[Emma H]

Hi Milene,

It’s so lovely to see you here after our earlier email chats.

First, I just want to say how much I admire the care and dedication you and your boyfriend are showing for your little one. You’ve been through such a challenging start, but it’s incredible how you’ve kept advocating for her and have found the support you needed – especially around her feeding aversion. You’re doing an amazing job.

About bedtime

You asked what time is typical for a 4-month-old’s bedtime. Most babies this age settle into a bedtime somewhere between 7–8 pm, but the timing can be influenced by the last nap of the day. If that nap ends too close to bedtime, it can mean she isn’t quite tired enough to stay asleep, which may be why she initially settles but then wakes 30–40 minutes later.

To help me work out why bedtime has been tricky and to suggest the most helpful strategies for you all, I’d love to clarify a few details. I’m so sorry for all the questions, but your answers will give me a clearer picture of what’s going on so we can find gentle ways to improve her sleep (and yours!).

1. You mentioned she has reflux – have you been able to see a doctor about whether medication could help manage her symptoms?

2. It’s fantastic that she’s now napping in your bed – what a huge achievement! Based on what you’ve shared, does her current schedule look something like this?

   • Wake-up: 7/7:30 am

   • Nap 1: 9–9:30 am

   • Wake: 9:30/10 am

   • Nap 2: 11:30 am–12 pm

   • Wake: 1:30/2:30 pm

   • Nap 3: 3:30–4 pm

   • Wake: 4:30 pm

   • Bedtime: 7:30–8:30 pm

3. You mentioned she often wakes 30–40 minutes after falling asleep at bedtime. On the nights this happens, do you know what time she finally settles into a deeper sleep and stays asleep?

4. Overnight, does she usually wake:

   • Between 10 pm–12 am for her first feed

   • Again at 2–3 am or at 5 am? If she wakes at 5 am, as you have noticed it can be really hard to resettle her – this is because her sleep pressure is low and her circadian rhythm is starting to signal “wake-up time.”

5. It sounds like you’re following a wake–play–feed–play–sleep routine during the day to encourage her to feed when she’s truly hungry (given the aversion protocol). Are you able to keep the feed separate from her nap routine?

6. Based on what you have written, I am assuming her bedtime routine looks like this:

   • Nappy change

   • Go to bedroom, close curtains

   • White noise on

   • Sleeping bag on

   • Sing lullaby while rocking

   • Place her in the carrier for bedtime
     Before she goes into the carrier, does she have a final feed? If so, where does this fit into the routine? And when do you usually give her the pacifier?

7. For her naps, does the routine look the same except you lay her down in your bed and use the settling pyramid?

8. For naps, is she sleeping directly on your bed?

9. You mentioned that she used to fall asleep after she was placed on the bed awake but she’s now finding it harder. Was this change in settling related to naps, bedtime, or both?

10. With the pacifier, do you feel it’s becoming a sleep association that leads to her waking when it falls out (at the start of naps, at bedtime, and between sleep cycles)? From what you’ve described, it sounds like this might be a big factor.

11. Could you describe her sleep environment? Is the room cool, very dark (so dark you couldn’t read a book) and quiet?

Sorry for all the questions!

Emma

• This reply was modified 1 year ago by  Emma H.

[Emma H]

Hi Melanie,

Firstly, congratulations on the arrival of your little one! I hope you’re getting to soak up lots of those precious newborn cuddles.

It’s fantastic that you’ve already been able to follow the wake–feed–play–sleep rhythm during the day and the wake–feed–sleep rhythm overnight. That’s such a great start.

Where your little one should sleep during the day

This really comes down to what feels right for you and what fits into your day. It’s so important for your own mental health to get out and about – so naps in the pram or carrier are perfectly fine. And if you love those newborn snuggles while she sleeps on you, that’s absolutely okay too.

I understand your concern about being in the same room while she naps. You’re right – the AAP and Red Nose Australia recommend babies nap in the same room as you. But they also emphasize that the most important factor is safe sleep: placing your baby on a firm, flat surface with no loose items. Many families only have one crib or bassinet located in the bedroom, and in these situations, letting their baby nap there is still considered a safe choice. It really comes down to what you feel most comfortable with.

