How many times is your baby typically up at night?

Angela - posted on 08/17/2009

I totally sympathise and have a similar situation which is starting to get slightly better! My 5 month old goes to bed at around 8 to half past and can wake at half 12 onwards and doesn't settle until 5 after having a feed! We have to get up at 7 when you've guessed it, he's fast asleep! Most nights lately he sleeps till around 3 and becomes unsettled onwards. I feel like a zombie!

Victoria - posted on 08/16/2009

My son does the same exact thing, I'm going to try what kayla says maybe he is to tired. I hope it works because I'm exahusted getting up every hour. I thought it was maybe because he was teething but I'll try putting him to sleep sooner. Hope it goes well for you. Good luck

Amber - posted on 08/15/2009

my daughter did that for a long time. when she was 3 and a half months old i started her on half a tablespoon of pablum before bed. now she eats a tablespoon full and she sleeps through the night from 10:30- 6:30, she eats and goes back to bed until 9:30 or so. u could try a little pablum, i know they say not to start them on pablum until 6 months but an exhausted mommy isnt at her best. i had to start mine early i think moms know the best.

Courtney - posted on 08/15/2009

Quoting Kayla:

"Your baby needs about 12 hours of sleep at night, and since you have to get him eady at 7am his bedtime really should be about 7pm. If you think about it; if he goes to bed at 9:30-10:30pm he only has the opportunity to sleep 9.5 to 10.5 hours; which leads him to be overtired during the day, and the pattern just repeats. Try slowly moving his bedtime back by 15-20 minutes a night, see how that affects his sleeping. Make sure you have a bedtime routine for him; it really helps them to go from day to night. Also, naps are very important for their bedtime sleep because babies have a much harder time sleeping when they are too tired. He should be having 2 naps a day, no more than 2.5 hours long each."


This is the best thing that I can advise as well. We feed Penny a veggie and a bottle at 6pm. Around 6:30pm we get her in her pj's and new diaper. At 7pm or soon after, we take her to her crib, awake, but sleepy, and read her a story. Typically by the time we finish the story she is out, or on the verge of being out. We started working on her routine when she was 2 months old. It does take a while, but it is so worth it when you get your baby in one. She now goes through her bedtime routine, wakes up around 7am. Naps about 2 hours after she wakes up for 1-2 hours. She eats lunch at 11am, a bottle and a fruit. About 2 hours after lunch she is ready for her 2nd nap, again she sleeps for about 1-2 hours. After she is up for about an hour she will take a snack bottle. Then at 6pm her bedtime routine begins. I can't imagine if we did not have the routine that we do, and it is the gosh darn truth that if they don't get good naps during the day, then they won't sleep as well at night. Getting a routine is not easy. It takes a lot of patience and hard work. Just know that it is the best for you and your baby when it is all said and done. They need a tiny bit of structure in their busy little lives!!! Good Luck!

Linda - posted on 08/14/2009

oh wow my daughter is 5 months and she also goes to bed around 10:30 but once shes in bed she sleeps till about 7:30 she has another bottle and then sleeps again till like 12:30 only sometimes though you must be tired the only reason i think is my daughter does not nap alot during the day she take like 15 min naps if im lucky some days she doesnt and i think thats why she sleeps great at nite but she is not a napper no matter what I try

Kayla - posted on 08/14/2009

My son was like that, but then I found some great advice! A baby that goes to bed early usually sleeps longer and better! I read this in "The No-Cry Sleep Solution" by Elizabeth Pantley. I'll post the website for it at the end. My son has playtime from 7-7:30pm (exersaucer, jolly jumper, etc.) then he has a bath with Aveeno calming bath at 7:30-7:40pm, then we put some penatin lotion on and a diaper (the penatin to prevent diaper rash because he goes all night with a diaper). After that we read a story, I give him a massage (with Aveeno calming lotion) and then he has a 6oz bottle and off to bed awake but tired. He still gets up twice a night but I'm not supposed to attempt to remove these feedings because he isn't gaining enough weight, but that's still half as much as you're getting up! And he doesn't get up until 7:30-8am. Your baby needs about 12 hours of sleep at night, and since you have to get him eady at 7am his bedtime really should be about 7pm. If you think about it; if he goes to bed at 9:30-10:30pm he only has the opportunity to sleep 9.5 to 10.5 hours; which leads him to be overtired during the day, and the pattern just repeats. Try slowly moving his bedtime back by 15-20 minutes a night, see how that affects his sleeping. Make sure you have a bedtime routine for him; it really helps them to go from day to night. Also, naps are very important for their bedtime sleep because babies have a much harder time sleeping when they are too tired. He should be having 2 naps a day, no more than 2.5 hours long each.



My best advice would be to pick up the book. It works for everyones situation whether you are breastfeeding, co-sleeping, formula feeding, cot sleeping; anything! Here is the website for more information: http://www.pantley.com/elizabeth/

Christi - posted on 08/14/2009

Wow! Our children must have a sleep connection. Just the other night she went to bed at 10:30pm, was up at 2am, 3:30 am, 4:30 am, 5 am, 5:20 am, and then 6 am. She decided to get up for the day when her older sister woke up at 7:30. I feel your pain-- you are tired, irritable, and impatient-- or maybe that is just me.



She also only naps for 20-40 minutes at a time. I know she has a full belly before bed because she eats baby food around 7-8 pm and then nurses on both breasts.

Helen - posted on 08/14/2009

my nearly five month old whins at about 2 am then settles half an hour later to wake up again at 6 but whatever you do dont bring him into bed with you.We started doing that just to get him back to sleep but he actually sleeps better in his cot

Carianne - posted on 08/14/2009

Wow... I would tell you what my son does but I don't want to get punched. You sound like one tired Mommy! It can't last forever! One suggestion; My son sleeps best when he has a full tummy. Is he possibly not getting enough to eat during the day? I'm sorry I can't be more help. Good luck!