---
title: "Baby Waking Up a Lot at Night: What's Normal by Age"
description: "How many times do babies wake at night at 3, 6, 8 and 12 months? Numbers from studies of thousands of babies, common causes, and when to call the pediatrician."
canonical: https://buppi.baby/en/blog/baby-waking-up-a-lot-at-night/
last-updated: 2026-11-05
---

# Baby Waking Up a Lot at Night: What's Normal by Age

> How many times do babies wake at night at 3, 6, 8 and 12 months? Numbers from studies of thousands of babies, common causes, and when to call the pediatrician.
>
> Canonical: https://buppi.baby/en/blog/baby-waking-up-a-lot-at-night/

For most of the first year, waking 1 to 3 times a night is what studies see most often. In two large Finnish cohorts, published together in 2020, the median was 2 wakings per night at 3, 6 and 8 months, and the number only clearly dropped after age 1. If your 8-month-old still wakes, they are with the majority.

That doesn't make the night any less tiring, and being tired is reason enough to want to change something. But knowing what to expect saves you from hunting for a defect where there is none, and helps separate a common phase from a pattern worth looking into.

## How many times babies wake by age

The numbers below come from Finnish parents who answered questionnaires about healthy, full-term babies. The middle column shows the median: half of babies woke this much or less. The common range covers the middle half of them.

| Age | Median wakings per night | Common range | 1 in 10 babies woke |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 months | 2 | 1.5 to 3 | 4 times or more |
| 6 months | 2 | 1 to 3 | 4.5 times or more |
| 8 months | 2 | 1 to 3 | 4.5 times or more |
| 12 months | 1.5 | 1 to 2.5 | 4 times or more |
| 18 months | 1 | 0.5 to 1.5 | 2.5 times or more |
| 24 months | 1 | 0 to 1 | 2 times or more |

The fractions appear because parents reported averages, and no two nights are alike. The study did not measure the first month of life, when babies need to feed often. A review of 34 studies found 0 to 3.4 wakings per night from 0 to 2 months, and [the intervals between feeds](/en/blog/how-often-should-a-baby-eat/) explain much of this phase.

Other data from the study help calibrate expectations:

- About 8 in 10 woke on 5 or more nights a week, between midnight and 6 a.m. (83.5% at 3 months and 77.7% at 8).
- Time awake overnight fell with age, from about 53 minutes at 3 months to 24 minutes at 8.
- Between 2 and 4 in 10 parents reported some sleep problem, but severe problems appeared in about 1% to 2%.

These data come from Finland, and sleep customs differ between countries. So use the table as a reference, without turning it into a goal.

## Sleeping through the night: what studies mean by it

Part of the confusion comes from the definition. Some studies call a 5-hour stretch, from midnight to 5 a.m., "sleeping through the night." In a New Zealand study of 75 babies, the chance of meeting that criterion reached 50% at 3 months, and the chance of sleeping from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. reached 50% at 5 months. At 12 months, 21 of the 75 still were not sleeping from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. For a family, 5 straight hours can still be a bad night.

With longer criteria, the picture changes. In a Canadian study of 388 babies, between 27.9% and 57.0% did not sleep 6 or 8 straight hours at 6 and 12 months. Sleeping straight through was not linked to better mental or motor development or to the mother's mood, and the authors concluded that expectations of early sleep consolidation could be moderated.

In an American study of more than 1,200 children, 66% woke their parents about 1 night a week by 6 months. The other 34% woke every night at 6 months, falling to 2 nights a week at 15 months and 1 at 24. This study counted only nights when the mother was woken, which helps explain why the numbers vary so much: many babies wake and go back to sleep without anyone noticing. Both groups were near 1 night a week by 24 months, and attachment to the mother was not related to the wakings.

## Why babies wake so much

Most of the time, no single reason explains it. These count the most:

- **Hunger.** In the first months, it is the simplest reason. Before trying anything else, check that your baby is feeding well and gaining weight.
- **Age.** The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) notes that sleep cycles only become regular around 4 months, and treats waking at night at 6 months as normal.
- **Temperament.** In the American study, babies with a more difficult temperament at 6 months woke more.
- **Illness and discomfort.** Allergies, atopy and breathing problems during sleep are among the causes named by the Finnish authors. The NHS, the UK's health service, also mentions growth spurts and teething.
- **How they fall asleep.** The AAP notes that babies rocked to sleep may have more trouble getting back to sleep on their own. If that sounds like your baby, see [how to ease off holding gradually](/en/blog/baby-only-sleeps-when-held/).
- **A sudden change.** When sleep gets worse abruptly around 4 months, it may be the [sleep regression](/en/blog/4-month-sleep-regression/). New skills such as crawling can also affect sleep: see [what the science says about leaps](/en/blog/developmental-leaps-what-science-says/).

Breastfeeding also comes up here, with results that don't agree. The American and Canadian studies linked breastfeeding to more wakings. The British study of 715 mothers of babies aged 6 to 12 months found no difference between breast and formula. None of them proves that breastfeeding causes waking, and feeding at night is no reason to change milk.

Offering more food doesn't solve it either. In that same British study, babies who ate or fed more during the day were less likely to feed at night, but kept waking at the same rate. Don't give tea to make a baby sleep. Any medicine or supplement only with guidance from your pediatrician.

