Crying is often your baby’s go-to form of communication. Your baby cries because they don’t have words to describe what they need, so crying can mean many things. This can make it difficult to soothe a crying, fussy baby – especially at night.
Here we’ll answer questions every parent asks at some point: Why do babies cry in their sleep and why is my baby fussy at night? We’ll also discuss the differences between why do newborns cry in their sleep, what to do if your baby cries in their sleep, and explain when having a fussy bad is normal and why not all crying is bad.
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What is a Fussy Baby?
Every parent may have a different definition of what constitutes a fussy baby or fussy newborn, but generally what is fussiness in babies and generally be answered as a baby who displays a common behavior that typically involves crying and/or screaming, irritability, and restlessness. Fussiness in babies is common at night, especially if your baby is hungry, gassy, uncomfortable, or overtired.
The cause of fussiness in babies could change as your baby gets older. Therefore, the answer to “Why is my 3 month old so fussy?” could be different to the answer for “Why is my 1 year-old baby crying at night for no reason?”
Sometimes, it can be hard to figure out what does fussiness mean – it can simply be your baby’s way of expressing feelings or reacting to their environment.
Fussiness is a normal part of development as babies adjust to new sensations and experiences, but it can also be a sign that they need extra comfort, attention, or soothing.
Why Do Newborns Cry in Their Sleep?
Newborns are new to the world and can’t communicate in any other way but through crying. Therefore, there are multiple meanings for a fussy baby and why your newborn may be fussy at night or cry in their sleep.
- Hunger: Newborns are growing super-fast and need to eat often. Most times a newborn is fussy at night because they’re ready for their next meal. As your baby grows, you’ll anticipate your newborn’s night feeds and learn what a ‘hungry’ cry sounds like.
- Gas: Remember to gently burp your baby after each meal, including night feedings. Most babies experience gas or even reflux, some worse than others. It can be super uncomfortable, which is what makes a baby fussy. Burping after every feed is one way to help reduce it. Sometimes a newborn is fussy at night but not during the day because being less active or upright can make their gas more uncomfortable.
- The Moro Reflex: If you’re wondering “Why is my newborn crying?” the answer may be the Moro Reflex. The Moro Reflex is simply involuntary movement of your newborn’s limbs. Since your newborn doesn’t have full control of their little body yet – that’s one of their baby developmental milestones – sometimes they twitch or jerk in their sleep, which can cause them to cry in their sleep.
- Note: The Moro Reflex can be managed by swaddling your baby, but you can only swaddle your infant until they show signs that they are going to roll over. After that, it can be dangerous so it’s important to stop swaddling.
Why is My Baby So Fussy at Night?
A baby older than a newborn won’t stop crying at night often for the same reasons as why they are fussy during the day. However, it’s normal for a baby to be more fussy at night than during the day.
Reasons why your baby won’t stop crying at night could be:
- They’re Hungry: It’s common to have a fussy baby at night because newborns often eat around the clock. Nighttime feedings often continue until between 5 and 9 months of age, and sometimes even later. Always check with your pediatrician before you night wean.
- They Need a New Diaper: This is an easy one to detect – if your newborn won’t stop crying at night, check their diaper. To prevent a fussy baby at night because of discomfort, put them to bed wearing an overnight diaper. If your baby poops at night, their diaper should be changed ASAP.
- They’re Too Cold or Too Hot: A baby fussy at night may be too warm or cold. Keep your baby comfortable by dressing them in one more layer than you wear and by maintaining the ideal room temperature of 68-72°F if possible. This is the optimal temperature for baby sleep and one of the ways to create a sleep-nourishing environment for your baby to help him sleep through the night.
- They’re Overtired: Have a baby screaming at night? Sometimes babies or toddlers cry at night because they’re overtired. Overtiredness occurs when your baby stays up past their wake window. Staying awake past their wake window sends conflicting signals that are confusing and frustrating to your baby. That’s why it’s always important to watch your baby’s sleepy cues and wake windows.
- They’re Teething: Teething can disrupt sleep and lead to fussiness at night. Ways to sooth teething discomfort in your fussy infant include chilled teething rings and gentle gum massages.
- They have a fever: It can be hard for a sick baby to sleep. Check your fussy baby’s temperature if you fear they have a fever.
- Note: 100.4°F and above is technically a fever in a baby, but there are some age considerations. Call your pediatrician or healthcare provider if your baby is 2-month-old or younger is crying at night with a temperature is 100.4°F or above, 3- to- 6-months old is crying at night with a temperature is 101°F or above, or 6-months-old or older is crying at night with a temperature of 103°F or above.
If your baby is crying at night for a long time and/or is sobbing inconsolably, you should check on them.
Reasons your baby may cry at night:
There are a few other reasons you may have a fussy baby at night that happen just because your baby is a baby!
Separation Anxiety: Separation anxiety in babies can start around 6 months and recur periodically until around 18 months. Rest assured separation anxiety in your baby is healthy and normal – in fact, it’s welcomed: separation anxiety in babies shows that your baby understands object permanence. In other words, they understand that people and objects exist even when they can’t see them. When they have this realization, they may wake up, not see you, and become a bit uncertain – which can lead to your baby screaming at night.
Sleep Regressions: Baby sleep regressions occur periodically as your baby grows over the first two years. They always coincide with developmental milestones, such as learning to roll over or a growth spurt and can be a reason for a baby crying at night. For that reason, sleep regressions can be seen as “sleep progressions”.
Because They Are Babies: The phrase “sleeping like a baby” conjures visions of peaceful quietude. The truth is, babies are very noisy when they sleep: they whimper, cough, snort, and sometimes cry in their sleep – and there’s no real reason at all. It’s not necessarily a baby crying at night for no reason, but simply a baby making noises. Night crying does not necessarily mean your seemingly fussy baby is upset or in pain. It may just be random.
