Why does my child wake so frequently?

Everyone wakes frequently during the night. Our body goes in and out of deep and light sleep cycles. An adult generally doesn’t notice this as we are trained to knit these cycles together. A child’s sleep cycle can be anything from 30-50 minutes. If your child needs help to go to sleep (feeding, dummy, rocking, cuddling) then when they wake from a sleep cycle they need these associations to go back to sleep.

 

Why is my baby harder to settle in the early morning compared to at the beginning?  

The homeostatic sleep drive helps us go to sleep. The longer we have been awake the more we need to sleep. When your child goes to sleep at night this drive is higher as it’s been building during the day making your child tired so they are easier to settle. They then recharge during the night so when they wake in the early hours they don’t have this drive pushing them back to sleep and often cant self-settle. As a parent you may try different ways to help get them back to sleep, unfortunately during this process by using sleep associations (feeding, rocking etc) your child is sent mixed messages.

 

Can you sleep train under 6 months?

Babies need feeding during the night in the first 6 months and often for much longer! I would not suggest any sleep coaching before 6 months. I can help you with laying down good sleep habits from birth by getting effective feeding and sleep routines in place to give new confidence in those early months.

 

Do we have a sleep problem?

Every baby and family is unique. Every parent has different expectations of their ideal sleep scenario. What is right for you may not be right for someone else. Babies wake during the night ! If you are happy feeding, rocking etc during the night then there is no problem. If the interrupted nights are having an effect on family life then I can help. There is no one size fits all. A realistic outcome resulting in a happy child and happy parent could be an achievable goal.

 

Will my child cry?

No tears would be completely misleading. If your child is distressed then of course they will need comfort. All children will initially be resistant of a new routine as change is unsettling. There are different options to try depending on your goal and how long you would want to achieve your goal. I will only offer options which you are agreeable with, options that you can manage.

 

Does it make a difference if my baby is breast or bottle fed?

Sleep and feeding interlink whether your baby is breast or bottle fed. An individualised sleep plan will be tailor made for your baby to help create a positive sleep routine so you are not reliant on feeding your baby to sleep.