## What to do when they wake

There is no formula, and what helps changes with age. A few things work for nearly every family:

1. **Wait a moment before picking them up.** Babies grunt and move in their sleep, and not every sound means they are awake. If your baby really cries or shows signs of hunger, respond.
2. **Keep the night boring.** Low light and a quiet voice. The AAP advises not stimulating babies during night feeds and changes. Change the diaper only if needed.
3. **Keep sleep safe, even when you're exhausted.** On the back, on a firm, flat surface, in their own space with no loose objects. If you might fall asleep, don't stay with your baby on a sofa or armchair, because the AAP reports up to 67 times the risk of sleep-related death. If you bring your baby to bed to feed, the AAP advises returning them to their own space before you fall asleep. The details are in our article on [bed sharing](/en/blog/bed-sharing-with-baby-risks-guidelines/). For the room itself, see [temperature, fans and safe sleep](/en/blog/baby-room-temperature-fan-safe-sleep/).
4. **Organize the day.** Following [wake windows](/en/blog/wake-windows-by-age/) and keeping a [short routine](/en/blog/how-to-build-a-sleep-routine/) at night helps your baby reach bedtime less tired. To check total hours, see [how long babies sleep by age](/en/blog/how-long-should-baby-sleep-by-age/).
5. **Take turns if you can.** Splitting the night, even on alternate nights, gives each adult a longer stretch of sleep.

In the first months, don't reduce night feeds on your own. If the family wants to change the pattern later on, talk to your pediatrician to confirm your baby is gaining weight.

## What if they wake every hour?

This can happen in phases, such as during an illness, but it is not the most frequent pattern. Counting only the wakings where babies needed help getting back to sleep, 13.6% needed help 4 or more times a night at 8 months. At 3 months it was 7.1%, and at 18 months, 4.7%.

The Finnish authors propose looking more closely at babies above the common range and assessing those who wake more than 9 in 10 babies of the same age. It is a screening proposal, not a diagnosis. In practice, if your baby needs help 4 or more times a night for more than a week or two, bring it up at an appointment. That timeframe is our suggestion, because the studies don't set a number, and the warning signs below should not wait.

After age 1, the pattern changes. At 2 years, 28.4% still woke on 5 or more nights a week, and the authors suggest assessing especially children who wake more than twice a night.

## What if they wake too early?

Many parents call it a night waking when a baby starts the day at 5 a.m. We found no study specifically on this in babies, so these are practical tips to try without expectations:

- **Darken the room.** Morning light arrives before the time you would like to get up.
- **Treat it as night until the time you have chosen.** Low light and a quiet voice, as you would overnight.
- **Check bedtime and naps.** A very tired baby, or one with very long wake windows, may wake earlier. Change one thing at a time and give it a few days to see the effect. See also [what time babies go to bed by age](/en/blog/what-time-should-baby-go-to-bed/).

## When to call the pediatrician

> **Talk to your pediatrician if your baby:**
>
> - snores often, pauses in breathing or breathes with effort while asleep
> - wakes crying in pain, arches their body or vomits often
> - has itching, skin sores, diarrhea or blood in the stool
> - isn't gaining weight or has few wet diapers
> - used to wake little and has been waking a lot for more than a week or two, with no apparent cause
> - seems very irritable or sleepy during the day
>
> **Seek care immediately** if your baby is very limp, hard to wake, having trouble breathing, has bluish skin, or has a fever and is under 3 months old.

The family counts too. In the American study, maternal depression was associated with wakings, with no way of knowing which came first. If lack of sleep is affecting your mood or your safety, including when driving, tell your doctor. And if you reach your limit with the crying, put your baby on their back in the crib, leave the room for a few minutes and ask for help. Never shake a baby.

Logging wakings for a week shows whether nights are improving, even when it doesn't feel that way, and gives you concrete data for the appointment.

## FAQ

### How many times does a baby wake at night?

In two large Finnish studies, with parents reporting on about 1,000 to 2,000 babies at each age, the median was 2 wakings per night at 3, 6 and 8 months, 1.5 at 12 months and 1 at 18 and 24 months. There is a lot of variation: the common range at 6 months was 1 to 3.

### How many times does a 5-month-old wake at night?

The Finnish study did not measure 5 months, but at 3 and 6 months the median was 2 wakings per night, with a common range of 1.5 to 3 at 3 months and 1 to 3 at 6 months. A 5-month-old who wakes 1 to 3 times is within what is most frequent at these ages.

### At what age do babies sleep through the night?

There is no set age. In a Canadian study of 388 babies, between 27.9% and 57.0% were still not sleeping through the night at 6 and 12 months, depending on the criterion of 6 or 8 straight hours. Sleeping straight through was also not linked to better mental or motor development in that study.

### Is it normal for a baby to wake every hour?

It can happen in phases, such as during illness or changes in sleep, but it is not the most common pattern. At 8 months, 13.6% of babies needed help getting back to sleep 4 or more times a night in the Finnish study. If this lasts more than a week or two, or comes with snoring, pain, poor weight gain or great exhaustion in the family, talk to your pediatrician.

### Does more food or formula make a baby sleep longer?

Probably not. In a study of 715 mothers of babies aged 6 to 12 months, those who ate or fed more during the day were less likely to feed at night, but not less likely to wake. There was also no difference in wakings between breast and formula at this age.