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Having a fussy newborn can kick off a cascade of questions: Are they wet? Hungry? Gassy? There’s one important thing to consider that many new parents don’t think of, though: Your baby could be upset because they’re overtired.
Overtiredness, in case you’re not familiar with it, is when your baby is so tired that they have trouble getting to sleep. And to make matters even harder, babies who are overtired don’t sleep as much or as well as babies who are getting the rest they need.
Newborns can get overtired quickly, and their response is to become fussy – which makes it difficult for them to get to sleep. You don’t need to just suffer through the vicious cycle, though. There is a solution.
It’s called the CNBN method, and it’s from Baby Sleep 101Opens a new window BabyCenter’s virtual, on-demand course about all things infant sleep. The class features 21 bite-sized video lessons and two bonus PDF lessons that you can go through at your own pace. Each of the lessons are led by BabyCenter parent contributor Anna Jimenez Lyle and Olufunke Afolabi-Brown, M.D., a board certified pediatric sleep medicine physician and the founder of Restful Sleep MDOpens a new window.
Taking the course will give you tons of great information on how to help your baby sleep better during the newborn stage and beyond, but here’s some quick information you can use now:
C is for cozy. Swaddling your newborn can help recreate the cozy feeling they got used to in the womb and calm them down.
N is for noisy. It’s actually quite loud in the womb, so playing a white noise machine or making shushing sounds can help soothe your baby.
B is for busy. Busy motions like rocking or jiggling your baby can help calm them and remind them of what it felt like before they were born. (Just be sure to support your baby’s head and neck and keep the motions gentle – you never want to shake your baby.)
N is for nurturing. Babies do a lot of sucking in the womb, so offering them a pacifier can help calm them down.
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Try the CNBN method the next time your baby is fussy – it should help them calm down and get them sleep…so you can also get more sleep. And for more information on the CNBN method, and to learn how to help your baby sleep better at night, check out Baby Sleep 101Opens a new window.
@babycenterOpens a new window The CNBN method is a game-changer when it comes to soothing fussy newborns. Get more sleep tips in BabyCenter Courses (link in bio). #newborntipsOpens a new window original sound – babycenterOpens a new window