[Emma H]

Hi Luise,

Thank you so much for all these details—I know how overwhelming it can feel when what once worked suddenly doesn’t. It doesn’t mean you have a “difficult” baby, just that her needs are shifting as she grows.

Something to be aware of is that at 8 weeks, your little one is hitting the peak of the Period of Purple Crying so this might be the reason she is so fussy/difficult to settle to sleep between 6 and 10pm. Do you notice if she cluster feeds at this time? Or does she just happily play on the floor with you during these 4 hours? If she is cluster feeding at this time, something that might be happening is she may actually be dozing off without you realizing it—those “sneaky naps” look just like feeding because she keeps sucking, but you’ll notice the swallows slow way down.

To help with daytime naps I just have a few questions – sorry, but they’ll help me give you the best advice!

• What time does she usually wake up in the morning?

• How many naps does she take each day?

• How long is she awake between those naps?

• Are you following a wake → feed → play → sleep routine during the day?

• Does she use a pacifier when napping?

• Do you swaddle her for every nap?

• When you pop her into the SNOO, is the rocking and white-noise turned on?

• Have you got a nap-time routine going? If so, what steps do you follow?

• Is she on breastmilk, formula, or a mix of both?

• You mentioned she’s harder to settle lately—does that happen with every nap or just the late-day one?

• What’s her daytime sleep space like—light levels, temperature, and any background sounds?

Again I am sorry for all the questions,

Emma

[Emma H]

Hi Brian and Katie,

Firstly—congratulations on the arrival of your little one! It sounds like you’re doing an amazing job finding a rhythm that works for your family, especially during such a tricky stage. And I’m so glad to hear the course (and the real-life baby videos!) have been helpful.

I’m sorry to hear that the Period of PURPLE Crying has been challenging—it really can be such a tough phase. Hopefully, some of the strategies in the video help make those moments even a little more manageable.

In terms of carrier naps—you’re absolutely right that babies often sleep longer in the carrier. That’s because we naturally rock and move, which helps them transition between sleep cycles. In regards to cutting a carrier nap short, it’s a good idea to cap the nap at around 2 hours. This helps prevent them from using up too much of their 24-hour sleep quota during the day, which could then impact night sleep.

You’re also spot on about waking him before bedtime. If he’s napping late into the evening—it can reduce the sleep pressure he needs to fall asleep and stay asleep for that first stretch of the night. Sleep pressure is the main driver of his sleep at this stage, so making sure there’s a solid awake window before bedtime can really help improve how easily and how long he sleeps for that first stretch of sleep overnight.

You’re clearly so in tune with his needs, and you’re doing an incredible job navigating it all (with a carrier and everything!). I’m so happy the course has been a useful support for you—and I’m always here if more questions come up!

Emma

[Emma H]

Hi Luise,

Wow—thank you for all that detail! You’re doing a fantastic job navigating a tricky stage.

Based on what you have mentioned I have a few suggestions/comments:

Period Of PURPLE Crying

Based on what you’ve described, it really sounds like the fussiness between 6 PM and 10 PM is the Period of PURPLE Crying.

This is a completely normal part of development, where babies tend to become fussy and cry more during a predictable time window each day. It often seems to come out of nowhere—one minute everything is fine, and then almost like clockwork, the fussiness begins. And just as suddenly, they settle and eventually drift off to sleep.

During this fussy window, it really helps to embrace it as much as possible and remind yourself that it’s temporary. Each week, the amount of time they spend fussing gradually shortens, and somewhere between 3 to 4 months of age, this fussy period usually disappears completely.

In the course, I have a video all about the Period of PURPLE Crying, including some really helpful strategies you can use during this time. Have you had a chance to check it out yet?

Nap Schedule
As you mentioned, at this age there unfortunately isn’t a consistent nap schedule yet. The length and quality of each nap can vary quite a bit, which means the amount of time your baby can stay awake before needing another nap will also change from nap to nap. At this stage, having 4 to 5 naps per day is completely normal and expected.

