It is no surprise that newborns and young babies wake often during nap times and the night. It is the hardest part of becoming a new parent. Exhausted you try and relax then you notice that tiny little arm lift to their face … Cue rubbing and crying.
Babies do amazing things that may surprise any parent. When you think your baby’s sleeping pattern is improving, they develop another unusual habit.
Instead of the common irritability you already got used to before nap time, your baby rubs face and wakes up. What causes this habit? Is it normal?
Relax. If you’re wondering about your baby rubbing their face out of their sleep.
I have researched possible causes together with practical remedies for a baby waking himself up by rubbing face.
My Baby Rubs Face And Wakes Up
Different factors may cause a baby to rub their face and wake up including skin irritation, food allergies, discomfort, unfavourable temperature, and teething.
Additionally, babies react to harsh detergents and bathing soaps that may irritate their skin-while asleep.
Sometimes they don’t know how to fight sleep, or they could be trying to fall back to napping. Since your baby doesn’t know how to express their feelings, face-rubbing is one form of communication.
Babies develop in their sleep. Face-rubbing causes restlessness and disrupted sleeping patterns. It may be gentle or intense, leading to scars or bleeding.
Seeing a baby rubbing their face isn’t pleasant for any parent. Monitor how often they rub their face for you to determine the most probable cause. This way, you’ll be able to apply the best remedies.
What Does it Mean When Babies Rub Their Face?
You may be exhausted reading this article, your baby may have become an experienced face rubber by now and this can lead to so many sleepless nights and crying episodes for you and your bundle. But fear not! Time to dry your tears and read further to find out not only why your cheeky little bub is performing the rubbing action but ways you can help them soothe in different ways.
Babies are cute little cuddle monsters but the job of becoming a parent is not an easy task. Any action we would deem as unusual can trigger our hearts and we become crazy overthinkers.
Rubbing their face can be a phase that you notice as your baby grows. Typically this is a perfectly normal activity that is present in many young babies and children. Babies are nonverbal so they respond to you in many ways and it is our job to decipher what these cues mean.
‣ The Art of Self Soothing
My little girl at 6 months old had the face rub down to a fine art! As frustrating as it can sometimes be, I now understand that this face rub signal means she’s tired.
The face rub can be coupled with a cry or whimper which is why I think if she could talk she would say ” I’m tired, stop making me play!”
If you have noticed your little one falls asleep after a vicious rubbing of their face then this could be their signal to you to say I’m tired help me fall asleep, please.
The harsh moment of parenting comes when they refuse to drift off and may continue to rub their face, ultimately becoming ratty, overtired, and leaving you feeling helpless and exhausted.
Reasons Why Babies Rub Their Faces Before Waking Up
Now you have done the hard part your darling dear is sleeping soundly, then you notice the face rubbing may begin again. You sit there on the edge of your seat praying that your baby doesn’t wake, and just as you think it’s safe to relax … bang they are awake calling for you to help them to sleep again. But what does it mean when a baby rubs their face and wakes up?
Face rubbing is disturbing and may cause severe scratches and minor skin abrasions on your baby. Often, it isn’t easy to point out causative factors without closely watching your little one.
If your baby developed this habit, don’t let it stress you. It’s a normal, healthy part of growing up. Soon they will outgrow it. Most parents would like to know the science behind this behavior.
I have put together possible reasons babies rub their faces before waking up. They include:
- Unfavorable temperature
We all worry about whether our babies are too hot or cold. Personally going from a spring baby to a winter baby I felt was a huge curve ball for me! The need for extra layers and the transition between winter and an abnormally mild spring was a jump I didn’t expect. Keeping an eye on the temperature in your bubs bedroom is important.
WebMD suggests that a room is considered perfect if it is between 68 to 72 degrees Fahrenheit.
If too warm you will find the face rubbing may get worse.
A baby’s sleeping space should be well-aerated with cool temperatures. If they feel too warm or cold, they may rub their face to the extent of waking up.
- Skin itchiness or irritation
Dry, flaky skin causes irritation and itchiness. A newborn’s skin is prone to dryness before adjusting to the environment outside the womb. When your baby rubs its face, it may have itchy skin.
Facial Eczema is another cause of dry scaly itchy skin which could lead to face rubbing. According to the American Academy of Dermatology Association (AAD), 25% of children worldwide suffer from Eczema.
