot cope with it, choking - this can cause temporary breastfeeding. In some children, refusal can also be caused by stress: for example, too active hardening, early swimming and “diving” during bathing, the baby’s stay in the hospital or medical procedures that he needs to undergo (instillation in the nose, taking bitter medicines). One of the reasons for refusal is errors in child care. If the mother is often absent, delegates her responsibilities to numerous assistants, rarely takes the child in her arms or ignores his needs - this breaks the psychological connection between them, undermines the child’s trust - he develops a “resentment” towards the mother.
If a child abandons the breast at the beginning of feeding, is this refusal?
Anxiety at the beginning of the next feeding does not always mean refusal of the breast; there are also “false” refusals. It is important to know that in the first weeks of feeding, the baby may “take aim” when he takes the breast, shake his head, or grab the nipple not the first time - this behavior at the breast is not a refusal and goes away on its own, usually by 4-5 weeks of the child’s life. At the moment when the baby grabs the nipple, you can gently direct its head towards the chest - gently, without pressing on the back of the head. After 4-5 months, the child is actively interested in the surrounding environment during feeding, can easily be distracted by noise, throw the nipple and look for it again - this behavior also does not indicate breast refusal.
Does breastfeeding mean low milk supply?
Yes, a child’s prolonged reluctance to take the breast may indicate a lack of milk if it is accompanied by slow weight gain and rare urination. In this case, you need to make sure that the feeding method meets the natural needs of the child (on demand, without night breaks, the baby is attached to the breast correctly), and if necessary, take measures to increase lactation - offer both breasts during feeding, feed more often, do not limit the duration feeding.
Could refusal be a signal of a breakdown in the relationship between mother and child?
There is an opinion that refusing to breastfeed is a child’s way of telling his mother that he is not happy with something, an expression of “resentment” towards her. Breastfeeding for a child is not only about receiving food, but also a way to communicate with the mother, a guarantee of safety and comfort. Ignoring the baby’s needs by the mother - for example, trying to wait for the “correct” feeding time when the baby is already crying, or attracting too many helpers to care for him while the baby is very important for physical contact with the mother, unpleasant manipulations - all this can disrupt close psychological connection between mother and child, cause him to “resent” and “strike”, which will be expressed in the only way available to him - refusal of breastfeeding. If a mother feels insecure, anxious, doubts whether she has enough milk, her nervousness can be transmitted to the child and cause his anxiety.
How to overcome breast refusal?
First of all, you need to try to find the cause and, if possible, eliminate it - a lactation consultant can help with this. If the refusal is caused by the use of a bottle and pacifier, you will have to abandon them (the child can be supplemented with a spoon or syringe without a needle). A strong milk flow can be managed by using a breastfeeding position, lying on the mother's body, or taking short breaks during each feeding. If the reason for refusal is stress from hardening, diving, a massage course, you need to abandon these activities while overcoming the “strike” (perhaps in a month or a month and a half the child will be more relaxed about them). For two to three weeks, the mother should enter a state of “symbiosis” with the baby: care for him without involving any helpers, ensure maximum physical contact (sleeping together), and quickly respond to his needs. It is better to limit or temporarily exclude visits to friends and relatives, visiting with the child; bathing and changing the baby is also better only for the mother. You need to continue to feed the baby on demand, often offer the breast, but do not insist if the baby refuses to take it; distract him, rock him to sleep. Be sure to offer your baby to nurse before bed: a sleepy baby will eat more willingly. It is very important to offer the breast immediately after sleep, at the moment when the baby has just woken up. Usually the situation returns to normal within 2-3 weeks. The rhythm of breastfeeding while overcoming refusal is determined by the mother - this is once every half hour to an hour for a newborn and once every hour or two for a baby of 4-6 months. This “regime” gives the baby more opportunities to breastfeed, even if the feedings are very short.
Is it necessary to switch to mixed feeding when giving up breastfeeding?
