Why Should You Never Wake a Sleeping Baby?

Be honest with this one, how many times have you heard that you should never wake a sleeping baby?

I’d say at least a dozen times. And then you’ve probably wondered, why would anyone do such a horrible thing.

Because, at the end of the day, sleep is essential for them, so why would anyone dare to disturb a newborn’s sleep?

However, it’s worth mentioning that there are several instances when you should wake your little one, and of course, situations when it’s strictly forbidden.

If you’re confused by all of this (just like I am), then don’t go anywhere because today I’ll give you some answers to this (should you ever wake a sleeping baby) puzzling question.

Various Situations When It’s Okay to Wake a Sleeping Baby

You should never wake a sleeping baby statement in some cases doesn’t make sense at all!

How come?

Well, that’s because, at a certain point, you simply must do it in order to execute specific tasks. If you allowed your child to 24 hours a day, then it would appear to be like you have a toy and not a human being that you need to look after. Baby sleeping for too long is a huge no-no.

So if you’re wondering if you should ever wake a sleeping baby, the answer is yes, and here’s when (don’t forget to kiss your baby gently when you want to wake him/her up):

1. To feed your kid – You have already figured by now (especially since you are constantly being reminded by others) that babies need to eat every 3 hours.

Once your baby is older there’s no need to obsess over this, however, if you just had a baby and you want it to properly gain weight (and turn him/her into a cute, chubby loaf of bread), then that’s something that must be done.

In a nutshell, in these instances, your baby must be woken so you can feed him/her. 

2. When your little angel is confused about day and night (night confusion is a common thing) – So if you’re still wondering if you should ever wake a sleeping baby, just look back at this paragraph.

Bear in mind (in case you are not familiar with this) that most parents are having difficulties putting their little ones to sleep at night.

And in most situations, their babies are wide awake, ready to party (when they’re supposed to be sleeping), and then be comatose during the day (“nightlife” is appealing to the youngsters, obviously).

Therefore, if that’s currently the case with you, feel free to wake up your child if he/she sleeps too much throughout the day, so he/she can fall asleep relatively quickly during the night. 

3.  If your child is on a particular sleeping schedule – If naps function like a Swiss clock and your baby falls asleep very fast when it’s bedtime, then congrats on that.

However, if you want to make sure you are properly maintaining that sleep schedule, then you should keep naps within a specific range. This means that the naps shouldn’t last for too long.

For example, up to two hours is completely fine. And then, keep in mind that the third nap shouldn’t be longer than forty minutes (a 15-minute nap will do as well).

4. When nap(s) is intervening with bedtime – When someone tells you that you should never wake a sleeping baby, then just show them this section.

People frequently forget that when something like this occurs, babies will be wide awake during the night, which means parents will get their good night’s sleep like never!

Consequently, if you want to prevent this, remember that a single nap shouldn’t be longer than two hours, and do whatever you can to ensure that your baby doesn’t have more than four hours (or 5 hours tops) of naps in total.

So should you ever wake a sleeping baby? As you can see, in some cases, you simply must!

Giving You Some Examples When You Should Never Wake a Sleeping Baby

Even though I did mention above some situations when you’re permitted to wake your child, below, I’ll remind you when you should never wake a sleeping baby (unless your house is potentially on fire).

1. When your little angel is unwell – Bear in mind that you should never wake a sleeping baby when he/she is sick. That’s because, in these types of situations, rest is extremely important! 

I know that you will probably be tempted to do so (mostly because you either want to take their temperature, or give a medication) but don’t do it.

If you notice that your kid is sleeping peacefully, let him/her be. On the flip side, if you’re wondering if you should ever wake a sleeping baby if he/she seems restless, then the answer is, yes, then that’s totally fine.

Just be sure to give your little one some fever reducers, so he/she can be more comfortable.

2. If overnight feedings are part of the past – When babies become older (when they are approximately 5 or 6 months old), they’re typically more interested in night’s sleep.

Simultaneously, they weigh around thirteen pounds in this period of time, meaning that one feeding will be enough for them to sleep at least six hours at night.

Even though a vast majority of babies (including baby toddlers) are ready to “debar” overnight feeds, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you must do it immediately.

Instead, do it slowly, or just pay attention to your baby’s cues to see whether he/she is truly ready to wean off overnight feeds.

Great Ways To Wake Up a Baby When It’s Time to Eat!

Now, that this whole (you should never wake a sleeping baby) topic is a bit clearer, let’s move on to some other interesting things.

If your little one has to eat, yet is still sleeping very deeply, then it’s time to take certain steps to wake your little angel up because meals cannot be skipped (and no, you’re not cruel for doing so).

So what steps need to be taken in these types of situations?

1. Wake up your child as soon as you notice he/she is in his/her “active sleep” stage. This means that you can see eyelids fluttering, some movement, etc.

2. Undress your baby

3. Tickle their feet

4. Don’t forget to first change their diaper

5.  Put a cool wash cloth on their cheeks

The Most Common Baby Sleep Myths

Babies Take Ages to Learn to Sleep Properly at Night (a Ridiculous Sleep Myth Indeed)

Well, that’s far from reality. In fact, it doesn’t even take that much. Approximately, several weeks. However, if you want to help your baby adapt quickly to this, then you must focus on utilizing the right sleep cues.

It’s always advisable to opt for white noise (because that’s something that keeps them calm and can even be employed for naps during the day) and swaddling.

You Should Stop Swaddling When Your Baby is 2 Months Old

Whoever concluded this was either out of his/her mind or was simply joking. Therefore, whenever somebody tells you that you should stop swaddling your child, just tell them to mind their own business.

What a lot of people do not know is that precisely this period of time (when a kid is just 2 months old) is literally the worst time to stop this activity.

What’s oftentimes forgotten is the fact that swaddling effectively decreases night waking and crying, which are the most common occurrence when a baby is between 2 to 4 months old.

Let Your Baby Cry Himself/Herself to Sleep Because That’s Going to Turn Him/Her Into An Amazing Sleeper

Back in the day (end even to this day), you would be able to easily stumble upon books and articles where healthcare providers suggest parents leave their babies alone (when they are crying) in the dark, for at least a couple of hours.

This method is known as the extinction method of sleep training. And then you have those who would suggest returning every several minutes, just briefly, for a second.

This one is typically defined as a controlled crying method of sleep training. So what do you think? Are both of these strategies truly beneficial for your child and will positively affect him/her?

If you ask me, I would personally never do it because I think that there are a variety of other methods that can positively impact your kid and his/her sleeping habits.

At the end of the day, ignoring the cries of your little angel is going to stress you further out, plus that is something that totally goes against my instinct as a parent.

I would rather stay awake all night than hear my baby scream for at least a couple of hours so that I can teach him/her a lesson. No way Jose!

Of course, this doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t give this method a try, I’m only saying it’s not something I personally approve of.

Conclusion

Based on the facts that were written today, it’s easy to conclude that this entire topic (referring to why you should never wake a sleeping baby) is much more complex than you originally thought.

You have to be a great judge of the situation in order to ensure you’ve done the right thing. But don’t worry! Even if you accidentally wake up your little one (when you’re not supposed to), it’s all forgiven. After all, you’re just a dedicated parent who is prone to making mistakes, just like everyone else.