The main reason I recommend having her nap in her sleep space is that it gives you the opportunity to practice helping her settle using the settling pyramid. It also allows her to start learning the nap and bedtime routine, which will become positive sleep associations and make it easier for her to fall asleep over time. That said, you can still complete a nap routine and complete a modified version of the settling pyramid—even if she’s napping in the pram, carrier, on you, or on a blanket on the floor.

Napping in a dark room

At this stage, you don’t need to worry about dark rooms confusing her circadian rhythm. Her body isn’t yet mature enough to establish a strong day-night pattern. What helps her circadian rhythm develop is exposure to natural light when she first wakes in the morning.

The main benefit of a darker room is that it minimizes distractions, making it easier for her to settle and stay asleep—especially as she becomes more alert and aware of her surroundings (which typically happens around 3 months).

Does this make sense?

Emma

[Emma H]

Hi Milène,

Thank you so much for taking the time to answer all of my questions – it really helps me get a clear picture of what’s happening for your little one.

It’s so encouraging to hear that the feeding aversion therapy is going well – that’s such an important piece of the puzzle.

Supporting Longer Naps

You asked if there’s anything you can do to help her nap for longer. Unfortunately at 4 months, it’s really common for babies to wake after just one sleep cycle. For some babies, you can help link those cycles by popping the pacifier back in and gently patting or rocking them – which you’re already doing beautifully during her second nap.

Between 5–6 months of age, babies typically begin to consolidate their naps and sleep for longer stretches – but only if they know how to fall asleep on their own. So teaching her to fall asleep independently is key to helping her start having longer naps without help.

Another thing to keep in mind: if she’s waking when the pacifier falls out, and you’re needing to replace it between sleep cycles, then the pacifier could actually be the reason she’s waking early. In this case, removing the pacifier at nap and bedtime would likely help lengthen her naps.

That said, I completely understand your concern about removing it while you’re also going through the aversion protocol. You don’t need to do both at once. For now, I’d suggest holding off on removing the pacifier and focusing instead on helping her get used to sleeping in the co-sleeper (or your bed) and aiming for a more consistent bedtime routine there, rather than in the carrier.

When you feel that’s going well, we can reassess and look at whether it’s time to phase the pacifier out.

One thing to note for later: if you do decide to drop the pacifier at sleep times, you can absolutely still use it during the day when she’s upset or fussy. You could also include it in the nap routine and simply remove it when putting on the sleeping bag (just before singing the lullaby).

Tips to Make Naps and Bedtime a Little Easier

1. Consistent Wake-Up Time

You’re already doing a great job here! If possible, aim to cap her morning wake-up at 7:00am at the latest. That way, her first nap will fall around 9:00am consistently, which helps anchor the whole day.

2. Why She Might Be Resisting Naps or Bedtime

You mentioned she’s really starting to protest naps and bedtime – there are two likely causes:

• She knows what’s coming: If she’s learned that certain parts of the routine lead to sleep (which she might not feel ready for), a simple tweak can help reduce those protests. For example: Put the sleeping bag on after the nappy change, while you’re still downstairs. Then walk her around the living area for a few minutes in your arms before heading upstairs to complete the rest of the routine. This small change can help break the direct link between routine steps and “I’m being put to bed now,” which may ease some of the resistance.
• Her wake windows might be too short: If this protesting is new, you could try gradually extending her wake windows. Start with 2 hours 15 minutes, and see how she goes. If she’s still protesting, try stretching it to 2.5 hours.
• Keep in mind:
• • The first wake window is usually shorter (closer to 2 hours).
  • After a short nap (e.g. 30–50 mins), she may need a shorter wake window.
  • After a longer nap (e.g. 2.5 hours), she might tolerate a longer wake window.
  • The last wake window of the day is often the longest – up to 3 hours is not uncommon.

3. Tweak the Nap Schedule

Right now, it sounds like she’s taking a short nap in the morning, a longer midday nap, and a short late afternoon nap – with a fairly long stretch before bed.