If a child stubbornly refuses to breastfeed, weight gain may slow down or stop. It is necessary to find out whether the baby has enough milk by monitoring urination: there should be more than 8-10 per day. If there are enough urinations or more than 12 per day, and the child agrees to take the breast before bedtime and after sleep, sucks little by little, but often, supplementary feeding is not required. If there are less than 8-10 urinations per day, the child needs additional nutrition (feeding with formula or expressed milk). The volume of supplementary feeding and type of formula will be prescribed by the pediatrician.
Will the next child also refuse the breast?
No, as a rule, refusing to breastfeed does not mean that the next child will also refuse. However, there is an opinion that girls are more prone to this than boys, and if a woman has subsequent children - daughters, then breast refusal can indeed be repeated. The likelihood of a repetition of refusal is also influenced by the style of child care: if with the first child the mother used, for example, a pacifier and a bottle, this may happen again with the next children, which means the risk of refusal increases.
There is an opinion that refusing to breastfeed is a child’s way of telling his mother that he is not happy with something, an expression of “resentment” towards her. Breastfeeding for a child is not only about receiving food, but also a way to communicate with the mother, a guarantee of safety and comfort. Ignoring the baby’s needs by the mother - for example, trying to wait for the “correct” feeding time when the baby is already crying, or attracting too many helpers to care for him while the baby is very important for physical contact with the mother, unpleasant manipulations - all this can disrupt close psychological connection between mother and child, cause him to “resent” and “strike”, which will be expressed in the only way available to him - refusal of breastfeeding. If a mother feels insecure, anxious, doubts whether she has enough milk, her nervousness can be transmitted to the child and cause his anxiety.
The child is 4 months old. Development of a four-month-old baby
WHAT CAN A BABY DO AT 4 MONTHS?
At four months, the baby's behavior may change. He will become capricious, slobbering, and will put everything in his mouth and try to “chew.” Check the toddler's gums in the area of the lower incisors. He might be teething. If
Redness and swelling have appeared on the gum and the baby does not allow him to touch this place - this is the first tooth making itself felt. In addition, at this time, rashes and irritations around the mouth (due to excessive salivation), poor sleep and premature awakenings, loss of appetite, loose stools, cough and even fever may occur.
Useful tips for mothers of a four-month-old baby
1. Periodically give your baby a special teether.
2. If you are very worried about your baby, you can lubricate the gums with special ointments or gels, after consulting with your pediatrician (dentinox, solcoseryl).
3. Keep your baby's nails short to prevent him from accidentally scratching his gums while sucking.
4. Wash your baby's hands regularly.
Physical development and motor activity of a four-month-old baby
The baby's back and neck muscles are already so strong that he can hold his head in a prone position for up to 1 minute. At the same time, he rests on his forearms and elbows, arms extended forward and bent at the elbow joint at a right angle. The chest is raised above the support, and the legs are spread apart.
If you sit your baby down, carefully supporting him by the arms, he will calmly hold his head.
The toddler is already trying to independently roll over from his stomach to his side, to his back, and even from his back to his stomach. The child also tries to crawl on his own. Many children are better at moving backwards than moving forward.
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The baby purposefully reaches out with his hands to the object that interests him and grabs it. He starts waving and shaking the toy he gets into his hands. And during feeding, he already holds his mother’s breast or bottle.
The child repeatedly performs the same actions with different objects: pulling into his mouth, twirling, shaking, throwing. Sometimes he performs stereotypical movements - swaying from side to side or tapping his hand.
Useful tips for mothers
1. Expand the baby’s range of physical exercises by introducing passive exercises with hands, turning the body, and developing grasping.
2. Vary the massage techniques: along with stroking, use lighter kneading, rubbing and patting techniques.
3. Increase the time of air baths to 6-8 minutes.
4. Finish your bath by pouring water 1 degree cooler.
5. In summer, gradually sunbathe in the shade of trees for up to 5-6 minutes.
6. Remove all sharp, heavy and fragile objects from the baby’s reach. Do not allow your child to be near containers with boiling water, hot objects (pots, iron, heater), or open fire.
