Has your infant's sleeping pattern changed after already getting a full night's sleep? Learn what to do when baby starts waking up at night again.
What can you read in this article?
- Sleep regression stages
- Possible reasons why your baby starts waking up at night again
- What to do to put baby to bed without too much stress
Your baby has been sleeping through the night for about three months. It’s been the best three months of your life since your baby was born. Life is settling into a perfectly good and normal routine. But then, suddenly your baby starts waking up at night again. The horror! You're afraid of losing the little sleep you get these days. So the first step to solving this mystery is finding out why it happens.
Sleep regression - why your baby starts waking up at night again
It’s not at all uncommon for babies who are sleeping through the night to begin waking up again at least once in the night at 4 months, and then around the age of 7 to 10 months of age.
But what your baby is probably experiencing is sleep regression. According to a previous article, sleep regression is a short period of time, maybe about two to four weeks, when a baby who’s already sleeping well suddenly has trouble settling down for sleep or wakes up and gets fussy in the middle of the night.
Sleep regression stages
Sleep regression can take place in different stages and ages. Somewhere around 4 months of age, the baby’s sleep patterns start to resemble that of an adult and she goes between the REM and non-REM sleep mode. When she falls asleep, she is still in the REM mode and takes some time to fully go into the non-REM deep sleep.
So if you're wondering if your baby's sleeping pattern will go back to when she was 3 months old again, the chances are slim to none.
At 6 to 7 months, your baby will undergo another growth spurt that will cause her to start waking up at night again. Not to worry, because this stage of sleep regression is usually short-lived, and happens only for about a couple of weeks.
Between 8 to 10 months, your baby might undergo sleep regression again, for the reason that she's more mobile and is keen on exploring the world around her. So not only do you have a baby who's awake in the middle of the night, you also have a tiny explorer who wants to crawl around the room, so make sure to keep a close watch.
Big milestones like learning how to walk can cause temporary sleep problems in babies, so expect your child to start waking up at night again at around 9 to 12 months. Your toddler may still go through a sleep regression at around 18 months and 24 months, possibly be caused by different factors.
Sleep regression signs
Of course, the main sign of sleep regression is when your toddler starts waking up in the middle of the night again, after already being able to sleep through the night. But here are other symptom that you may find goes with the different stages of sleep regression:
- being fussy or crying upon waking
- waking up multiple times at night
- fewer naps during the day
- changes in appetite
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Other reasons why baby starts waking up again, and how to handle it
As you look down the list, see which one fits your situation and what the possible solution can be:
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Changes in the environment
Vacation, a new house, a new bed, a new room, and other such changes throw babies off their normal schedule in a matter of seconds.
Solution: Be patient but persistent in reestablishing their routine. Keep something familiar, such as a favorite blanket or something with your scent on it, close by to soothe the baby into resting peacefully.
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Illness
A baby starts waking up at night again when they don't feel well and need an additional ‘dose’ of snuggling. This is one of those times when there may be little or nothing you can do about your baby waking up in the night. Their discomfort makes sleeping through the night impossible. Once your baby feels better, however, it is important to break the routine of waking in the night.
Solution: You can do this by resisting the urge to go into their room every time they fuss or cry. Allowing them to re-learn the ‘art’ of soothing themselves to sleep is essential if you want a good night’s sleep.
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Changes in routine
Babies thrive on routine and do best when their bedtime routine isn’t messed with. A baby starts waking up at night again when they sense some kind of inconsistency in routine.
Solution: Try to avoid making too many changes at once. If you must, only then should you try to change things up.
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Growth spurts
As mentioned earlier, a growth spurt can be the culprit why your baby starts waking up at night again.
Solution: You can try giving them a small snack before bedtime to help prevent them from waking up hungry. If this doesn’t seem to help, make them soothe themselves back to sleep rather than rushing in when they fuss.
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Colic
One of the common reasons that a baby gets fussy after being put to sleep is that he might be feeling colicky or there's gas in his tummy. According to pediatrician and resident TAP mom Dr. Gellina Suderio-Maala, one of the usual reasons why baby's sleep is interrupted is because he has not been burped properly after feeding.
Solution: Make sure to burp your baby after every feeding session to avoid gas or air bubbles getting trapped in his tummy. You can also try to give your baby a tummy massage or use the bicycle technique to relieve colic. Then, light, gentle strokes on baby's tummy and back can help him relax and fall back to sleep.
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Teething
At around 6 months, your baby's first tooth may start to erupt, causing some discomfort that leads to a fussy baby.
Solution: If they are, indeed, teething, you may help ease the pain by giving a cold popsicle (made from breast milk) or put a teether in a fridge so that it will be cold when you give it to baby.
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Separation anxiety
At around 9 months, some babies start to experience separation anxiety, which makes them more clingy to you. They may get anxious when they don't see you in the middle of the night.
Solution: If you're not already doing it, experts believe that room-sharing (not bed-sharing) is a good way for you to be within baby's reach when the need arises. Your child might feel better and sleep sounder knowing that you're just in the same room.
Don’t get discouraged. The fact that your baby starts waking up at night again is usually one that resolves itself in about a week. However, if you tried the methods above and your baby's sleeping pattern have not improved, don't hesitate to consult your child's pediatrician about it.
Source:
WhatToExpect, Healthline, Seattle's Childrens
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