“It’s 2:47 a.m.”
You’re lying in bed.
The night is quiet – except for that one sound.
Your baby’s crying.
You’ve only just fallen asleep. Your body is screaming for rest, your eyes are burning.
And in your head, the same question over and over:
“Why does my baby keep waking up? Am I doing something wrong?”
No.
You’re not doing anything wrong.
It’s important that you hear that first.
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The first secret: Baby sleep works differently
We adults sleep in long cycles – 90 minutes, sometimes more.
We sink deeply, surface, and drift back to sleep.
Babies? They sleep in mini-cycles. 40 to 60 minutes.
Between cycles, they wake briefly – and need reassurance to find their way back.
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The second secret: The thing about sleep associations
Babies connect sleep with conditions.
Maybe breastfeeding. Maybe rocking. Maybe your voice.
Imagine falling asleep on a pillow – and waking up on the kitchen floor.
You wouldn’t want to go back to sleep either.
For your baby, it feels exactly like that when the conditions they fell asleep with are no longer there.
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The third secret: Development never sleeps
Babies learn every day.
They learn to roll, to grasp, to crawl.
And sometimes they want to practice those new skills at night too.
Their brain is working at full speed – sleep gets briefly interrupted.
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What you can do tonight – before the sun rises
1. Create rituals that matter
Not complicated, but reliable: bath, pajamas, gentle story, dim the lights.
Every evening the same. Babies love predictability.
2. Gradually unhook associations
If your baby only falls asleep at the breast or in a carrier, start today by laying them down drowsy but awake.
Small steps, big impact.
3. Optimize the sleep environment
Darkness, soft background noise, comfortable temperature.
All signals: “It’s safe, you can sleep.”
4. Take naps seriously
Overtiredness leads to more night waking.
A baby who naps too little during the day often sleeps worse at night.
5. Give closeness – but consciously
Soothe with your voice, with gentle touch.
That provides reassurance – and that’s exactly what your baby needs at night.
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Mini-FAQ – the most common parent questions
1. How long does it take for baby sleep to improve?
That depends a lot on age, temperament, and habits. Many parents notice first improvements after just a few days of small adjustments, but stable changes can take several weeks.
2. Should I let my baby cry at night?
No. Cry-it-out methods go against attachment-based approaches and can affect basic trust. There are gentle methods that work without your baby feeling left alone.
3. When do babies sleep through the night?
“Sleeping through” for babies often means just 5–6 hours in a row. Many reach this between 6 and 12 months, some earlier, some later. It’s completely normal for babies to wake at night well into toddlerhood.
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My appeal to you
You don’t have to just endure these nights.
You can start today to change your baby’s sleep – and your own.
Gently. Attachment-based. Without tears. Contact me. We’ll find the right way for you!
