Baby Waking Up Every Hour – Reasons and Remedies

Is your newborn waking up every hour at night and crying out for you when you are fast asleep? You need to observe his sleep patterns even more carefully now. Chances are he may be involving you in his sleep time woes, and it’s time that you pay attention and try to understand why your little one might be waking up frequently. Although frequent waking in babies is common in up to six-month-old babies, it could also be linked to other reasons. Let’s find out why is your baby frequently waking up at night and offer remedies to help parents and babies achieve a more restful night’s sleep.

Is It Normal for Babies to Wake Up Frequently and Have Short Sleeping Cycles?

It’s normal for six-month-old babies and younger infants to have frequent short-sleeping cycles. Their sleep isn’t as deep as ours; it usually comes in 50-minute chunks. After each cycle, they wake up and drift off to sleep again. This is all part of their learning process, as they gradually master the art of sleeping for longer stretches and soothing themselves back to sleep. They’re preparing themselves for longer nap times or sleep cycles (1).

In some cases, however, when he wakes up, he may not go back to sleep, and it could be linked to various reasons, be it medical or nutrition. We’ve discussed them below.

Why Is My Baby Waking Up Every Hour?

Understanding why your infant wakes up every hour can be challenging for new parents. Here are some of the reasons why newborns wake up every hour:

1. Nutrition and Diet

If your baby’s not getting proper nutrition or not eating enough, chances are he must be waking up because of hunger. Hunger is a prominent cause of newborns waking up every hour. A baby should eat properly at dinnertime to get proper sleep at night. You can also try slowly increasing the food or adding breast milk and observe what happens in their sleep cycles.

2. Discomfort

Your baby is not at an age where he can speak or convey his discomfort to you. His discomfort may stem from bruises or bumps, which he receives in the middle of the day. These often go unnoticed until late at night since he’s busy playing and enjoying himself. These little things may bother him and prevent him from sleeping well. You should look for signs to see if he’s uncomfortable and needs some soothing.

3. Stomach Pain

Air in the stomach is responsible for frequent waking in babies. The trapped air in tummies leads to stomach pain, which occasionally wakes them up. Burping is an excellent way to fix that (11).

4. Silent Reflux

Reflux symptoms prevent babies from sleeping well at night. Watch out for silent reflux, and ask your doctor for medication recommendations (12).

5. Noisy Environment

Sleepy in a noisy room and exposure to unpleasant sounds during the day make babies unhappy and unable to settle down at night. Every baby needs a bit of downtime to drift off into slumber.

6. Teething

Teething is a natural physiological process that disrupts sleeping patterns in babies. It begins around six months of age and can cause infrequent sleeping patterns right up to the toddler stage (8).

7. Habits

If your baby is too used to sleeping in irregular patterns, it may have become a habit. You’ll have to work on rewiring it, and that takes a bit of patience and time. Habits get hardwired over time, and you’ll have to remember that you’ll have to change the routine completely.

For example, you can try reducing the duration of your baby’s daytime naps to prepare him for nighttime sleep. This is effective, but he may not be happy with it in the beginning.

8. Infections

A baby’s immune system is in its developing stages, which makes him more prone to catching illnesses, infections, and, let’s not forget, the common cold.

As your little one learns to grab and move objects, he will expose himself to germs more and more as the hours go by. Putting objects in the mouth increases the chances of upper respiratory tract infections and may cause congestion and coughing if he already has a cold.

Diarrhoea, irregular bowel movements, and fever could also be a cause of your baby’s frequent waking up. Check with the doctor regarding infections and ask what medications or supplements you could give them. As a precautionary measure, avoid exposing your baby to people who have contagious infections and practice proper hygiene at home.

9. Developmental Milestones

Achieving new developmental milestones, such as crawling, standing, or talking, can cause sleep disturbances as your baby’s brain processes and practices these new skills. During these periods, your baby might wake up more frequently as they become excited or frustrated by their developing abilities.

10. Separation Anxiety

Around six months of age, babies often experience separation anxiety, which can lead to more frequent awakenings at night as they seek comfort and reassurance from their parents. This is a normal part of development as your baby becomes more aware of their surroundings and attachment to you. A consistent bedtime routine and comforting your baby when they wake up can help ease their anxiety and promote better sleep (10).

Useful Tips to Help Your Baby Get Good Sleep

Ensuring your baby gets good sleep is crucial for their development and your well-being (2). Here are some useful tips to get your baby a good night’s sleep.

1. Feed Him Well

Make sure to breastfeed or formula-feed him every two hours so that his nutritional requirements are met. If your little one has started on solids, you can feed him fruit or vegetable puree, lean meats, and dairy. Feed small portions frequently if your baby has a low appetite to improve it. Read the nutrition labels on the formula pack and check whether any ingredients cause allergies. Try using sleep aids like pacifiers and ask the doctor about medications or nutritional supplements if you are worried about any nutritional deficiencies.

2. Set a Schedule

Set a sleeping schedule and allow your baby to wind down one hour before going to bed. Make him comfortable by singing his favourite nightly tunes, and focus on giving him high-quality naps throughout the day (7).