Neuropsychic development and education of a 4-month-old child
To the delight of all household members, at this stage the baby begins to sleep longer at night.
He likes large, voluminous toys painted in natural colors: green, yellow, blue, red. Toys that make sounds delight him. He listens to them, makes short pauses while shaking the toy. The child is already able to remember events and impressions for some time. Therefore, he carefully examines various objects, monitors the behavior of adults, and pays attention to the intonation of the voice.
The baby follows the object much better, focuses his gaze on it, determines the distance to it and therefore does not miss when he tries to grab it with his hand. He is already looking for the object he needs with his eyes (mother, toy, sound source) and finds it.
Karapuz openly rejoices when people turn to him. He shows his joy by animation, loud laughter, smiling, grunting, various sounds, and humming. And he also actively protests if they stop communicating with him and leave.
When the baby gets upset and cries, tears already appear in his eyes.
Useful tips for the mother of a 4-month-old baby
1. Talk to your child as much as possible. Name the objects around you.
2. Accompany the conversation with gestures, facial expressions, intonation, and actions.
3. When addressing your baby, call him by name.
4. Keep him in a positive mood and in a good mood.
5. Give him bright, colorful toys that make sounds that are easy to hold in his hands (rattles, squeakers, hammers).
6. You can place your child in a playpen with toys for a while.
7. Play catch with him, hide and seek.
8. Organize a “sandbox” at home for the little one. To do this, pour some cereal into a small bowl and let it go through it with your hands.
RESULTS OF THE BABY’S FOURTH MONTH
Now your baby has become not just an observer, but an active participant in events. He began to show initiative in communicating with people, and also learned to independently reach and take objects.
4. Wash your baby's hands regularly.
When does a baby cry?
The question is exactly when does a 4 month old baby cry? And how does he cry, and how much? Does he sleep with his mother or in his own bed?
For example, babies may cry or laugh during REM sleep. This is absolutely normal. After 3 months, babies begin to dream, some of which can cause crying. This physiological crying is a completely normal phenomenon. It will pass with time.
Moreover, babies do not yet know how to laugh like adults, and they make sounds that a sleepy mother does not associate with laughter; it may even seem that the child is sobbing and feeling bad. But that's not true.
Possible problems in children of the fourth month of life
The most pronounced problems in the fourth month of a child’s life can be a completely healthy baby’s refusal to breastfeed and painful teething. It is this age that is considered to be the first transition period in infants.
Breast refusal.
The age of 4 months is critical in terms of breast abandonment; it is during this period that most women stop feeding their children with their own milk due to the baby’s categorical refusal.
This phenomenon has a psychological basis: it is at this age that children become more sensitive to the conditions in which they live. If anything in caring for a toddler or in the process of breastfeeding itself was not organized as the baby expected, then there is a high probability that the baby will stop latching on to the breast.
4 month old baby is constantly naughty
A baby's cry is a signal that there is a problem. At 4 months the child became capricious and uncontrollable for a reason. The reasons for the baby's restless state may be:
- hunger;
- colic;
- discomfort from cold or heat;
- teething.
The fourth month of life is indicative of the introduction of the first complementary foods. This is due to constant motor activity and emotional development. It is possible that the baby needs additional nutrition. Therefore, children fed on mother's milk continue to eat on demand. And bottle-fed babies are given complementary foods. The digestive system continues to develop, so colic occurs less and less often in the baby. Rare manifestations of disorders in the gastrointestinal tract can torment the baby, causing continuous crying.
The process of thermoregulation is not established, so the baby’s sensations change quickly. Overheating and hypothermia are equally dangerous for a baby.
A 4-month-old child is constantly capricious and cries due to teething. The appearance of teeth may occur much later. But the beginning of eruption is characteristic of this period. Signs of teething are as follows:
- The baby constantly pulls objects into his mouth and gnaws on them.
- The child notices increased salivation.
