There’s nothing like tiptoing out of your baby’s room at the end of a long day, relieved that they’ve finally fallen asleep — and then hearing them cry out. It’s just plain hard when your baby fights sleep, especially if you're in the throes of sleep deprivation yourself.
If your baby is having trouble sleeping, you’re not alone. And if you’re unsure about why, you’re also not alone. It isn’t easy to figure out exactly why your baby refuses to sleep.
We’ll try to help you get to the bottom of it. We’ll discuss possible reasons your baby is fighting sleep, as well as how to set them up for the best chance of a good night’s sleep.
Key Takeaways
Table of contents
Why is your baby fighting sleep?
The term “fighting sleep” isn’t exactly accurate. Even though it certainly looks like your baby is fighting — crying, fussing, and flailing — their wakefulness is an indication they have a specific problem that needs to be addressed.
Seeing your baby’s resistance to sleep in this light may help you shift your worry into curiosity. What’s bothering your baby? How can you help fix the problem? Play detective to see if you can get to the bottom of what might be causing problems. You know your baby best.
1) Overtiredness
It seems logical to keep your baby awake so they’ll be tired enough to fall asleep later, but babies have a window of time when they’re best able to sleep. If you miss it, your baby may struggle to fall asleep and end up overtired.
What does an overtired little one act like? Exhausted toddlers might act extra cranky, unreasonable, or clumsy, while littler babies can be unreasonable in their own way by losing interest, batting toys away, and crying.
2) Overstimulation
We, as adults, might not notice headlights from the highway nearby or the neighbor’s doors opening and closing — but our babies certainly do. If your little one is regularly fighting sleep, they might be overstimulated by the sensory information that’s part of their new environment.
3) Hunger
Newborns can sometimes be sleepy eaters or distracted eaters, both of which prevent them from getting their bellies full enough before going to sleep. Gas can make it tough for your baby to sleep, too. Try burping them while they eat and then when they’re done.
4) Separation anxiety
Separation anxiety usually kicks in around eight or 10 months and again around 18 months. During this time, sleep can be hard to come by because your little one is so busy missing you, and makes it crystal clear that they don’t want you to leave.
5) Developmental milestones
Your baby may sleep less when they’re about to hit new developmental milestones, like learning how to sit up or crawl. These are usually short disruptions — typically one to two weeks long — and after they’ve gotten the hang of their new ability, they go back to sleeping.
6) Teething
If you notice your baby’s teeth beginning to appear and if they seem to be drooling more or eating less, sleeplessness may be caused by the pain in their gums.
7) Small schedule changes
A change in schedule can throw your baby off enough to make it difficult for them at naptime or bedtime. (Think: Daylight Saving Time, traveling to a different time zone, or sleeping in a new place.)
8) Big changes in life
Starting day care, going to school for the first time, or the arrival of a new sibling can disrupt your baby’s sleep patterns. Their daily rhythm changes, and sensory stimulation may increase, both of which can lead to your baby fighting sleep.
9) Sickness
It’s important to remember that your baby might not sleep as well when they are feeling under the weather. (On the other hand, some babies sleep more when they are sick, so each case is different.)
If you have concerns about your baby’s health or the cause of their difficulty sleeping, call your pediatrician.
10) Discomfort
If your baby is fighting sleep, they could also just be uncomfortable. So, before you jump to the conclusion that they’re undertired, overtired, or in the midst of a sleep regression, try making your baby as comfortable as possible when bedtime rolls around.
We’ll discuss several ways to do this in the next section, but here are some suggestions to get you started:
- Check their mattress
- Add a mattress pad
- Change the mattress cover
- Try a different pair of pajamas
- Adjust the temperature
You never know what might be making your little one uncomfortable.
How do you stop your baby from fighting sleep?
Once you figure out why your baby is fighting sleep — or you have a few guesses — you can try to find ways to address what’s bothering them.
Watch for sleep cues.
To avoid an overtired or undertired little one, watch for your baby’s sleep cues. You’ll have to learn your baby’s particular ones, but they often include:
-
Fussiness
- Yawning
- Moving slowly
- Staring off into space
- Losing interest
- Rubbing eyes
- Beginning to cry
Stay on schedule.
