It’s been a long day! You need some rest and you’re really looking forward to some sweet sleep to wash off the day. Just as you slide under the covers and get comfy, you hear your baby wailing. No, no, no, not again! You just managed to put them to sleep an hour ago. But nope! Seems like tonight is not the night that you sleep. Does this sound like you? Does your baby wake up every hour?
Well, you are not alone. Plenty of parents deal with their infants’ dreadful hourly wake-up cries. However, most parents don’t know that babies’ sleep cycles usually last about 60 minutes. This is the full cycle starting from light sleep (i.e. non-REM) to a portion of deeper sleep (i.e. REM). In layman terms, your baby will shift into lighter sleep every hour.
ALSO READ: Why Won’t My Baby Sleep?
During this light sleep period, there is a high chance your baby will wake up. If you have swaddled them tightly and have some soft white noise or lullabies playing, it can soothe your baby right back to sleep. This is precisely why we have incorporated the White Noise & Lullabies feature in Invidyo!
The best thing to do is give your baby some time to fall right back to sleep. If that does not happen and the crying continues, it’s time to check up on the baby. In children, failure to fall back asleep usually indicates the presence of some sort of issue. Either your child is uncomfortable, wants to be fed, or needs a diaper change.
ALSO READ: What Prevents Babies From Sleeping Through the Night?
Interrupted sleep can also be caused by the environment. Perhaps the nursery is not dark enough or there are other sounds from the street or the rest of the house. It is important to remove all distractions so that your baby has a quiet and peaceful environment.
For the most part, hunger is the number one reason why babies wake up screaming in the middle of the night. Once your address that concern, your baby will definitely sleep much better. And that in turn, allows you to get your beauty sleep as well.
How To Reduce Baby Waking Up Every Hour
During the early months of an infant’s life, most parents’ main concern is getting enough sleep. For the infant, it is getting fed. If you balance this relationship out, both parents and the baby will be happy.
To reduce nighttime wakings, make sure to feed your baby sufficiently. You can increase daytime feedings to build a routine for your baby as well. Breastfed infants need about 8-10 feedings per day whereas bottle-fed babies require 6-8 feedings.
ALSO READ: Breastfeeding vs Bottle Feeding
My Baby Still Wakes Up Every Hour
What should you do if you increase daytime feedings and your baby still wakes up every hour? This is where you should try and locate external factors that may be the cause of your child’s interrupted sleep. Try and make sure that:
- Your baby’s swaddled is tight and comfortable
- Your baby does not need a diaper change
- Your nursery is dark
- No external sounds make their way to the nursery
- Your baby has white noise and/or lullabies playing
How do you get your baby to sleep through the night? Share your experience with our community of parents!
