Unsoothable crying
Unfortunately, some babies keep on crying for no apparent reason, even when you’ve
tried everything. They may be suffering from colic, which is characterised as ‘excessive
crying or extended and repeated periods of crying or fussing in babies who are otherwise
healthy and thriving’. Colic usually begins within the first few weeks of life and generally
ends at around 12 weeks. Caring for a baby who is suffering from colic can be
exhausting as well as distressing. Make sure you get all the help you can, from your
partner, relatives, friends, health visitor or GP.
Encouraging sleep
If your baby won't sleep alone and you want to encourage your baby to sleep on their
own, you could try one or more of the following:
● Place them sleepy, but awake, in their cot at bedtime with a favourite toy. This has
been shown in research studies to increase the proportion of babies who go to sleep
without a parent being present and the length of time babies sleep at night.
● Introduce a regular bedtime routine, such as a bath, or reading a book together. This
has also been found to assist settling and sleep.
● Turn down the light and minimise talking, playing and disturbance when your baby
wakes during the night.
● With young babies under a year, some people find that additional feeds during the
evening, or semi-waking their baby for a feed between 10pm and midnight, can help
them sleep for longer stretches at night. This is sometimes called ‘dream feeding’. This
approach can be used for both breastfed and formula-fed babies. The research evidence
on the effectiveness of this approach is mixed.
● Try to encourage continuity in your baby's sleep by trying to get them to rest in the
same place the majority of the time. During the early weeks and months, some babies
need more help than others to soothe themselves and fall asleep. Keep going with your
routine and try to apply the above tips as much as you can.