For these reasons, we suggest you wait a second if you hear your baby crying at night. You’d be surprised how often a “crying baby” will quickly fall back to sleep. Checking on every sound will likely wake your baby, disrupting their sleep.
Why toddlers cry in their sleep
Toddlers cry in their sleep for many of the same reasons as younger babies, but sometimes toddlers cry because they’re having a nightmare.
While nightmares more typically begin around or after your baby’s second birthday, they can occur a bit earlier. So if you have a 1 year-old baby crying at night for no reason, it could actually be because of a nightmare.
If your baby screaming at night is also inconsolable, and seems awake, they may be having a night terror. A night terror is a semi-conscious state where your baby will scream or cry but will usually go back to sleep on their own and not remember the episode in the morning.
How to Soothe a Fussy Baby at Night
There are multiple ways to soothe your fussy infant at night, depending on what they need.
Night Feedings: If your newborn cries in their sleep or your baby is less than one year old, they may cry at night because they’re hungry. You’ll come to know your baby’s feeding s
There are multiple ways to soothe your fussy infant at night, depending on what they need.
Night Feedings: If your newborn cries in their sleep or your fussy baby is less than one year old, they may cry at night because they’re hungry. You’ll come to know your baby’s feeding schedule, so this one will ideally become an easy solve.
- Expert Tips: Room-share for the first 6 months to make night feedings easy on yourself and dream feeding your baby can help them sleep longer at night. To dream feed, you anticipate when your baby will next be hungry. You then gently remove them from their crib and feed them while they’re half awake.
Swaddling: If your baby is crying at night because of the Moro Reflex, try swaddling which can reduce the Moro Reflex that sometimes jars newborns awake.
Pacifiers: If your baby uses a pacifier, leave a few extra ones in their crib. This way your fussy baby can find a replacement if theirs falls out at night, reducing the likelihood of them crying out for you and fully waking up.
White Noise Machines: Sound machines like a white noise machine work wonders at lulling a fussy baby to sleep and keeping them calm through the night.
Give Them a Moment: If your baby cries in their sleep and you know they’re not hungry, wait a moment to see if the crying passes. Sometimes the cry is just a blip. Many babies will be able to put themselves back to sleep. Going in to check on every noise may disrupt their sleep even more.
Reassure from Afar: If you do check on your fussy baby and you know they’re not in immediate danger, offer brief, soft reassurances from the doorway. This way they hear your soothing voice without being stimulated and waking up more.
Soft Pats on the Back: If reassuring from the doorway doesn’t work, try gentle pats on the back to see if this helps settle your fussy infant.
Gently Rocking: For younger babies, you can pick your baby out of their crib and rock them if they are struggling to fall back asleep after waking up crying. Keep in mind if you have sleep trained your baby, you should avoid offering any support that lulls your baby to sleep outside their crib. The goal of sleep training is for your baby fall asleep independently and you don’t want to introduce a new sleep habit that they begin to rely on.
A Short, Calming Walk: Simply strolling your fussy infant around the darkened house can help soothe them and stop their crying at night. (Lights of any sort may wake your fussy baby more.)
A Car Ride: A tried-and-true method for calming a crying baby is a drive in the car. Rhythmic motion can help lull a fussy baby inconsolable at night.
How to soothe a crying toddler
Why do toddlers cry in their sleep or at night? Common causses include a night terror or nightmare.
If your toddler wakes up crying from a nightmare, gently reassure them from the doorway. If your toddler is crying inconsolably or sobbing, you can cuddle them to calm them down or talk to them about how their nightmare was just a bad dream.
If your toddler is having a night terror, you can sit with them until it passes but try not to wake them – they will be confused or even more unsettled if they wake up.
If your toddler wakes up crying at night often, there are ways to sleep train a toddler to ensure they get the quality sleep they need.
When Will My Baby Stop Crying at Night?
Around 4-months-old your baby may stop crying at night, as they often are able to start sleeping longer stretches at night, or start being able to fall back asleep on their own if they wake up at night. However, there may be times when your baby has a need at night and their way to communicate to you is by crying – this can happen occasionally even when baby stops crying at night as often.
Since your baby needs to get used to falling asleep independently, it may take some time for your baby to get comfortable with falling asleep without your support. This is called self-soothing, your baby’s natural ability to put themselves back to sleep when they wake up crying at night.
If your baby needs some extra support with falling asleep or falling back asleep at night independently, the Smart Sleep Coach by Pampers™app can walk you step-by-step through a plan to help your baby get themselves back to sleep at night.
Sleep training is another way to help your baby master their independent sleeping skills – and some approaches help reduce crying at night quick quickly. If your baby is over 4-months-old and weighs more than 12 pounds, check with your pediatrician about whether sleep training may be right for them.
When to Contact Your Pediatrician About Baby Crying at Night
If your baby won’t stop crying at night despite your best efforts to comfort and soothe them, or if the sleep disruption from crying affects their daily activities and development, you should contact your pediatrician.
Persistent crying could indicate an underlying issue such as chronic pain, allergies, or a sleep disorder and requires medical care. Additionally, if your baby won’t stop crying atnight and showing any sign of illness, such as fever, vomiting, or unusual behaviors, you should seek medical care promptly.
Final Thoughts
A fussy baby at night can be frustrating – especially if it’s difficult to soothe and comfort them.
If you try our recommendations and still find your baby won’t stop crying at night, take this free 3-minute sleep quiz to get more personalized guidance on how to soothe a fussy baby and get a fussy baby to sleep at night.
Remember, your baby won’t cry at night forever! The fussy baby stage is fleeting, so do your best to remain patient and calm, and help them develop healthy sleep habits that last forever.
