The following is a guest post by Tara D’Amico of D’Amico Dream Consulting. Enjoy!
How can I tell when my child is tired? This is one of the most common questions from my clients. It’s not always obvious when a child is getting tired. Here’s how to recognize sleep signs to prevent an overtired child and get them to bed BEFORE it’s too late.
The following question is from Trish, who wrote…
“Help! Why can’t I recognize my three-month-old’s sleep signs? No yawing, no eye rubbing. She seems to go from quite happy to very upset in a split second and then it takes awhile to settle her down and get her to sleep.”
Usually when someone refers to “sleep signs,” clear signals that the child is tired, they think of yawning and perhaps eye rubbing. Some signs you may not be aware of though are nose scrunching and ear pulling, anything that has to do with rubbing the face. Once a client’s son kept rubbing his nose and he looked tired. She replied, “Oh really? I thought he just had allergies.” It’s easy to miss some of the signs of fatigue, but if your child is doing any type of rubbing or pulling, they’re definitely tired. Don’t wait for a yawn.
Trish’s baby seems to go from happy to upset at the drop of a dime. Her baby is probably very good at hiding her fatigue. Sometimes when babies start to have feelings of being tired they’ll push through those feelings with perhaps more active play and maybe even get a little hyper. They’ll kick into “overdrive” and almost become a bit manic. That squirmy baby, the one who doesn’t want to sit on your knee, doesn’t want to stand up, arches their back, crawls around very quickly, and laughs one moment and cries the next, is a tired baby and ready for sleep.
If your child is happy one second and crying the next, you might have to keep more of an eye on the clock than on your baby. A three-month-old, like Trish’s baby for example, can handle approximately an hour and a half of awake time. If she woke up at 8 a.m., then by 9:30 a.m. she’s most likely ready for a nap. In this case, even if they’re calm and happy and not showing any “sleep signs,” I always suggest that it’s better to put them down too soon rather than too late. Usually the calmer the baby goes down, the faster sleep comes and it becomes an easier transition for them. Keeping an eye on your child’s individual sleep signs, along with the clock for those who don’t show any clear signals, will definitely help your child sleep well.
If you are struggling with finding that sweet spot for timing your child’s naps and bedtime, let’s set up a quick consultation call! It’s free and will allow me to get more details about your situation and explain how I can help with fast sleep solutions! Please follow me on Facebook to schedule a FREE consultation call and also check out my website, D’Amico Dream Consulting, for more information on what is offered.
About Tara D'Amico
After 10 months of sleep challenges with my son, I truly understand what it feels like to be sleep deprived. After implementing the Sleep Sense Program, healthy sleep habits became a passion to me because of the difference it made for my family. I was selected by Dana Obleman to undergo a comprehensive training and mentoring program, welcoming the opportunity to become a Certified Sleep Sense Consultant. I have helped numerous parent's through this program, supporting them every step of the way. I would love the opportunity to do the same for you!
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