- Teething
Face rubbing is a common symptom in teething babies, whether asleep or awake. It is a way of soothing swollen, painful, itchy gums.
If you notice bumpy gums, drooling, ear rubbing, increased irritability, and face rubbing, your baby could develop its first pair of pearly whites.
- Food allergies
Your little munchkin could be allergic to specific foods or drinks you are consuming. The skin reactions may not be noticeable, making them rub their facial skin and eyes.
- General discomfort
We all know the frustrations of not being able to get comfy! This isn’t any different for your baby either. They had it made, a warm dark space that they were used to then to be jilted out into the bigger world can be a mind-blowing experience for your little one.
So face rubbing may be a sign of discomfort. For example, the baby could be experiencing stomach discomfort or body weakness that they can’t explain. Additionally, the Little one may be trying to self-soothe back to sleep.
Excessive rubbing of their face is known to be a self soothing tactic so rather than jump to their crib sit back and watch as they may drift off.
- Other allergies
Have you considered the detergent you’re using to wash your baby’s clothes or the bathing soap? The soaps may be harsh on your munchkin’s skin, causing irritations. They could be allergic to such soaps or perfumes, causing face rubbing that may wake them up.
- Attempts to fight-off sleep
If a baby rubs face in sleep and wakes up, it’s a sign they are trying to fight off sleep. Unlike adults, babies have no control of their sleep cycle hence the rigorous face–rubbing to keep off sleep.
- Over-tiredness or hunger
Fatigue or excess tiredness may make a baby rub the face in their sleep. In most cases, they wake up cranky and may drift off to sleep after a short while.
If your baby feels hungry in the middle of the night while still sleepy, they are torn between waking up and sleeping. This feeling causes face rubbing, which ends up in the baby waking up.
- A way of expressing emotions
Babies and infants have emotions too. Since they can’t put the sadness or anger into words, they result in hair-pulling, ear-rubbing, and face-rubbing
- Involuntary response(startle reflex)
Newborns are born with a startle reflex which disappears towards the fourth month. According to WebMD, the reflexes are no longer needed once a baby matures, thus gaining better control over their movements.
It is an involuntary, normal response, and sometimes when babies are startled, they unconsciously rub their faces, especially while sleeping.
Parenting is full of surprises. It takes a courageous heart and a ready–to–learn attitude to handle new developments. If you’re wondering why your baby wakes up rubbing face, explore all possible reasons and closely monitor your little one to know what they are going through.
- Allergies
Allergies are a parent’s worst nightmare, trying out everything for the first time can be a scary experience. Sometimes you find that your baby can develop skin conditions like eczema as a side effect of coming into contact with the irritant.
Eczema as we know it is a reaction caused on the skin leaving an itchy rash which can leave your baby aggressively rubbing face with hands in turn this can become sore and need medical treatment.
Whether it is food allergies or environmental face rubbing can occur and become more violent as your baby sleeps.
Risks Of Baby Waking Himself Up By Rubbing Face
Baby rubbing face when asleep or awake is a standard form of communication. It’s also healthy. Nevertheless, when they rub their face causing them to wake up, it can harm your baby.
Before they reach the point of waking up, it’s usually after face-rubbing for some time. This may harm your baby by causing:
- Scars– Though rare, excess face rubbing may cause facial scars.
- Bleeding– If your munchkin has untrimmed nails, they may cause bleeding.
- Skin abrasions– Habitual face rubbing/scratching may cause minor skin abrasions.
- Infections– Skin infections may occur if there are open abrasions.
- Eczema flare-ups– Face-rubbing may worsen Eczema.
Tips If Baby Wakes Self Up Rubbing Face
After determining possible reasons for face-rubbing and interrupted sleep patterns in babies, it’s time for solutions.
The following are tips to help in managing face–rubbing in babies, which causes them to wake up:
- Act as soon as you notice
If the rubbing is down to tiredness trying your baby for a nap as soon as you can will help. When your baby reaches the over-tired stage you will be stuck in a vicious cycle of them crying because they are tired yet not falling asleep.
- Maintain temperature
Avoid extremely warm or cold temperatures in your baby’s room. Keep the space cool to enhance your munchkin’s comfort during sleeping time.
