The baby often wakes up crying at night, but settles down immediately when given the breast.

Babies often wake up crying at night and settle down immediately when given the breast, which may be due to habits, colic, calcium deficiency, or other factors.

1. Habit-related issues

When feeding, babies can sometimes become very tired and fall asleep during nursing, even forgetting to swallow the milk. If a baby has developed a habit of needing to suckle to fall asleep, it may help in the early stages to use a pacifier instead. After adapting for a period of time, this habit of falling asleep while sucking can usually be corrected.

2. Colic

Babies who frequently wake up crying at night and calm down only when sucking may be experiencing colic, which most commonly occurs in the evening. This is typically caused by uncoordinated small intestine movements leading to intestinal spasms. During episodes, hold the baby close and speak softly to comfort them. It's important to stay calm and not become anxious, as this helps soothe the baby. Colic is a normal physiological phenomenon at this stage of development and usually improves gradually within a few months.

3. Calcium deficiency

When babies lack calcium, increased nervous system excitability can lead to restless sleep, irritability, night terrors, and crying. Calcium deficiency can also affect the development of the nervous system and bones. Under medical guidance, appropriate supplementation with calcium preparations such as calcium gluconate oral solution or calcium carbonate oral solution may be beneficial. Increased sun exposure is also recommended to promote calcium absorption.

In addition, babies may wake up crying at night due to skin conditions such as eczema, which cause discomfort and itching. It is advisable to seek timely evaluation and treatment at a specialized clinic to identify the underlying cause and receive targeted therapy.