Why do babies wake every 2 hours at night? And how to improve it

In this blog, I’m going to help you understand the most common reasons it’s happening and how you can gently encourage longer, more settled stretches of sleep at night.

Because let’s face it… it’s impossible to function on broken sleep.

Firstly, you’re not alone.

I’ve worked with hundreds of families, and 9 times out of 10 their little one is waking multiple times through the night. There are four key areas I always look at when helping a family improve night wakes.

1. How does your baby fall asleep at the start of the night?

Have a think about how your baby falls asleep at bedtime. If they’re being fed, rocked or cuddled to sleep, when they naturally wake between sleep cycles (often around every two hours), they may look for whatever helped them fall asleep in the first place.

So, try reducing those sleep associations and give your little one more opportunities to practise falling asleep independently.

Where to start? Lay your little one in their cot awake and gently stroke, pat or shhh them in their cot. Others may do better with a little more space to try and settle themselves, with you returning regularly to offer reassurance.

If you’re starting to work on self-settling, bedtime is the ideal place to begin, as melatonin (our sleepy hormone) is naturally higher.

One simple thing you can try is to watch and wait when your baby wakes. Babies can be surprisingly noisy between sleep cycles – they might wriggle, babble, grumble or even have a little cry before settling back to sleep.

Give them a minute or two before stepping in. If they don’t settle, you can then offer the reassurance they need.

Remember, self-settling is a skill. Like any new skill, it takes time, patience and consistency.

2. Is your baby going to bed overtired?

This one might surprise you and sounds counterintuitive, but hear me out.

When a baby becomes overtired, their body releases cortisol (a stress hormone), which can make it harder for them to settle into deep, restorative sleep. They may fall asleep quickly at bedtime because they are so tired, but then wake a couple of hours later and struggle to settle back to sleep.

This is why I always look closely at your baby’s daytime routine, including their awake windows and naps, as well as that final awake window before bed.

I work with set timings and age-appropriate awake windows rather than relying solely on sleepy cues, as these can be subjective and sometimes we can miss their ideal sleep time.

If your baby has had a poor nap day, an earlier bedtime can often help prevent them becoming overtired and give you all a better night.

3. Are they comfortable?

If your baby has a sensitive tummy, reflux or is struggling with wind, this can make it harder for them to stay asleep for longer stretches.

One thing I often recommend is moving the final feed earlier in the bedtime routine, ideally around 15 minutes before you put your baby down.

This gives you time to keep them upright after their feed and means they can have a nice long feed without becoming overtired.

A full tummy can also help reduce genuine hunger wakes overnight.

4. Is every wake becoming a feed?

Of course, babies need milk overnight, particularly when they are younger. But as they get older, it’s worth thinking about whether every wake is actually because they are hungry.

Sometimes a baby wakes between sleep cycles and a feed has simply become the way they get back to sleep.

Having a clear night-feeding plan can really help here. It means you know when your baby is likely to genuinely need a feed and when you can try resettling them instead.

It also takes away that 2am guesswork… when you’re exhausted and just want everyone back to sleep!

Your checklist: How can I help my baby sleep for longer?

• Keep bedtime consistent – bring the feed earlier

• Aim for an age-appropriate bedtime before overtiredness sets in

• Work on encouraging self-settling at the start of the night and try not to respond to all wakes with a feed

• Give your baby a brief moment before intervening, as not every stir is a full wake

If you’re exhausted by broken nights, my 1:1 Baby Sleep Support creates a personalised plan for your little one and your family, taking the guesswork out of sleep with gentle, responsive support.

You might also find these helpful:

4 Month Sleep Regression: Why Has My Baby’s Sleep Changed?

Why Is My Baby Waking at 5am? Understanding Early Morning Wakes