Why isn’t my baby sleeping throughout the night?

You are tired, exhausted and at your wits end!  You have no idea what is causing your baby to wake in the middle of the night and you have tried absolutely everything!

There are a number of reasons as to why your baby may not be sleeping throughout the night.
Let us help you narrow down some of the most common reasons.

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6 most common reasons for your baby not sleeping throughout the night

1. Your baby is dependent on a “sleep prop”

A “sleep prop” is anything that a baby is dependent on to fall asleep.  An example of a sleep prop is a pacifier, nursing, bottle feeding, rocking or swinging.

2. Your baby is sleeping too much during the day

You may be thinking, “How is too much sleep a bad thing?”  However, excessive sleep during the day can take away from your baby’s night sleep.

3. Your baby is not sleeping enough during the day

It is imperative that babies sleep during the day.  When babies miss their nap or do not receive an adequate amount of sleep during the day, they become fussy and overtired.  This causes a vicious cycle of bad sleep during the day, as well as, at night.

4. Your baby is going to bed too early or too late at bedtime

It may be challenging to schedule an appropriate bedtime for your baby with all the responsibilities we have going on in our life – work, after-school activities, dinner preparation, etc.  However, a bedtime that is too early or too late can affect your baby’s sleep and cause sleep regression, middle of the night and/or early morning waking’s.

5. You are feeding your baby prior to putting them to sleep

Implementing a bedtime routine is essential; however, a feeding should not be the last activity you do before putting your baby to sleep. The reason is simple – your baby will start to associate a feed to sleep. You are indirectly creating a habit that may cause your baby to wake up in the middle of the night and anticipate a feeding to help comfort them back to sleep. Rather than feeding your baby prior to putting them to sleep, we recommend a quiet activity such as reading a book.

6. Your baby is exposed to light

The slightest bit of light in your baby’s room can suppress melatonin, a sleep hormone that helps your baby sleep and stay asleep. We highly recommend blackout curtains and removing any night-lights and lamps in the room if feasible.

If you implement any of the tips mentioned above, you are setting your baby up for good sleep habits in the future.

If you have any questions about the information above, feel free to contact us at for a free consultation.

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