Many parents dream of having a baby who sleeps through the night. It’s easy to understand why – uninterrupted sleep is a precious commodity for new parents. However, even babies who do sleep through the night may still wake up occasionally. This is because babies, like adults, have natural sleep cycles that can cause them to wake up briefly throughout the night. In this blog post, we’ll explore why babies wake up at night despite sleeping through the night, and why it’s important to pause and wait before immediately responding to a baby who has woken up.

Understanding Sleep Cycles in Babies

Just like adults, babies experience different stages of sleep. These stages can be broken down into two categories: rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep. During REM sleep, babies’ eyes move rapidly, and their brains are more active. This is the stage of sleep where dreams occur. NREM sleep, on the other hand, is a deeper stage of sleep where the body is relaxed, and there is little to no eye movement.

Babies spend more time in REM sleep than adults do. In fact, newborns spend up to 50% of their sleep time in REM sleep. As babies get older, the amount of time they spend in REM sleep decreases, but it still makes up a significant portion of their sleep. When babies are in REM sleep, they are more likely to wake up briefly, even if they’re not hungry, uncomfortable, or in need of a diaper change.

The Importance of Pausing and Waiting

It’s natural for parents to want to immediately respond to a crying baby, especially if they’ve been conditioned to believe that a baby who sleeps through the night should never wake up. However, it’s important to remember that waking up briefly during the night is a normal part of a baby’s sleep cycle. Rushing in to soothe the baby every time they wake up can actually disrupt their natural sleep patterns.

When a baby wakes up briefly during the night, they may simply need a moment to settle themselves back down. By rushing in to soothe them, parents may unintentionally disrupt this process. Instead of immediately responding to a crying baby, it’s important to pause and wait for a few moments to see if the baby is able to settle themselves back down. This can help them develop self-soothing skills, which are important for long-term sleep habits.

Tips for Helping Babies Sleep Through the Night

While it’s normal for babies to wake up briefly during the night, there are things parents can do to help their babies sleep through the night more consistently. Here are some tips:

• Establish a consistent bedtime routine: Babies thrive on routine, and having a consistent bedtime routine can help signal to their bodies that it’s time for sleep.
• Make sure baby is comfortable: Ensure that your baby is neither too hot nor too cold, and that their diaper is clean before putting them down to sleep.
• Encourage self-soothing: Help your baby develop self-soothing skills by giving them the opportunity to settle themselves back down when they wake up briefly during the night.
• Avoid feeding baby to sleep: Feeding your baby to sleep can create a sleep association that makes it difficult for them to fall asleep without feeding.
• Consider sleep training: If your baby consistently has trouble falling asleep or staying asleep, sleep training may be an option to consider. Check out the packages I offer! And book a free discovery call so we can talk about your baby’s sleep.

While a baby who sleeps through the night is certainly a blessing for parents, it’s important to remember that waking up briefly during the night is a normal part of a baby’s sleep cycle. By pausing and waiting before immediately responding to your baby, they will develop the important skill of connecting sleep cycles.