Night time wake ups
Hi,
My little girl is almost 6 months old and has never technically “slept through” - the most we’ve ever got is a 6 hour stretch usually at the beginning of her night time sleep. She goes to bed between 7-8pm and wakes for the day between 6-7 usually.
I need some advice on night time wakings. She will often wake between 1-4 times and we really struggle to get her back to sleep without breastfeeding. I know she isn’t hungry at every wake up though, for example last night she woke at 12 (I fed her), then again at 2.30, 4 and 5 and each time I tried shush pat/rocking for 20 mins and then eventually gave up and fed her.
My question is - should I be feeding her less at night so the night wakings don’t become habit - in my mind, if she wakes and gets used to going back to sleep without breastfeeding maybe eventually the night wakings will reduce? Is that me being naive I don’t know.
Any advice welcome!! Thanks so much. I understand night wakings are normal, but would love some help in reducing it down to maybe 2 feeds between bedtime and morning wake.
The views expressed in community are solely the opinions of participants, and do not reflect those of Peanut.
Learn more about our guidelines.
I have absolutely no advice as we were in the same boat.
I feel like we tried everything; not feeding, husband going in instead of me, leaving her to resettle herself for 5minutes, etc. Nothing worked.
When she was 18months old she just started sleeping through.
I know it's hard and so tiring. But I honestly believe that each baby sleeps through when they are ready.
Mine wakes during the night 4 to 5 times.... not sure what to advise
Hey!
As you have said yourself night wakings are completely normal! Only 20% of babies will sleep through the night at 6 months. With 80% waking 1-3 times per night until at least their first birthday. I use this figure because it often helps!!
I always understand if parents though want to make changes and you can always try. Again you are right in saying also that your child may not just be waking hungry and again true babies wake for lots of different reasons.
The thing with feeding to sleep it is usually the easiest way to get your little one to sleep. Any changes you want to try and make will mean settling your little one in a different way. Which for a while can take longer and be less reliable. I am never one to say you have to do certain things as every single person is different.
Babies also do their deepest sleep at the start of the night and then lighter sleep as the night goes on this is why a lot get a good chunk at the start of the night then more wake ups!
So in summary yes you can absolutely try things and it may work!
You can try some hacks to start with like sleep hygiene and this sort of thing and even some methods to try and reduce the night wakings (never leaving your baby alone to cry). But sometimes our little ones just aren’t ready really depends. Again this is so so normal but everyone’s circumstances are different.
Really hope this post helps ❤️
Insta babysleepnurseuk
Hey absolutely I’ve had a few nights where my little boy who is 14 months has slept through but often he still wakes in the night for a feed.
I’m perfectly happy with this. Everyone’s situation is different such as mine quick feel go to sleep where someone might say their child wakes once a night but then is up for hours. This then is all of a sudden a lot more difficult.
I’ve gone off on a tangent now 😂😂
Download the Peanut App