Nap Length
As you’ve noticed, your little one’s nap lengths can vary quite a bit – and the good news is, this is completely normal at this age. Naps anywhere from 20 minutes to a few hours are all considered typical right now.

You’ve also observed that if she wakes from a nap and you’re unable to settle her back to sleep right away, it becomes very difficult to get her to fall asleep again. This happens because her sleep pressure – which is the internal drive that helps her fall asleep – dissipates during sleep. Once she’s had a nap, even a short one, her sleep pressure is reduced, which means she simply might not be tired enough to drift back to sleep immediately.

Wake Windows
You mentioned that she’s becoming harder to settle for sleep and that her eyes are wide open. This could be happening for two main reasons:

1. Increased awareness – Around this age, babies start to become more alert and interested in their surroundings, making it harder for them to fall asleep when there’s so much to see and take in.

2. Needing more awake time – At 9 weeks, she’s having fairly long naps during the day. Because of this, she might be able to tolerate slightly longer wake windows before needing to sleep again.

When it’s time for her nap, instead of walking outside with her in the carrier, try walking into your bedroom, closing the blinds, and turning off the lights to make the room dark. Reducing visual stimulation like this will help minimize distractions and make it easier for her to fall asleep (if distractions are the main reason she’s struggling to settle).

• If she falls asleep quickly and easily in the darker room, then you’ll know that distractions were the issue.
• If it still takes her more than 20 minutes to fall asleep, even in a dark, calm environment, then it suggests she may need a longer wake window. In that case, keep a record of how long she’s staying awake and how long it’s taking her to fall asleep. This will help you figure out what her new optimal wake windows are.

Nap Routine in the Carrier
You mentioned that when she’s getting tired and ready for a nap, you place her in the carrier and walk around outside while patting her back until she falls asleep. I was wondering if you’d be open to making a few small tweaks to this routine?

• After placing her in the carrier and walking outside or into the dark bedroom, try singing a lullaby while gently patting her back. This will start to create a strong sleep cue.

• Once the lullaby finishes and she’s calm, begin shushing while continuing to pat her.

• Gradually slow down your walking or bouncing until you come to a complete stop, while still shushing and patting.

• Then stop patting and continue just shushing.

• Finally, stop shushing too, and simply hold her quietly until she falls asleep.

By gradually removing movement and noise, you’re helping her gently learn how to fall asleep with fewer sleep associations. This will make it much easier to transition her to settling independently in the SNOO later, using the settling pyramid approach when she’s ready.

Consider Trying the First Nap of the Day in the SNOO

I know for the past 10 days you’ve been doing all naps in the carrier, but I was wondering if you’d be open to just trying one nap a day in the SNOO? This would give her the opportunity to slowly practice falling asleep in a crib environment.

If you’re willing to give it a try, the first nap of the day is the best one to start with. Babies usually find it easier to fall asleep for this nap. As the day goes on, naps tend to become progressively harder, with the last nap typically being the most difficult.

If you’re happy to give it a go, here’s how you could approach it with just a few small tweaks to your previous nap routine:

• Swaddle her

• Turn on white noise

• Close the blinds and slightly close the bedroom door (just enough so you can still peek and see her eyes)

• Walk, bounce, or rock her gently while singing a lullaby

• Once the lullaby is finished and she’s calm, gradually slow down your rocking

• Gently lay her down in the SNOO and follow the settling pyramid:

  • If you need to “climb up” the pyramid (meaning she gets unsettled), and if you have the time and energy, calm her back down and try laying her down again, working through the pyramid steps.

  • If you climb up the pyramid and you’re too tired or short on time, it’s absolutely fine to pop her back into the carrier and settle her to sleep there.

A few things to keep in mind:

• If she does fall asleep in the SNOO, it’s completely normal if the nap only lasts about 30 minutes. Short naps at this age are very common.

