Is My Baby Undertired or Overtired?
Determining whether your baby is undertired or overtired can be tricky.
While the symptoms may seem similar, the causes are the opposite. That is why it’s important to understand exactly what your baby is experiencing before changing their schedule or routine.
Short naps, frequent night wake ups, early morning wake ups, and taking a long time to fall asleep are all signs of BOTH an undertired and overtired baby. So how do we know the difference? We look at the bigger picture and tune into our baby’s demeanor.
Short Naps
Short naps with an overtired baby
An overtired baby is likely going to take short naps. If your baby takes short naps you may automatically think they weren’t tired enough for their nap, but that is not always the case. An overtired baby is going to have a harder time staying asleep for a long nap. If your baby wakes up from a short nap (less than 1 hour) and they seem fussy and still tired, they were most likely overtired when they went down.
Short naps with an undertired baby
An undertired baby is also likely to take short naps. If your baby used to take decent naps and suddenly their naps are starting to get shorter on the nap same schedule, they could be undertired. As our babies get older, they are going to need more awake time. If a schedule that once worked is suddenly leading to short naps, your baby is probably ready to increase their wake windows.
An undertired baby will be perfectly happy with a short nap. They may sleep for 30-45 minutes then wake up happy and ready to play. This is typically a sign that they are ready to stay awake longer before their naps.
Early Morning Wake Ups
Early mornings with an overtired baby
If your baby is waking up early, once again we want to look at the bigger picture and your baby’s demeanor. An overtired baby can often wake up early (before 6:00 am). They will probably still seem tired and fussy. They may have a hard time making it to nap time. They woke up early but it doesn’t seem like they were ready to start their day. This can be a sign that bedtime needs to be moved earlier.
Early mornings with an undertired baby
An undertired baby can start to wake up early as well. If your baby was previously sleeping until a decent time in the morning and suddenly they start waking earlier (with no change to their nap schedule) they could be undertired. An undertired baby may wake up early and seem happy and ready to play. They seem like they are ready to start their day. You don’t think you would be able to rock them back to sleep. These are all signs that your baby may undertired.
Frequent Night Wake Ups
Night wake ups with an overtired baby
An overtired baby often wakes multiple times at night. They will wake frequently and seem tired, upset, or fussy. You will probably be able to feed or rock them back to sleep, only for them to wake up again shortly after. An overtired baby is going to have a hard time staying asleep and seem unhappy about it.
Night wake ups with an undertired baby
An undertired baby can wake up frequently at night as well. When they wake up, it may be tough to get them back to sleep because they don’t seem very tired. An undertired baby can also experience something called a “split night”. This is when your baby has one long period of awake time in the middle of the night. They may be up for 2-3 hours and have a hard time falling back asleep. They may wake up and seem ready to play in the middle of the night. If you try and rock them back to sleep, it can take a long time. They don’t typically seem super upset or tired.
Difficulty Falling Asleep
Difficulty falling asleep with an overtired baby
An overtired baby may have a hard time falling asleep. It can take them a while to wind down and drift off. They will most likely seem upset, fussy, and fighting you on sleep. They will appear tired but just can’t seem to get down.
Difficulty falling asleep with an undertired baby
An undertired baby can also take a while to fall asleep. They may happily roll around in their crib for 30 minutes before finally going down. They may seem ready to play and not quite ready to sleep. You may be spending a long time attempting to rock them to sleep while they happily stare up at you.
BUT WAIT! You can also be dealing with short naps, frequent night wake ups, and early morning risings for another reason…
Your baby does not have independent sleep skills.
If your baby is over the age of 4 months and does not know how to fall asleep independently, you may be dealing with short naps, night wake ups, and early mornings for a while, regardless if they are on the right nap schedule or not.
If your baby needs to be rocked, fed, or patted to sleep at the beginning of bedtime or naptime, they are likely going to wake up multiple times needing support to get back to sleep. Before deciding your baby is undertired or overtired, teach independent sleep skills.
Wondering how to do this? I work with clients to guide them through the process of Sleep Learning with their babies. We tackle independent sleep in four phases:
Optimize daytime sleep - We will figure out the best nap schedule for your baby.
Independent sleep initiation - We teach your baby to fall asleep independently at nap time and bedtime.
Nap Lengthening - We get your baby napping 1-2 hours at a time on their own.
Cut down night wake ups - We drop any unnecessary night feeds (as age appropriate)
I work with families to create individualized step-by-step plans to take their babies through the process of sleep learning. I do this one-on-one and in a group setting. Check out my consultation options here or grab your spot in my next group sleep coaching session.
You can also check out my free guides:
7 Steps to Sleeping Through the Night
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