4 Reasons Your Newborn is Up All Night

Does it feel like your newborn is waking up frequently all night long? No, we cannot expect our newborns to sleep through the night. The average newborn wakes for 2-3 feeds each night. But if your newborn isn't sleeping at least a few hours at a time in between feeds, you will want to read about these common issues. 

Why is my newborn up all night?

Incomplete Daytime Feeds

Getting nice full feeds in during the day can help reduce wake ups at night. Do your best to get a full feed in every 2-3 hours during the day. Focus on keeping your baby awake while eating so they can take a full feed before falling asleep. It is normal for a young newborn to fall asleep while feeding. The goal is to get as much of a feed in as you can before they pass out. This can be a tricky task in the beginning. It can be helpful to undress your baby down to their diaper, gently tap on them, wiggle their limbs, or use a damp washcloth to help keep them awake.

Inadequate Daytime Sleep

Newborns need a ton of sleep! The average newborn stays awake 45-90 minutes at a time and gets 5-8 hours of daytime sleep per day. Good daytime sleep can help get better nighttime sleep. Follow age appropriate wake windows and sleepy cues to help your baby get adequate rest during the day.

Overstimulation

The world is exciting! Once babies “wake up” to the world, they can become very easily overstimulated. Some babies can tune out stimulation, while others will fight their sleep because of what’s going on around them. It may seem like your baby is perfectly happy spending the evening watching you make dinner, watching your toddler bounce off the walls, and listening to music. Then they end up fighting their sleep when it is time for you to put them to bed. It can be helpful to reduce stimulation as nap time or bedtime approaches. Wearing your baby in a carrier facing you during busy times of the day can help buffer some of the stimulation as well.

Gas

Gas is a common culprit of discomfort in the newborn months. Your baby’s digestive system is still developing and it is normal for them to struggle with gas. They can also swallow extra air while eating or crying. This gas can end up causing them to wake more frequently at night. Focus on getting nice good burps out after every feed. You can also try bicycle kicks and tummy massage throughout the day. I recommend watching out for signs of reflux or lip/tongue tie as these can also cause discomfort at night.

Ok, last bonus tip. And this is an important one.

Set realistic expectations.

It is completely normal for your baby to wake up every 2-3 hours for the first month and every 3-4 hours until 4+ months. Yes, you are going to hear about those newborns who will magically sleep 8 hours straight, but that’s just not the case for all babies.

If your newborn is waking more frequently than every 3 hours after the first month, head over to the Sleep By Alex Membership to download my First Four Months Guide and send me a message! We can troubleshoot together to figure out what YOUR baby needs. If your baby is older than 4 months, you can actually start the process of teaching your baby to fall asleep independently, lengthen their naps, and cut down on night wake ups!