5 Month Old Waking Every Hour? Here’s Why and What You Can Do About It
My baby was waking every hour as a 5 month old too, so I know how painful it is. That’s what motivated me to become a certified Infant Sleep Specialist. I’ve been where you are, and I can help you get through this.
Why Your 5 Month Old is Waking Every Hour
At about 4 months old, babies form mature sleep cycles with more sleep stages like adults. Between sleep cycles, we wake partially to do a quick check of our surroundings and adjust our body. Most adults don’t remember waking because we go back down to deeper sleep states without much fuss.
Approximate example of sleep cycles through the night.
It’s natural for your baby to wake at night. The problem is when they can’t get back to sleep. If your 5 month old baby is waking every hour, something is preventing them from getting back to sleep with ease.
Don’t let anyone gaslight you into thinking this is normal. Having to wake fully for help between every sleep cycle is as exhausting for your baby as it is for you.
What to Do If Your Baby is Waking Every Hour
Reduce Reliance on Sleep Associations
The most common reason babies wake every hour is sleep associations. If you bounce, rock, nurse, feed, or reinsert a pacifier over and over to get your baby to sleep, they’ll likely need help between sleep cycles too. Or they may start waking out of habit because they always get something (milk, rocking, cuddles, etc.) when they wake.
Benefits of independent sleep skills for your baby are:
Knowing how to find a comfortable sleeping position on their own.
Feeling safe waking between sleep cycles in the same place they fell asleep.
Being confident to readjust and get back to sleep without specific props.
Longer stretches of uninterrupted sleep without needing wake fully for help.
Having a well-rested parent.
The best way to reduce your baby’s reliance on sleep associations is to teach your baby independent sleep skills. 5 months old is a good age for sleep training, and there are gentle sleep training methods for reducing your baby’s dependence on you for sleep. Not sure where to start? I can help! Check out my custom sleep packages.
Follow Age-Appropriate Wake Windows
A 5 month old should have 2 to 2.5 hour wake windows. Some babies do well with flexible schedules, but if your baby is waking every hour, they likely have a naturally sensitive temperament. Sensitive babies thrive on consistency and routine and their bodies are more reactive to the stress response caused by being overtired.
Age-appropriate wake windows keep your baby in the sweet spot where they’re ready for sleep but haven’t yet become overtired. Check out this article about wake windows if you want to know more.
Address Any Physical Discomfort
Discomfort from these physical issues can make it hard for babies to sleep through the night.
An allergy to cow milk protein can cause sleep issues. It’s the most common food allergy in babies and is in most formulas and breastmilk if the mother consumes dairy. Talk to your pediatrician if you think this may be a culprit.
Reflux and burps can also interfere with sleep. Most babies grow out of needing to be burped by 4 to 6 months old, but if you nurse/feed all night, your baby probably isn’t taking full feeds. This can cause air to build up in their tummy and worsen reflux. Independent sleep skills can help, since your baby won’t need to nurse between every sleep cycle and will take full night feeds.
Being too hot/cold are easy fixes with wardrobe and thermostat adjustments. If your baby is sick, they should be seen by their doctor. And if you think the wakes are due to teething, check out this article about teething and baby sleep.
Nail Your Baby Bedtime Routine
Your bedtime routine can make or break your baby’s sleep. Create a relaxing routine, and stick to it. Check out my article How To Create The Perfect Bedtime Routine if you want to know more.
Spend More Time Outdoors
Regular eposure to natural light helps regulate the production of hormones involved in sleep, mood, and energy like melatonin and vitamin D, and the neurotransmitter serotonin. It also set your baby’s “clock” known as the ciradian rhythm. The sensory input from being outdoors also promotes the formation of new neural connections, creating healthy mental fatigue to support deeper, more restorative sleep patterns.
Summary
Babies wake an average of 4 to 6 times a night between sleep cycles. If they’re up every hour, something is preventing them from getting back to sleep on their own.
Sleep associations are the most common reason babies wake every hour. The best way to handle this is using a gentle method to teach independent sleep skills.
Age-appropriate wake windows help avoid overtiredness. Being overtired can cause a stress response and prevent 5 month olds from sleeping through the night.
Address any physical concerns that could be waking your baby.
Create a consistent, relaxing bedtime routine.
Spend lots of time outdoors with your baby.
