With Thanks To Jade
There is nothing worse than a tired baby other than an over tired baby. You may find that you have an easy baby who will fall asleep happily on their own when they need to sleep, but the majority of babies don’t and will let you know that they are tired. It can be difficult to judge if your baby is just tired or if something else is wrong.
When your baby is tired he or she may well cry and us mums reach for baby and start talking or singing or bouncing them around, trying to sooth them, but by doing this we are over stimulating them and keeping them from their much needed sleep.
The worst habit you can form is that your baby becomes dependent upon you to help them fall asleep.
Tired Baby Signs
A young baby will cry, whine or even scream
Back arching and avoiding eye contact is another sure tired sign
Pulling rather annoyed faces at you
Clenching their little fists
Fast jerking arm and leg movements. (Have you noticed how a young baby’s arms and legs are forever on the go? That’s because your baby does not have much control over them and it’s a reflex that makes them continually busy)
Might want you to comfort them by sucking on a breast/bottle/dummy
From 3 months old your baby may also show the following signs;
Rubbing their eyes
Pulling at their ears, hair or even their nose
Baby may yawn
Over 12 months your baby may also become clumsy and bump into things or fall over more readily when they are tired.
While some babies will be easy to help fall asleep others are more trying. Depending on your babies temperament he or she may well display some unwanted behaviour when over tired. A baby who is tired, despite what age they are, will become irritable and grumpy and even distressed.
Over tired babies are even harder to get to sleep as they just cannot switch off, they are over stimulated.
Learn to recognise the signs of a tired baby and you will soon be able to teach your baby to fall asleep alone without fuss.
Do you ever wonder how much should a baby sleep? We have a table of times over on another blog post.
Can you think of any signs your baby shows when they are tired?
About The Real Supermum
My lo always scratched his face and head when he was tired, now he’s 2 he still does.. right before he asks me for a cup of tea (warm milk) gets his dummy and dog teddy n climbs into bed x
My son crys all the time when he’s tired he will not go to sleep he will just cry him self to sleep
Lola’s four now and gets very grumpy and irritable when she’s tired. The colour completely drains from her face too and always has done. She was a very good baby when it came to sleeping, she would just drop off wherever, car, pushchair, sofa, playmat, you name it. And she slept through from a very young age! I think we lucked out with her! x
When Kai (14months) is tired he gets very clumsy and walks around falling over he’s own feet … Kai is very stubborn when it comes to giving in he likes to come to me rather than me jigging him or shushing him …. He also doesn’t know know what to do .. He can’t be occupied when he’s tired and gets easily bored x
Thanks hun this has just really helped me with Imogen. You’d never think I’m a mum of 2 sometimes I’ve forgotten so much about newborns lol x
Erins eyes get red and she starts rubbing her eyes, shes 4 months
Sean (17 months) rubs his eyes too and pulls on his ear. So much so that I fear he will pull it off one day
Grace gets very grumpy and asks for pooh bear. Shes 2.5 years x
My lb is 22 months and is good at knowing when he is tired but not good at giving in if were at home. He tells me he’s tired by rubbing eyes and being cuddly or just switching off and just going into his own world. Sometimes he will give me a cuddle and go but rarely. I normally have to put him in his buggy and he goes off fine but never just lay down and go. He won’t sleep in his bed in the day either never has done even as a baby. If he sleeps their in the day he won’t sleep at night. I kept playing with the idea of taking his nap away as I thought he was showing signs of not needing it. But decided against it as he does still need a nap. For a little boy he is very active.
I know when my 19mo LG is tired as she asks for milk and cuddles her blanket why sucking her dummy. Rubbing her eyes is also a big give away that she is tired. X
You’re welcome again hun
From birth my daughter gave signs when she was tired, she’d rub her eyes and pull her eyelashes, she plays with her ears and plays/pulls her hair but recently I bought her a massive dog teddy and she crawls over to it and cuddles up to it. She’s 14 months so can’t actually tell me shes tired but there’s what I’ve said above and a few others that hint to me when she’s tired
My LO 8 months rubs his eyes yawns and shouts mam mam mam like his blanket been laid over him when his trying to get to sleep x
My little dudes (22 months) ears have all ways gone red when he’s tired. My brothers do the same
Chloe goes to sleep really well at night, i put her down in her cot after her bottle n bum change, so she’s still awake, i close her curtains, put her cd on and leave her! but in the day she is a nightmare! crying, rubbing eyes, blankets get put on her head and she constantly fights it! x
My son starts playing with his hair when he’s tired x
Very helpful post x x
i never picked up any signs with my two they just got really really narky and i decided they had to sleep lol xx
my lo pulls faces when he is tired n rubs his ear x
brilliant post
the hardest part of being a mother for me x