- The baby is thirsty all the time. He is capricious and asks for breasts. A bottle-fed child does not refuse the offered water and drinks it greedily.
Causes of whims and methods of dealing with them
If the cause of the whims is related to illness, then it is necessary to call a doctor at home. He will prescribe the correct treatment. You cannot give any medications on your own. Otherwise, the cause is easily eliminated. You need to either change a wet diaper, feed him milk, put him to bed or give him something to drink.
Physiological imbalance
In infancy, a child cannot yet explain his desires and is not fully aware of his feelings. The result is a physiological imbalance. The baby begins to cry and be capricious due to hunger, thirst, illness, or poor sleep.
Improper sleep patterns
The lack of a constant routine causes disturbances in the child’s behavior. Therefore, parents should make adjustments to their daily routine:
- A newborn baby sleeps up to 18 hours a day. The duration of night and daytime sleep does not exceed 3-4 hours. The waking time should not exceed two hours. If you miss this time, it will be difficult to put the baby to sleep. During night awakenings, you do not need to turn on the light, play or talk to your baby for a long time.
- By three months, sleep duration decreases to 14-15 hours. During the day, the baby should go to bed twice. If he does not sleep during the day, or sleep duration is no more than 35 minutes, you should consult a doctor.
- If the baby sleeps little at night, the reason may be due to dry air in the room, uncomfortable clothes, or bright daytime emotions. A baby may have trouble sleeping due to a cold or teething.
When a child wants to sleep, he yawns and rubs his eyes with his fists. If parents notice that the child wants to sleep, but does not fall asleep, they need to help him. You can give a massage, rock him in your arms, sing a lullaby.
Thirst
From birth, the baby should be given plain water to drink, especially if he is formula-fed. If the room is hot and the air is dry, then the amount of liquid should be increased.
Hunger
You can understand that a baby is capricious due to hunger by the following signs:
- crying appears immediately after feeding;
- whims after a short period of time after the next portion of milk;
- daytime sleep became short;
- greedily begins to suck on the breast or bottle.
If other signs appear, then the cause may be related to other factors.
Family microclimate
A child is negatively affected by a bad atmosphere in the family. Quarrels and conflicts between parents lead to hysterics and bad behavior.
Parents need to sort things out when the child is not in the room. He needs to be raised in love, calm, affection and understanding.
Excessive care and spoiling
You shouldn’t do everything for your baby right from infancy. He should be given the opportunity to act independently in some situations. Excessive attentiveness, frequent gifts, and the desire to protect the baby from troubles negatively affect his behavioral sphere. The baby gets used to achieving everything with tears and hysterics.
Age-related changes
As a child grows up, there are several periods of crisis. During crisis stages, changes occur in the psychological and physiological state. At this time, the child is capricious a lot, wants to do everything the opposite, in defiance of his parents, wants to declare his adulthood.
Medical Causes of Sleep Disorders
Medical causes of sleep disorders in children include:
- neurological diseases (neuroses, hyperactivity);
- somatic disorders (rickets, liver or kidney pathology).
In all these cases, the help of specialists is necessary. In most cases, it cannot be done without the use of medications.
An infant cries all the time: causes and ways to eliminate them
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How can a mother understand what a baby's cry means?
“I can’t stand this anymore,” begins one message from my mom on my Instagram. Having received permission to publish it, I am posting the full text of the letter here. “I didn’t think I would avoid my baby. My baby cries all the time, even when I rock him in my arms. Neither my husband nor my mother can calm him down. Hands are already giving up. Just yesterday my son cried from 11 pm to 3 am! I no longer dream of normal sleep. What a dream when I can’t even go to the toilet. When do babies stop crying like that?! Mom says he will soon outgrow it. But my strength is almost gone.” Yes, the letter, of course, is a little out of my “format.” But I couldn't ignore him. Having written words of support to the girl, I decided that the topic of children’s crying is relevant for both young parents and mothers with experience. Why is the baby crying? I decided to collect the most common motives for a child’s whiny behavior. Study and use to organize peace and quiet in your home.