• After a short nap like that, she may only be able to stay awake for around 45 minutes before needing another nap—and that’s okay!

• The main goal right now isn’t getting a long nap in the SNOO—it’s simply helping her practice falling asleep there.

Also, just a note about the longer naps she’s having in the carrier (usually 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 45 minutes). These longer naps are likely happening because when she stirs between sleep cycles, you’re there to gently bounce, pat, or shush her back to sleep. When she’s in the SNOO, those same immediate supports aren’t available, so her naps will naturally be shorter—and again, this is completely normal and nothing to worry about.

Bedtime

When it comes to bedtime, here are a few things you can try:

1. Shift her bedtime to 9:30 PM – You mentioned that her current bedtime is 8:45 PM, but she often doesn’t fall asleep until between 9:30 and 10 PM. Unfortunately, at this age, it’s quite common for bedtime to be on the later side. Given that she’s not actually falling asleep until 9:30/10 PM, it’s likely that her true bedtime right now is closer to that later time.

   You can absolutely continue aiming for an 8:45 PM bedtime if you’d like, but if you’re finding it frustrating to spend 45 minutes to over an hour trying to get her to sleep, you might find it helpful to shift her bedtime routine later. You could start the bedtime routine around 9:15 PM and have her in bed by 9:30 PM instead.

   Around 3–4 months of age, her natural bedtime will usually start to shift earlier on its own. By the time she’s about 4 months old, bedtime typically falls somewhere between 7–8 PM.

2. Follow a Consistent Bedtime Routine – Something else I would recommend is you start following a consistent bedtime routine. So it might look a little like this:

   • Bath time

   • PJs on

   • Feed

   • Swaddle or place her in her sleeping bag

   • Sing the same lullaby each night while rocking her in your arms

   Once the lullaby finishes, gradually stop rocking, walking, or bouncing her. Transition to just patting and shushing. After a few moments, stop patting but continue shushing. Then, stop shushing as well. Finally, gently lay her on the mattress and use the settling pyramid approach if needed—meaning you aim to settle her in her bed first, but if it becomes too overwhelming, you can climb back up the pyramid to holding and settling her in your arms.

3. You also mentioned that bedtime and overnight sleep have been becoming more challenging, with her now waking every 2 hours. If she’s consistently waking at regular 2-hour intervals, it’s a sign that her sleep cycles are maturing. She’s likely waking between sleep cycles and calling out to you to help recreate the same sleep conditions she had when she initially fell asleep (such as being held).

   To help her sleep for longer stretches, the goal is to gently guide her toward learning how to fall asleep independently. At this young age, you can do this very gradually, starting with bedtime (when her circadian rhythm—still maturing—and her natural sleep pressure are working together to make falling asleep easier) and her first nap of the day. Once she’s more comfortable falling asleep independently at bedtime and for the first nap, you can slowly start applying the same strategy to the second nap, third nap, and so on.

   In the meantime, feeding her when she wakes overnight is absolutely okay. Just be aware that those early morning wake-ups (around 5:00, 6:00, and 7:00 AM) will naturally be harder to settle, as her sleep pressure is low by then and she’s less sleepy.

Does this make sense and sound doable?

Emma

[Emma H]

Hi Stephanie,

First up—huge congrats on going pacifier-free and settling independently! 🎉 You’re doing an amazing job.

I’m so sorry you had to stop breastfeeding; I know that shift can feel really disappointing when it wasn’t your choice. It sounds like your little one is adapting well despite the change.

Having a longer WW just before bedtime, can lead to a longer stretch of sleep at the beginning of the night – simply because they build up more sleep pressure before bedtime so they sleep for longer.

To test this you could try making sure that his wake window before bed tomorrow night is 1 1/2 hours and see if the same thing happens.

The other thing that can impact the beginning of the night is the timing of your bedtime (if you are sharing a room). From memory, he is sleeping in another room. Is that correct?