To reduce that long final wake window, consider ending the midday nap by 2:30pm. That would allow the final nap to start around 4:30pm, end around 5/5:15pm, and help bedtime land between 7:30–8:00pm.

Her day might then look something like this:

• Wake: 7:00am
• Nap 1: 9:00–9:30/10:00am
• Nap 2: 11:30/12:00–2:00/2:30pm
• Nap 3: 4:30–5:00/5:15pm
• Bedtime: 7:30–8:00pm

4. Refining the Bedtime Routine

For the next few nights, could you record the time she actually falls into a deep sleep (when her body is completely still)? That will help pinpoint her natural bedtime.

Once you know that time, you can start the bedtime routine earlier. Consider trying the same tweak as with naps – put the sleeping bag on downstairs, walk her around a little, then head into the bedroom to:

• Close the curtains
• Turn on white noise
• Sing a lullaby while rocking

From here, you have two options:

Option 1: Lay her down in the co-sleeper or bed and settle her using the settling pyramid.

Option 2 (if option one feels like too big a step): Settle her in your arms, slowing down the rocking (so that you are standing still when she falls asleep), then wait until she’s in a deep sleep before transferring her to the co-sleeper – holding her arms gently after the transfer until she’s settled. If this approach works – great! If not, you might want to switch to the settling pyramid approach.

5. Feeding Before Bed

Normally, I’d recommend feeding after the final nap and again before bed, but since you’re following a feeding aversion protocol, it’s absolutely best to stick to what’s been outlined by your feeding specialist.

If you’re comfortable sharing, I’d love to know more about the protocol you’re using – that way, I can make sure any future recommendations align fully with what your feeding therapist has suggested.

6. Overnight Wakes

It’s great to hear that shifting the feed to 10:00pm is working better for you – that’s absolutely worth continuing with if it feels more manageable.

Do these suggestions seem doable?

Emma

• This reply was modified 1 year ago by  Emma H.

[Emma H]

Hi Kate,

Option 2 sounds like a really sensible plan – and it’s great that you’re already seeing some small wins with it.

You mentioned she’s starting to resist the side-lying position. One thing that might help is using that same position outside of nap or sleep times – for example, when you’re carrying her from one room to another or just having a quiet cuddle. That way, she may begin to associate the position with general comfort and closeness, rather than only with sleep. This can often reduce resistance and help her feel more relaxed when you use it at sleep time.

It’s also fantastic to hear that holding her arms after transferring has been helpful.

What you said about rolling makes total sense. It’s really common for babies to become fascinated with tummy time once they can roll from back to tummy – they’ve suddenly discovered a whole new world, and it’s so exciting for them!

Definitely keep me posted and fingers crossed the hairdryer noise turns out to be a winner!

Emma

[Emma H]

Hi Thu,

It’s great that you have noticed some improvements in your little one’s sleep.

Would you say that most nights she’s now sleeping a 6–7 hour stretch at the start of the night, or is it more common for her to wake every 2–2.5 hours?

If it’s more the latter, we may need to consider helping her learn to fall asleep in the crib fully awake (rather than drowsy). Earlier, we decided rocking her until drowsy and then placing her in the crib was working well since she was having long naps and a solid first stretch of sleep. But if she’s now waking every 2–2.5 hours, it likely means she’s needing your help between sleep cycles to fall back asleep. Teaching her to settle from fully awake in her crib could be the key to reducing those frequent wakes and even eliminating the 5 am waking.

But if she is still having more nights with a 6 – 7 hour stretch, her early morning wake-ups might have a different cause. A few possibilities:

1. Environmental factors – Could something be waking her, like light creeping into the room or early morning noise (e.g., someone getting up)? Is her room completely dark – so dark you can’t read a book?

2. Sleep needs met – It’s also possible she’s reached her total sleep needs for the night. If so, we may need to review her nap lengths and bedtime to see if adjusting them helps her sleep later in the morning.

Do you have a sense of which one it might be?

About her 3-nap schedule

Since she’s nearly 6 months, you don’t have to stick rigidly to a 3-nap schedule. If she’s happily staying awake for 3 – 3.15 hours and isn’t tired at her usual nap times, it’s fine to follow her lead and push naps slightly later. This might help reduce total daytime sleep and lead to better stretches overnight.

