7 Reasons for Babies’ Night Wakings

UGHHH! The dreaded sleepless nights. As new parents, you can anticipate them, but until you’re really in it, you can’t imagine how brutal they are. But why is your baby waking up in the middle of the night? If you are constantly facing issues getting your little one to sleep through the night, consider reaching out to me or another Certified Infant Sleep Consultant, for help. Sleep training your baby will definitely help distinguish between what are sleep disturbances or disruptions that are health-related and sleep associations due to your baby’s lack of ability to self-soothe themselves to sleep. Holistically, some of the most common reasons for babies’ night wakings include:

Hunger

Newborn babies need to eat every few hours, so it's normal for them to wake up at night for a feeding. As they get older, they will need to eat less often, but they may still wake up for a feeding if they're not getting enough calories during the day. As they grow older, you can challenge this by upping their food intake to ensure they don’t slip into “reverse cycling,” which is when they take in more calories during night feeds than they do during the day. Most babies can go without night feedings by 4-6 months of age, so if you keep the calories up during the day, they should be able to sleep through the night without needing a boobie (or bottle)!

Teething

Teething sucks for babies, and the pain can cause them to wake up at night. Wouldn’t you hate to have a constant toothache? If your baby is teething, you can try giving them a teething ring or cold compress to help soothe their gums before bed. You can also give them Tylenol (check with your pediatrician for dosage). However, once they are sleep trained, you won’t need to worry about this disrupting their sleep nearly as much (or yours, yay) because they will learn to put themselves back to sleep. You’ll know if they need a little extra TLC for a couple of nights as the tooth actually breaks through so don’t worry about breaking any rules by giving it to them.

Infant Milestones AKA “Sleep Regressions”

As babies develop, they may wake up at night because they're learning new things. For example, they may wake up because they're trying to roll over, sit up, or crawl. They don’t want to sleep, they want to practice these exciting new skills! Wouldn’t you? That’s why us sleep consultants like to call them sleep “progressions” and not “regressions.” In actuality, they are learning more skills that temporarily disrupt sleep, but will actually enable them to sleep for longer periods in the near future.

Illness/Sleep Apnea/Trouble Breathing

If your baby is sick, they may wake up at night because they're uncomfortable or in pain. If you're concerned that your baby is sick or having issues breathing, it's best to take them to the doctor. If they just have a little cold or virus, they should be able to transition sleep cycles and put themselves back to sleep without much of an issue. But if you hear snoring, heavy mouth breathing, or frequent coughing, take them to your pediatrician to have them evaluated.

Sleep Environment

The environment in your baby's room can also affect their sleep...just like us grown-ups. Make sure the room is dark, quiet, and cool to establish proper nighttime cues and vibes. You will likely want to use a white noise machine to help block out any outside noise and blackout curtains to shield any bright light coming in.

Baby Sleep Routine & Nap Schedule

If your baby's schedule is irregular, it can make it harder for them to sleep through the night. Try to establish a regular bedtime routine and stick to it as much as possible. Remember: babies actually love a routine. They will start associating certain movements, behaviors, sounds, and actions with sleep. My babies started yawning the minute I put the sleep sack on them…they learned that the little motion of zipping up that wearable blanky meant bedtime. Schedules aren’t made to drive you crazy as a parent, so keep in mind that on some days or weeks due to traveling, illness, or fun day trips and activities, you’ll need to remain flexible. But a predictable nap schedule and soothing sleep routine will prevent overtiredness and overstimulation, which both highly contribute to frequent night wakings.

Sleep Associations

Reinforcing your baby’s behavior can contribute to night wakings. Trust me, I hate the sound of a crying baby more than anyone, especially my babies. But I’ve learned that rushing to their every little cry may not be the healthiest for them and will form associations with undesired outcomes (AKA LOTS of night wakings). As a sleep consultant, I can help you replace associations that create night wakings with ones that signal sleep. It’s also not a bad idea to try letting your baby fuss for a few minutes each night and extend that time if possible each night. If they are between 4-6 months of age and a healthy infant, it’s okay if they protest this. In fact, it is their job to protest it. But it’s your job to set a goal and figure out how to reach it. Letting them fuss without immediately picking them up will teach them how to self-soothe themselves back to sleep. You never know…they may surprise you!

If you're concerned about your baby's night wakings, talk to your doctor. They can help you rule out any medical causes and give you tips on how to improve your baby's sleep. If you need help getting your little one to stay asleep through the night, reach out to me. It will save you time, money, and much-needed energy. I have tools, techniques, and resources that are game-changers when it comes to getting families a better night’s sleep during the first year of having a new baby. I love what I do and can’t wait to help your family, too! Book a free discovery call today.

Sending you lots of love and sleepy vibes!

-Jackie