Is your baby waking up before 6AM?
There are a lot of life changes we need to get used to when we become parents. A change in daily routine, priorities in general, and of course—a change in sleep habits.
Baby sleep is a big topic, and one of the common top concerns that come up is early rising. We know baby sleep has its ups and downs in the first few years of life. When we’re tired from the nights, waking up for the day before the crack of dawn can be extra hellish.
The good news is, if your baby is always ready to start the day at 4-5am and it's been going on for a while, there are some things you can try to encourage a later start. In this blog, we’ll discuss why early morning wakings are normal and also provide tips to help you and your baby get a bit more sleep in the morning.
Keep Expectations Realistic
First, it’s important to keep expectations realistic. Babies are generally “larks.” This means that they tend to wake up early and go to bed earlier. When we’re speaking about early rising, this is generally considered anything prior to 6 AM.
After 6 AM tends to be fair game (even though that may still be early for YOU, especially if your sleep pattern leans more towards the “owl” chronotype, meaning you tend to wake later and go to bed later).
Why Early Morning Wakings Are Normal (To An Extent!)
The science behind early rising makes sense! Melatonin (the sleep hormone) and sleep pressure (tiredness) are both lower in the second half of the night compared to the first, so more waking in the early hours is normal. You might find that your baby needs more support to get back to sleep and wakes more easily from noises and their environment.
However, often a feed or cuddle will help your baby doze until a more reasonable hour. But, if your baby is consistently waking up too early and is over 4 months of age, here are some strategies to try.
Check Their Sleep Environment
The first and easiest thing to check is the environment.
Are they cold? Wet? Is there sun shining through the window? Is there a lot of noise outside or from a family member getting ready in the morning? In these cases you might try:
Strategically changing their nappy earlier in the night when sleep pressure and melatonin levels are higher.
Blackout blinds if your little one is sensitive to even a little bit of light.
If your neighbourhood or house is noisy, a sound machine to drown out the noise. (Remember, check the levels and keep it at max 50 decibels!)
Check Daytime Sleep Totals
Are They Having Too Much Day Sleep (For Their Needs)?
Sleep needs vary, but as an example, if your baby is averaging 12-13 hours of sleep per day (suggesting that’s what they need) and they are taking 3-4 of those hours in the day, it might be helpful to shift some of that sleep to nighttime.
You always want to look at how sleep is spread over the 24-hour period. This sounds obvious, but parents are often berated to ensure their baby is having long daytime naps. If they don’t, they’ll be tired overnight. But depending on YOUR baby’s sleep totals, this can backfire.
-National Sleep Foundation
Tips to Adjust Daytime Sleep
Cap the Last Nap: I’m not quick to recommend waking a sleeping baby, but there are times when capping the last nap can help—and this is generally for a shorter period of time. By capping the last nap, it helps build up sufficient sleep pressure for nighttime. Try to watch your baby and catch them at the end of their sleep cycle if you can.
Light Room Naps: Assist your baby in taking only the sleep they need during the day by experimenting with not resettling them once they wake from naps and letting them nap in a light room.
Are They Going to Bed Too Early? (Most Common Reason I See!)
Many babies simply do not need 12 hours of overnight sleep, especially if they are taking one or more long naps a day. I know this might be surprising! Because we see so often that babies ‘should’ be getting that 12 hours. For some, yes. For others... it’s just not going to happen no matter what you do. They don’t need it. So when they wake at 4-5 AM, they’re well rested and ready to get on with their day.
Tips to Shift Bedtime
Move Bedtime Slowly: Try slowly moving bedtime back a little every few nights. Give their circadian rhythm time to adjust (1-2 weeks), and you may find this shifts their wake time a bit later. Think of this like daylight savings time! It can take a bit for things to level out.
Distribute the Additional Wake Time: Starting from the morning onwards, try to add a little wake time to each wake period throughout the day. This can work better than trying to add it all to the last wake period of the day.
Follow Baby’s Cues: Go slow and follow your baby's cues on this. Don't push bedtime later than you or they seem comfortable with.
Avoid Reinforcing Early Rising with an Early Nap
This can be TOUGH. A very early morning nap can reinforce early rising. For example, if your baby is on multiple naps, wakes at 5am, and has their first nap at 7am, their entire day shifts earlier. Therefore, bedtime is early. And they're waking early once again.
This is tricky because they're going to be genuinely tired when they normally have that first nap. If you can, gently nudge the nap a bit later each day. Keep them busy with activities, playing outside, etc.
If they are on multiple naps, another tip you can try is a bridging nap. This might look like allowing them a 10-15 minute nap at that early time (like 7 AM). Then, you would offer another nap at a more reasonable time. Ideally, this will help push the day out.
Conclusion - Early Rising
Adjusting to your baby's early morning wakings can be a bit of trial and error. Additionally, if it’s been happening for a while, it can take a few weeks to shift things (remember, their circadian rhythm needs time to adjust!). Remember, every baby is different, so take some time to find their sweet spot for daytime sleep and bedtime.
Dr. Jessica Guy, Founder Infant Sleep Scientist
Hey there! I hope this helps!
I strive to provide as much free and high-quality evidence-based content as possible! I also offer products and services for more in depth education or support to optimise your and your baby’s sleep and well-being in a responsive and attuned way.
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