How to Manage Early Morning Wake-Ups With a New Born

Some parents are faced with constant early morning wake-ups with a new born. There are things they can do to resolve this issue.

All parents with a newborn are anxious for the time when their child will sleep through the night. Some babies are soon sleeping through the night without any problems. Others continue to wake up very early. A baby should have adult-like sleep patterns by the time he or she is around 16 weeks old. Should a new born continue to awaken before 6 a.m., he or she may have an issue with early rising. The issue of early morning wake-ups with a new born is usually resolved once the cause of it is discovered.

Instill Healthy Sleep Habits

Babies up to two months old will spend one to two hours awake during the day, and it’s common for a child this age to take catnaps. Babies should always be placed on their backs. A baby should sleep at night for up to ten hours total. However, this won’t be done all at once as the baby also needs to eat at night. As your baby grows, he or she should be put down before being fully tired. This will give babies a chance to practice putting themselves to sleep.

Eliminate Medical Issues

Parents need to eliminate any possible medical issues first. They should also consider any temporary or developmental issues. Babies can wake up early if they are struggling with GERD, sleep apnea or reflux. When babies have allergies or a cold, they are more likely to be up early. Once medical issues are eliminated, it is then time to work on the problem of early rising.

Nap Times

Embracing naps on the go is a good idea. If a parent wants to go out, run errands or meet up with friends, a baby can adapt to sleeping on the go. A baby should easily nap in a carrier, stroller, or car. Motion sleeping is also effective. This could involve a vibrating chair or a swing.

Dark Room

When babies reach sleeping through the night, it signals that their circadian rhythm has developed to recognize the difference between awake and sleep time. This should occur around six months of age. If a child is still struggling at this time, room-darkening shades at night and during nap time could help.

Encourage Daytime and Nighttime

Parents need to reinforce the difference between day and night. This will develop over time. Leaving daytime surroundings the same with daytime activities is a good idea. Newborns can sleep through anything during the daytime. At night, there should be no noises. It is important to condition a baby to do nothing but sleep at this time.

Tracking

Tracking the newborn’s feeding and sleeping habits could help parents. This will make it possible to see patterns emerge over time, helping parents learn why their baby is an early riser. Parents will know if their child is waking because of a wet diaper, hunger or just being an early bird. Once the reason is known, parents can make the necessary schedule adjustments.

Swaddling

Having a baby sleep swaddled is recommended. A traditional swaddle should not be utilized. Babies often break free from a traditional swaddle. Being swaddled helps babies sleep for longer periods of time. It mutes the startle reflex in a baby from waking up. Swaddling is not the only option for this: Specialized sleeping sacks, an excellent alternative, are also available.

Development

When babies are experiencing a developmental leap or achieving a developmental milestone, they could experience a setback in their sleep schedule. This is a time when babies don’t sleep as restfully as usually, but it only lasts a few weeks. They will then go back to their regular sleep routines.

Early morning wake-ups with a new born are often resolved with consistency. The early rising habits of a child will take time to change. When babies have to adjust to a new schedule, parents could experience some resistance. Parents need to make a plan for going to bed and waking up and then stick to it.