Why do Babies Wake

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Essentials
Before 6 months of age, the most common reason for babies to wake up during the night is hunger due to a biological instinct to ensure they receive enough nourishment to help them grow but what if they fed just 40 minutes ago? Are they still hungry or is there something else at play here? Lots of questions, reasons, and ideas below so let's jump in and work out what these adorable babies are up to!
Genevieve Titov, Sleep Angel
3 min read |
26 August, 2024

Hunger

As babies have little stomachs they can become full very quickly but they also digest what they consume very quickly which is why hunger pangs regularly arouse them from sleep. In fact medical and baby health professionals often recommend that a newborn baby be woken up after 2 - 4 hour periods of sleep to be fed if they don’t wake on their own.

Fortunately milk has a sleep-inducing effect so feeding your child should help them return to sleep shortly afterwards even if it is only for a short time, and in the early days of a baby’s life it can be useful for breastfeeding mothers to feed every 2-3 hours to encourage milk production & maintain a good supply.

Feeding during the night can gradually be reduced as babies eat more during the day but it's important to check with your chosen health professional that babies weight is tracking appropriately before reducing night feeds. 


Read More: Should I wake my newborn to eat

Temperature

Getting the temperature right for a person that can't tell you in words can be tricky. Here are some helpful tips on how to determine if your baby might be waking because they are too hot or too cold:  

Signs your baby is too hot

Below, find common signs that your baby is too warm while sleeping:

  • Sweating
  • Warm to the touch
  • Flushed skin

It's very important to note these signs combined with a temperature can also be indicators of your child's wellbeing.

To try and bring your child’s temperature down you might like to try:

  • Offer fluids suitable for their age.
  • Change the fabric grade of their sleepwear to suit room temperature.
  • Move your child to a more well-ventilated room if possible.

If there is no change in their temperature, seek medical advice.

Signs your baby is too cold

It’s important to check your baby’s temperature to ensure they’re comfortable. You can do this by feeling your child’s back or tummy, which should feel warm. 

Signs your child might be too cold:

  • Shivering
  • Cold hands and/or feet
  • Fussiness

To maintain a warm sleeping space, use a room thermometer combined with our Clothing Guide to choose a suitable product that works well with the season/temperature.

Other things that can affect your baby’s sleeping habits & create night waking:

Teething

Teething can begin in babies as early as 3 months (!) with the two central incisors on the lower gums followed by the same two teeth on the upper gums typically popping up anywhere between 5-7 months. For this reason your baby may be in pain but might also become uninterested in eating and breastfeeding, as both these things cause blood to rush to the swollen area, making it even more sensitive. This could result in your baby waking at night due to hunger in addition to pain. 

There isn't anything much cuter then those first baby teeth though so the sweet toothy smiles will be worth it! 

Growth spurts

Growth spurts are frequent and can commonly occur at several points in the first 12 months:

  • 7-10 days after being born
  • Between 3-6 weeks
  • 3 months 
  • 6 months 
  • 9 months 

Around these spurts, babies may need more hours of sleep but they will also need to likely increase feeding throughout a 24 hour period (for newborns this is often referred to as cluster feeding), and may wake up more at night for this reason.

Increased motor development

This is a fun one because although it's disruptive, it means some some new developmental milestones and memories are on the way! Rolling, crawling even waving have the ability to disrupt a baby’s sleep pattern because they either have increased movements that wake them up or they just want to show you these new found skills multiple times across the evening. 

This can be a good time to prepare and ensure you have the right sleepwear to match the milestone if they are ready to roll or are on the move. 

Wet diapers and/or diaper rash

Soiled diapers are always best to be changed at any time during the night but deciding whether or not to change a wet diaper depends on whether it makes it more difficult for your baby to stay asleep. For example if it's already heavy and it's early in the night, it's likely it will continue to fill and make your baby uncomfortable, forcing a potentially unnecessary wake later on so best to make a quick change and hopefully avoid disruption later. 

Diaper rash is often caused by one of 4 reasons – irritation, diarrhea, teething (as teething produces more stomach acid which can lead to diarrhea) or allergies/intolerances. If a baby is waking up or sleeping poorly because of discomfort caused by having a wet diaper or rash, diapers should be changed at night until the rash subsides.

Your baby’s current state of health 

It goes without saying that babies sleep (and unfortunately yours too) will generally go out the window when they are sick or colicky, Babies are prone to catching lots of simple illnesses because of the delicacy of their immune system and often they will find it harder to feed, settle and stay asleep when they are unwell. 

Colds & Ear Infections

  • Besides the common cold, ear infections are also common in babies and are made worse during sleep when pressure builds up due to mucus & other fluids gathering in the ear while lying down in a vertical position. These infections can develop on their own or as the result of a cold, & because sucking & swallowing cause pain, babies may also feed badly when they have ear infections which can have the knock-on effect of making them more likely to wake up from hunger during the night (even when they have started solids).

Gastroesophageal Reflux

  • This can prevent babies from feeding well because of the pain caused by stomach acids being regurgitated into the baby’s esophagus, instigated by intolerances to dairy or lactose.
  • Gastroesophageal reflux is also exacerbated by lying down & needs to be resolved by dietary changes & medications such as antacids.
  • For this reason babies with reflux often sleep easier in baby slings than in a crib because they are being held upright which is more comfortable for their condition but always check safe sleep guidelines. Additionally colic is sometimes misdiagnosed when gastroesophageal reflux is actually the problem, & vice versa.
If you are concerned about your baby or their feeding or sleeping patterns due to illness, check in with your health care professional.

Key takeaways

Feel your babies back to determine if they are too hot or cold while sleeping
Growth spurts can cause sleep disruption. Hello cluster feeding!
Seek medical advice if your babies health is interferring with sleep
    

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This content has been co-created with experts however should be considered as general information only and not official medical advice.