If the temperature is bugging your little one then make sure their room is consistent with the guidelines of 68-72 farenheight. To keep your bub cool you could opt for a light cotton swaddle blanket this can also help them from rubbing their faces.
Important tip: never allow a baby to sleep next to an open window overnight. As the temperature falls they will become too cold and their little bodies won’t cope.
- Moisturize
A medically-approved moisturizer helps curb skin dryness that may cause irritation and face-rubbing.
If you feel like the itch is because of skin dryness or flaky skin then try using a gentle baby-friendly moisturizer. There are many sleepy baby ones that can eradicate the itch and give them some well-needed rest
- Preventing pain
If it is teething or pain from scratching that’s your concern then trying scratch mats can protect your bubs perfect little face. Try and keep their nails short but I understand they seem to grow into razors overnight.
If teething is the issue then look for gels, powders, or toys that can help. If you are at that point where you cannot soothe then ask the doctor about doses of Tylenol you can offer. It can take the edge off their sore gums.
- Maintain a cool temperature in your baby’s sleeping area
Avoid extremely warm or cold temperatures in your baby’s room. Keep the space cool to enhance your munchkin’s comfort during sleeping time.
- Buy a baby-safe, dermatologically-tested moisturizer.
A medically-approved moisturizer helps curb skin dryness that may cause irritation and face-rubbing.
- Try using swaddles
Swaddling offers an excellent way to restrict your baby’s hands and legs as they sleep. However, they are recommended for use during a baby’s early days. Swaddle your baby for a good night’s sleep before they start rolling over.
- Use sleeping sacks
Once your munchkin starts transitioning out of the swaddle, buy a custom sleeping sack. Go for ones with mitten sleeves to keep baby’s hands off their face as they nap through the night.
- Use soft, organic baby sleeping gear and bedding.
Rough sleeping suits and being may be irritated. Soft, natural sleeping clothes and bamboo sheets are safe for baby’s skin hence minimizing face rubbing and scratches as they sleep.
- Offer a gentle face rub or massage.
When you see your little one rubbing their face, try doing a gentle face rub with your fingers or a facial massage to soothe their itchy skin. Such rubs help in calming them down, leading to better sleep.
- Use customized baby mittens.
Soft baby mittens with scratch sleeves help in improving skin rashes. Your baby won’t stop face rubbing right away, it takes time and gradual use of mittens to learn how to keep their hands away from the face.
The good news is Bamboo bubby sells special mittens for babies with Eczema. Mitts also prevent scratching that may worsen Eczema flare-ups and irritation.
- Talk to your doctor about creams or lotions to treat allergic reactions and Eczema.
While you can buy allergy and eczema lotions and creams over the counter, consult your doctor to know the most suitable ones for your baby’s delicate skin.
- Buy a baby-safe teething toy.
Teething is also characterized by frantic face rubbing due to gum itchiness. Getting a baby-safe teething toy from Amazon is an excellent idea for teething babies since it provides a calming sensation.
- Keep baby’s nails short.
Often, babies who rub their faces also end up scratching themselves. While minimizing this habit, trim your munchkin’s sharp, tiny nails to prevent skin abrasions or bleeding from scratching.
- Go for mild bathing soaps, laundry detergents, and perfumes
Avoid bathing soaps, detergents, or body perfumes that may cause skin reactions in your baby.
Home remedies are best when managing baby-related issues. However, talk to your doctor regarding any concerns about the baby waking himself up by rubbing face.
When to seek medical advice about baby waking self up rubbing face
If you have exhausted all of the above options then you may be facing an allergy or eczema.
You will be offered for your baby to go through food allergy tests and may be presented with steroid cream if they have an itchy eczema rash.
Needless to say whatever the cause of the face rubbing the doctor will be able to give you further advice and guidance.
Wrapping Up
To finalize why a baby rubs face and wakes up by now it is obvious that it could be from many factors the most common being tiredness or simple self soothing.
A tired baby can be a parent’s dream as they drift off into a sluggish slumber or their most dreaded time of the day especially if they know they will be facing a battle.
It is important to remember that excessive face rubbing is totally normal, there doesn’t need to be any reason for it and it could be that’s what your baby prefers to do. We all have our own unique traits this could be one for your darling!