In regards to increasing his daytime feeds, at this age, they become very aware and distracted by their environment, which can lead to them taking shorter feeds. Something you could try is feeding him in a quieter/ possibly darker room when he first wakes from his naps and see if this leads to him drinking more.

Let me know how you go.

Emma

• This reply was modified 4 months, 2 weeks ago by  Emma H.

[Emma H]

Hi Rita,

Wow—she’s really on the move now! That’s exciting, but I know it can make sleep trickier. The good news is you can absolutely start practicing nap routines right away—the more chances she gets, the faster she’ll learn.

You mentioned she’s stirring overnight and then staying awake for long stretches. To help improve this, could you share:

1. Her current nap routine—when each nap starts and how long it lasts.

2. Her current bedtime routine—step by step, from the moment you begin winding down to when she actually falls asleep.

3. Overnight details—what time she goes to bed, when she’s waking, how long she stays awake, and what you’re doing to help her settle back down.

Once I know these things I will be able to give you specific advice so that her sleep gets back on track.

Thanks
Emma

[Emma H]

Hi Robin,

Thank you so much for clarifying this.

Since Maxi is almost four months old and normally drifts off on your chest, those 30-minute wakings in his co-sleeper are likely him briefly waking between sleep cycles and looking for the familiar chest-sleeping feel. So the key to getting him to sleep for longer stretches in the co-sleeper (and more sleep for you all) is to give him lots of opportunity to learn how to fall asleep in the co-sleeper instead of your arms.

Would you be open to helping him learn to settle in his co-sleeper at bedtime? I know you’d planned to tackle naps first, but because his circadian rhythm and sleep pressure naturally align most strongly in the evening, you’ll probably see faster results at night.

If you’re happy to give this a try, could you…

Cap his final nap

To build enough sleep pressure for an 8:00 pm bedtime, he’ll need a wake window of about 1½–2 hours at this age. Could you track:

1. When each nap starts and ends

2. How long he stays awake between naps

Once we know his current schedule, I can pinpoint exactly when his last nap should finish—likely around 6:00–6:30 pm if bedtime is 8:00 pm.

Tweak his bedtime routine

Right now Maxi drifts off feeding or in your arms. Would you be happy to tweak this slightly so that we give Maxi an opportunity to learn how to fall asleep in the co-sleeper with you there but not necessarily holding him to sleep? So the new routine could look a little like this:

• When he wakes from his final nap, offer a feed.
• Enjoy some playtime.
• As he gets drowsy, dim the living-room lights and play your Disney lullaby.
• Change his diaper and put on PJs.
• Offer a final feed before bed—making sure he stays awake
• Walk into the bedroom, turn on the white-noise machine, and dress him in his sleep sack.
• Read one short book together.
• Sing the same lullaby while gently patting his bottom in the dark.
• If he’s calm: Lay him down awake in the co-sleeper and use the settling pyramid steps.
• If he’s still unsettled: Keep shushing/patting or rocking until he calms—then place him awake in the co-sleeper and finish with the settling pyramid OR if you feel that is too challenging right now let him fall asleep in your arms without movement or shushing.

By entering the bedroom awake and experiencing the white noise, sleep sack, book, and lullaby—all in the sleep space—he’ll start to learn those are the signals for “time to sleep.” And, this will make it easier for him to transition to using the settling pyramid when you are both ready.

Does this sound okay?

Emma

• This reply was modified 4 months, 2 weeks ago by  Emma H.
• This reply was modified 4 months, 2 weeks ago by  Emma H.

[Emma H]

Hi Robin,

I’m really glad the course has helped you feel more patient, and I completely understand wanting to avoid the “cry it out” approach.

