Is your baby refusing to go to sleep despite the fact that you are weary and want to go to bed? What natural remedies can you use to treat your child’s illness?
My husband informed me this morning that our youngest child, a 6-week-old newborn, had generated a full diaper the night before.
I was relieved to learn that he had been able to rid himself of whatever had been bothering him for the previous day or two.
The previous day, instead of waking up as usual with a full diaper, he only had diapers that were full of urine for the rest of the day. When he couldn’t settle down to sleep at 21:30, I decided to use some reflexology techniques to help him out a little. I massaged his feet with one hand as I breastfed him. After that, I went to bed so I could get some rest while my husband looked after our baby.
He thoroughly emptied his diaper sometime that night between 23:00 and 00:00. Nothing leaked, according to my husband, which shocked him because the amount he put in his diaper—which might have easily been enough for an adult—was about to pour through the rims.
He eventually fell asleep after that, much later than normal, but at least relieved and at ease enough to resume a deep sleep.
Full stomach
I frequently see babies, toddlers and older children with sleeping issues in my reflexology practice. Numerous factors can contribute to this, including emotional factors, food intolerances, colic, recent vaccines, physical problems, etc. But your child may also be uncomfortable merely because she is unable to defecate and therefore not able to fall asleep.
I also find it difficult myself or even impossible to fall asleep when I go to bed with a full stomach. Cold feet can also make it difficult for people to fall asleep. Can you fall asleep with a full stomach and/or cold feet?
Natural remedy for babies who resist sleep
Baby reflexology could be used as a natural remedy or treatment. Baby reflexology is the practice of giving your child a tender loving foot massage. Reading about baby reflexology can arm you with the knowledge you need to know just where points are on the baby’s feet. With massage you can stimulate blood circulation and therefore warmth, promote relaxation, improve digestion, better sleep, and many other benefits.
Reflexology
In reflexology, we believe that the entire body reflects itself on the foot. When it comes to babies, it functions like a remote control; if you know which buttons to press, you can achieve the desired result. You’ll be able to react appropriately in situations like the ones where my son had trouble falling asleep.
A variety of techniques, including the Penguin, Bon Apétit, and the Moon, are described in Baby Reflexology along with amusing images to aid you ease your baby’s suffering. The techniques last a lifetime and are also very suitable for toddlers and children of various ages. My 6 year old son still enjoys the Penguin, The On-Off Switch and many more.
The following conditions can benefit from a baby reflexology treatment:
Relaxation
Constipation
Colic
Stomach ache
Improved sleep
Typical cold
Teething
Eye irritation and inflammation
Ear Infection
Bonding with your child
In The Hague and Bussum in The Netherlands, I run a private practice. I also teach reflexology and will do more so from 2023 onwards as my practise is quite full.
Besides Baby Reflexology, 1 minute massage remedies for your child, I am also the author of ‘How to induce birth naturally with acupressure and reflexology,’ a book that has recently been published in Dutch.
Connect with me through email on info@floortuinstra.com or follow via instagram or facebook (bear in mind I rarely respond to private messages on social media only through email).