How to Handle Night wakings After Sleep Training
Once you’ve gotten your baby sleep trained and falling asleep independently, you may be appalled to realize the night wakings don’t always go away completely once sleep training is working for bedtime! Wondering how to handle night wakings after sleep training your baby (or what about how to handle night wakings DURING sleep training)? Keep reading for the common culprits!
How to Handle Night Wakings After Sleep Training
If you used a very hands on/responsive sleep training method initially, it may be time to back off a little and give your baby some space to see what they're capable of! You may be surprised to learn that they can work through these night wakings on their own now that they have the skill of independent sleep. Even pausing just for 5-10 minutes before responding can help night wakings resolve more quickly. If they can fall asleep independently at bedtime I would hold that expectation for most, if not all, of the night wakings as well. Read more about the pause and why you should use it in this blog
For babies who are still feeding overnight, see that the feedings are happening after midnight to encourage your baby to take that first long stretch of sleep at the beginning of the night. If your baby is over the age of 6-9 months, you can talk to your pediatrician about completely night weaning them if that is your desire.
More on sleep training:
How to choose a sleep training method
Double Check Your Timing/Schedule
Expecting too much sleep in a 24 hour period from your baby is a common cause for difficulties staying asleep overnight. Make sure your baby is getting roughly ~3 hours of sleep in naps. If they are having night wakings + sleeping more than 3 ish hours during the day, cut back on 1-2 of the nap lengths to prioritize nighttime sleep and to resolve the night wakings. (This advice is generally for babies over 5 months of age, but every baby is different.) For some babies if the wake window before bedtime is too long they can easily become overtired and wake more overnight or have early morning wakings. Try pulling bedtime earlier by 15 minutes to see if it helps the night wakings. Alternatively, if your baby is on the low end for their wake window, try adding 15 minutes before bed and giving it a few days to settle. Wake time charts are helpful for troubleshooting and to see where your baby is compared to the average for their age.
More on timing:
How to fix baby’s sleep schedule
Check in With Baby’s Sleep Environment
Optimal sleep environment: Cool (68-72 F, 20-22.2 C), dark as a cave, and white noise ~65 dB (measuring from their sleep space)
We harp on the baby's sleep environment so much because it’s one of the easiest things you can do to troubleshoot pesky sleep problems. If the environment is the culprit, you’ll generally see the wakings resolve almost immediately once their environment is fixed.
More on sleep environment:
Medical Reasons for Persistent Night Wakings
Low iron levels and sleep apnea can be disruptive to sleep. You can have their iron levels checked by their pediatrician, or consider getting them evaluated for sleep apnea. Insufficient iron levels can make it more difficult for infants and toddlers to initiate and sustain sleep, and also lead to other symptoms that make it difficult to sleep such as restless leg syndrome.
Another blog about sleep apnea in infants:
Studies on the effects of iron deficiency on sleep quality/quantity
Sleep alterations and iron deficiency anemia in infancy
If things aren’t coming together and you’ve tried all of these things, you can always reach out to us for some extra support to get these puzzle pieces in place!
