How to Fix Early Wakings for Babies: Tips and Tricks
As a parent, we all crave for longer stretches of sleep, especially during the first few months of our baby's life. However, it's not uncommon for babies to wake up early, sometimes even before the sun comes up. But what causes this and how can we fix it? Here are some tips and tricks to help fix early wakings for babies.
Common Reasons Behind Early Wakings:
Before we dive into the solutions, let's identify the common reasons that cause early wakings in babies:
Overtiredness at bedtime. An overtired baby will have a high cortisol level, which can lead to less deep sleep and less sleep duration. They may wake up feeling unrested and overly stimulated.
A sleep environment that's not dark enough. If light sneaks into your baby's sleep environment before the sun comes up, it can trigger them to think it's already daytime.
Late naps. A late nap that ends around 5:30 PM can trick your baby's brain into thinking that it's already nighttime and this can take away the total amount of nighttime sleep.
Immediate feeding or parental interaction upon waking up. If you feed or interact with your baby immediately upon waking up, their brain can start to think that it's time to start the day, even if it's only 5 am.
Early first nap. If the first nap happens too early, say around 7- 7:30 am, it may make your baby think that it's just a continuation of nighttime sleep.
Solutions to early wakings:
Now that we have identified the common reasons that cause early wakings in babies, let's look into some solutions:
1. Bring your baby's bedtime earlier.
If your baby is overtired at bedtime, it's a good idea to bring their bedtime earlier. You can start by bringing their bedtime 10-15 minutes earlier every other day until their bedtime is between 5:30 PM to 7 PM.
2. Ensure that the sleep environment is dark enough.
Your baby needs a dark sleep environment conducive to long stretches of sleep. Invest in blackout curtains or shades to keep your baby's room dark. This can help them sleep better and minimize the chances of waking up too early.
3. Schedule naps strategically.
Avoid late naps that end after 5:30 PM. For younger babies, like those under 6 months, end naps by 5 pm to ensure that it doesn't impact their nighttime sleep.
4. Delay your response to early wakings.
If your baby wakes up too early, try delaying your response by 5 minutes every day until you reach an ideal wake-up time. This can help the baby extend their nighttime sleep gradually.
5. Time the first nap appropriately.
If your baby wakes up at 5 AM, plan their first nap at around 7:30 AM, closer to 8 AM. For babies between 6 and 9 months, the first nap should happen closer to 8:30 AM. For babies between 9 and 14 months, the first nap should start around 9-9:30 AM.
Conclusion:
Early wakings are a common issue among babies, but we can fix it by identifying the reason behind it and taking the right steps to address the issue. Bringing your baby's bedtime earlier, ensuring a dark sleep environment, scheduling naps strategically, delaying your response to early wakings, and timing the first nap appropriately are some of the effective ways to fix early wakings in babies. Try these tips and tricks and enjoy longer stretches of sleep for both you and your baby!
If you found this article useful, don't forget to like, comment and share!
