When the baby cries during the day, parents have various tricks and methods at their disposal to calm it, be it through skin-to-skin contact, gentle rocking, breastfeeding or giving a bottle.
But when the baby cries at night while sleeping or suddenly cries out, new parents in particular ask themselves questions like: “Is this normal?” and “What’s wrong with my baby?”
This post provides the answers and explains 6 possible reasons why your baby cries in his sleep.
Here you will also find tips on how to deal with it if your little mouse whimpers, sobs or cries at night.
6 reasons for crying at night with tips for relief
It can be frustrating when a baby cries or whimpers at night with their eyes closed and you don’t know what’s wrong or what to do.
It’s also nerve-wracking when something like this happens repeatedly. After all, both babies and parents need as much, and above all, restful, sleep as possible.
Here are possible reasons why your baby cries in his sleep and tips on what you can do about it.
1. Your baby processes impressions in dream sleep
Babies’ sleep phases are different from those of adults. According to one expert, babies spend more time than we do, namely 50%, in REM sleep, which is more superficial than deep sleep. During REM sleep, the many impressions of everyday life are processed.
If your baby cries in his sleep, it may be related to dream sleep and his brain is processing the impressions of the day.
This is not uncommon, especially if the day was overstimulated. Perhaps the day before was turbulent or your child was exposed to a lot of stimuli.
Babies are also sensitive to changes, so crying in their sleep could also be due to the fact that the daily routine is different than usual and your child is processing this in their sleep.
This is no reason to worry and no reason to wake the baby if it continues to sleep despite the sobbing, which is also confirmed by an Austrian article .
What you can do
Instead of waking your baby, wait to see if the crying gets louder and if they wake up on their own. This gives your little one a chance to transition into the next sleep phase without waking up.
So first, see if your baby calms down and goes back to sleep. If they wake up, you can always calm them down with physical contact. For example, gently stroke their back or place your hand on their body.
2. Discomfort due to external influences
It’s understandable that a baby might cry in their sleep when they’re uncomfortable. A British article explains that the discomfort could be related to external influences.
If you’re bottle-feeding your baby, they may have drunk too quickly or too much. Therefore, it’s not a good idea to enlarge the nipple hole or encourage them to drink more than they want.
A full diaper can also be the reason why your baby is uncomfortable and may communicate this through quiet sobs or crying in their sleep. So, it’s a good idea to change the diaper as quietly and quickly as possible, even if your baby might not have been bothered by the full diaper before.
Finally, your baby may cry in his sleep because he is too hot or too cold, or his clothes are uncomfortable.
What you can do
Feed your baby as needed and check their diaper regularly. Also, make sure the room temperature is comfortable, i.e., no higher than 18 degrees Celsius, and the room is well ventilated, as recommended by the BZgA .
3. Flatulence is to blame
Your baby may cry at night because of gas and associated abdominal pain.
An Austrian pediatrician explains that flatulence occurs in babies up to the age of 3 months and that 25-30% of infants are affected by it.
You can tell that your baby is suffering from gas if he or she not only becomes restless and cries, but also pulls his or her legs up and then stretches them out again.
The good news is that even babies with gas are usually healthy and thrive.
However, if you have a very bad feeling and your baby seems to be suffering greatly from gas, take him or her to the doctor to rule out lactose and gluten intolerance.
What you can do
This requires soothing measures during the day. Avoid gassy foods if you’re breastfeeding. If you’re bottle-feeding your baby, wait a moment after preparing the formula until the foam has settled so your baby doesn’t swallow too much air.
You should also encourage frequent burping. Try to ease your baby’s discomfort with regular, gentle tummy massages or warm baths.
4. Your baby is teething
When babies are teething , they can feel very uncomfortable and in pain. Some babies cope better with teething than others, but according to the experts at NetDoktor, the discomfort is particularly severe at night.
Even months before the first tooth appears (around 6 months of age), the gums may feel pressure, itching, and pulling. However, if the discomfort isn’t too severe, your baby may cry in their sleep to express their discomfort.
What you can do
Your baby needs a lot of closeness and comfort right now, both day and night. If he cries but doesn’t wake up, you can try to calm him with light physical contact, such as placing your hand on him or stroking him.
Experts recommend purchasing teething rings, using chilled vegetable sticks for chewing or using a teething gel.
Personally, I’ve had good experiences with teething gels. My baby loved it when I rubbed them on his gums before bedtime.
5. Your baby is experiencing a sleep regression
If your little one is around 4, 6, or 8 months old, was a good sleeper for a while, and now suddenly cries in their sleep, sleep regression could be to blame for the restless nights.
According to a pediatrician at the Cleveland Clinic, this is closely related to your baby’s developmental spurts . Your child’s body and brain develop tremendously during these phases, and they learn new skills.
For example, your baby may be becoming more aware of their surroundings, rolling over or sitting up on their own for the first time, babbling, crawling, or experiencing separation anxiety. They may also protest daytime naps.
A US article explains that sleep regressions can last 2 to 4 weeks and are a normal part of child development.
What you can do
As difficult as it may be during the phases of sleep regression, make an effort to maintain your bedtime routine.
So pay attention to your baby’s signals that he or she is tired and stick to your beloved sleep rituals.
By the way, if your child wakes up at night, wait a minute to see if he or she is able to calm himself or herself down and fall asleep again, as the AOK recommends .
6. Your baby may have nightmares
I understand if you think your mouse might be having nightmares and this suspicion worries you.
However, according to experts at Healthline, scientists can’t answer the question of whether babies can have nightmares. It’s simply not known at what age nightmares begin.
In addition, so-called night terrors only occur in toddlers from 18 months onwards.
Night terrors occur when the deep sleep phase is disturbed for any reason. A child suddenly cries or screams, but every attempt to calm them seems unsuccessful.
According to the BZgA, night terrors are a harmless awakening disorder that can occur between the ages of 2 and 6 and which the child does not even remember.
However, if you suspect that your baby is having night terrors when he or she cries in his or her sleep, and if this is causing you a lot of distress, it is best to consult your pediatrician.
Final thoughts
Babies’ sleep patterns are very different from ours, and this isn’t just evident in their nighttime feedings. Babies also sometimes cry in their sleep, which can be very unsettling for new parents.
In this post, you learned that crying, sobbing, or whimpering at night is likely due to your little one processing the many stimuli and impressions of the day in dream sleep. This is normal and requires no intervention.
You have also read about other reasons that can be responsible for crying at night and found tips on what you can do about it.
If you’re worried that your baby is having nightmares, I’m afraid I couldn’t offer a scientific explanation because it’s unclear at what age a child can start having nightmares.
By the way, it’s unlikely that your baby has night terrors, as this disorder is only observed in toddlers 18 months and older. I hope this information is a relief to you.
Hopefully, these tips will help you and your nights will soon be more peaceful and carefree.