Babies thrive on routine. So, it’s important to learn your baby’s natural sleep patterns and stick to a schedule — as much as you can. (Sometimes you just can’t.)
Remember that a baby’s sleep schedule usually has less to do with the time on the clock and more to do with how many hours it’s been since they last woke up.
Make them comfortable.
You want to create an environment that promotes good, comfortable, safe sleep. Make sure your baby’s diaper is clean, they’re not hungry, and the temperature of the nursery is between 68 and 72 degrees Fahrenheit.
Last but certainly not least, put your baby to sleep on a mattress that’s both comfortable and safe. Since it’s not safe for newborns to sleep on soft surfaces, a firm crib mattress is the way to go. However, a firm mattress doesn’t have to mean an uncomfortable mattress.
The Newton Crib Mattress offers just the right level of comfort, support, and air circulation to keep your baby sleeping safe and sound every night.
This hypoallergenic mattress is made without foam, glue, latex, or springs. Because of our patented Wovenaire® technology, the core is made of 10% food-grade polymer (think yogurt containers) and 90% air.
This means our mattress is ultra breathable, providing comfort for your baby and peace of mind for you when your little one starts rolling over in the middle of the night.
Swaddle your newborn.
Try swaddling your baby to help them drift off and stay cozy while they snooze. When should you stop swaddling? If you sense your baby is going to start rolling over, it’s safer for them to snooze in a sleep sack (blankets are still a no-no).
Put your baby down sleepy.
Part of helping your baby sleep well is showing them how to fall asleep on their own. That way, if they wake up in the middle of the night, they won’t need you.
To do this, rather than rocking your baby until they’re sound asleep and then tiptoeing them to the crib, put them down when they are drowsy. This can help them learn how to drift off without being in your arms.
Keep your little one active during the day.
If you notice your baby fighting sleep at night and you think they might be undertired, take steps to keep them active during the day. If they’re not getting all their energy out when they’re awake, they may still be raring to go when bedtime rolls around.
Move or eliminate naps.
Another way to prevent your baby fighting sleep at night is to move the last nap further away from their regular bedtime. And as your baby grows, you may even have to eliminate naps here and there to prepare them to fall asleep better at night.
Adjust the number of feedings per day.
One of the keys to sound sleep for babies is a full belly. Check with your pediatrician to see how many times per day your little one should be eating and how much they need at each feeding.
Create a bedtime routine.
When you create and stick to bedtime routines, your baby learns to tune into the fact that it’s time to wind down and rest. Choose a series of calming activities like:
- Bathing your baby
- Applying cream to their skin
- Giving your baby a massage
- Reading a book
-
Rocking in a rocking chair
- Singing
- Using a white noise machine
Feed at the start of your bedtime routine.
One of the most common reasons babies fight sleep is because they associate sleeping with eating.
Try feeding your baby at the beginning of their bedtime routine. You could also try feeding your baby in a room different from the one they sleep in to break some of the association between sleep and feeding.
Sweet dreams, little one!
If your baby’s fighting sleep, don’t worry! One night, you’ll walk out of your baby’s room, relieved that they’re asleep, and not hear a peep. But it’s a process, both for you to figure out how your baby sleeps best and for your baby to learn a sleep routine.
In the meantime, putting them down on a Newton Crib Mattress means a comfy and secure sleep for your baby — and peace of mind for you.
Sweet dreams, little one!
Frequently asked questions
When can babies self-soothe?
There is no set age when a baby can self-soothe, but it usually happens after three months old. Until then, your baby needs you to do the soothing so they can learn what it feels like. After that, your baby will “co-soothe” with you until they can do it on their own.
Why does a baby turn their head from side to side while falling asleep?
Turning their head from side to side is a common self-soothing technique in babies who are trying to fall asleep. Something about the rhythmic movement is calming, and it settles their bodies, making it easier to relax.
Does learning to crawl affect a baby’s sleep?
When your baby is learning to crawl, they’re also strengthening their eye-hand coordination, balance, and spatial awareness. It also levels up your baby’s sensory experiences of the world — and it can cause them to “crawl regress.”
It’s like they can’t shut down their brains as easily, now that their world is expanding. The sleep disruption usually lasts about three months, and then it returns to normal.
