Tips For Early Risers

This is one of the most common concerns I hear from parents who have started the Sleep Sense Program. Your baby is finally sleeping all night; it’s just that morning is starting at 5:00 am.

Be careful when complaining about this in public company. There are probably several people reading this who would like to slap you for complaining that your baby sleeps all night until 5:00 am!

For some parents, this scenario would be a dream come true, but I get it, I do. 5:00 AM is just way too early to be getting up.

1. Give it time

If you are only one or two weeks into the program, it may just be a matter of time. Most babies are learning to consolidate nighttime sleep, but they just aren’t quite there yet, and in time, that 5:00 wake-up will slide later and later.

2. Make sure it’s dark

The slightest change in lighting stimulates a wake up in adults and babies alike, so if you’re looking to avoid early mornings, it’s important to keep the lighting consistent.

Keep your baby’s bedroom dark, and I mean dark like a tomb. Invest in some blackout blinds, and keep the windows covered throughout the area of the house where he sleeps.

3. Mask the noise.

5:00 AM can be a noisy hour. Birds start chirping, garbage trucks go are driving down the streets, your husband gets up for work, and so on. Sleep at this hour is typically light REM sleep and it’s very easy to wake a baby.

I used to demand that my husband not even use the bathroom before going to the gym each morning. He literally had to get up silently, put his gym clothes on, carry his shoes to the door, and tiptoe out of the house.

4. Stick to the program

You might be tempted to try putting your child to bed later in order to get him to sleep later. Do not, I repeat, do NOT give in to this temptation. Although it may seem like a rational strategy, it’s almost guaranteed to backfire. Your child will end up waking up at the same time in the morning, and not getting the sleep he needs due to his later bedtime.

I realize that you might feel like you’re asking for the moon, now that your child is finally sleeping through the night, but there’s no reason you and your baby shouldn’t be getting all the sleep you need.

Don’t settle for “good enough.” Stay on track and pretty soon, you’ll be able to get up when you’re good and ready, and maybe even enjoy a few moments of solitude before your baby calls you into action.

Also, if you’re looking for a complete, step-by-step guide that will help you get your child sleeping 11+ hours a night you can check out The Sleep Sense Program by clicking below.