Article reading time: ~ 4-5 minutes
Why does an infant cry and how can a mother calm him down?
Every mother wants her baby to cry less and smile more. This is a normal desire. But is it correct to attribute only negative properties to the crying of a baby?
“Crying is the earliest and most powerful signal a newborn makes,” writes Ronald Barr, a pediatrician, infant cry researcher, and author of Crying as a Sign, Symptom, and Signal.
The ability to cry was established by nature many years ago as the best way to attract the attention of parents. Do you agree that there is not a single adult who could calmly stand next to a crying toddler and not try to calm him down? It turns out that the baby’s crying is a means for him to communicate with his mother. By screaming, the child says that he feels bad and asks for help. Therefore, in the first months after birth, it is so difficult for a young mother to understand why her baby is screaming. But time passes, and the mother begins to “translate” the child’s signal and give him what he needs at the moment. Of course, to understand her baby, a mother should know the most common causes of infant cry. Read more about them below.
What should a mother do if the child lies in an arch?
The ability to cry was established by nature many years ago as the best way to attract the attention of parents. Do you agree that there is not a single adult who could calmly stand next to a crying toddler and not try to calm him down? It turns out that the baby’s crying is a means for him to communicate with his mother. By screaming, the child says that he feels bad and asks for help. Therefore, in the first months after birth, it is so difficult for a young mother to understand why her baby is screaming. But time passes, and the mother begins to “translate” the child’s signal and give him what he needs at the moment. Of course, to understand her baby, a mother should know the most common causes of infant cry. Read more about them below.
Why is the baby crying?
Why does an infant cry and how can a mother calm him down?
When a mother thinks that her child is crying for no reason, it means she has not yet understood what the baby wants. Finding the reason for the baby’s cry is 50% of success. The remaining 50% is due to the correct actions of the mother. If an infant cries, what should a mother do for the most common causes of infant crying? Read below:
Solution: feed the baby milk or formula;
Unsuitable weather at home
The child is hot or cold, the air in the room is too dry, etc.
Solution: Adjust temperature and humidity. Evaluate how you and your baby are dressed. If you are wearing a light robe and your little one is wearing warm overalls, perhaps you should dress your child lighter. A humidifier or a wet, battery-powered towel helps combat dry air. Air humidity should be at least 40%! Is it like this for you? Check it out!
Discomfort and pain after feeding
During feeding, the baby may swallow air, and this leads to a spasm in the stomach.
Solution: Carry the baby vertically until excess air is released. Usually, this takes 20-30 minutes;
Labels and rough seams can rub the baby’s delicate skin and cause discomfort.
Solution: remove tags from clothing. Do not use things with rough seams, synthetic materials, etc.;
An abundance of thick sides, a too soft mattress, a warm blanket - everything can lead to crying.
Solution: adapt the sleeping place for the baby. Remove thick sides - they interfere with the circulation of fresh air. Replace a soft mattress with a hard one with coconut or other natural filling;
Colic, intestinal problems
When a baby strains and cries in the first months after birth, he most likely has colic. Scientists are still arguing about the reasons for this phenomenon. The most plausible theory is the immaturity of the gastrointestinal tract. With colic, it is difficult to calm a baby, and crying can last for several hours in a row.
Solution: Be patient. Nika and I were helped by a warm diaper and calmness. And also placing the baby on the stomach as a preventive measure (read more about “Laying the baby on the stomach”).
And, of course, a tummy massage! This is where each of my online courses begins: for babies in the first month of life, and for 11-month-old toddlers! Usually colic goes away on its own after 3 months. A fair protest against the consequences of “serious” matters or an overfilled diaper that can begin to press in the child’s groin area.
Solution: check the condition of the diaper every 2-3 hours and change it to a clean one in time. Choose the right diapers for your baby. They should fit tightly on the child, not leak at night and not irritate delicate skin;
Fear from your own hands
The so-called Moro reflex, in which the baby, sensing danger, raises its arms.
