You’ve just settled your baby, tiptoed back into bed and fallen fast asleep… only to hear that familiar cry again.
It’s only been an hour!
With my firstborn, I’d often find myself on wake up number 3 by 2 a.m…
Sound familiar?
I was expecting my baby to wake up to eat a few times at night. But not 6. Or 7….
So what else was going on?
After four babies (and countless broken nights), I’ve learned all the reasons for multiple wake ups which I’m going to share here.
In this post, I’ll walk you through:
- the most common reasons babies wake
- how to know exactly which reason is the issue.
- and how to minimise night wakings so that the only reason baby wakes is to eat
So, let’s break down what’s really behind those night wakings — and how to help your little one (and you!) get more sleep.
Why Baby Wakes Up At Night
Broadly speaking, there are actually only 4 reason why babies wake:
- Hunger
- A discomfort/disturbance
- No longer tired
- Switching sleep cycles & can’t fall back to sleep
These are the same reasons adults wake too, with the exception of hunger, since we can normally sleep the full night without needing to eat.
However, “discomforts and disturbances” covers quite a few potential issues:
- Gas/trapped wind
- Overtiredness
- Moro reflex
- External (noise or light)
- Internal (fever/sickness)
- Mild irritation (dirty diaper, too hot or cold)
These can be difficult to decipher but hopefully by the end of this post you’ll have a much better idea of why exactly your baby is waking. And be able to minimise or eliminate each one so that your baby is sleeping much longer stretches.
How Many Night Wake Ups To Eat?
In the nightime hours (let’s say 7pm to 7am), your baby will have to wake to feed at night for at least the first 12 months.
Ideally, hunger is the only reason you want them to wake up at night. But how many times? What should you expect?
The following guide is based both on my experience with my 4 kids, and with info I’ve read.
Number of wake ups to eat at night e.g. 7am to 7 pm:
- Birth to 2 weeks – 3 to lots!
- 2 to 6 weeks – 2 to 3 wake ups to eat
- 6 to 12 weeks – 1 to 2 wake ups to eat
- 12 weeks to 1 year – 1 wake up to eat
Several more times than that and it’s likely that there are other reasons your baby is waking.
Or, you possibly need to structure feeds in the day a little differently to reduce these hunger wakings.
Reason 1. Hunger
What it looks like
Baby feeds hungrily — sometimes for long stretches. These wakeups seem clearly hunger-related, even if baby recently fed.
NB if baby is rooting to suck and wants to feed but displays symptoms of discomfort/trapped wind, your baby may just be looking for comfort and attempting to self-soothe. Keep on reading!
Why they’re waking
Hunger is the one and only reason you want your baby to wake – their daily calorie intake is satisfied by multiple feeds in a 24 hour period and until a year old, your baby will need to eat overnight.
As above, here’s the minimum number of night wakings you can expect from birth to a year old.
- Birth to 2 weeks – 3 to lots!
- 2 to 6 weeks – 2 to 3 wake ups to eat
- 6 to 12 weeks – 1 to 2 wake ups to eat
- 12 weeks to 1 year – 1 wake up to eat
If your baby is waking many more times than the above and is genuinely hungry, you will need to work on maximising calorie intake in the day, as follows.
How to help
1. Follow the cycle sleep –> feed –> awake–> sleep
This rhythm ensures baby feeds when most alert and encourages a “full” feed
2, Offer feeds every 2–3 hours during the day
Aim for regular, full feeds between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m.
4. Encourage “full” feeds in the day and at night, not snacking
Make very feed count!
If baby doesn’t take a good feed (you want baby to drain one breast and at least start the next, or use the guidelines on the tin if formula feeding) and wakes hungry soon after, try to encourage more at each feed.
If baby is falling asleep while feeding, try to keep them more alert either before or during a feed:
- change their diaper
- top and tail
- take a layer off
- try some tummy time
- play with a toy
Encouraging a full feed applies for both day and night feeds.
3. Wake baby if necessary to feed in the day
If baby is asleep when due a feed (to keep with the cycle of feeding every 2-3 hours in the day) gently wake them to feed — especially during those early months when milk needs are high.
What normally seems to happen is with more established feeding in the day and better feeds at night, all of a sudden, baby manages longer stretches.
