Is your baby waking hourly?

Of course, there are many reasons why your little one may be waking overnight, and this can be very common and even perfectly normal.

Hourly waking can be extremely normal and short lived in certain situations such as:

• Teething
• Illness
• Hunger
• Overtired
• Newborns with day and night confusion

However, we need to stop normalising hourly wakes that are happening consistently for an extended period.

Not only does that lead to mum having guilt when she feels like she can’t fix it (hello anti-sleep training fear mongering!), but also can lead to delayed diagnosis and resolution of some medical conditions.

WHY?

Long-term hourly wakes, to me, almost always point to something being “off” and there is something hindering your bubs ability to get and stay asleep.

During this time, implementing a settling technique is not advised to ensure no extra stress is added to both you and bub – mental and physical health is most important. A temporary regression of hourly wakes during illness, teething, change in routine or over-stimulations is not something to be wary of as during these times, it can be normal to wake after every sleep cycle which we know is approximately every 45-60 minutes day and night.

WHEN TO LOOK FOR MEDICAL ADVICE

If you are dealing with hourly night waking and have also noticed extreme restlessness, snoring or mouth breathing during your baby’s sleep, or have noticed a change in their stool, excess spit up or you’re having weight gain concerns, please bring it up to your trusted medical professional as some of the more common things that can cause hourly night wakes are:

• Allergies / Intolerances
• Reflux
• Sleep disorders
• Enlarged adenoids / tonsils
• Tongue or Lip Ties

We’re not just generic sleep consultants that help your baby learn how to fall asleep, we truly care and we want you to feel inspired and educated about your motherhood, your baby and the effects some hard-to-diagnose conditions can have on their sleep quality (and your mental health!). You can trust that we consider the full picture and never use a one-size-fits-all approach.

If you’re dealing with hourly wakes overnight, please seek the advice of your trusted medical professional, but if you’re unsure, feel free to book in for a Quick Chat - 15min and we are more than happy to look at the case for you.

If you’re medically cleared and ready to reduce the amount of night wakings, our Phone + Two Week Support is a great option to navigate reducing these wakes.

• For small tweaks to strategies have a look at our Quick Chat - 15min  option
• For parents struggling with several things such as catnapping, frequent night waking, early morning rising or things that simply no longer work, have a look at our Phone + One Week Support option.
• Our Newborn Sleep Guide walks you through how to set up the foundations of a sleep routine to help limit nighttime sleep disruptions.

Until next time,

The Sleepy Little Bubs Team x