The key is to keep:

• Her wake-up time consistent
• The timing of her first nap consistent
• And if you’re comfortable, gently wake her from any nap longer than 1.5 hours to make room for a second nap in the day.

Travelling to Vietnam

Cot: I’d recommend bringing a portacot for her to sleep in for naps and overnight. This will make it easier when you return to Brisbane, as she’ll already be used to sleeping independently in a cot instead of needing to transition back.

Late nights: It’s absolutely okay to have occasional late nights while travelling – family time is so important. You can still follow a modified bedtime routine even if it’s later and let her fall asleep in a bassinet-style pram (if you have one and there’s space) or in the carrier. She may take a little longer to settle or wake more frequently overnight, but that’s normal and temporary.

If you’re visiting a family member’s house you could also consider bringing the portacot to set up in a quiet room. Then you can do her full bedtime routine there, let her sleep, and then transfer her when you’re ready to leave.

Sleep during travel days: On travel days, I would recommend you try to follow her usual sleep schedule (following the new times if you have already started to shift her circadian rhythm). If she’s struggling to sleep, don’t stress, as it’s likely she might find it harder to fall asleep with all the extra noise and movement. What you might need to do is just offer a little extra support (like more rocking) to help her fall asleep.

Jet lag (Vietnam is 3 hours behind Brisbane): To help reduce jet lag and make the transition smoother for both you and your little one, you can start gently shifting her body clock before your trip. This will mean that when you arrive in Vietnam, instead of her usual wake-up time of 6:15 am Brisbane time translating to 3:15 am in Vietnam, she’ll already be adjusted to waking closer to 6:15 am local time.

Here’s how you can do it:

Gradually shift her schedule in the weeks leading up to your trip

• Start moving her wake-up, naps, feeds and bedtime 15 minutes later every 2–3 days.

• Over two weeks, this adds up to a 2-hour shift, so her Brisbane wake-up would be 8:15 am, and her bedtime 9:30 pm on the day that you leave for Vietnam.

Adjust the final hour in Vietnam

• Once you arrive, let her body naturally adjust the remaining hour with the new daylight and activity cues.

Alternatively, if you’d prefer her to be fully adjusted to Vietnam time before you leave, you could shift her full 3 hours later. This would take about 3 weeks, but keep in mind it means her wake-up would be 9:15 am Brisbane time and bedtime 10:30 pm in the final days before departure, which may feel a little challenging at home.

For a step-by-step guide, I break down how to shift their body clock by 1 hour in this video— you’d follow the same approach, starting earlier to accommodate the bigger adjustment: https://youtu.be/-x1zKGYLcF8?si=sDQTCwOB2N-F9Sli

Does that sound okay?

Emma

[Emma H]

Hi Kate,

Thank you so much for the update on her sleep patterns – it sounds like you’ve made some really positive progress!

It’s great to see that her bedtime has shifted earlier and become much more consistent. It’s also encouraging that she’s getting a good long stretch at the start of the night – that’s exactly what we want to see. Over time, that stretch should continue to lengthen, and the overnight feeds will naturally start to drop off.

When it comes to helping her fall asleep in the crib without the bottle, there are a few approaches you can try depending on what feels manageable for you right now.

Option 1: Settling directly in the crib

The first option is to follow the wake, feed, play, sleep routine. When it’s nap time, go through your usual nap routine, but I’m wondering if your little one might tolerate being held in a side-lying position (as I demonstrate in the Period of PURPLE Crying video with Dr. Karp’s 5 S’s), rather than in the tiger-in-the-tree hold. This position still allows her to look out but makes it easier to reposition your hands prior to laying her down in the crib, which would reduce the likelihood that she will wake up when you transfer her if she does fall asleep in your arms.

Here’s how it might look:

1. Carry her around the apartment in the side-lying position.

2. Walk into the bedroom and close the blinds.

3. Walk slowly around the bedroom while singing a lullaby, still holding her side-lying.

4. Once she’s calm, lay her down awake in the crib and begin patting and shushing straight away, moving up and down the settling pyramid as needed.