To make sure I have a clear picture of Maxi’s sleep pattern, could you help me clarify what happens after you place him in the co‑sleeper at bedtime? When you say he wakes about 30 minutes later, do you mean:

1. He wakes every 30 minutes for the rest of the night?

2. He sleeps in the co‑sleeper from around 7:30–8:00 pm, and then you and your husband take turns holding him against your chests for the remainder of the night?

3. He wakes once at around 8:30 pm, you hold him until he falls back asleep, then lay him back down and he stays asleep for a few hours until his first overnight feed?

Also, could you let me know what time his last nap of the day usually ends?

Sorry for the extra questions.

Emma

[Emma H]

Hi Marien,

No need to apologise—this is a great discussion to revisit! You’re absolutely right to think ahead about the 4‑month sleep regression, so let me clarify exactly what’s happening and how you can set her up for success.

Why the 4‑month mark feels tricky
Between about 3–5 months of age, babies’ sleep patterns mature. Instead of cycling through just two sleep stages (Active and Deep Sleep), they move through four stages, and then briefly wake at the end of the cycle. If your little one only ever learns to fall asleep while being held, there’s a chance she’ll wake after each cycle and need you to recreate that same “holding” environment to drift off again.

However, once she learns to settle off to sleep in her crib, she’s much more likely to settle back on her own between those brief wake‑ups—provided she’s still tired and not hungry.

You’re not stuck in “holding” forever
It’s absolutely possible to transition from holding your little one to settling her to sleep in the crib. The suggestions we discussed in April were to help your little one with this transition. These suggestions were:

1. Adjusting your nap/bedtime routine slightly.

2. Trying the settling pyramid once she started staying awake after feeds during the day.

3. If the settling pyramid wasn’t possible, settling her to sleep in your arms without movement (so while you hold her still).

Have you had a chance to implement the nap/bedtime routine and the settling pyramid? The settling pyramid is a gentle, step‑by‑step way to help her learn to fall asleep in the crib with your support—building exactly the skill she’ll need to fall back to sleep again when she briefly wakes between sleep cycles.

Does that make sense?

Emma

[Emma H]

Hi Pav,

It’s so lovely to hear from you and get an update on how Rohan is going—I can’t believe he’s already nearly 10 months old!

In regards to your questions, your instinct to start balancing a combination of sleepy cues and age-appropriate wake windows to guide his nap timing is absolutely spot on.

In terms of naps:

• On a two-nap schedule, it’s very normal for naps to vary anywhere between 45 minutes and 2 hours.

• Often, we aim for the second nap to be the longer one, as this is usually the nap babies hold onto when they eventually transition to one nap.

• That said, it’s perfectly fine if both naps are around 1.5 hours, or if the first nap ends up being longer—it’s all about what works best for their natural rhythm.

When Rohan eventually transitions to a one-nap schedule—which typically happens around 15 months—you’ll either gradually push the morning nap later until it falls around midday, or you might drop the morning nap altogether and keep the longer afternoon nap.

For now, I’d continue doing exactly what you’re doing—adjusting slightly based on how long it’s taking him to fall asleep, and using his sleepy cues alongside the clock as a guide.

I hope that helps!

Emma

[Emma H]

Hi Robin,

Thank you so much for the update! It sounds like you’re doing an amazing job staying consistent and patient, even through such a tricky phase.

From what you’ve described, it sounds like teething could be starting—especially with the drooling, chewing for comfort, fussiness, and wanting extra cuddles. One thing to keep in mind, though, is that the painful part of teething usually only happens right when the tooth is about to break through the gum line, and that discomfort typically only lasts a few days at most. So, if the sleep disruption continues for more than a week, it’s likely that something else.

It’s fantastic that you’re keeping up with the daytime sleep routine! Even if things feel a bit bumpy right now, that consistency really helps your little one feel secure and will make it easier for him to settle back into better naps once this phase passes.

