Well, yes, they do. When sleeping, there are two phases:
- REM phase: It is a short and deep sleep phase.
- Non-REM phase: Babies spend almost all their hours asleep in this phase. It has a survival function since it is a superficial sleep phase that allows the baby to react to any unpleasant or potentially dangerous changes.
What parents can do if the child is upset when left in his crib
If the baby suffers from spiked cradle syndrome and every time we try to leave him in the cradle, he cries and screams, it helps a lot not to despair and empathize with them. Once we are calm and internalize that the child is healthy and her behaviour is the result of a survival mechanism, we can find some alternatives that help us:
- Choose a doll that you like. Some babies are attached to a stuffed animal, a cloth, a blanket or a doll that they carry everywhere.
- Co-sleeping. Sleeping together with the baby in the same bed or a crib attached to it will make the child feel safe. But be careful; you have to do it correctly.
- The atmosphere of the room. It is recommended that the room be ventilated before putting the child there. Also, the temperature must be neither too high nor too low. Twenty degrees is the most convenient. We must emphasize a pleasant decoration for the little one and the colour of the room, with pastel tones being recommended.
- Ambient sound. Many babies fall asleep to the sound of a vacuum cleaner, a dryer, etc. This isolates children from other sounds that can wake them up.
- Use relaxing music. Using slow songs, classical music, or lullabies is a good option for the baby to relax and get to sleep.
- Use muslin. Wrapping your child in muslin before putting him in her crib can help. The effect of wrapping it in a soft and comfortable fabric transmits security and comfort.
How is the baby’s sleep?
There are two phases of sleep:
REM phase: short and deep sleep.
Non-REM phase: shallow sleep.Babies spend more time in the non-REM phase and, it is not difficult to understand since it is for mere survival. This superficial dream allows them to realize if something changes, if there is any danger, to wake up and protect themselves from them.
What can we do about this situation?
Tip: When your maternal instinct asks you to do something, do it, regardless of the comments and advice you may receive from others.
First of all, if you like to co-sleep, carry your baby, hold him,… you don’t need to keep reading, keep doing it as long as you want. THIS IS THE BEST AND MOST NATURAL OPTION.
If that is not the case, because you may get tired, you are afraid of falling asleep on top of the baby, you have more small children, you have to return to work … first, you have to know that it will not be an easy or quick task for our child to get used to it. To its cradle, rather the opposite, it will be a slow and progressive process, so it is better not to have high expectations and then not to get frustrated or to end our reserve of patience.
The first thing is to understand it, to know that our baby has no problem and that this is normal.
Options that we can put into practice:
Find an object that she likes, a doll, a stuffed animal, a blanket, a gauze, ... with which she is attached and keep it in her crib.
Another good option is to take an object that has been in contact with the mother's skin so that it smells like her.
Using an attached cot for co-sleeping is an intermediate option between leaving it alone in her room and putting it in our bed.
Ventilate your room when the baby is not in it to avoid stuffy environments.
Maintain a comfortable temperature in the room, 20-22 ° C.
Use a dim light. You can try ceiling lamps for babies, anti-fear lights, lights with a sound detector that activate when the child begins to cry and make noise ...
Play relaxing music: instrumental music, lullabies, relaxing classical music ...
During daytime naps, extreme silence is not necessary, but on the contrary, continue with normal daily activity and the noises of the home (sometimes that relaxes them and isolates them from other noises). It is unnecessary to take him to his room, and he may be more relaxed sleeping in the living room, feeling the usual activity that he already lived in the womb of his mother.
Use pleasant decoration, avoiding strong and flashy colours. Better to use pastel colours and a relaxing, cozy decoration that encourages sleep.Neither of these techniques may work for you, or some of them may work at first and then suddenly, overnight, they also stop working. Each child is different, has different needs, and therefore will have to be treated differently; each one will have to look for the best option.
Does your baby reject the cradle suddenly? What is the cause? What is Spiked Cradle Syndrome?
Spiked cradle syndrome:
There is no reason to be alarmed. Spiked Cradle Syndrome is not a strange disorder or anything serious. It is simply a natural and quite common reaction in some babies.
It is time to sleep. Our baby has just eaten, and he is snuggled in Mom’s arms. He closes his eyes, and, little by little, he falls asleep peacefully.
Spiked cradle syndrome
After a while, the mother, very stealthy, leaves her baby in the crib with extreme care, so she does not wake up. And suddenly, the little boy starts screaming and crying, as if the same demon had passed by. By repeating this same operation several times, the baby always reacts the same.
Every time we leave him in his crib, he wakes up, cries and demands attention.
What happens to him?
Nothing bad happens to him. Only, while he sleeps, he wants to be by our side to feel protected.
The Spiked Crib Syndrome is so-called because every time we put the baby in his crib, he complains, cries and fidgets, as if there was something there that bothered him.
