Early Rising: What to Do When Your Child Wakes Up Too Early

Every parent of a newborn dreams of the day when they can put their baby to bed at 7 or 8 p. m., and they'll sleep through the night. Some babies will, and others will wake up too early. If your baby is waking up too early, especially before 6 a. m., then you probably have a problem with early rising. Luckily, for most babies, early rising can be solved rather quickly once you find the root cause. Here are nine possibilities worth looking into.

1. Rule out Medical Issues

A child may wake up early if they're having problems with reflux or GERD, or sleep apnea. Even babies who have a cold or allergies are more likely to wake up too early.

Rule out medical issues first and consider other developmental and temporary issues before tackling the early rising problem.

2. Developmental Leaps

When babies achieve developmental milestones or are going through a developmental leap, it can cause setbacks in sleep schedules. During this time, you might wonder why your baby is waking up early, but it only lasts a few weeks, and they'll likely return to their previous sleep routines.

3. Address Hunger

If your younger baby—under 9 months—is waking up from hunger, consider a “dream feed. You can sneak into their room and quietly feed them around 11 p. m., taking care not to fully wake them.

4. Get a Complete Picture

Understanding why your baby is waking up early, begins with getting a complete picture of their habits and routine. Tracking their sleep with the Smart Sleep Coach by Pampers™ can make it easy. Simply enter nap times and bedtimes, and the app will generate daily and weekly progress reports on your baby’s sleep. Plus, it’s packed with doctor-approved tips and techniques to address other sleep challenges you may face in the future. Don’t miss these must-watch sleep tips in our video below from a pediatric sleep consultant.

5. Understand Drowsy But Awake

When your baby goes to bed, they should be calm but alert enough to understand you're saying goodnight and leaving. Nursing or rocking them to sleep might help in the short term, but when they wake up later, they might be a little confused about how they got to their crib alone and need you to come in and rock them back to sleep.

6. Treat All Waking the Same

Use a gentle sleep training method at naptime and bedtime, and if you're wondering what to do when baby wakes up too early , treat any wake-up before 6 a. m. as a night waking.

Babies and children need age-appropriate naps. The trick is to make sure you pay attention to your child's sleepy cues. Adjust your flexible schedule to get appropriate naps, which will help them sleep better and longer at night.

7. Wakefulness Windows vs. Overtired

The ideal amount of time before bedtime, or the “wakefulness window” for most toddlers, is around four hours—fewer for younger children. Kids who are awake too long before bedtime will be overtired. If the wakefulness window is too short, they won't be ready for bed at the appropriate time.

It's important to be sure the last nap of the day doesn't begin too late or end too early.

8. Sleep in a Dark Room

Once babies are old enough to sleep through the night—at around six months—their circadian rhythm is developed enough to recognize appropriate sleep and awake times. If your child is having a hard time and you notice that your baby is waking up earlier than usual, try room-darkening shades at naptime and nighttime.

9. Make Morning Wakeup Different

It's called a “dramatic wakeup” because you're going to do a bit of acting. Even if your child has been up before 6 a. m., and you’ve been in and out of the room, leave and count to 10. Return (at 6 a. m. at the earliest) and announce your presence by saying, “Rise and shine,” and open the curtains. This will break the association between your response during night waking and your behavior at wakeup time.

For toddlers and preschoolers, consider a wakeup clock that lights up and signals that it's time to start the day.

The Bottom Line

Consistency and time are key. Like any sleep problem, early rising will take some effort to change. It takes time to adjust to a new schedule, and you may get a little resistance. Plan ahead by adjusting bedtimes and wake-up times appropriately, and then stick to the plan to address your baby waking up too early.

_{How We Wrote This Article The information in this article is based on the expert advice found in trusted medical and government sources, such as the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. You can find a full list of sources used for this article below. The content on this page should not replace professional medical advice. Always consult medical professionals for full diagnosis and treatment.}