728x90
my iParenting
From Our Sponsors
e-newsletters
Sign up to receive our free weekly e-newsletters

new terms of use
new privacy policy
award-winning products
The iParenting Media Awards program helps parents find the best products for their families.
Home › Expert Q&A › Child Development and Behavior › What can I do about my 5-month old waking up every two hours? I'm exhausted.

Expert Q&A

 

By iParenting Staff
iParenting Staff Experts

What can I do about my 5-month old waking up every two hours? I'm exhausted.

If your daughter is waking up every two hours, that is too often. There are a couple things you can try to get her sleeping longer and you rested up.

First of all, you should change her daytime feeding pattern. You might currently be nursing too often causing her to wake up to eat out of habit rather than necessity. You could start by extending the time between feedings to every three hours during the day and maybe even up to every four hours depending upon your milk supply and your particular baby.

Sleeping for six to eight hours or more at a stretch is actually pretty common for infants in your baby's age range. You can also help her learn better sleep habits by not racing in nurse every two hours when she wakes up. Let her to fall back asleep on her own once in between. You may have to endure a little crying, but it is a good self-consolation learning process.

Then, the next time she wakes up you can go in and nurse. Eventually, the pattern should elongate into that six- to eight-hour range when sleeping and you should be able to get some rest too.

Related Expert Q&A

More Answers by this Expert

View more Q&A by this Expert