Why won’t my baby fall asleep if they’re really tired?

Think back to a time you were exhausted…overtired…and fell into bed…but felt like your mind couldn’t turn off. You had a second wind …adrenaline and cortisol is spiking, making it tricky of fall asleep. Same thing happens to babies when they get overtired!

Signs of OVERTIRED babies include:

★ Crying uncontrollably

★ Flailing arms and legs

★ Fussing

★ Making more jerky body movements

★ Being more easily startled

Begin the nap/bed time routine when you see EARLY SIGNS of being tired (swaddle, shush them, paci, etc). This will help them gently ease into sleep.

EARLY SIGNS of tiredness include:

★ Looking away / looking through you / zoning out

★ Sucking more slowly

★ Redness around the eyes / droopy eyelids / breaking eye contact

Disclaimer: Doulas are not medical personnel and do not diagnose, perform any medical exams or clinical tasks. Information presented above is not intended as a substitute for the medical advice of a properly licensed health care professional.

For more help navigating the seismic shift into parenthood, reach out to the Boston Area Doulas team.
www.bostonareadoulas.com