Reason 2 – Overtiredness
What it looks like
Your baby will often
- fight sleep – you struggle to settle them for naps and at night
- wake after 30-60 minutes, whether in the day or at night
- cry inconsolably – you suspect colic or the “witching hour”
Baby will wake:
- looking for comfort – often by wanting to suck, if 6+ weeks
- may not want to feed for long, since hunger was not the reason for waking
These are all telltale signs of an overtired baby. Overtiredness is often a reason for colicky symptoms and is a major cause of the witching hour.
Why This Happens
Melatonin helps us feel sleepy, rising as darkness falls, while cortisol — the body’s stress hormone — keeps us alert and energized.
This is due to the effect of cortisol, the ‘stress hormone’, which keeps us alert and energised. When babies stay awake past their limit, cortisol surges, making them wired, overstimulated, and unable to switch off.
It’s like giving them a shot of caffeine right before bedtime.
It’s while we sleep that cortisol will slowly return to basal levels, but at elevated levels, it causes broken sleep, causing frequent wakeups.
How To Help
1. Follow age-appropriate “wake windows”
Stop cortisol from escalating i.e. don’t let baby stay awake too long
A “wake window” is the maximum time baby can stay awake, including time spend feeding, before needing to sleep which is a maximum of 90 mins for a 6 week old baby or 2 hours for a 12 week old baby.
More baby nap and awake time guidelines here.
2. Put baby to sleep when you see or hear sleep cues
LOOK FOR THE FOLLOWING VISUAL CUES FROM A NEWBORN:
- Yawning, frowning
- Staring vacantly or avoiding eye contact
- Moving jerkily or alternatively becoming very still
- Clenching fists
- Fussing and crying
PLUS THESE VISUAL CUES FROM OLDER BABIES:
- Rubbing eyes and ears
- Becoming clingy
- Losing interest in toys
- Sucking fingers
- Turning head away from stimulation
LISTEN FOR THE “OWH” CRY
According to baby whisperer, Priscilla Dunstan, babies make certain sounds, each with a different meaning. The “owh” cry sounds a little like a loud yawn and means “I’m a bit sleepy, please put me to bed”.
Related post: Understanding The 6 Baby Cues
3. Don’t try to “wear baby out”
Keeping baby up longer and will almost certainly backfire by elevating cortisol levels further.
4. Encourage longer day naps
The longer baby sleeps, the more cortisol levels drop, so longer naps of 1.5 to 2 hours are more restful and restorative than multiple short naps.
Encouraging longer naps is easier said than done, this post will help; 9 strategies for 2 hour naps.
The more rested your baby is, the easier it becomes for them to fall and stay asleep.
Reason 3. Gas / Trapped Wind
What it looks like
Baby wakes:
- grunting
- wriggling
- kicking legs to try and get comfortable
If baby is starting to cry, the sound is “eh” – almost like they’re trying to burp.
As soon as you pick baby up, the movement quickly squeezes trapped wind out in a burp. Baby should quickly settle back to sleep after.
Why they’re waking
Babies with trapped wind may wake frequently due to physical discomfort.
How to help
At each and every feed:
1. Make sure you burp baby adequately
- Burp baby once or twice during a feed and then at the end.
- Burp effectively – use movements that put gentle pressure on the abdomen and rub. don’t pat. The video below shows one of my favorite burping techniques.
2. Keep baby upright after feeds
If you suspect your baby still has trapped wind after burping, keep them upright (I used this baby bouncer from Tiny Love which can be used from birth unlike others) or try tummytime, another good position to both relieve discomfort and help expel gas.
If sleepy or if they’ve fall asleep, have baby lying on their front on your chest as you’re sitting fairly upright.
3. Minimize gas ingested during feeding
- if breastfeeding, ensure you have a good latch
- if bottle feeding, make you’re using the correct teat, experiment with different bottles, allow formula to stand to allow any bubbles to settle
- don’t let baby get over hungry – gulping milk down frantically often results in swallowing excess air at the same time
- if you have a fast let-down, which can cause baby to gulp down both milk and air, initiate let down your self and feed in a recliner or lying down, so your baby has to suck milk uphill.
4. Look for wind cues throughout the day
There are several signs your baby has trapped wind — and they often appear before the fussiness and crying begin.
For example, if your baby (under 10 weeks) seems to be smiling randomly, it’s likely wind, not joy. Sorry!
Another early sign is a chewing motion with the tongue sticking out, which can look like hunger. But feeding at this point can actually make the gas worse.
