Sleeping FAQ: 4-6 months – Night Waking

My 5 mth is waking at 3:45 during night time

I have a 5-month-old little boy who has pretty much been a joy from the minute he came home, even through teething and catching tonsillitis (?) !! I have been following Gina’s weaning guide and we are today starting on the 5-6 month routine. My question relates to both feeding and sleeping. He was 8lbs at birth, formula fed and following all Gina’s routines, although he still needs his afternoon nap. He is often settled with a dummy. Since being on solids he no longer needs the 5pm feed to be split and takes solids for tea and milk (about 9oz) before bed at 6.45pm.
The problem is night-time waking. He goes down fine at 7pm but wakes at about 3.45am when he seems to want to have a chat and play. It takes me about 5 visits in 45min – 1hr to get him back down. I never take him out of his cot, always check his nappy, try not to turn the lights on, give him his dummy (but he just spits it out and keeps chatting !) He does eventually go back down between 4.45 – 5.00am and then he is up at 7.15-7.30am as usual. He seems to be having so much to eat during the day that I find it hard to believe he is hungry.
Hope to hear from you
All the best
Laura & Teddy

Looking through your son’s day, it would appear that he is eating and drinking well so I do not think it is hunger waking him in the night. From your letter it would seem he is not crying in the night, just not sleepy.

I would suggest that you space your visits to him, waiting at least 10 mins before going in the first time. If all is well leave him to settle. If he doesn’t cry again, just chats and plays, then leave him to settle alone. If he does cry, then wait another 10-15 mins before going in. Waking at this time has become a habit and he knows you will come and see him. Settle him in a business-like way: ‘time for sleep now, see you in the morning’, so he learns that night time is for sleeping and daytime for playing with you.

It could be that your son is having just a little too much sleep in the day, especially in the afternoon. It is sometimes hard to keep babies of this age content in the late afternoon, but it is worth trying if it helps him to sleep through. Try giving him a kick on his changing mat with no nappy on. If he will sleep at lunchtime through until about 2.45pm try leaving him and see if it helps him drop the afternoon nap. Once he drops this and stops associating 3.45am as playtime I’m confident he will sleep through as you are feeding him perfectly.

How active is he? Does he have plenty of time on the floor as well as sitting in a chair or walker? Babies don’t have a long attention span and need a change of scene every 20 mins to half an hour. Encourage him to roll over from side to side and give him time on his tummy as well. Once babies become more mobile they usually stop night waking when it is happening through not being tired.