She may initially protest, but as you’ve noticed, transferring her after she’s fallen asleep in your arms is tricky – she often wakes up, and because she’s already had a light nap, her sleep pressure is lower, making it harder for her to settle again. Helping her fall asleep directly in the crib gives her the best chance to stay asleep for longer.

Option 2: Settling in your arms first, then transferring

If Option 1 feels like too big a step right now, you can settle her to sleep in your arms but adjust how you transfer her into the crib:

1. Carry her around the apartment in the side-lying position.

2. Walk into the bedroom, close the blinds, and sing a lullaby while walking slowly.

3. Once the lullaby finishes, stand still while gently swaying her in the side-lying position.

4. Gradually slow the swaying until she falls asleep while being held still.

5. Once she’s asleep, reposition her so she’s lying on her back in your arms. Wait until her breathing is slow and her body completely still – this is a sign she’s in deep sleep.

6. Transfer her to the crib by lowering her so her legs, then bottom, then back, and finally her head touch the mattress.

7. If needed, place your hands gently on her arms to keep them still and calm, then slowly remove your hands once she settles.

If she wakes during the transfer and doesn’t resettle with patting or shushing, you can pick her up and try again. If after about 20 minutes she still hasn’t settled, use the bottle as a last resort.

Other things to keep in mind

• Start small: While it’s ideal to give her as many opportunities as possible to practice falling asleep without the bottle, you could begin by focusing on the first nap of the day and bedtime. Babies often find these easier times to settle, while later naps can be trickier. For those, it’s okay to follow your usual routine for now.
• Rolling: You mentioned she’s rolling – does she roll fully onto her tummy? If so, would you consider letting her settle in the crib on her tummy if that’s her preferred position? Many babies start sleeping better once they’re comfortable sleeping this way.
• Wake windows: As she approaches 4 months, most babies can stay awake for 2–2.5 hours, and sometimes slightly longer before bedtime. If she’s fighting naps, gently stretching her wake windows may help.
• White noise: If you haven’t noticed much difference, it’s fine to stop using it. Some babies aren’t soothed by it. But if you are keen to try different types (or mask that creaky bed) then just make sure that you are using white noise which has a consistent sound. (like rain, radio static or heartbeat sounds) and avoid tracks with variable noises (like thunder or birds), as these can disturb her sleep.
• Pacifiers: Since she hasn’t taken to them and they can create another sleep association, I’d suggest not worrying about them. Many babies do fine without them.

Does this sound okay?

Emma

• This reply was modified 1 year ago by  Emma H.
• This reply was modified 1 year ago by  Emma H.

[Emma H]

Hi Kate,

I just wanted to let you know I have seen your reply, and I will have a reply for you in the next 10 hours. My daughter is sick at the moment and not letting me type 🤦‍♀️. But, I will have some kids free time tomorrow morning, so will be able to give you a plan then.
Sorry.
Emma

[Emma H]

No worries!

[Emma H]

Hi Julia,

One thing I’d recommend trying first is using a diaper one size up for overnight. The larger size can hold more wee, which may help prevent her from soaking through.

If she still leaks through after trying this, the next step would be to change her diaper during her 2 am feed. You can follow a wake, feed, diaper, feed, sleep routine at this time. Changing her at 2 am is less likely to fully wake her, whereas changing her at the 5/6 am wake-up might make it harder for her to settle back to sleep.

Does that sound okay?

Emma

[Emma H]

Hey Kate,
Can you update me on what her nap and bedtime schedule looks like now – so the time that she wakes in the morning, the timing of all her naps, when she wakes from these naps and when bedtime is. I just want to check her wake windows and sleep overall, as these strategies should be working and sleep needs change so quickly with bubs.

Emma

[Emma H]

Hi Seyy,

Hopefully, the transition out of the swaddle is going a little smoother the second time around.

When it comes to improving bedtime and overnight sleep, I have a few suggestions for you. It might be best to wait and try these once she’s fully transitioned out of the swaddle, as this will set her up for more success.

Final Wake Window

To help her fall asleep and stay asleep at bedtime, it’s important that her final wake window is long enough for her to build up sufficient sleep pressure. If this window is too short, she may either fight bedtime or fall asleep only to wake again soon after because she wasn’t tired enough to stay asleep.