If that wind isn’t released, it builds up — leading to discomfort, gas pain, and tears.
(You can read more about the 6 wind cues here.)
Reason 4. The Moro Reflex
What it looks like
Your baby startles and wakes: they may suddenly fling their arms out, jerk their head or startles wake with a cry.
It can happen in the middle of sleep or just after being laid down.
Why they’re waking
The Moro reflex is a primitive startle response triggered by movement, noise, or the feeling of falling.
It can be strong enough to jolt baby out of light sleep, even if they’re otherwise comfortable.
It’s especially strong in the first few months, peaking around 6 weeks and normally completely gone by 6 months.
How to help
1. Swaddle
Swaddle your baby snugly (until they start to roll) to minimize arm flailing. (Swaddling also helps recreate that cozy womb-like feeling which can help baby fall asleep).
Try our free swaddle course here.
2. Lay baby down gently
To reduce sudden motion.
3. Reduce the chance of external triggers
Keep the sleep environment dark (use blackout blinds) and with a consistent background noise, like white noise, to reduce light and noise triggering it.
Reason 5. External disturbance (noise or light)
What it looks like
An external disturbance such as sliver of morning light, the hall light or a slammed door, may simply wake baby up, rather than upset them.
The disturbance may be obvious in which case you can presume this is the reason baby woke.
Why they’re waking
Babies are very light and restless sleepers, much more so than adults. This is a protective mechanism, alerting them to potential danger.
They also have shorter sleep cyles and can become fully awake between each one. so there’s a lot of potential for a newborn to be disturbed!
How to help
1. Pitch black
Make their sleep space pitch black with blackout curtains/blinds or some kind of light eliminating window covering.
2. White noise
Use white noise or another consistant background noise (radio or lullabies can work too) to block out external sounds.
Reason 6. Mild irritation: dirty nappy, too hot or cold
What it looks like & why
Baby wakes up squirming, fussing, or grunting — not quite crying, but clearly uncomfortable – a dirty diaper or being too hot or cold may be the reason. For obvious reasons, this will cause discomfort.
If baby is starting to cry, the sound is “heh”.
How to help
1. Use absorbent overnight diapers
If your baby is a frequent heavy wetter and repeatedly waking for this reason look for extra thick night diapers.
2. Dress baby appropriately
Dress baby in light, breathable layers and adjust based on the room temperature. Try this newborn sleepwear guide for more details.
3. Keep sleep space a comfortable temperature
Ideally between 68–72°F (20–22°C)
Reason 7. Not Tired!
What it looks like
Baby wakes up in the middle of the night and stays awake — alert, content, even playful — for long stretches.
They may also wake up very early in the morning (4–5 a.m.) and seem ready to start the day, despite still being clearly tired later.
Why they’re waking
If your baby is getting too much sleep during the day, it reduces their natural sleep pressure — the biological drive to sleep at night.
As a result, they may wake fully in the night, ready to play, or rise far earlier than you would like.
Another common issue, is that too much daytime sleep can also mean fewer daytime calories, which means your baby is hungrier at night, a further reason for multiple wakeups.
If your baby is still teeny tiny (3/4 weeks or younger) and sleeps all day and then wants to stay awake all night, they may have days and nights muddled! This is a common issue in newborns.
Fortunately, you can fix day night confusion in a few days.
How to help
Stick to age-appropriate daytime sleep totals
Use the chart below as a guide, specifically the 5th column: “Total day sleep”
Cap long naps
Avoid naps over 2.5 hours for very young babies and 2 hours for older babies/young toddlers.
Keep late catnaps short
If baby needs a final nap to make it to bedtime, keep it short and make sure they’re awake 5 p.m.
Refer to the charts in this newborn schedule to help you structure day naps according to your baby’s age.
Create a consistent daily rhythm
A predictable cycle of feed, awake time, and naps helps balance daytime rest and nighttime sleep pressure.
Increase periods of activity in the day
Make sure your baby stays awake for some time after feeding, in accordance with the awake times appropriate for their age. If a long way off, make changes in 10 minute increments every day.
Make sure your baby is exposed to plenty of natural light and gets some fresh air. For more tips on making their awake times more active, check the day night confusion post.
