Photo: iStockphoto
Vicki Cowan?s first baby, Jessica, would sleep through pretty much anything, even ringing phones and barking dogs. When Philip was born two years later, Cowan found he was much more sensitive.
?The phone ringing, his big sister running around, even my cooking could wake him up,? she says.
Babies do vary a great deal in how easily they are woken, says Wendy Hall, an associate professor of nursing at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, who researches infant and children?s sleep problems. ?About 20 percent of the babies I see would be described as light sleepers, and it seems to be inborn, just part of their temperament. They tend to also be very easily stimulated when they are awake and may be intense in their responses to the environment.? These light sleepers can be woken by noises, movement nearby or the sun shining in the window early in the morning.
1. Try white noise

A steady background sound masks noises that might disturb sleep. Try a fan, a radio tuned between stations (so you get only static) or an actual white noise machine.
2. Swaddle your baby

A sudden sound can startle a baby, making her fling out her arms and legs and waking her. If she?s snugly swaddled, the sound may still disturb her a little, but she won?t startle awake.
3. Darken the room

Rearrange the furniture or use blinds to block the sun. Use a night light or even a flashlight during night feedings.

...