At 4 months, most babies can tolerate 2–2.5 hours of awake time, and sometimes even up to 3 hours before bedtime. So if her bedtime is 9 pm, aim for her last nap to finish by 6–6:30 pm to give her enough awake time before bed.

Track Her Bedtime Sleep Patterns

If she continues to wake multiple times after falling asleep at 9 pm – even when her last wake window is long enough – it might help to track what time she finally settles into a deep, longer stretch of sleep.

If you notice this consistently happens around 10:30 or 11 pm, it could suggest her natural bedtime is later than 9 pm right now. In that case, we may need to shift her wake-up time earlier to help bring her bedtime forward.

Tweak Her Bedtime Routine

To give you the chance to use the settling pyramid and help her learn to fall asleep in her crib independently (which will naturally reduce overnight waking), I recommend moving her feed slightly earlier in her bedtime routine. Here’s an example of how her routine could look:

1. Bath or massage

2. Diaper change and pajamas

3. Feed – stop the feed when her sucking slows, and she stops swallowing every few sucks (this often means she’s starting to drift off). If you think she hasn’t had enough, try gently waking her (changing her diaper again or shifting position can help) and offering the rest of the feed. The goal is to avoid her falling asleep at the breast/bottle, as this reduces sleep pressure and can make it harder for her to settle later.

   • Quick question: Do you still need to hold her upright after feeds, or has her reflux improved with the medication so you can skip this step?

4. Go into the bedroom and darken the room

5. Put on her sleeping bag

6. Sing a lullaby while gently rocking her in your arms

Once the lullaby ends:

• Lay her down in the crib awake and use the settling pyramid to help her drift off.

• If the pyramid feels too challenging right now, you can continue rocking her but start to slow the motion gradually. Then:

  • Transition to holding her still while patting and shushing

  • Gradually stop patting, then stop shushing

  • Allow her to fall asleep still and quiet in your arms before attempting to transfer

But given that she tends to wake when being transferred or laid down, trying the settling pyramid first may give her the best chance to learn how to settle in the crib.

Does this feel like a manageable next step for when she’s fully out of the swaddle?

Emma

• This reply was modified 1 year ago by  Emma H.

[Emma H]

Hi Kate,

I’m so glad to hear the heatwave has passed!

It’s also fantastic that her wake-up time is stabilizing around 7:30. That consistency will really help regulate her body clock, which is a solid foundation for improving her sleep overall.

Now, about the bottle – it’s completely understandable that she’s been seeking extra comfort after the stress of her vaccinations. But the fact that you’re already managing to get her to sleep without the bottle 1–2 times a day is such a positive sign – it shows she can fall asleep without it, even if it’s not consistent yet.

As for the settling pyramid, there isn’t a strict time limit for how long to try before switching strategies, but there are practical considerations. If she’s been awake beyond her maximum wake window and is very unsettled, it’s often better to prioritise getting her to sleep. At the same time, we want to avoid the bottle becoming her primary way of settling, as this can reinforce the habit.

To help her move away from relying on the bottle to fall asleep, I’d suggest giving her a few more days (to ensure she’s fully comfortable and not sore from the vaccinations), then starting to follow the wake–feed–play–sleep routine. When it’s time to settle her, you could try getting her to sleep in your arms without the bottle first. Once she’s more comfortable falling asleep this way, we can then focus on helping her learn to fall asleep without movement using the settling pyramid.

Does that sound like a good next step? If so, I can put together a more detailed plan for you to follow.

Emma

[Emma H]

Hi Julia,

Waking hourly must be absolutely exhausting – you must be so tired right now.

Since this is a new pattern, I think it might just be a coincidence for now. How did last night go?

You mentioned that you’re not feeding her between 7/8 pm and 12 am. From what you shared, it sounds like she may have gone to bed around 8 pm and then slept through until about 11–11:30 pm – is that right? If so, that’s a big improvement from before when she was waking at both 9 and 10 pm.

