Is It Normal for a Baby to Awaken at the Slightest Sound, All Night?

Updated on September 02, 2011
L.B. asks from New Rochelle, NY
6 answers

My now 8 month old is a VERY light sleeper. I know babies are supposed to be light sleepers, but I am curious if this is even lighter than normal. Opening the door often wakes him. My husband went to get a bag out his room last night and woke him. We live by a train track, and the gosh darn trains awaken or at least startle him all night long. The creaking floorboards of the apartment often awaken him. So he often wakes up once or twice and hour, before he comes into my bed, where he still startles easily but at least I can nurse him back to sleep.

We never tried to make the house unusually quiet for him, as recommended in the baby books.

We have used fans and other sources of white noise with limited effect.

I am so frustrated, because we are not in a position to move away from the stupid train tracks. But even now, while we are vacationing in a quiet spot, the littlest noises are waking him.

Has anyone else experienced this? Is this normal?

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K.B.

answers from San Francisco on

I would go back to the white noise thing but experiment. Maybe the fan wasn't enough. My daughter has a sound soother that has 7 different choices -- rain, ocean, etc. Try which one seems to sooth him, then turn it up LOUD. And give it a couple days.

I do think it's normal to be such a light sleeper, just very unfortunate!

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D.W.

answers from Philadelphia on

HE could be teething at this point if he has not already. I would give him a nice warm bath and some baby ibuprophen before he goes to sleep. He could be having some teeting issues right now. I would check that out first. May be if he sleeps with out pain he may sleep more soundly. I would try may be a mobile with music if you do not already and still keep on something that gives off some kind of white noise along with tending to the other issues that may be going on.

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M.K.

answers from Stationed Overseas on

For us this was normal. Mine did this for several months and would wake up at the slightest noise. It eventually went away and now she sleeps like a rock and is actually very difficult to wake up.

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S.B.

answers from Dallas on

My niece was like this. Her parents would watch tv on mute after they put her down, it was seriously that bad. It was like the house went on silent lock down after baby went to sleep. They finally started running a humidifier and a fan in her room to block out other noises. That helped quite a bit. She grew out of it somewhere around 15 months. Now she is 5, a train could drive through the house and she doesn't budge. It's hard to believe it's the same kid.

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J.F.

answers from Bloomington on

Our second is a much lighter sleeper than our first. We can move our oldest around like a rag doll and she will stay asleep. Our youngest wakes when we open the door, stop the car, etc.

I don't know if it is abnormal or not....probably not. Maybe just great hearing!

We use two fans in her room and an air purifier thing that makes noise. That helps a lot! When we travel, we take fans with us. We also walk quietly around that part of the house and NEVER open her door. She has Jedi senses. :)

Good luck! I look forward to see what others post.

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M.P.

answers from Raleigh on

Get a marpac sleepmate 980a (get through Amazon). This thing is awesome, and it's just the right white noise. I have two light sleepers and you can't hear a thing with this going. Get the two speed one. It's worth the money...
http://www.amazon.com/Marpac-SleepMate-980A-Electro-Mecha...

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