Has anyone out there ever experienced their baby kicking their mattress, even while sleeping? My daughter is 5 months old and she does it all of the time. I will even hear her do it in the middle of the night, over the monitor. My concern is that this is interfering with her sleep.
Thanks to everyone who responded. I can't say that I was worried per say I just thought that it was odd. It is amazing how small they are and that I can hear it from one floor to another. Thanks again.
My now-16-month-old has been doing this off and on since she was a couple of months old too.
She would lift her legs from the waist and just let them drop down on the mattress - whump!
It amazed me that she could do this while sound asleep - I still don't know how/why she does it.
She doesn't do it much anymore, or maybe we just don't hear it anymore. = )
Also, sometimes she'll do it while she is awake trying to fall asleep.
She might just be playing and like the noise/feeling. My daughter is the same age and sometimes she'll roll to the side and roll back and roll to the side...she's experiementing with movement. I wouldn't worry.
Oh, and my coworker said her kid did the kicking thing all the time. She doesn't seem any worse for wear.
My kids did this as well from time to time. I think it is a way to self sooth which is a good thing if they learn that on their own than they are more likely to know instinctly how to self sooth when they are older.
My daughter does this, too. She still does it at 18 months on occasion. I think it actually helps her get to sleep - works out her jiggles, etc. It sounds really loud because those crib mattresses are so springy and firm, but I don't think it even registers for her...
My daughter has done this since she was little. She doesn't do it every night, though and it doesn't seem to interfere with her sleep at all since she's asleep when she does it & she never wakes up. I never bothered to check with her pediatrician because my husband does it on occasion so I figured it was an inherited behavior. She is two & fine.
J. - my daughter has done this her entire life. She is now 8 years old and kicks her mattress and the wall. She has never been a great sleeper. Everyone told me I would get sleep when the baby napped. Unfortunately, even as a baby she never napped and when she did everything would have to be totally silent or she would wake up. As she began to be able to verbally tell me something, it was revealed that she is suffering from night terrors (very realistic bad dreams - not the typical witches and gobblin type dreams that most kids get, but dreams of being hurt by people that she knew). She still suffers from these and is in crisis counseling because of it. Fortunately, she sleeps all night these days and when she does have a night terror, she is able to go back to sleep almost immediately.
Hi Jamie,
Both my kids did this as well around the same age. It will subside over the next month or two. It didn't seem to bother them either....I would say it's normal.
Hi J.,
My daughter started doing the same thing about that age too. She would lift up her legs and slam them down on the bed. (Is this what she is doing?) It never seemed to bother her, and it eventually subsided. She has done it once in a while now, but more so when she's awake.
