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(And How to Help Them Sleep Longer)

Why does my baby wake up so early? If you are asking this question, this blog post is for you. In this post, we will talk about the reasons why your baby is consistently having early morning wakings and how to help them sleep longer.

What is an early morning waking?

Let’s first define what an early-morning waking actually is. Anytime before 6 a.m., is considered an early morning waking (or night waking). 6 a.m. has been found to be an appropriate time to start the day for a baby. So if your baby consistently wakes up before 6 a.m., this guide is for you.

Natural Reasons why babies wake up early

The biggest natural reasons why babies wake up early:

Sunlight is creeping in

In the early morning hours, even a small amount of light can signal to your baby’s body that it’s time to wake. Babies are especially sensitive to light, and as the sun begins to rise, it can gently cue their internal clock that the day is starting—even if it feels a bit too early.

Melatonin Drops

Melatonin, the hormone that supports sleep, naturally decreases in the early morning hours. As these levels drop, your baby’s body begins to shift out of sleep mode, making it easier for her to fully wake rather than drift back into another sleep cycle.

Baby is in the lightest phase of sleep

Toward the morning, your baby spends more time in lighter stages of sleep. During this phase, sleep is more easily disrupted by small movements, sounds, or environmental changes, which can lead to early waking.

Sleep pressure is the lowest

After a full night of rest, your baby’s sleep pressure—the drive to stay asleep—is at its lowest. Because of this, it takes much less to wake her up, and it can be harder for her to fall back asleep compared to earlier in the night. Baby spends more time in lighter stages of sleep in the last half of the night.

How to help your baby sleep longer

Yes, there are natural reasons babies wake up early. There are also ways we can help them sleep longer. Let’s look at 11 ways to troubleshoot early-morning wakings and things you can try to help your baby sleep longer.

Here’s the checklist for early morning wakings:

1. Is the room dark enough?

If sunlight creeps in, this can cue a baby that it’s time to start the day. Adding blackout curtains or blinds can help prevent early-morning light from lowering melatonin levels.

2. When is bedtime?

Before three months of age, A typical bedtime may be 8 p.m. or later and work well, but once Baby gets a little older, later bedtimes actually cause earlier wakings. Try to make bedtime between 7-8 p.m., or earlier if needed. Even between 6-7 pm could be helpful, and add a dream feed around 10 p.m.

3. How long is the typical wake window before bed?

Focus on an age-appropriate wake time before bedtime, not too short or too long. Offer a 30-40 minute cat nap between 4 and 6 p.m. if needed, with adequate wake time of at least 100 minutes before bedtime.

4. When is the first nap of the day?

For Babies taking three naps a day, the first nap should not be before 8 a.m., for two naps a day, it should be after 9 a.m., and when Baby is taking one nap a day, that nap should begin around noon. If you happen to start the day before 6 a.m., try to still push the first nap to at least 8 a.m.

5. Do you feed baby back to sleep?

It can be tempting to feed Baby and then fall right back to sleep alongside her, because let’s face it: mamas are tired, and those snuggles are sweeter than anything else! But if you are aiming for a steady full night’s sleep for the long-run, I strongly encourage you to make wake-up time wake-up time. Get up with her, get out of the room, and play until it’s time for the first nap.

6. Do you feed baby right upon waking?

If possible, try not to feed your baby before 6 a.m. Give her extra time, even 20-30 minutes to put herself back to sleep. Picking the baby up and feeding her before 6 a.m. will reinforce those early wakings and may result in earlier and earlier wakings on the days to follow.

7. How much does baby sleep in the day?

Pay attention to the total amount of sleep needed based on Baby’s age. It could be that Baby is getting too much daytime sleep if she is a good napper. On the other hand, too little sleep can lead to an overtired baby. If naps are being interrupted all day, aim for an earlier bedtime to make up for it. Even as early as 6 p.m. could be helpful.

8. Does Baby need the calories?

Remember, there are several reasons babies wake up in the hours between 4 and 6 a.m. Be careful not to assume it’s hunger. If your baby is having a feeding every 2.5-3 hours during the day and getting 4-5 feedings, she is likely getting enough calories to sleep through the night for 12 hours.

9. how does baby fall asleep?

The biggest contributing factor to a baby sleeping fully through the night is her ability to put herself to sleep at bedtime. (And How to Help Them Sleep Longer)

10. What happens when Baby wakes up?

Are you giving her time to fall back asleep? This is the most important tip of all. Babies need to learn to put themselves back to sleep. This takes practice and patience.

Here’s what I suggest: The Pause. When Baby wakes in the night, don’t rush to get her right away. Instead, start the stopwatch on your phone and give her up to 15 minutes to fall back to sleep. Doing this one morning can set you up for success for every morning thereafter.

Of course, if Baby is screaming loudly and getting very unsettled, then it may be necessary to intervene (change diaper, make sure nothing more significant is wrong), but then I suggest laying Baby back down with a clean diaper and freshly swaddled (if you swaddle) and give her up to 15 minutes to settle herself back to sleep.

If Baby is crying but showing signs of settling, she may fall back asleep. Again, if it is already 6 a.m., it is likely time to get her up and start the day, but before 6 a.m., give her time to fall back to sleep. She may surprise you!

11. Have you tried a dream feed?

After Baby falls asleep in her crib sometime between 7-8 p.m., you could offer a dream feed 2.5 hours after she goes to sleep, before 11 p.m. This is a feeding right before Mama goes to bed, to align the longest stretch of sleep with Mama’s sleep. If you are unfamiliar with the dream feed, you can check out this post for more information.

The bottom line:

There are some simple ways you can encourage Baby to learn to sleep through the night, by 12 weeks old. As babies learn to sleep longer through the night, it is common for wakings to occur between 4 and 6 a.m., as the sun is up, the pressure to sleep is lower, and their tummies may be a little hungry. You can teach your baby to remain asleep, or awake and content in her crib until at least six a.m. by following the checklist in this guide.

One thing to remember: It is common for this early-morning waking to become earlier and earlier if you offer a feeding before 6 a.m. For example, Baby may wake up at 5:45 a.m., and since it’s so close to 6 a.m., you go ahead and feed her. The problem is, the next morning, she may wake at 5:30 a.m., and this can progress until baby is waking up again around 3 or 4 a.m. Trust me, it is better to wait until 6 a.m., even if you need to let Baby cry a little bit as you watch and wait close by. It often only takes 1-2 mornings to set those great sleeping habits that remain into the toddler years.

For More Tips on baby sleep, check out these Baby sleep guides