My baby still wakes up several times a night. Is that normal?
Yes. Night waking is biologically normal for babies and very common well into the toddler years. Babies have shorter sleep cycles than adults and come close to waking between them. Many need help to settle again, for food, closeness or reassurance, and that is not a habit you have created by doing something wrong. Growth spurts, teething, illness, new skills like crawling or standing, and separation anxiety around the second half of the first year can all bring more waking for a while, even after a calmer phase. Sleeping through the night is a developmental milestone, not a sign of good parenting, and children reach it at very different ages. What helps: a short, predictable bedtime routine, a dark and calm room, daylight and activity during the day, and responding in a calm, low-key way at night. Follow safe sleep advice from your pediatrician or midwife, including putting your baby to sleep on their back. Take turns at night if you can, and protect sleep wherever possible for the adult who is most exhausted. Your baby's nights will change. Getting through them as a team matters more than any method.
When to get help
Contact your pediatrician if your baby snores loudly or seems to pause in breathing during sleep, wakes screaming in pain, has a fever, feeds poorly or has fewer wet diapers, or if sleep suddenly gets much worse without an obvious reason. Seek help for yourself too if exhaustion makes you feel hopeless or afraid of hurting your baby.
This answer is general information and does not replace medical or psychological advice. Updated:
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