Reason 8. Switching Sleep Cycles & Can’t Fall Back to Sleep
What it looks like
Baby wakes multiple times during the night and cries out until you intervene — whether by feeding, rocking, or holding. Once helped, they settle quickly… but the cycle repeats again and again.
Why they’re waking
Both as adults and as babies, we wake briefly several times a night. This is an essential survival mechanism to check for potential dangers. As adults, we normally quickly fall back to sleep and won’t even remember we’ve woken.
However, babies wake MORE frequently & are MORE easily disturbed. Babies may also find it harder to fall back to sleep.
They may also have become reliant on external help to fall back to sleep. This is commonly called a sleep association.
So, if baby always falls asleep while feeding, being rocked, or held, when naturally waking, they’re unable to settle back to sleep alone. They need the same conditions that helped them fall asleep initially.
How to help
Helping baby settle without your involvement takes some time and patience and a bit of setting up, but is well worth the effort…
1. Set up a calming sleep environment
For every nap and at night time:
- Use blackout blinds to stop light from activating the brain when baby wakes
- Use a white noise machine to muffle background sounds and provide a reassuring background noise similar to the whooshing and swooshing of the womb
- If your baby is under 3 months and hasn’t started to roll, a swaddle is a very effective at recreating the caccooning effect of the womb, as well as preventing the moro reflex.
2. Create a consistent wind-down routine
A familiar bedtime routine helps signal sleep is coming:
- Take your baby to their calming sleep environment
- Dim the lights – light suppresses the sleep-inducing hormone melatonin.
- Put on white noise
- Last breast or bottle-feed as necessary
- Cuddle, rock or sway
These combined aspects will become positive sleep associations which will help with the next step:
3. Gently reduce your involvement in helping baby to sleep
Once you’ve set up the sleep space and consistently put a bedtime routine into practice, your baby should start to associate all these with fall asleep. When they settle easily and quickly with your help, start to reduce what you do.
If you usually rock or feed to sleep, start by shortening the time or shifting to gentler cues like patting or shushing, then gradually phase those out too.
In time you want to:
4. Put baby in their cot sleepy, but awake
Once your baby gets used to falling asleep in their sleep space without your help, when they wake at night, as long as all their other needs are met, they should be able to fall back to sleep alone.
5. Be patient and consistent
Learning to self-settle takes time. Take each day at a time, keep with your routine and sleep inducing environment and you’ll get there!
Reason 9. Sleep Regressions & Growth Spurts
What it looks like
Baby who was previously sleeping well suddenly starts waking more often, fighting naps, or refusing bedtime. They may also become clingier, fussier and feed more frequently, day and night.
Why they’re waking
Sleep regressions typically happen during key developmental stages — like learning to roll, crawl, or sit — and baby’s brain is busy processing new skills. This mental stimulation can disrupt sleep temporarily.
Growth spurts mean increased hunger, oven resulting in baby waking more at night to feed.
How to help
Stick to your normal sleep routine
Keep naps, bedtimes, and wake windows as consistent as possible. Avoid making big changes, even if sleep temporarily goes off track.
Respond to hunger during growth spurts
If baby seems genuinely hungry, offer more frequent feeds — during the day and at night. This phase is usually short-lived.
Offer extra comfort, but avoid starting new sleep habits
Provide reassurance and cuddles, but try not to introduce new sleep props (like rocking or feeding to sleep) if they weren’t part of your routine before.
Watch for overtiredness
As sleep gets disrupted, baby can become overtired quickly. Respond to sleepy cues and offer earlier bed and nap times as necessary.
Be patient — regressions and growth spurts are temporary
Stay consistent and baby should return to more settled sleep once the phase passes.
The Night Wakes Will Pass — You’ve Got This
Frequent night wakings can feel endless, but hopefully now you’re in a better place to figure out exactly why they’re happening.
Take it one wake-up at a time, tweak gently where you can, and trust that more sleep is coming. You’re doing amazingly! Hang in there.
You got this.
Parenting made easier with these baby tips:
- 25 Newborn Baby Tips For The First 6 Weeks
- 9 Reasons Baby Wakes Up At Night & How to Fix Them Fast
- 9 Baby Sleep Mistakes (That I Totally Made Too)
- No-Cry Baby Sleep Training: 10 Gentle Newborn Sleep Tips & Baby Advice
- 3 To 6 Weeks Newborn Schedule: A Simple Daily Routine
- Baby sleep strategies: How to help your baby sleep through the night
