“Sleep Readiness” is the title of Chapter 11 of the United States of America Department of the Army field manual (FM 7-22) that prepares young men and women to become soldiers. It is the official document that describes how all young recruits will acquire necessary skills during the process that is sometimes referred to as basic training or “boot camp.” Updated in 2020, it is based on empirical data using traditional scientific methods. Sleep is serious business.
If you have not already done so, please read Blog Posts 1 through 5 that describe how sleep is important and beneficial, from the point of view of the United States of America Department of the Army. I have lightly edited, added emphasis, and condensed Chapter 11 in order to show you how “Sleep Readiness” can also help parents help their child sleep better.
Initially, I posted Chapter 11 (Blog Posts 1 through 5) to emphasize the value of healthy sleep. Based on the material presented in Chapter 11 of the Army field manual, Blog Posts 6 through 15 show how basic principles of sleep apply, not only to military basic training, but also to parenting.
Going forward, I will post specific information for parents and children based on my book, “Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child.” Please do not be put off by my book’s length. For now, only read the single, age-appropriate Chapter for your child. Later, if you wish, read Chapters on What is Healthy Sleep, Why Healthy Sleep is Important, and Preventing Sleep problems. Finally, if needed, read the Chapter on Sleep Solutions.
Let’s go!
Some babies fall asleep easy; sleep for long periods, both during the day and at night. Except for feeding or diaper changing, they seldom awake at night; and if they do have an unexplained night awakening, it is brief and they are easily soothed back to sleep. Some babies are the opposite. What might cause these differences among babies?
During the first 2 to 4 months, there appears to be an association between how well a baby sleeps and how much they fuss and cry. The more a child fusses or cries during the first 2 to 4 months, the more likely sleep is disturbed. The same three bullet points above influence fuss or cry behavior.
Babies fuss and cry even when they are not hungry, wet, or soiled and do not appear to be ill with fever, vomiting, or diarrhea. The definitions of unexplained “fuss” and “cry” behavior vary among researchers. But measurements (whether objective, using audiotape, videotapes, sleep sensors or subjective, using parent reports) can be made of how many episodes (or ‘bouts’ of fuss or cry behavior) occur and the total duration (minutes) of fuss or cry behavior. Because of the variability in definitions and measurements, hard conclusions are elusive. Nevertheless, all babies exhibit these behaviors; some a little, some a lot. Those babies with a lot of fuss and cry behavior are more likely to have disturbed sleep during the first 2 to 4 months which directly stresses parents, who now have less sleep for themselves, and indirectly stresses parents who naturally worry about when it will end, what is wrong with my baby, or what am I doing wrong?
Extreme fussiness/crying, in English speaking countries, is called “infant colic” or “three months colic”. In China, it is called “one hundred days crying”; in Vietnam, “three months plus ten days crying”, and in Japan, “evening crying”. The Western view is that this is a medical problem needing treatment, but the Asian view is that this is a normal, but difficult, stage of life. This behavior occurs in about 20% of babies. It disappears in about 50% of babies by 2 months, an additional 30% by 3 months, and an additional 10-20% by 4 months.
Please comment
What is “colic” called in your country? How do you deal with it?
Those babies with the most amount of fussiness and crying during months 2 through 4 might:
If you are facing these difficulties, you might find yourself in survival mode. Your strategy is coping and caring for your baby during this difficult period. There is no “cure” for the fussiness and crying. Seek help (Blog Post 17), take breaks, without guilt, and recognize that your child is, and needs to be, parent-soothed because your child is not able to learn how to self-soothe during this temporary difficult period.
Here is what you can do to help:
Hello,
My baby is 6 weeks old and I’ve started to try sleep training. She and I had a rough start (I retained part of the placenta for 12 days before bleeding out and having surgery and during that time milk wasn’t coming in fully and she was hungry but we thought she was fussy). We are better now but I fight her for naps all day. She eventually takes them if I wear her in a carrier and sometimes that doesn’t even work and I try holding her and if she still fusses then I do my best to soother her and put her down and let her cry because I’m at my wits end. She does well through the night, however, but I’m also bed sharing and want to get out of that practice but I’m too afraid because as it is she’s sleeping sometimes 5 hour stretches at night which helps me out so much. Right now I’m trying to get her on a 6am, 9am, 12pm, 3pm, 6pm scheduled and bed by 6 but I can’t get her to take any independent naps in between feeds and she’s been going to bed late like around 9pm-10:30pm. Sometimes she will randomly sleep on her own in the bed and bassinet but it isn’t consistent. I would appreciate any advice. I’m trying to read through the book and blogs to understand what to do but I’m having difficulty figuring kut the best course of action.
“Right now I’m trying to get her on a 6am, 9am, 12pm, 3pm, 6pm scheduled and bed by 6”. Please read Blog Posts 9, 83, 115X, 266C, 232AX, 232BX, and 232D and tell me what you think my advice will be.
For now, do whatever you can to maximize day sleep and minimize crying during the day; I will help you with night sleep.