It's a common concern for new parents - why is my 5 month old not sleeping well? "Sleeping well" has different meanings for different people. For some people this might mean their baby's sleep problems includes interrupted night sleep. For others, this might mean just not enough total hours of sleep in 24 hours. For others this might mean that their baby's sleep patterns are inconsistent with no predictable pattern. And yet for others this might mean contact naps, or continuous sleep deprivation for them and their child.
Around 5 months of age, babies go through major physical and mental developmental milestones that can disrupt their sleep cycles and lead to frequent waking and sleepless nights. But don't worry, this phase will pass! In this post, I'll go over the common reasons a 5 month old isn't sleeping well and give you tips to help your little one (and you!) get longer stretches of sleep.
Reasons Your 5 Month Old Isn't Sleeping Well at Night
1. Sleep Regression
You never got over the 4 month sleep regression. This can hit anytime between 3.5 and 4.5 months of age and is related to "object permanence." It's associated with the idea that your child learns that you still exist even when they can't see you and call for you more in the middle of the night and/or take shorter naps. You can read more about the 4 month sleep regression in this blog post.
2. Teething
Teething can start anywhere between 4-7 months of age. The pain and discomfort can make it hard for babies to stay asleep at night. It's a distraction that can prevent them from falling asleep, but more commonly, connecting sleep cycles. This manifests as naps that last one sleep cycle of ~ 45 minutes or as night wakings that occur more frequently after midnight. Usually once the tooth pierces through the gums, the discomfort and the distraction will recede. This could take 7-10 days for one tooth.
3. Motor Skill Development
At 5 months, babies learn exciting new skills like rolling over, sitting up, and babbling. With motor leaps your baby's brain is developing and these new skills can distract them from wanting to sleep. It's similar to you waking in the night and thinking about something exciting that is pending for you. They may even want to practice them at night too! Often motor skills manifest in the night with being awake but content and just hanging out in the crib.
In the early part of the 5th month or late 4th month, may babies are discovering their hands. It's not uncommon to watch them on the monitor just lying awake, content playing with their hands. Not much you can do about that but wait it out.
In the middle of the 5th month, many babies start to roll. However, this can vary immensely from child to child and some kids won't roll for months to come. The American Academy of Pediatrics safe sleep guidelines advises to always put kids down to sleep on the their backs to help reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome. Other guidelines for safe sleep include a safe sleep space which has a firm surface, is contained like a crib and has no other blankets or toys in the crib. Most kids will ultimately prefer to sleep on their stomachs and may roll into that position. This can cause a sleep regression at 5 months of age if they can roll one way, onto their stomach, but not yet roll back. For some of you this might be the 6-month sleep regression if the motor milestone is met in the 6th month. When your baby can roll one way but not the other, this can cause less sleep for everyone. You will likely have to go in and flip your baby back over. This milestone of being able to roll one way but not the other can last 1-2 weeks of age. The only thing you can do is give your baby longer and longer periods of tummy time in the daytime to help encourage the skill of rolling both ways. Basically, more time to practice away from sleep. A good time for tummy time is on waking from naps and before feedings during the sleep-wake cycle.
4. Overtiredness
Short naps and irregular sleep/wake times during the day can lead to an overtired baby who has a hard time sleeping at night. This is a vicious negative feedback look that can be hard to get out of. Basically, as Dr. Weissbluth says, "Sleep begets sleep." The more well-rested your little one is, the easier it will be to fall asleep and stay asleep. Similarly the opposite is true. The more tired your little one is, the harder it is to fall asleep and stay asleep. This is where watching your baby's wake windows can be helpful. This sleep summary by age chart we made you can be helpful to know how long your little one can comfortably stay awake between sleeps by age. Strict nap schedules where 9 am is always naptime can be unhelpful and set you up to fail since in the first few months of life, sleep is changing each much and how much sleep your baby needs per day by month also changes. Nap schedules can be helpful, but really understanding how to implement a daily flow to guide each day gives you that many more tools in your parenting tool box than blindly following a fixed nap schedule. That's because nap lengths will vary by month and sometimes by day at this age. Similarly if your baby is overtired because of frequent night feeds or not enough hours of nighttime sleep, it can be hard for you to read sleepy cues in the daytime. In our best selling book on Amazon, we teach you The Helping Babies Sleep Methodology to help you become a great sleep detective help you nail nap time routines and nap transition. We want to help you get away from that panicky fight or flight vibe where you're always guessing at your baby's needs to taking you into the calm, confident stage where you know the perfect time for naps and night feedings.
5. Sleep Association
The main reason your baby's sleep just doesn't seem to be improving. The drive to sleep is biological, but the way we sleep is a learned habit. If your baby gets rocked, fed, held or has a pacifier to fall asleep, then your baby looks for these things and feelings they provide to connect sleep cycles in the night or at naptime. This blog post on self soothing skills will help explain things to you on a deeper level.
6. Environment
While we would all love a baby who sleeps anywhere, anytime, don't be afraid of having a dark room for your baby's naps. The darkness helps remove distraction that can prevent them from relaxing into sleep time. These travel curtains from Sleepout Curtains are our favorite to block out the light and the heat in the summer. From early morning wake ups to bright summer nights, these can be helpful in lengthening naps and easing the mornings. Use my code helpingbabiessleep10 for 10% off.
Tips to Help Your 5 Month Old Sleep Better
The good news is there are lots of things you can try to help your 5 month old sleep longer stretches at night:
- Maintain a consistent bedtime routine - Bath, books, lullabies. This cues the brain it's time to sleep.
- Practice sleep teaching methods outlined in The Helping Babies Sleep Method to break unsustainable sleep crutches if needed.
- Be diligent about daytime naps and age-appropriate wake times. Grab our sleep summary chart here for guidance.
- Address any sources of discomfort - give pain reliever for teething, clear nasal passages, etc.
- Use blackout curtains to signal restful sleep time.
Conclusion
It's frustrating coping with a 5 month old who fights sleep and wakes frequently at night. But have hope! With consistent sleep routines, addressing physical discomfort, and making changes to sleep associations, your baby's sleep habits will improve over the next months. Make sure your baby gets the recommended 14-17 hours of total sleep in a 24-hour period by troubleshooting daytime naps and nighttime issues. If sleep problems persist, talk to a baby sleep expert like me, Dr. Sarah. I've helped over 1000 families in the last 10 years. With time and patience, you and your little one will be getting longer, peaceful nights of sleep soon!
You might also find this blog helpful: The Two Main Reasons Your Baby Won't Sleep Through The Night.
