I understand the struggles associated with baby sleep – the word 'over-tiredness' can feel like a red flag.
But don't worry, I'm here to help you understand what it means, navigate through it and get your baby on the path to better sleep.
What is over-tiredness?
When a child misses a nap or gets insufficient sleep, day or night, they succumb to over tiredness.
When over tired they often display signs such as increased fussiness, difficulty falling asleep, shorter naps, bedtime resistance, and even hyperactivity.
I compare over tiredness to giving your baby a red bull! 😱
It’s important to know the signs of over tiredness and improve your routine to meet baby’s age appropriate sleep needs.
The main signs your baby is over tired are:
Sign #1 - Your baby is not happy, at all.
It’s tough when your baby is not happy.
If they are fussy, whining and crying lots, clingy over-tiredness may be the cause.
No snuggles, food or milk seems to help.
Keep an eye out for frequent yawning, eye rubbing or ear pulling, fussiness or extreme clinginess. These signal it is time to review your baby’s sleep schedule .
Sign #2 - Your baby takes short naps.
Babies who are over-tired may take short naps or wake up frequently during the night. It’s a messy cycle leading to more over-tiredness and difficulty to sleeping well.
A quick call with me could find the circuit breaking solution and see you all sleeping well.
Sign #3 - Your baby struggles to fall asleep.
If your baby is having difficulty falling asleep, it could be a sign that they're over-tired.
You may see them crying and fighting settling. I know this is frustrating, especially when you know falling asleep quicker would help them feel less tired! I’m here to help 🫶
Sign #4 - Your baby has false starts at bedtime.
Baby may crash out at bedtime, but before you manage to sit down and eat dinner with your partner they are back up and often HARDER to settle.
Over tiredness is the main cause of false starts (waking 30-90minutes after bedtime).
Sign #5 - Your baby is hyperactive.
Babies who are over-tired may become hyperactive instead of sleepy. They may seem more energetic than usual, which can make it difficult to get them to settle down.
Sign #6 - Your baby wakes regularly over night.
Overtired children just struggle to sleep well, day or night.
Sleepless nights don’t have to be your normal.
To help prevent over-tiredness, I recommend establishing an age appropriate nap routine. You can find more details here in my blog HERE.
If you're thinking about sleep training, remember that trying to sleep train an over-tired baby can be an uphill battle that may never result in great sleep.
Instead, I recommend supporting naps using rocking, feeding, patting, shushing, car, pram, carrier etc. These longer naps leave your baby calmer and well-rested, making them more easily sleep trained.
Over-tiredness can be a frustrating challenge. I am here to support you. I have extensive experience resolving over tiredness and can see your little ones personality shine through as they learn to sleep better.
If you are ready for a baby who is clingy and less whining with lots more sleep and fun, take the first step to more sleep and book a FREE call here
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