Solution: swaddle your baby in the first months. But not all babies need this; some sleep well and are not afraid of hands in regular clothes;
A child of the first year of life does not know how to calm down on his own after vigorous activity. Therefore, when he gets tired, he starts calling his mother.
Solution: remove irritating factors in a timely manner. Don’t be shy about telling guests that it’s time for your baby to sleep, watch for signs of fatigue, know how to “slow down” your baby before bed;
A baby, just like an adult, does not like to lie in the same position for a long time. Only, unlike adults, he cannot turn on his own on the other side in the first months after birth.
Solution: Place the baby on the other side or on the back. In the first months, make sure that the baby does not have a “favorite” side while lying in the crib;
Lack of contact with mom or other close adults
In a hurry to redo all the household chores, mothers often push communication with the baby into the background.
Solution: Spend quality time with your little one. Don't cook a five-course meal, but carry the baby in your arms and talk to him. This is especially important in the first three months after birth;
From birth, a child is afraid to be left alone - a reflex for survival, therefore, with a lack of communication with his mother, he begins to cry and demand attention.
Sudden change of weather outside the window
When there is a strong wind or when there is a jump in temperature outside, the baby may react negatively to this. As a result, the mother gets a crying toddler.
Solution: carry the baby in your arms, distract with lullabies, toys, nursery rhymes;
Tense emotional environment at home
I have said more than once that a child perfectly reads the emotions of adults. If there is a quarrel or negativity at home, then the baby does not feel safe and cries.
Solution: find compromises. When mom and dad are happy, the baby feels safe and remains calm;
Pain from teething
A difficult period in a child's life. Discomfort and painful sensations lead to whims, crying and bad mood.
Solution: If your baby is breastfed, offer the breast. Rock in your arms, say “sh-sh-sh” and “ch-ch-ch-ch” or sing a lullaby. During active wakefulness, offer your baby chilled teethers. The baby will happily scratch his gums with them, and the cold will relieve the pain;
Reviews for the course 0-3 months
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Let's summarize:
- an infant cries constantly because he does not yet know how to speak. This is currently the only way available to him to tell him that something is wrong. The mother’s task is to understand why the baby is dissatisfied and to solve his problem;
- optimized external conditions and a healthy emotional atmosphere in the home are the key to the baby’s peace of mind;
- If in the first days after birth you cannot understand why the baby is crying, do not worry. A little time will pass, and you will learn better than anyone else to understand and feel what he needs at the moment.
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Other reasons
The task of parents is to clarify the cause of whims and crying in the baby as early as possible. Sometimes the condition indicates a disease. In the latter case, other symptoms appear (rash on the body, fever, cough, change in stool).
Colic in a newborn
The accumulation of gases in the intestines is accompanied by sharp, unpleasant pain, so the baby begins to cry. The phenomenon is most troubling in the first months of life. Additional symptoms are:
- baby is pushing;
- twitches his legs and presses them to his tummy;
- clenches his fingers into a fist;
- blushes.
If the baby is breastfed, colic often occurs due to the foods that the mother ate. A nursing woman should strictly monitor her diet and not eat prohibited foods.
Crying after vaccination
Many children's behavior changes after vaccination and their condition worsens. After vaccination against hepatitis B, the child feels unwell, dizzy and has a headache, he may feel sick, his body temperature rises, and indigestion occurs. The trip to the hospital and the injection itself is stressful for the baby. In response to all these phenomena, the baby becomes capricious, screams and cries, sleeps and eats poorly. Therefore, doctors recommend giving antipyretic, anti-inflammatory, and painkillers in the first days after vaccination.
After DTP vaccination, the body temperature rises, the functioning of the digestive organs is disrupted, and a cough and runny nose may appear. Often the development of allergic manifestations.
On the day of vaccination, the child should be given a remedy for fever and pain, as well as allergies. These days, it is recommended to put the baby to the breast as often as possible. The BCG vaccination is accompanied by unpleasant symptoms, against the background of which the baby becomes capricious and whiny. Sleep is disturbed and appetite disappears.
