How To Get an Overtired Baby to Sleep? 6 Easy Ways

How to get an overtired baby to sleep? One of the most difficult tasks for a new parent is dealing with an overtired baby who won’t sleep.

For many parents, getting their children to sleep can be a challenge. You may have even tried everything — but still haven’t managed to find the key to tuck them into bed each night.

You’re not alone! And the chances are that you have an overtired child fighting sleep because she doesn’t know how long it will last or where it will feel safe. That’s why we wrote this article for you!

In this article, we put together 6 ways for you to get your tired baby to fall asleep early and easily every night. With these strategies in your back pocket, there is no reason that your baby won’t be sleeping soundly from now on!

Why do babies cry when they’re overtired?

There are a few reasons why your baby is crying. The most common reason for overtired babies is due to their sleep patterns. Un overtired babies can be difficult to sleep, and many parents attempt to comfort them.

What’s actually going on?

Babies can become so overtired that they have difficulty moving on to their next nap, usually between 3-5 months of age. This can be related to their sleep schedule, which has become unstable during their young development.

For example, if your baby is napping for longer than usual and going to bed later at night, he will get just enough rest at night to wake up after he’s slept all day. If you are trying to put him back to sleep, this can be very frustrating!

What are the Signs of an Overtired Baby?

When you can tell your baby is overtired, you need to note how your baby acts. Here are some signs that your baby is overtired:

1. They have a hard time settling down for sleep.

2. They only take brief catnaps instead of full-blown naps.

3. They don’t get a lot of sleep at night.

4. They don’t want to be put down.

5. They are very difficult to wake up in the morning.

6. They are very cranky and can’t settle down in the afternoon because they haven’t had enough sleep during the night.

7. They seem fearful, restless, and fussy after a short period of play or cuddling (even though they may have been well-rested previously).

How to get an overtired baby to sleep? 6 Easy Ways

If your baby is overtired, you must have the plan to deal with it. And for picking up your sleep schedule, we recommend you try each of these steps and apply them to get your baby back on track:

1. Make sure that your baby’s room is dark.

If there are a lot of lights in your baby’s room, this can keep him awake at night because he will not be able to fall asleep when it is still lit up. To make sure your baby can sleep well, you need to ensure that his room is completely dark.

2. Make sure only to feed him when he is hungry.

Many parents feed their babies for comfort rather than hunger. If you are doing this, it will cause your baby stomach discomfort and keep them awake.

3. Get him to nap in the crib instead of the bed.

If your baby wakes up in the middle of the night and cries, he might be too tired to settle down. Instead, try putting him in his crib so that he can doze off again. This will allow you to get some rest and solve your baby’s problem without waking you up!

4. Make sure they have a thermos or some hot water bottles.

Sometimes your baby may wake up for no reason. If this happens, place a hot water bottle in his crib and let it stay for about 10-15 minutes. This will help him get back to sleep, and he will be able to fall asleep again.

5. Make sure that you don’t let your baby play too late at night.

This can keep your baby from getting to sleep. If he is overtired, you will have difficulty getting him to sleep at night because he won’t be sleepy.

6. Feed him regularly during the day.

When your baby naps, feed him a bottle or snack so that he doesn’t become too hungry and tired. If you do this, your baby will be able to sleep longer and more soundly at night.

Bonus tip!

If your baby is crying because he has been overtired and upset, try walking away for a few minutes. Your baby might be able to cry himself back to sleep, which will help you both get some rest.

Why does your baby become overtired so easily?

If you have ever asked yourself why your baby becomes overtired so easily, there is a good reason: he’s probably experiencing a “growth spurt.” Growth spurts are common in babies under six months of age and occur at least once every four weeks.

The growth spurt will cause your baby to demand more food, which can cause him to become overtired if he cannot fall asleep during his regular naps or at night.

How to prevent your baby from getting overtired?

There are a few things that you can do to prevent your baby from becoming overtired.

1. If you know a growth spurt is coming, try not to feed your baby more often than usual.

2. Try to avoid giving your baby a bottle during the night unless necessary. This will prevent him from waking up during the night and crying for food in his sleep.

3. Make sure that he stays on a regular sleep schedule throughout the week.

4. Try to get him to sleep as much as possible during the day to be able to sleep at night.

5. If you see signs of tiredness, try and put him down for a nap or bedtime before he becomes overtired. You will then be able to get some rest yourself!

If you want your baby to get the proper amount of rest, you need to ensure that they are getting enough sleep at night and during the day.

How does an overtired baby’s cry sound?

Something in the sound of an overtired baby’s cry makes it sound different from a normal cry. An overtired baby’s cry can sound long and desperate or high-pitched and urgent.

Simply put, an overtired baby will feel bad because he hasn’t had enough sleep and is tired. He will be crying because he is experiencing a feeling of discomfort that he can’t express in words.

How do You Settle An Overtired Baby?

When your baby is overtired, there is a good chance that he will have a hard time falling asleep. However, there are ways that you can naturally settle your baby down and help them go to sleep.

1. Distraction works best.

If you hear your baby crying in her crib, one of the best things to do if she is overtired is to distract her by using toys or other things in the room. This will help her to be more active and will tire her out.

2. Try patting her gently on the back.

If your baby is overtired, she might cry because of discomfort and may not want to be put down to sleep. However, if you do this gently, you will be able to calm her down and help her fall asleep.

3. Move all of the toys out of his bedroom.

If your baby’s room is too full of toys, this may prevent him from being able to sleep because he will be too distracted by them.

If you don’t want your baby to be distracted by his toys, try moving the ones in his room out and keeping them in a different room.

How do you know when your baby is overtired?

It has been proven that over 70% of all babies will get overtired at least once or twice per week, and this is normal. However, if your baby is overtired more often than that, you need to ask yourself if there is something wrong going on.

If your baby is constantly overtired, you should see a doctor because something might be wrong with him.

How to Break the Cycle of An Overtired Baby?

Your baby will eventually stop getting overtired if you take the time to find the cause of his over-tiredness. For your baby to be able to fall asleep, you need to:

1. Find out why he is getting overtired.

If your baby is constantly overtired, there may be very few things wrong with him. Over-tired babies can be due to a growth spurt, teething, or a feeding problem. Try to find out what the cause of his over-tiredness is so that you can solve it.

2. Keep your baby on a regular feeding schedule.

A growth spurt might mean that your baby will be more hungry and will want to eat more often than usual. If this happens, try making sure that you feed him at least once or twice during the night so that he doesn’t get too hungry and overtired.

3. Check his napping schedule.

If you notice that your baby is over-tired, this could signify that he has a growth spurt coming, and he will need to sleep more. Try to make sure that he is getting all of the sleep he needs by waking him up from his naps if necessary.

4. Make sure that you keep your baby comfortable.

If your baby’s room is too cold or too hot, this could cause him to get tired much faster than usual. Try to keep his room at a comfortable temperature.

If you want your baby to get the needed amount of sleep, you need to ensure that he is getting enough sleep at night and during the day. You will also want to make sure that he doesn’t get too hungry and is always comfortable.

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