Does Your Little One Wake Before 6am?

Does your little one wake before 6am? Those early morning wake-ups can be so frustrating. Especially when they’re much earlier than expected! The 4:30/5AM wakes-ups seem to creep into our schedules once it feels like everything is in “place”! … You are NOT alone!

Let’s take a look at a few things and ensure all the details are in place to get you (and your little) back to sleep!

Consistency is Key:

• Routine:
  • Stay consistent with the bedtime routine!
    • Follow along with one of the Typical Day Routines, outlined in the Moms on Call Books, Online Courses, & Scheduler App, based on babies age.
  • Make sure little is not napping too late in the evening.
    • Take a look here for what signs to look for in moving up to the next schedule! 
• Sleep Environment:
  • Sound machine is in place and turned up loud!
    • The white noise machine can be kept 12-24 inches from the head of the crib and be kept on all night long, turned up loud enough for you to hear on the other side of the door. 
  • Dark Room
    • At night, the room should be pitch black.
  • Temperature
    • Babies sleep best in cool temps! 
    • The room should be kept at a cool 68-72ºF.
  • Take a look here for more tips on creating the ideal sleep environment!

Typically, little one will wake about an hour before “get-up” time. This is what we all do, toss and turn, scoot, look at phone or clock (okay, your little one may not be looking at their phone just yet), whine, fuss, doze again. 

What Can You Do If Your Little One Wakes Before 6am?

• The MOC Hat Trick!
  • Right before you go to bed, turn off sound machine in baby’s room for 10-20 seconds and then right back on.
    • This will often disrupt the sleep cycles and get another stretch in those early morning hours.
• Be intentional with getting your little up at “get-up” time.
  • Open the blinds and sing a “Good-Morning” song to start the day.

You Asked, We Answered!

Here are some questions from our Moms on Call Families:

• Does this work for a 21 month old? All of a sudden 4am wake ups are normal for her with immediate screams and cries!
  • Yes! Try it out. If you are in need of additional support, or a helping hand to walk along side you, get connected with one of our Certified Premier Consultants to help navigate!
• My 6 week old slept 8.5 hours last night and woke at 5:40AM to feed. I was trying to get him to sleep till 6AM but it wasn’t happening. In these cases, do I still wake to feed at 7AM?
  • Do half the feed at 5:40AM. Then up with intention at 7AM if on the 8-16 week routine. If on the 4-8 then 5:30 counts as the 6-7 feed.
• What if baby has to wake around 6:30AM to get ready for daycare? Do I move everything in their schedule up 30 minutes? He’s 5 months old so a 6:30PM bedtime?
  • Yes, that works! You can adjust the schedule in full by one hour. Or do an early feed, and have daycare do a snack feed around 7:15 to stay on schedule. This way you can have a little more one on one time in the evenings.
  • If you’re looking for a more personalized schedule, a Certified Premier Consultant can help customize a schedule that best suits your family’s needs!
• Does the sound machine trick work for a three year old? Does it wake them up when you do it at night?
  • It may. Right before you go to bed, turn the sound machine off for a few seconds and right back on again.
  • We want them to stir slightly and typically it takes just a few nights to helps reset things. Keep in mind, some kids are just louder than others in twilight sleep and may not even be awake!

Looking for more personalized support to help you navigate this and any other transitions? Partner with one of Moms on Call’s Certified Premier Consultants to walk along side you, and support you each step of the way!