Crying caused by physical factors, external and internal
The set of reasons why a child under one year old may cry does not depend on his life span. This applies to reasons related to environmental conditions:
- temperature;
- humidity;
- dustiness;
- noise and light stimuli.
Internal causes cause increased nervousness in children no less often than heat or loud noises, for example:
- hunger and thirst;
- teething;
- discomfort from wet diapers or tight and rough clothing;
- meteorological factors.
- If a child is hot, stuffy, and his crib is located near a radiator, he will not get proper rest. Experts recommend that even in winter, when putting your child to bed, leaving the window open until the ambient temperature drops to -15-18°C. It is necessary to ventilate the room well before the baby goes to bed; an exception may be the situation when the child has seasonal hay fever. In this case, the room will have to be cooled, refreshed and humidified using devices for maintaining the microclimate in the room (split systems).
- The feeling of hunger quite often wakes up children under one year old in the middle of the night. At first they whine in their sleep; if you give them milk or water, this calms them down; if they don’t get what they want, they wake up crying. If the baby does not get enough calories during the day, he will demand food more than once at night. This will disrupt sleep for both the baby and the mother. Therefore, it is better to feed him enough during the daytime. If the baby is breastfed and fed on demand, the mother should think about the quality of her milk. And take a closer look at how the baby eats. Some babies do not breastfeed completely, receive only thin, superficial milk and therefore look constantly hungry.
- Teeth, or rather the process of teething, goes unnoticed by few people. This is usually quite painful for the baby and very exhausting for his mother. Sometimes teeth erupt in pairs, and there are times when they are in no hurry to appear, and then 4 teeth appear at a time. This is very painful for the child. Discomfort in the mouth, especially in the evening, leads to the fact that the little person tries to chew everything that comes to hand, becomes capricious, has difficulty falling asleep, and cries before bed. He also sleeps restlessly, crying in his sleep and upon awakening.
How do whims manifest themselves depending on age?
It is important for parents to take into account age-related changes and crisis stages in the process of education. Only in this case can you avoid conflicts with your child and prevent the appearance of whims.
Infants
Children under one year old require special attention. Whims and crying can indicate discomfort and illness, so behavior cannot be ignored. Why are babies capricious at 1 month? A one-month-old baby is capricious and crying due to hunger, fever, and wet diaper. As soon as the discomfort is eliminated, the baby becomes calm and cheerful. At 2 months, the baby cries due to discomfort (wet diaper, uncomfortable clothes, hot air, change of weather), lack of attention and communication, fatigue or pain.
All of the above reasons can cause anxiety in the behavior of a 4 and 5 month old baby. An additional factor is teething. At 8 months, the child begins to actively explore the world around him. The appearance of new people, prohibitions, improper daily routine, little attention - all this negatively affects the child’s behavioral sphere.
Baby is naughty before bed
If a two-month-old baby is periodically capricious before bed, the reasons may be associated with intense emotions and pain. Emotional overload. Not only negative, but also positive emotions excite the baby’s nervous system. Two hours before bedtime, active games and watching TV should be avoided. It is useful to bathe your baby in water, listen to calm music, and read a book. The same reason can lead to changes in the behavior of a child older than 6 months.
Wrong daily routine. From the age of 3 months, your baby should be taught to get up and go to bed at the same time. Accustoming needs to begin, as closer to 7 months it will be more difficult to do. Parents sound the alarm when the baby suddenly suddenly becomes capricious when rocked. This usually happens to infants over 10 months of age. Older babies no longer need to be rocked to sleep; they can simply be put into bed.
During feeding
When a baby cries or whines during feeding, the condition may indicate a disease (otitis media, stomatitis, sore throat).
If your baby is crying and fussing at the breast, there may be not enough milk, a strong milk flow, or an unpleasant taste in the milk.
Whims in one year
At 1.5 years old, whims and crying appear in response to prohibitions and refusal. Parents need to be consistent and constant in their demands.
