From birth to 6 months of age, babies will often be fussy at night. Crying or fussing is your little one’s way of communicating with Mama to let her know there is something that makes her uncomfortable. For this reason, you need to know why your baby is fussy at night and how to calm him down so that you can rest in peace.
Causes of Fussy Babies at Night
Fussy babies at night may be a mystery to some parents. In fact, there is a reason behind your little one suddenly crying and fussing at night, you know. This is the reason why babies are fussy at night that Mama and Papa need to know.
1. Signs of Hunger
One of the most common reasons a baby fusses at night is a signal of hunger or wanting to breastfeed. A baby who feels hungry will show his desire to breastfeed to his mother by crying.
Apart from being fussy, signs that your baby is hungry can also pay attention to your little one’s gestures. For example, licking his lips and clenching his fists.
2. Fatigue
The cause of a fussy baby at night can also be caused by fatigue. Your little one may feel tired if they receive too much stimulation throughout the day, such as having lots of people visiting them, or being invited to play too often.
This is different from adults who can sleep straight away. In babies, they may actually have difficulty sleeping at night because they feel tired.
3. Colic in Babies
The next cause of fussy babies at night is one of the characteristics of colic, Ma. If a baby’s crying and fussing is caused by colic, he will often cry continuously intensely for up to 3 hours at a high pitch. In a week, at least 3 times the baby cries due to colic.
However, Mama doesn’t need to worry. When the baby is 3 months old, colic will usually subside on its own.
This condition can occur due to disturbances in the digestive tract, such as swallowing air and causing a buildup of gas in the stomach which is dominated by nitrogen and oxygen.
Apart from that, colic in babies can also occur due to your little one being sensitive to certain types of protein in their milk, and the baby feeling hungry.
4. Wet Diapers
Diapers that are not changed immediately and are wet will cause discomfort to your little one, causing the baby to be fussy and not want to sleep.
This is because the diaper gets wet and the baby feels uncomfortable because of it, Ma. Finally, the baby was fussy at night. Especially if your little one has skin irritation in the diaper wearing area.
5. Feeling bored
A fussy baby at night can happen because he is bored and wants to play with Mama, you know. 2 Finally, he cries because he wants to move and play.
So, there’s no harm in Mama and Papa inviting your little one to play simple games, like peek-a-boo, clapping their hands, or rocking them.
6. Lonely
When your little one reaches the age of 8 months, the baby may feel anxious about separation, or what is known as separation anxiety , because he is worried about being left by his mother and father before going to sleep. This also makes them feel lonely and ultimately causes the baby to be fussy at night.
7. Feeling Unwell
The last cause of a fussy baby is generally feeling unwell.
If your little one feels unwell, the baby will cry in a different tone than usual, Ma. This cry can sound weaker, continuous, or high-pitched. Generally, the most common cause is a sign that the baby is teething .
How to Calm a Fussy Baby at Night
To deal with your little one who keeps crying at night, there are ways to calm a fussy baby at night that you can do, namely:
1. Carrying a Baby
One of the easiest ways to deal with a fussy baby at night is to hold him. Carrying your baby can also allow you to do other tasks, as well as calm your little one who is fussy.
Try picking up your little one and taking him to a quiet room with dim lights. If necessary, Mama can turn on soft music while breastfeeding. This way, your little one can feel Mama’s presence beside him.
If you feel your baby has a fever (which can be felt on the stomach and back of his neck), you can immediately measure his temperature and give him breast milk so that your little one does not become dehydrated or lacks fluids.
2. Breastfeed the baby as often as possible
Considering that one of the causes of fussy babies is feeling hungry, mothers need to give breast milk to their little ones as a way to calm babies who cry at night. At the beginning of your little one’s first three months of life, Mama almost always gives breast milk every 2-3 hours.
However, if during that time your little one cries or is fussy again, then Mama can give him breast milk again as a way to deal with a fussy baby at night.
If you are tired of breastfeeding while sitting, you can lie down on the bed and rest while the baby sleeps. After giving breast milk, you can pat your little one’s back to burp to remove gas from the digestive tract.
If your little one is very fussy and it lasts a long time, you should also take him to the doctor so you can find out the exact cause.
3. Listening to Certain Sounds
A way to calm a fussy baby the next night is to listen to Mama’s voice. For example, calming down by whispering “sshhhh”, singing a soft sleep song or a song that usually makes your little one comfortable and falls asleep.
Mama can also make certain types of sounds. Starting from humming, muttering, listening to music, or using rhythms with natural sounds such as gurgling water, waves, birds chirping, and so on. Also try different types of voices, musical styles or singers.
4. Reduce Stimulation
Mama can use this method to deal with a fussy baby at night by taking him to a quieter room. Then, try dimming the lights, reducing noise, and covering the baby to make him calmer.
5. Provide tactile stimulation
Did Mom know? Babies also feel safer and more comfortable when touched by their mother. For example, rubbing the baby’s head, massaging the baby’s body, or bathing the baby.
6. Perform rhythmic movements
To calm your baby at night, you can do rhythmic movements. Mama can hold the baby while swinging a little, walking around the house, or even riding in the car.
7. Accompany your little one to play
Remembering that one of the other causes of fussy babies is feeling bored because they want to be invited to play, Mama can overcome this with simple games, such as peek-a-boo, clapping hands, or telling stories to your little one. This will make your little one feel comfortable and then fall asleep.
8. Check or change the baby’s diaper
If your little one cries continuously at night, you can check the baby’s diaper before going to bed and clean the area of the body protected by the diaper to avoid irritation.
Then, immediately change into a clean diaper so that the baby feels more comfortable. Changing your little one’s diaper can also calm his fussiness.
