Hello!

My baby is going through the stage of walking up at all hours of the night wanting food. Naturally I prefer to be asleep at these times so have to force myself to stay awake by playing games on my phone. The problem is I’m bored of these. How do you all stay awake for the feeds in God awful hours?

(Bed-sharing isn’t an option for us, I’m not a safe sleeper to have a baby next to).


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  • Just go to bed and let baby wake you when it needs feeding. Once fed, both you and baby straight back to bed


  • When my babies were little and I was up feeding, I found TV series to be a life saver. I also used to flick through magazines or read blogs.


  • I didn’t. Hopefully bubs goes back to sleep for a bit between feeds.


  • I’m not sure at what point you’re trying to keep awake? Obviously bub wakes you with crying for a feed, but then you are so tired you want to sleep during the feed? and so are asking for ideas to stay awake then because you are bored of phone games? and presumably the baby is taking a long time to feed? (I had the opposite problem in that I wouldn’t get back to sleep after being woken, even when bub was back snoozing again). Professional advice about feeding wouldn’t go amiss. There is so much free help there at the end of a phone line. You don’t say how old the baby is but it sure sounds tough on you at present.


  • I used to get up at night, feed bubs and put them straight back into their cot. If the kids wanted to sit and play (in the dark) in their cot then I didn’t care, as long as I went back to sleep.
    I didn’t have the trouble of them being up all night, so I really don’t think I can help you other than turning on the lights and telling them it’s time to go to bed.
    I’d also send hubby into their room once I knew they were fed because they were more likely to go to sleep for him, but they also knew that he didn’t have the ability to feed them like I did.


  • My youngest is 9 months and still waking at night sometimes a few times. On a good day it’s just once. But boy can sleep deprivation catch up. My thing to get me to wake up when it’s the middle of the night an I’m so tired and just need that sleep is to drink a glass of cold water (and snack on chocolate haha). It works for me to get me through those hard nights.


  • YouTube/Netflix has been my best friend, I just put in an earbuds and watch funny videos or Mum vlogs, anything that keeps me awake. I also take regular naps during the day.


  • I used to find a really good Netfix series that had short episodes that I could watch during a night feed/change.


  • Wanting food? Not a milk feed? I’ve never heard of this. Maybe a later tea with a bottle at bed time will keep them fuller for longer


  • I didn’t. Sleep when you can, wake and feed then go back to bed.


  • Watch a show? Best time to catch up on emails etc


  • I watch Netflix, this is the only time I have to do it..


  • If you need something on your phone during this time and are bored with general games, try some trivia quizzes and/or try learning a new language – these require more brain power so will help you remain focused and stay awake.


  • Do you have something like Netflix on your phone that you can watch instead?


  • I have to walk around otherwise i’ll fall asleep even if playing games on my phone. These times are tough but no real advice as you also want to be able to sleep again once baby does


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