Two years
Children already understand what is possible and what is not. It is easier for them to explain the reason for the ban. In case of whims, it is easy to switch the child’s attention to another object or event.
Crisis of three years
By the age of three, the social circle of friends expands. At this age, many children are sent to kindergarten. Conflicts between peers and parents often become the cause of whims and hysterics.
Night crying associated with the state of the nervous system
If your child cries before bed, or wakes up screaming and cannot calm down, his nervous system may be overloaded. He is overtired during waking hours, and does not rest during sleep. In this situation, the little man needs help. If your child goes to bed crying and fighting, the night's sleep will be interrupted and restless. This is truly a problem that needs to be addressed. For example, rational physical and mental stress (at this age, playing with new objects is emotional, intellectual, and physical work, quite difficult for a small person). As well as the formation of sleep and wakefulness patterns.
Neurological problems may be the cause of constant crying before bed and during sleep. Neurosonography (if it was not performed in the maternity hospital) and an experienced neurologist will help clarify this.
How to calm a baby?
How to cope with whims? The following tips will help:
- pick it up and press it to your stomach;
- get a massage;
- distract attention with a ringing bright object or a loud voice;
- turn on a pleasant melody;
- changing hands helps, for example, the baby can be given to grandma or dad;
- Toys and mobile phones are distracting.
What to do if a child cries? A walk outside will help. How to respond to a child's bad behavior? You cannot raise your voice in response to whims and crying. You should remain calm and try to redirect the baby’s attention.
What a child can do at 4 months: psychomotor and speech development
- Intonation. A baby's emotional palette can expand if close people communicate with the baby in different intonations. You can talk to a child quietly and loudly, with admiration, surprise, joy. Also, the baby can read negative emotions in the voice.
- Facial expressions. It is important to gesture and express different emotions when talking to your baby. Looking at the face of a loved one, the baby will copy facial expressions and recognize emotions. A baby of this age may have various funny unconscious grimaces.
- Communication. When the baby hears his mother’s voice, he reacts joyfully to it. The “revival complex” still persists when, at the sight of a loved one, the baby begins to actively move his arms and legs and smile. At 4 months, the baby laughs heartily, especially when mom or dad takes him in his arms and either brings him closer or further away from his face. Communication with a baby is important for the formation of native speech.
- “Ours” and “strangers”. At 4 months, a baby already recognizes loved ones and willingly interacts with them. But he also identifies strangers, his communication will be selective. This differentiation into “us” and “strangers” will intensify in the future. To contact strangers, the baby needs time to study the new “subject”.
Prevention of capricious behavior in children
How to wean a child from whims? Psychologists advise following some rules:
- There is no need to suppress the child’s independence and perform simple actions for him (buttoning a jacket, putting away toys).
- It is important to control your emotions in response to your baby's tantrum. You need to be calm, self-possessed, and under no circumstances should you shout back. It is better to ignore the moment of whim, and then calmly explain the behavior.
- Blackmail tactics should not be used in education. For example: “If you don’t put away your toys, you won’t go for a walk.” This behavior provokes a response in older age: “If you scold me for bad grades, I won’t come home.”
- It is important to be consistent and faithful in your chosen behavior tactics. You cannot solve a problem one way today and another tomorrow. If a decision has been made to refuse something, then this should become the rule.
There is no point in reproaching your child for bad behavior. You need to explain to him that the action upset him, but this is not a reason not to love him.
When you need specialist help
If your child is often capricious for no reason, you should consult a specialist. Problems begin to be solved by visiting a pediatrician and neurologist. A child may cry and be capricious all the time due to diseases of the internal organs, so the help of other specialized specialists will be required.
A few days before the weather changes, the baby changes in behavior. He may be capricious all day, sleep is disturbed, and appetite decreases. Parents should tell their doctor about this. As a preventative measure, massage, physiotherapeutic procedures, acupuncture, and exercise therapy can be prescribed.
