#asktheexpert my 14 month old baby does not sleep full night despite of giving her daal- khichdi in evening.Pls help.

Question

Accepted Answer

It's common for 14-month-old babies to wake up during the night. Several factors can contribute to this, even when they're given a filling meal like dal khichdi in the evening. Understanding these factors and implementing some strategies may help improve your baby's sleep.

### Possible Reasons for Night Waking

1. **Hunger:** While dal khichdi is nutritious, your baby might still feel hungry during the night, especially if she's going through a growth spurt. She might need additional food or milk closer to bedtime.

2. **Teething:** At 14 months, teething is a common cause of discomfort that can wake a baby during the night.

3. **Sleep Associations:** Babies often develop sleep associations, like needing to be rocked or nursed to sleep, which can make it hard for them to self-soothe back to sleep when they wake up.

4. **Developmental Milestones:** At this age, babies are developing rapidly. Learning new skills like walking or talking can disrupt sleep because their brains are more active.

5. **Overstimulation:** Too much activity or stimulation close to bedtime can make it harder for babies to wind down and sleep through the night.

6. **Separation Anxiety:** Around this age, babies may experience separation anxiety, causing them to wake up and seek comfort from a parent.

### Tips to Help Improve Your Baby's Sleep

1. **Establish a Bedtime Routine:**
   - Create a consistent and calming bedtime routine that includes activities like a warm bath, reading a story, gentle rocking, or listening to soothing music. This can help signal to your baby that it's time to wind down and sleep.

2. **Ensure a Full Stomach Before Bedtime:**
   - In addition to dal khichdi, consider giving your baby a small snack before bedtime, such as a bit of yogurt, a piece of fruit, or a small portion of porridge, to help keep her full throughout the night.
   - If you’re breastfeeding or bottle-feeding, offering a feeding close to bedtime might help.

3. **Create a Calm Sleep Environment:**
   - Make sure the baby’s room is quiet, dark, and at a comfortable temperature. Consider using white noise or a soothing sound machine to help block out background noise.

4. **Encourage Self-Soothing:**
   - Gradually teach your baby to fall asleep on her own. This can help her learn to go back to sleep without needing you to intervene every time she wakes up. You can start by putting her down when she’s drowsy but still awake.

5. **Manage Teething Pain:**
   - If teething seems to be causing discomfort, consider giving a teething toy or consulting your pediatrician about using a safe pain reliever before bedtime.

6. **Avoid Overstimulation Before Bedtime:**
   - Try to keep the evening calm and avoid stimulating activities like playing with loud toys or watching TV before bed.

7. **Comfort and Reassure:**
   - If your baby wakes up and cries at night, try to comfort her with minimal intervention. You can pat her gently or speak softly without picking her up immediately. This helps her learn to fall back asleep on her own.

8. **Be Patient and Consistent:**
   - Sleep training and establishing new routines take time. Be consistent with your approach, and avoid creating new sleep associations (like feeding or rocking to sleep) that might make it harder for her to sleep independently.

### When to Seek Help

- If your baby's sleep issues persist or worsen, or if you have concerns about her sleep patterns or overall health, consider consulting your pediatrician. They can rule out any medical issues and provide additional strategies to help improve your baby’s sleep.

Improving sleep habits can take time and patience, but with consistency and gentle guidance, most babies can learn to sleep more soundly through the night.