What is a Habitual Waking?

If your little one is waking at the same time every night (or consistently after around 40 minutes during naps), you may have a habitual waker on your hands. This means they've developed a habit of waking at a certain time, even though they should ideally be sleeping for longer. So, what can you do?

Habitual waking can happen for various reasons, including your child becoming accustomed to waking at a specific time. For instance, if you regularly respond to your little one’s wake-up by feeding or comforting them, they may begin to expect that response, even if they don’t actually need it.

Before tackling habitual waking, it's important to rule out other causes first (such as discomfort, hunger, or overtiredness).

Ways to Break the Habit:

Try 'wake to sleep' — this involves gently rousing your baby about 15 minutes before their usual wake-up time to help reset their sleep cycle.

Leave your little one in their bed until the desired wake-up time — remember to have realistic expectations and aim for gradual progress.

Wait progressively longer periods of time before going in to your baby. Start by waiting an extra 15 minutes every few days to encourage self-settling.

Soothe your baby back to sleep using gentle methods such as shush-pat (for under 6 months), quiet cuddles, rocking, or placing a reassuring hand on their back with calming words.

Try the Pick Up/Put Down method if your baby responds well to this approach.

If your baby is used to feeding at each wake-up, you can gradually reduce the amount they have or shorten the time they spend feeding. Many babies will naturally stop waking once the feeding habit is broken.

Expect some regression when working through habitual waking. If this happens, continue with the methods that have worked for you so far. With patience and consistency, you can help your little one develop healthier sleep habits and achieve more restful nights.

Did you know? Around 25% of babies between 6 to 12 months experience habitual waking at night. Most of these babies are not hungry but are simply used to being comforted at specific wake-up times.