It’s wonderful that he’s started rolling! 🎉 Once your paediatrician gives the go-ahead, allowing him to sleep on his tummy if he rolls there himself (and ensuring a safe sleep environment—firm mattress, fitted sheet, no loose bedding or bumpers) could definitely help. Many babies sleep more deeply and for longer stretches once they can find their own comfortable position, especially if they’ve always enjoyed tummy time or lying on your chest.

In regards to bedtime, could you update me on how you’re currently helping him fall asleep—specifically, what your bedtime routine looks like? Also, I’d love to know what time he’s actually falling into a deep sleep at night (even if he’s lying on your chest)—meaning the time when you no longer need to shush, rock, or actively settle him.

I’m asking because I’m wondering if the reason he might be waking around 30 minutes after going down is that his true bedtime might actually be a little later than it seems right now.

Having a clearer picture will help me guide you with any gentle tweaks we might want to try!

Emma

• This reply was modified 4 months, 3 weeks ago by  Emma H.

[Emma H]

Hi Emily,

Thank you so much for your detailed update—you’re doing such a wonderful job navigating all these changes, even when things feel tough.

To start with your question about feeding—yes, it’s definitely possible for some babies to just be naturally slower feeders. As long as he’s gaining weight steadily, generally content when awake, and feeding isn’t painful for you (or noisy, like clicking sounds during feeds), then it may just be his normal pattern. However, if any of those issues are popping up, it might be helpful to have a paediatric speech pathologist who specialises in infant feeding take a look at his latch and sucking technique.

Honestly, with everything your little one has been through recently—reactions to vaccines, illness serious enough to need hospital care, learning to roll, and transitioning out of the swaddle—it’s no wonder his sleep has been unsettled. That’s a lot of big adjustments for such a little person, and it’s completely normal for him to need some extra support while he settles back into things.

It will be really interesting to see whether his sleep improves once he starts rolling fully onto his tummy during sleep, especially since you mentioned he loved that position as a newborn!

Given that the settling pyramid isn’t working as well at the moment and you’re needing to settle him to sleep in your arms and he is waking so frequently overnight and during naps, I was wondering if you would consider ditching the pacifier completely? Now that his arms are free, it’s very likely that the pacifier is either falling out during sleep or he’s knocking it out himself. Then, when he stirs between sleep cycles and it’s not there, it’s causing him to wake fully and call out for help. So I think removing the pacifier and helping him learn how to fall asleep without it (initially while in you’re arms), will help extend those naps and overnight sleep. If you’re open to removing it his new nap routine could look like this:

• Put him in his sleeping bag.

• Walk around the living room a few times to help him settle.

• Bring him into the bedroom, close the curtains, and turn on white noise.

• Hold and gently rock him while singing a lullaby.

• After the lullaby, slow the rocking and start patting and shushing.

• Then stop rocking completely and just pat and shush.

• Then stop patting and just shush.

• Finally, stop shushing and allow him to fall asleep without movement or noise.

This gradual approach helps him learn to fall asleep without needing external props like sucking, rocking, or shushing, and will eventually make the transition back to using the settling pyramid much smoother.

If you’re not quite ready to ditch the pacifier yet, that’s completely okay too. In that case, I would suggest following the same routine above, but just before he falls asleep, gently remove the pacifier by slipping your little finger into the corner of his mouth to break the seal.

You also mentioned that he often jolts awake when you lower him into the crib. A small adjustment that sometimes helps is this:

• Lower his legs onto the mattress first, then his bottom, and finally his head.

• Once he’s down, gently hold his arms close to his sides with your hands for a few seconds to help him feel secure, and then slowly lift your hands away once he seems settled.

This can reduce the startle reflex and make the crib transfer a little smoother.

In regards to wake up time and bedtime. Typically, with a wake-up time around 6–7am, bedtime tends to fall somewhere between 7–8pm. Now that you’re starting the day around 8am, a bedtime between 8–9pm makes sense for now.

