How to Help a Night Talker

Updated on May 05, 2008
R.G. asks from Redondo Beach, CA
13 answers

My four month old has started in the last week a new "habit" during the night - she "talks" during the night. She wakes up and doesn't cry but makes noises loud enough that it keeps me awake. She can do this for an hour on an off and usually about 3AM. I've given her a pacifier but then she takes it out and keeps talking. Any suggestions?

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M.S.

answers from San Diego on

This is very normal and not much you can do but enjoy her precious little sounds! It will pass... My first born son made noises from day one! He is 9 now and I miss those days! We had white noise going all night, which made it easier to sleep, and all three of my babies were soothed by it! A life saver!

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J.W.

answers from San Diego on

This too will pass. It is really great that she talks to herself instead of requiring you as an audience. Try a fan for white noise until she sleeps through it. The most important thing is not to respond so she gets bored. My boys (twins) would get up in the night at a year old. I started vacuuming instead of going to them and they quit.

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J.R.

answers from Los Angeles on

i also have a 4 month old who sometimes does the same thing, i actually enjoy it. I just lay in bed with a smile and think how cute as well as please go back to sleep after your done talking.. just enjoy it, its a wonderful thing that our babies are doing, i love hearing her make noises..

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A.S.

answers from Honolulu on

Hello, R.,
Night-time vocalizations are usually a sign of subclinical epilepsy, a brain that has more difficulty than most making transitions from waking to sleep. Sleep talking and sleep walking, photophobia and sensitivity to strobing even from sunlight coming through the trees as you drive, extreme noise sensitivity are all signs to be aware of. It is more common each decade and you may never see any frank EEG changes in a sleep lab.
My daughter began sleep-talking at about 4 months also. She is 18 now, very bright, excellent adademically, sensitive musician and artist, and has grown up in a very peaceful household. She still talks in her sleep often, in partial sentences, more when stressed about something or when she eats a lot refined sugars or wheat and gluten products. We have both noticed that. A diet with good raw proteins and raw fats, like real unheated butter straight from the cow, or raw organic coconut oil, avocados, make it almost disappear.

Best health and peaceful days and nights,
A.

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J.D.

answers from Reno on

Personally, I would just enjoy the sweet sound of babbling, but don't go into her room. She'll outgrow it, and when she does, you'll miss the sound of it.

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V.T.

answers from Los Angeles on

Hi R.,

When we sleep, we try to put all the day's activities in the right place in our mind. Some people do this in an oral way. Your little one is only trying to place everything that has happened to her during the day in the right storage. Maybe there is something going on drting the day that she needs to address, but since she is too young to do it in the right way "Her mind is doing it at 3am". Check to see if there is something that is going on and then try to resolve it. otherwise it could be that she just a talker and it should go away. My friends son used to do it when he came over to sleep over, he wanted to score a goal in his dreams. Very entertaining...

Good luck,

V.

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S.Z.

answers from Reno on

My oldest child would talk herself to sleep, and sing to herself every time she woke up. Since I really love quiet, it took me the longest time to figure out that my daughter hates quiet! Quiet makes her afraid and uneasy. She needs noise of some kind to feel safe. Find some way to play music in her room, sift enough that it doesn't disturb you but near enough to her that she feels less alone and anxious.

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L.A.

answers from San Diego on

How sweet! Adorable! And how lucky you are to have a talker rather than a cryer! My suggestion is to offer her a nursing or bottle, and if she is not hungry, just know that most moms are still dealing with several night feedings at that age. She will grow up soon enough. If she wakes you up, just smile and think of how wonderful she is until you can go back to sleep.

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C.F.

answers from Los Angeles on

Well, I'm not sure how to get it to stop, but I do think you should video record it! That's so adorable! You can show it to her when she gets older...she'll get a kick out of it! My boys use to talk to themselves or sing to themselves to sleep, but they grew out of it and it was never in the middle of the night, just when they would first go down. Good luck!

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J.C.

answers from San Diego on

I talk in my sleep too... but only if i get hot. Maybe she's too warm?

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S.H.

answers from Honolulu on

My daughter did that too. She's 5 years old now, and she still does that occasionally. This is just the way she is. She is a very cerebrally active girl and even in her sleep. She makes noises, laughs, talks in her sleep when she dreams.

It's okay. Maybe at times she does this and you can't sleep, maybe put on ear plugs or I don't know. Since they are doing this in their sleep, it's kind of hard to make them stop otherwise they will wake up.

Main thing your girl is having a good rest and it doesn't bother her. Usually they are not aware they are doing this either. Maybe she will grow out of it. Some phases are just temporary. Or perhaps, check with your Pediatrician.
Good luck,
~Susan
www.cafepress.com/littlegoogoo

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R.H.

answers from Los Angeles on

Hi R.,

I have to just say...I am so jealous. My baby wakes up every night, but he usually cries. It's very rare that he just talks to himself. Life is so much more pleasant when he just talks to himself. I would love it! How cute and sweet your little daughter must be when she's doing that! I have to say- now that you are a mom, you can pretty much say goodbye to the thought of a "good night sleep". That will be a rare luxury. If it's not my baby waking me up at some point, it's my older son. I only seem to get them when I travel on business. :)

Good luck to you. Cherish this time, because you never know when she may stop doing it and you'll be thinking back to those sweet moments when she used to lay awake at night talking to her angels. ;-)

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T.R.

answers from Los Angeles on

It is a sign of a happy baby and really, there isn't anything to do. My three (1 girl, 2 boys) all did it from time to time. It is like they are really sleep playing because it happens, they fall back to sleep. The wake rested in the a.m., like normal. As long as there are no problems during the daytime sleep schedule etc..let her do it. If she is in your room and it bothers you, put her in her own room. If there is something else going on with her like sleeping more during the day, don't let her do that. She may be getting her night mixed up with her days. Good luck and God Bless!

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