4 Reasons Why Your Baby Wakes Up at Night

The reason why babies wake up at night is not very straight forward sadly. Newborns and young infants can often wake at night from hunger; in that case, the solution is to offer a feeding. When it’s a developmental stage, or an illness, it becomes very tricky.

Below are 4 reasons why your baby may be waking up at night:

1. A Scheduling Problem

Look at your baby’s daytime schedule, is your baby getting enough sleep during the day? If not, she may be overtired; that can lead to lots of nighttime waking. Naps aren’t optional, remember; babies need naps! This facilitates growth and helps them feel well-rested enough to sleep at night. On the other hand, your baby may be getting too much sleep or you are putting her to bed too early. Be sure to seek advice from your baby’s doctor on the appropriate amount of snooze time a newborn needs.

2. A Developmental Leap

Your baby is growing at an incredible rate. She will cross developmental milestones (learning to crawl, learning to walk, learning to talk) and all of these will affect your baby’s sleep. Most parents find that right around the time their baby hits these milestones, sleep regression happens. That just means your baby begins waking at night out of the blue, for no apparent reason. Medical professionals recommend that parents wait out these regressions, since they wear out, and you avoid stunting your child’s development.

3. A Medical Issue

Unusual waking at night can be a sign of something more serious such as an illness or ear infections. Check your baby or toddler for symptoms (fever, runny nose, coughing, ear-pulling); if you suspect that she might be waking due to illness, consult your healthcare provider.

4. Teething

Babies start cutting teething from around 6 months of age, and it doesn’t stop until age 2. This is a very long time and can wear both parents and baby out. The pressure and swelling on her gums can make her uncomfortable, causing her to wake more often at night. You can help ease her pain by trying to make her more comfortable.