Why Does My Baby Wake Up Frequently and Cry at Night?

Crying and fussing in babies is particularly common in daily life. Sometimes, it is due to physical discomfort. Parents need to learn to distinguish the reasons, especially when babies frequently wake up at night and cry loudly after waking up. Mothers with good tempers may still tolerate it, but mothers with poor tempers may easily get angry with their children without knowing the situation. In fact, frequent night waking and crying in babies may be due to physical discomfort, and the cause should be identified promptly. What causes frequent night waking and crying in babies? Here are some possible reasons:

For babies younger than six months, intestinal discomfort caused by incomplete gastrointestinal development may affect their sleep at night. Colic is often accompanied by difficult bowel movements, bloating, whining, and falling asleep after bowel movements, but the sleep may be unsettled. This is one of the reasons for frequent night waking in babies. In such cases, mothers should follow the principle of feeding according to the baby's needs and not overburden their digestive system. If the mother suspects that the baby is crying due to this reason, she can gently hold and rock the baby and place a warm towel on the baby's stomach to slowly relieve the discomfort.

Pinworm infection in babies usually does not cause serious harm to their bodies, making it difficult for parents to detect. After the baby falls into a deep sleep, the pinworms crawl out of the anus. Female pinworms lay eggs on the anal muscles, causing intense itching and waking up the baby. Sometimes, the baby may cry loudly to express their discomfort.

Babies who sleep well for the first few months may suddenly wake up more frequently at around five to six months and display biting or irritable behavior, often due to teething pain. This discomfort can last for several months or occur intermittently. During this time, mothers need to provide extra care and understanding to their babies, who may be irritable due to frequent hunger and lack of sleep.

The rapid growth phase mostly occurs in infants younger than three months. Babies in this phase often wake up frequently at night because they are developing rapidly and require a lot of nutrients. They may frequently wake up crying and demanding milk. Babies in the rapid growth phase may also be irritable due to frequent hunger and lack of sleep. Mothers need to be more patient and understanding during this time, as it can be uncomfortable for babies to be hungry and sleep-deprived.