3 Common Reasons Your Baby Isn’t Sleeping (And How to Gently Fix Them)
It’s 2:47am. You’re holding your baby in the hallway, gently rocking and whispering every calming thing you can think of… but the cries keep coming. You’ve tried everything—feeds, cuddles, even a white noise playlist from YouTube.
If this sounds familiar, please know: you’re not alone. Nearly every parent finds themselves in this blurry space between exhaustion and guessing games. The good news? A few small changes can make a big difference.
As a UK midwife (turned mother of a previously troubled sleeper) and now sleep consultant, I’ve supported hundreds of new mums just like you—and I’d love to help you too.
1. Wake Windows Are Too Long (Or Too Short)
Babies thrive on rhythm, and understanding wake windows is one of the most powerful (yet overlooked) tools for better sleep.
What to look for:
Fussiness, rubbing eyes, zoning out
Overactivity or "hyper" behaviour just before naps
Simple fix:
Try adjusting your baby’s awake time between naps. For example:
0–3 months: 45–90 mins
4–6 months: 1.5–2.5 hours
6–9 months: 2–3 hours
Tweak by 15-minute increments and observe the difference—it’s often immediate.
2. Overtiredness Is Causing More Night Waking
Overtired babies = more crying, more night waking, harder settles. It seems backwards, but the more overtired they are, the worse they sleep.
How it shows up:
Taking short naps (under 20–30 mins)
Waking up more frequently at night (within 2 hours of feeding)
Hard to settle, even with usual soothing
Simple fix:
Bring bedtime earlier by 30 minutes for a few days. An earlier bedtime often leads to better, longer stretches of sleep overnight.
3. No Consistent Bedtime Routine
A soothing, familiar routine helps your baby know sleep is coming. Babies thrive on predictability—it helps them feel safe and secure.
Try this 20–30 minute routine:
🛁 Bath → 🧴 Massage → 📖 Book → 💤 Feed → 🤱 Cuddles in a dim room
Do it the same way every night, and within a week, your baby will start to wind down naturally.
Real Mum, Real Results
One lovely mum I recently supported, Sarah, had a 5-month-old waking every 90 minutes. After two small changes—adjusting wake windows and starting a simple bedtime routine— baby girl began sleeping 6-hour stretches in just four nights.
“I wish I had reached out sooner. I was running on empty, and now I actually feel like myself again.” – Sarah
Need Help? I’ve Got You.
If you're ready to stop Googling at 3am and start getting some real rest, I offer gentle, one-to-one sleep consultations designed to work with your baby’s temperament—and your parenting style.
🍼 Whether you’re breastfeeding, bottle-feeding, co-sleeping or cot-sleeping—there’s a calm, confident rhythm that can work for you.
➡️ [Book a free 15-minute discovery call here]
You don’t have to figure this out on your own. I’m right here with you💛