Medical causes of baby sleep problems
Is there a medical cause for your baby’s sleep problems?
There are several key indicators that a medical problem might be causing your baby’s sleep problems.
A baby who is uncomfortable or in pain will need a lot of help from you to fall asleep and will wake up a lot during the night.
1. Vomiting
Small spit ups are normal, but if your baby vomits large amounts after most feeds then your baby may have reflux or an intolerance.
2. Dry, rough skin (eczema)
It might not even look that bad to us, but dry, rough skin can be itchy and uncomfortable, and research shows it can interrupt sleep.
3. Poor weight gain
If your baby isn’t gaining weight as expected, then your baby may not be getting enough milk from each feed. They may wake up overnight because they feel hungry.
4. Strange poo
Slimy, stringy, frothy, or mucousy poos, or poo that contains blood, indicates your baby has an irritated and potentially painful gut. This might be due to an allergy or intolerance and should be investigated by your doctor.
5. Snoring coughing and gasping
Babies can have sleep apnoea, causing them to snore and periodically stop breathing during their sleep, only to gasp and cough awake again.
If your baby has any of these symptoms please speak to your doctor.
When medical causes of sleep difficulties are resolved, treatments for behavioural sleep problems can begin. Behavioural sleep problems include having difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep during the night.
For example, if your baby has recovered from reflux and has been held upright to fall asleep for many months, they may have a lot of trouble learning to fall asleep when they are lying flat.
A baby whose feeding problems have resolved may continue to wake up a lot at night out of habit, even though they no longer require feeding at night to meet their nutritional requirements.
There are many gentle ways to improve behavioural sleep problems that respect your baby’s unique needs and protect the powerful bond between you and your baby. This is our specialty – crafting gentle but effective strategies to improve baby sleep.
Need help? Book an appointment.
Paediatric Sleep Practitioner