Why Is My Baby Waking Every Hour?
It’s 1am. You’ve just fed, rocked, or shushed your baby back to sleep. You crawl into bed, close your eyes… and then the cry comes again.
You check the clock. It’s 2:06am. And so the cycle continues, every hour, on the hour. Sound familiar?
If you’re here because your baby is waking every hour at night, you’re not alone.
This isn’t about being a “bad sleeper” or you being a “bad mum.” What’s really happening is a mix of biology, habit, and environment. It matters, not just for your baby, but for your sanity, survival, and sense of self!
Why babies wake every hour at night
There’s no single answer, but these are the most common reasons I see when supporting families with hourly night wakings in babies:
1. Sleep associations
Babies connect how they fall asleep with how they expect to stay asleep. If your baby always feeds, rocks, or lies in your arms to drift off, they may need the same help each time they stir between sleep cycles (every 45–60 minutes).
2. Developmental leaps
Rolling, crawling, standing. These are all exciting milestones fire up the brain and body, making sleep more disrupted.
3. Overtiredness or undertiredness
Missing the “sweet spot” for naps and bedtime often leads to fragmented nights. Babies who are too tired or not tired enough are more likely to wake hourly.
4. Hunger
For younger babies, genuine hunger is a big factor! But for older ones, frequent waking often signals comfort-seeking rather than true hunger.
5. Environment
Small things can make a big difference like too much light, noise, or the wrong room temperature all can keep a baby from staying asleep.
The impact on you as a mum
Hourly waking doesn’t just leave you exhausted. It chips away at your patience, your focus at work, your relationship with your partner, and your joy as a mum.
You’re used to being strategic, competent, and in control but at 3am, rocking a wide-awake baby for the fifth time, control feels like a distant memory.
The tug-of-war going on in your head: you want to parent responsively, with love and patience. But exhaustion makes you short-tempered, wired, and teary.
You feel torn between being the gentle mum you want to be and the burnt-out woman you’re becoming. You don’t need to choose between being responsive or being rested. There is a middle ground.
How to stop your baby waking every hour
You don’t have to overhaul everything overnight. Gentle, strategic shifts can make a big difference. These aren’t about strict routines or leaving your baby to cry they are gentle sleep solutions designed to support both of you.
Optimise the sleep environment.
Blackout blinds, white noise, and a comfortable temperature reduce unnecessary wakes.
Tweak sleep associations.
Start layering in consistent cues (like a routine, comforter, or gentle settling techniques). The aim isn’t to remove comfort — but to give your baby other ways to settle.
Review wake windows.
Babies’ sleep needs shift rapidly, especially in the first 12 months. Sometimes hourly wakes signal that nap timings or bedtime need adjusting. Balance comfort with boundaries. It’s okay to respond to your baby and to create limits around how you comfort. Both can exist together.
A real-life story
One mum I worked with, let’s call her Sarah, had a little boy who woke every 60–90 minutes. She told me she felt like two people: calm and competent at work, frazzled and guilty at home.
We adjusted nap timings, simplified his bedtime routine, and layered in a new sleep cue. Within a week, his stretches doubled. Within three, Sarah had her evenings back and the headspace to sit with her husband again.
She didn’t stop responding to her son. She didn’t leave him to cry alone. She simply gave him the tools to connect the dots between sleep cycles and gave herself permission to rest.
Final thoughts
If your baby is waking every hour and you’re stuck in survival mode, please know: it doesn’t have to stay this way.
Sleep isn’t a luxury; it’s a lifeline. You don’t have to choose between being responsive and being rested. You can have both.
That’s exactly why I created my 1:1 support package. As The Wee Sleep Coach, I help mums like you find clarity, calm, and a plan that works with your values not against them because when your baby sleeps better, you do too. And when you’re rested, you get to be the mum, partner, and woman you actually like being.
Next steps
Ready to stop Googling “how to stop baby waking hourly” at 3am? Book your free 15 min sleep chat to tell me what’s going on and I can tell you how I can help you.
FAQs about hourly night wakings in babies
Is it normal for my baby to wake every hour at night?
Yes — frequent night waking is common, especially in the first year. But if your baby is waking hourly for weeks on end, it usually signals a mix of sleep associations, routine timing, or developmental changes that can be gently supported.
When do babies stop waking every hour?
Every baby is different, but by around 4–6 months, many can manage longer stretches of sleep. If hourly night wakings continue beyond this stage, it often helps to look at routines, settling strategies, and sleep environment.
How can I stop my baby waking every hour without sleep training?
You don’t have to choose between being responsive and being rested. Small changes — like adjusting wake windows, creating a consistent bedtime routine, and layering in gentle sleep solutions — can reduce wakes without leaving your baby to cry alone.
Should I feed my baby every time they wake at night?
In the early months, yes — hunger is a genuine need. But as your baby grows, not every wake is about hunger. Sometimes it’s comfort or habit. You can respond with love and introduce new ways for your baby to settle.