If you’d like to shift his wake-up time even earlier to help encourage better night sleep, I’d recommend doing it gradually:

• Days 1–3: Wake at 7:45am

• Days 4–6: Wake at 7:30am

• Days 7–9: Wake at 7:15am

• Days 10–12: Wake at 7:00am

This gradual adjustment helps his circadian rhythm shift more naturally—kind of like easing into a new time zone.

Also, I was just wondering if his first nap is starting to happen more consistently around 9:30–10am?

Does this sound okay?

Emma

[Emma H]

Hi Em,

It’s so good to hear that he is fully recovered now. It must be such a relief to know that you’re past that.

You mentioned that people keep saying your little one is going through a sleep regression. What many people refer to as the “4-month sleep regression” is actually a developmental progression. Around this age, babies’ sleep cycles mature—they move from having just 2 stages of sleep to now cycling through 4, like adults do. As a result, they briefly wake between each cycle, and if they don’t yet know how to resettle themselves, they’ll fully wake and call out for help. So it’s more accurate to think of it as a sleep progression, not a regression.

Based on the wake-up patterns you mentioned a few weeks ago, I believe your baby’s sleep has already gone through this transition, which would explain the increase in night waking.

It’s so great to hear that your little one is now staying awake during daytime feeds! That’s a big step forward. Just to check—does that also mean he’s no longer taking 20–60 minutes to finish a feed?

Also, it’s wonderful to hear you’re consistently using the settling pyramid to support him at naps and bedtime. Just to clarify—when you say you’re using the pyramid, is he falling asleep in the crib, or are you moving him up the pyramid and then holding him to sleep?

The fact that he’s rolling now is also exciting progress! But unfortunately, it can impact sleep, especially in the early weeks. Often, what makes this stage tricky is that babies are adjusting to sleeping with arms free after being swaddled, and it can take a few weeks for them to adjust to this change.

One thing you can try is: if he rolls onto his tummy in the crib on his own, and the crib is safe (firm mattress, fitted sheet only, no pillows or loose items), you can actually settle him to sleep using the pyramid while he’s on his tummy. Many babies sleep better in this position once they’re developmentally ready to get there themselves.

Something else to consider is removing the pacifier completely. Now that he’s able to fall asleep using the settling pyramid while lying in his crib, but is still waking frequently overnight, it’s possible the pacifier is playing a role. If he’s relying on it to fall back to sleep, then when it falls out during those brief wake-ups between sleep cycles, he may be waking fully and needing your help to resettle. Would you be happy to remove the pacifier? If you don’t yet feel comfortable with this you could use it at the beginning of the nap or bedtime routine and then remove it before you lay him down in the crib to start the settling pyramid.

You mentioned that you often feed him at 6am and sometimes 8am, but start the day around 9am. At this age, babies are naturally early risers—typically waking between 6:00 and 7:00am—just based on how their circadian rhythm is developing. Starting the day as late as 9am might actually be impacting his overall sleep, especially at bedtime and during the night.

I know it’s really tough when you’re already running on very little sleep, but shifting his wake-up time closer to 6:30 or 7am could help rebalance his sleep pressure throughout the day and support longer stretches of sleep overnight. Do you think that’s something you’d be open to trying?

I was also just wondering how many naps your little one is typically having now? And how much total daytime sleep?

Regarding the waking 25 minutes after bedtime—does this happen to line up with when you’re entering the room or heading to bed yourself? Sometimes, if we go into the room while our baby is in a lighter stage of sleep, we can accidentally wake them without realizing it.

If you’re finding that he wakes shortly after you’ve gone to bed, I’d recommend trying to shift your bedtime slightly. One helpful trick is to check the baby monitor (if you have one) just before entering the room. If he’s completely still—not moving, squirming, or making any noises—he’s likely in deep sleep, and it’s a good time to quietly enter. But if he’s moving around or making little sounds, he’s probably in lighter sleep and more at risk of waking fully if disturbed.

Do these suggestions sound doable?

