If you’re in the newborn trenches, waking up all night long, you might be wondering—does total sleep matter more than getting long, uninterrupted stretches? And is it normal for babies to wake this much?
Spoiler: Yes, it’s normal. And yes, your baby is supposed to sleep this way.
Newborns Are Built to Wake Up (A Lot!)
Babies don’t sleep like adults, and that’s by design. Their sleep cycles are much shorter—only about 45-60 minutes compared to an adult’s 90-minute cycle. Plus, they spend way more time in active (REM) sleep, which is crucial for brain development and memory processing.
But beyond just being biologically normal, frequent waking in newborns is actually protective. One leading theory about Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) suggests that difficulty waking from deep sleep plays a significant role. Since infants’ arousal mechanisms are still developing, some may not wake up when necessary to regulate breathing or respond to external stimuli. Research has found that some SIDS victims have brainstem abnormalities affecting the neurotransmitters responsible for arousal, which may explain why certain infants are more vulnerable, even in a safe sleep environment. Because frequent night wakings help prevent infants from staying in deep sleep for too long, they are thought to offer a protective benefit by keeping babies in a lighter, more responsive sleep state (McKenna, 2020).
So if you’re wondering why your newborn just won’t stay asleep, the answer is simple: because they’re not supposed to.
Night Waking Isn’t Just a Newborn Thing
And here’s the part no one tells you—frequent night waking doesn’t magically stop after the newborn stage.
It’s actually developmentally normal well into toddlerhood. Babies wake for a million reasons—hunger, comfort, teething, developmental leaps, separation anxiety, the list goes on.
Sometime between 3-6 months, a lot of babies start sleeping one longer stretch at the beginning of the night (maybe 3-5 hours). But beyond that, there is no set number of wake-ups that is considered “normal” or “abnormal.” Some babies wake just a couple of times, while others continue waking more frequently, and both can be completely biologically appropriate.
Just to be clear—if your baby naturally sleeps through the night, that’s okay too! Some babies simply wake less often on their own, and that doesn’t mean something is wrong or that they’re missing out on the protective benefits of night waking.
The key takeaway here is that frequent night waking is normal and not a problem that needs to be “fixed.” If your baby sleeps longer stretches, great! If they wake often, that’s biologically normal too. Every baby is different, and the most important thing is making sure their sleep setup is safe and that they’re getting the comfort and nourishment they need.
It’s Not Just About How Often Baby Wakes—It’s About How They Wake
When looking at night waking, it’s not just about how often—it’s about the quality of sleep for both baby and parent.
For example, a breastfed baby who bedshares safely (a.k.a. breastsleeping, McKenna & Gettler, 2016) may wake hourly to nurse but easily drift back to sleep without fussing. This kind of waking is normal and often doesn’t feel as exhausting for parents because it’s a smooth, quick return to sleep.
On the other hand, a baby who is waking just as often but seems uncomfortable, fussy, or unable to settle back down might be struggling with something deeper. This is where frequent night waking can be a red flag (more on that below).
So rather than focusing on the number of wake-ups, consider:
- Is your baby easily going back to sleep, or do they seem restless, uncomfortable, or upset?
- Do wake-ups feel manageable, or is your baby waking struggling to resettle?
- Is your baby waking primarily for feeding and comfort, or does something else seem to be disrupting their sleep?
We Can Support Sleep—But Some Wake-Ups Are Just Out of Our Control
While we can’t force longer sleep stretches, we can make sure all the foundational sleep factors are in place to support the best sleep possible.
Things like:
✅ A calming bedtime routine
✅ A comfortable, safe sleep environment
✅ Responsive sleep strategies that help babies feel secure
If your baby is waking frequently and you want to make sure you’re doing everything you can to support their sleep while still being responsive, I have a free guide on 6 Respectful Sleep Strategies that walks you through simple ways to create a setup that works with your baby’s natural rhythms—without sleep training. Grab it here!
But What If Baby Is Waking Too Often?
While frequent waking is normal, constant waking can sometimes be a red flag.
Within a few months, most babies start giving at least one longer stretch (typically 3-5 hours). If your baby is waking hourly or more all night long and struggling to settle back to sleep, that could be a sign of:
- Discomfort (reflux, allergies, digestive issues)
- Feeding issues (low milk transfer, oral ties, poor latch)
- Sleep-disordered breathing (snoring, gasping, mouth breathing)
For example:
✔️ Normal: Baby wakes frequently to nurse but settles back down quickly and easily.
🚩 Red Flag: Baby wakes frequently and seems uncomfortable, arching, fussing, or struggling to get back to sleep.
If this sounds like your baby, check out my full guide on red flags in baby sleep for more info on when to dig deeper.
The Bottom Line
Newborns (and even toddlers) are supposed to wake at night. This isn’t a sleep problem—it’s just how baby sleep works.
Over time, wake-ups naturally decrease, but the range of what’s normal is wide. Instead of trying to eliminate wake-ups, focusing on how to make them easier can help you feel more rested.
Many parents find that safe bedsharing helps night wakings feel far less disruptive, as it allows for quicker, easier feeds and more synchronized sleep cycles. Read this blog post to learn how to safely bedshare with your baby. If bedsharing isn’t the right fit for your family, keeping baby’s sleep space as close as possible—like in a bedside bassinet—can also make a big difference in how manageable night waking feels.
And if your gut tells you something isn’t right—like your baby is waking constantly with no relief—trust yourself and check for red flags.
You’re not alone, and you’re not doing anything wrong. This is just how babies are meant to sleep. ❤️
References
- Ball, H. L. (2003). Breastfeeding, bed-sharing, and infant sleep. Birth, 30(3), 181-188.
- McKenna, J. J. (2020). Safe Infant Sleep: Expert Answers to Your Cosleeping Questions. Platypus Media.
- Lozoff, B., Wolf, A. W., & Davis, N. S. (1984). Cosleeping in urban families with young children in the United States. Pediatrics, 74(2), 171-182.
- McKenna, J. J., & Gettler, L. T. (2016). There is no such thing as infant sleep, there is no such thing as breastfeeding, there is only breastsleeping. Acta Paediatrica, 105(1), 17-21.
