There are many reasons why your baby wakes within an hour of going to sleep, though overtiredness may be one, there are several others. Knowing why your baby is waking can make dealing with it easier. The first step is identifying whether their wakes are actually normal for their age, get this free guide for a month by month breakdown of normal wakes.
Okay now that we know what’s normal, lets talk about 4 common reasons why your baby wakes within the first hour of the night:
1. Under-tired
Yup! Under-tired can look like overtired particularly in the number of wakes. The main difference is: baby wakes happy from short naps.
2. Discomfort
Babies sleep in short cycles – approximately 30-45 minutes long. Listen to your baby’s cry to determine what (and IF) they are asking.
Focus on figuring out the root cause of the wake (P.S. comfort is a need too!).
Focus on responding to what you think your baby is asking of you NOT what you expect they will ask. The first one is responding to what is happening in the present moment. The second one is responding to your prediction of the future.
Sometimes it is confusing – not because you are doing it wrong, but because you are responding to a baby who cries and can’t tell you with words what is bothering them. Remember there is no timer to figure it out – your baby simply needs to know you are there and trying to figure it out. If trying to figure it out on your own is overwhelming, check out our one to one consultation Sanity Solution.
3. Environment
Here are some environmental factors that may be waking baby:
- Lights
- Noises
- Temperature
- Itchy onesie
4. Underlying Health Conditions
Some examples of underlying health-related conditions are:
- Gas (can be caused by improper feeding, health condition, reaction to solids)
- Tongue ties
- Reflux
- Food Sensitivities
- Iron deficiency
- Sensory processing needs
Any of the above could be reasons why your baby wakes but they are not a full list, only a list of common reasons. If your baby is wakeful AND experiences symptoms of a health-related issue, then the wakefulness may be related to the underlying condition.***
*** Please note: Although these are common culprits that disrupt sleep, the list above is not exhaustive. It is not intended to be used as a substitute for getting individual advice from your individual provider(s).***
If you are looking for assistance to settle wakes, check out Sanity Solution for one to one consultation worldwide. If you are located in Ontario Canada, go here instead.
Did you find this article helpful?
If you want more information like this:
- Follow me on Instagram (@talkin.sleep)
- Find out your parenting type & get a personalized sleep education checklist by taking our quiz
- Download the free normal infant sleep guide
- Watch “why self soothing is BS” webinar