Emma

[Emma H]

Hi Marien,

Before I can give you the best possible advice, I just have a few quick questions to help me understand what’s going on a little more clearly:

1. Is your little one formula-fed, mixed-fed (both breast and formula), or is she drinking expressed breast milk from a bottle?

2. You previously mentioned she was sleeping well overnight, but it sounds like that may have changed recently. You said bedtime is around 8pm and she was sleeping 4–5 hours before waking for a feed—so around 12am/1am. Is that still happening?

3. How many feeds is she currently having overnight—between 8pm and 7am?

4. Do you happen to know the times she generally wakes during the night?

5. How is her weight tracking? Is she gaining weight steadily and following her growth curve?

6. During the day, would you say she’s generally content when awake, or is she quite fussy or unsettled?

7. Lastly, how have things been going with the changes to her nap and bedtime routine—especially with helping her fall asleep in the crib or without needing to be rocked or moved?

Sorry for the question again.

Emma

[Emma H]

Hi Marien,

At 9 weeks, it’s completely normal for babies to wake multiple times overnight for feeds. It sounds like she may have been going longer between feeds previously, but if she’s now waking and not settling back to sleep with just rocking or soothing, it’s likely she’s genuinely hungry—and in that case, I’d absolutely recommend offering a feed.

To help keep things as calm and sleep-friendly as possible, try to keep the lights off or use very dim lighting (a red light is ideal if you have one).

If she’s not doing bowel movements overnight, you can follow the wake, feed, sleep pattern. But if she is doing bowel movements, then go with the wake, feed, change, feed, sleep pattern—just like I cover in the overnight video in the course.

I hope this helps,

Emma

[Emma H]

Hi Aditi,

I’m so glad that made sense! And yes, it definitely sounds like your little one’s sleep is starting to mature, which is such a positive sign.

You’re doing a great job supporting her through this transition, and I’d actually recommend continuing with what you’re doing right now—with your main focus on gently working toward independent sleep at both bedtime and nap time, when possible. This is key, because around 5–6 months, most babies begin to naturally develop the ability to link sleep cycles during naps. If she already knows how to fall asleep on her own when that time comes, she’ll be much more likely to resettle herself between cycles and start taking longer naps independently.

As for extending naps with contact naps—that’s absolutely okay to do right now to help her get the rest she needs and avoid overtiredness. Just try to avoid letting those naps run too long, as that <em data-start=”1029″ data-end=”1034″>can begin to impact her night sleep. It would be helpful to know how long her naps currently are when she is napping on you and how long she’s staying awake between naps—feel free to share, and I can help you fine-tune things if needed!

In terms of her early morning wake-ups—shifting a baby’s wake-up time later is quite tricky and often doesn’t lead to consistent results, so I wouldn’t recommend trying to adjust it. That’s because after 10+ hours of night sleep, their sleep pressure is naturally low, and their circadian rhythm is signaling it’s time to wake up. On top of that, babies are naturally early risers, with a morning wake time between 6:00 and 7:00am being completely normal for this age.

And to answer your question about the night waking for a feed—it’s totally normal for things to be a bit inconsistent at this age, but there are things you can do to help encourage that longer first stretch after bedtime. The most effective one is continuing to focus on helping her fall asleep independently in the bassinet. Babies who fall asleep on their own are often better able to resettle themselves when they stir during the night, which can lead to longer stretches between feeds.

One other thing to consider is the timing of your own bedtime. If you’re going to bed shortly before she wakes, you may be unintentionally rousing her from sleep—especially if she’s in REM or a lighter stage of non-REM sleep. To avoid this, try entering the room when she’s in a deeper sleep stage. If you’re using a video monitor, have a quick look before going in: if she’s very still, she’s likely in deep sleep and it’s a good time to enter. If she’s moving around, grunting, or making little noises, she’s in a lighter sleep stage, and it’s best to wait a bit longer before going in.

I hope this helps!

Emma