3. Add White Noise

White noise can help your child drift to deep sleep. A fan blowing in the corner of the room can also remedy bedtime woes (3).

4. Help Him Sleep and Wake Up

Help your baby sleep, allowing him to learn how to soothe himself to sleep. Softly speak to him when he is waking up, and don’t suddenly pick him up or hold him. This way, your baby will gradually learn how to go back to sleep on his own, even in your absence.

5. Monitor His Naps

Maybe your little one had too many naps or too much time to sleep throughout the day, so he hesitates to return to bed at night. Gradually shift his nap times around and ensure they aren’t set too late during the day.

6. Change the Environment

Changing your baby’s sleeping environment can help him fall asleep quickly and ensure a peaceful sleep. Try to establish sleeping cues like turning on the fan as background noise and closing the curtains. Softly speak to your baby before lulling him to sleep and follow through these cues as consistently as possible, as your baby will identify them and get ready to sleep.

Minimise environmental noise, turn down the lights and play bedtime songs if needed. Your baby will love the ambience (4).

7. Use a Crib Wedge

If your baby is having difficulty sleeping on a flat surface like a traditional crib or mattress, you may try a crib wedge. Elevating one end of the mattress works, too, and placing a crib wedge under will adjust the sleeping angle and may allow your baby to sleep comfortably.

8. Avoid Eye Contact

Eye contact or animated movements at night can stimulate your baby’s brain and get him overexcited. This may prevent him from sleeping. Averting your gaze for a while and gradually leaving the room after singing bedtime tunes may help.

9. Do Not Hold Him

If your baby happens to wake up in the middle of his sleep, don’t hold him up. This will wake him up. Instead, comfort him by patting and soothing and give him the time and space he needs to fall back asleep (6).

10. Change Your Baby’s Diapers

Changing diapers from time to time will make your baby feel cosy and comfortable. Thoughts and anguish aside, change their diapers before a midnight feeding session and re-swaddle him. Changing the diaper after night feeding may make it difficult for your baby to fall back asleep if he gets excited. So, change it the moment he wakes up.

FAQs

1. What should I do if my baby is waking up because of teething?

If teething is the cause, you might notice increased drooling or gum swelling. Providing a teething ring or a cool, damp washcloth can offer relief. If your paediatrician recommends over-the-counter pain relievers, you can also use them (9).

2. Can overstimulation before bed cause my baby to wake up frequently?

Yes, too much excitement or activity before bedtime can make it harder for your baby to settle and stay asleep. Establishing a calm, consistent bedtime routine can help signal your baby that it’s time to wind down and prepare for sleep (5).

You can’t change your baby’s irregular routines in a single day. It won’t work that way. You’ll need to give him lots of love, time, and patience to make him feel safe and comfortable. Make a new bedtime routine; it should take your baby around two weeks to get accustomed to it. However, if your newborn wakes up frequently in the middle of the night, even after trying the above remedies, we suggest you consult your baby’s paediatrician and follow his advice.

References/Resources:

1. Bathory. E, Tomopoulos. S; Sleep Regulation, Physiology and Development, Sleep Duration and Patterns, and Sleep Hygiene in Infants, Toddlers, and Preschool-Age Children; Current Problems in Pediatric and Adolescent Health Care; https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1538544216301225?via%3Dihub

2. Tham. E. K. H, Schneider. N, Broekman. B. F. P; Infant sleep and its relation with cognition and growth: a narrative review; PubMed Central; https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5440010/

3. Spencer. J. A, Moran. D. J,  Lee. A, Talbert. D; White noise and sleep induction; PubMed Central; https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1792397/

4. Pacheco. D; Vyas. N; Newborn Sleep Schedule; Sleep Foundation; https://www.sleepfoundation.org/baby-sleep/newborn-sleep-schedule

5. Sleep and Your Newborn; Nemours KidsHealth; https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/sleepnewborn.html

6. Infant Sleep; Stanford Medicine Children’s Health; https://www.stanfordchildrens.org/en/topic/default?id=infant-sleep-90-P02237

7. Helping your baby to sleep; NHS; https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/baby/caring-for-a-newborn/helping-your-baby-to-sleep/

8. Baby teething symptoms; NHS; https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/baby/babys-development/teething/baby-teething-symptoms/

9. When Does Teething Start?; American Academy of Pediatrics; https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/teething-tooth-care/Pages/Teething-4-to-7-Months.aspx

10. Separation anxiety; NHS; https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/baby/babys-development/behaviour/separation-anxiety/#

11. Syrkin-Nikolau. M, Person. H; Abdominal Pain in Infants: 8 Possible Reasons Your Baby’s Tummy Hurts; American Academy of Pediatrics; https://www.healthychildren.org/English/health-issues/conditions/abdominal/Pages/Abdominal-Pains-in-Infants.aspx

12. Reflux in babies; NHS; https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/reflux-in-babies/

Also Read:

Why Does a Baby Wake Up Crying?
How to Make Baby Sleep At Night?
How to Get Your Baby to Nap? 
Lullaby Songs for Babies to Sleep
Ferber Method – Getting Your Baby to Sleep