If she’s now sleeping until 11–11:30 pm, then waking again an hour later, but settling into a longer stretch after her 12/12:30 am feed, you might consider offering her a feed at that 11–11:30 pm waking for now. This could help her settle back to sleep more easily and potentially support a longer stretch again after that feed.

Emma

[Emma H]

Hi Jacelyn,

It sounds like you’re making some progress, which is good to see.

Let’s go through your questions one by one:

Shorter Nap Times:

It’s possible that slightly shorter naps during the day could help consolidate his nighttime sleep by increasing sleep pressure. However, another factor to consider is that on the day his first two naps were shorter, his third nap likely started and finished earlier. This may have created a longer wake window before bedtime, which could have contributed to the longer stretch of sleep at the start of the night. Do you recall what time he woke from that final nap on that day?

Something you could try is capping Naps 1 and 2 at around 45 minutes and allowing a longer third nap for a few days to see if this improves his overnight sleep. If it does – fantastic!

If you go ahead with this, keep an eye on the timing of his last nap, especially when he wakes from it. If the nap ends too close to bedtime, it could make it harder for him to settle at night.

Changing Cots at Night:

The increase in night wakings after moving to Level 3 could be related to the change in environment. Even small differences in surroundings can be enough to disrupt sleep for babies, who are highly sensitive to their sleep environment.

Another factor could be the natural shift in sleep patterns during the early morning hours. The first part of the night is dominated by deep sleep, making longer stretches more likely. In the early morning, lighter stages of sleep (REM and stage 2 NREM) dominate, making babies more prone to waking from noises (like snoring), rolling, pacifiers falling out, or simply noticing they’re in a different space from where they fell asleep.

From what you mentioned, it sounds like he wakes around 12 am, then sleeps until 3 am, and after that begins waking hourly. Is that right? Have you noticed that he wakes up less when he is sleeping in the cot on level 2?

To encourage him to sleep for longer stretches in the early hours of the morning there are a few things you can try:

• Sleep in the cot on level 2 overnight: If you or your partner snores, and your helper doesn’t, then it might be worth seeing if letting your little one sleep in cot 2 overnight reduces the overnight wakes (only if you’re happy to do this).
• Letting him sleep on his tummy: You mentioned that your little one often wakes when he rolls from his side onto his tummy, especially in the early morning hours. I’m wondering – has he learned to roll both ways (onto his tummy and back again)? If he has, would you consider settling him to sleep on his tummy if that’s the position he prefers? Once babies can roll independently, the recommendations shift slightly: you still place them in the crib on their back, but it’s safe to let them roll into the position they find most comfortable – even if that’s their tummy. Many babies at this stage start preferring tummy sleeping, and it often helps them settle more easily and sleep for longer stretches. If you decide to try this, just make sure the crib is clear of any loose items and the mattress is flat and covered only with a fitted sheet. When he wakes in the early morning because he’s rolled onto his tummy, you can help him resettle in that position. Use the settling pyramid, but instead of patting his chest, gently pat his bottom to soothe him. Once he becomes comfortable sleeping on his tummy, he’s more likely to stay asleep when he rolls over during the night.
• Offering a 3 am feed: Since his last feed is at 12 am and he isn’t waking again until 3 am, then starts waking hourly until morning, it’s possible he’s waking at 3 am because he’s hungry. Would you be open to offering him a feed at 3 am to see if this helps reduce those hourly wakes? I know you’re working towards reducing his overnight feeds, and that’s definitely achievable. What often happens is the first feed naturally shifts later, which then pushes back the timing of the second feed, and over time, the overnight feeds gradually drop off. If feeding him at 3 am doesn’t reduce the hourly wakes, it may suggest he’s waking due to a sleep association. In that case, helping him learn to fall asleep in the crib without the pacifier (if he’s still using it) could make a big difference.

Does this sound okay?

Emma

• This reply was modified 1 year ago by  Emma H.

[Emma H]

Hi Julia,

If you’re happy to, I recommend you continue using the paci to help her fall back to sleep when she wakes before 12am, for the next week. The other thing you can do is see if feeding her when she wakes between 2 – 3 am reduces the later, earlier morning wakes.

Does this sound okay?

Emma