Why Is My Baby Waking So Early? (+ How to Fix Early Wakes)

and why I totally get it…

You know that moment when you hear the cry… and your heart just sinks?

I was already exhausted. I’d been up through the night with the newborn. My partner woke me as he left for work, and I’d hardly drifted back to sleep again, when there it was — the toddler’s awake. Too late for her to go back to sleep… too early to actually get up.I remember lying there, shushing into the baby monitor from bed, so tired I’d catch myself waking back up again to her cries and just hoping this wouldn’t wake the baby next to me.

That was my reality for a while. It was a blur of 5am wake-ups, broken sleep, and trying to keep everyone quiet so the whole house didn’t spiral into chaos before the sun was even up.

So if you’re in it — I get it. Early morning wakes are one of the most common things parents ask me about. But just because it’s common doesn’t mean you have to keep putting up with it.

I'm not only going to help you with why it’s happening… but also what you can actually do about it.

First thing's first, what counts as early?

If your baby or toddler is waking before 6am and starting their day — that’s what we call an early morning wake. Some kids are just naturally early risers (usually taking after one parent!), but in most cases, it’s a sign something’s a bit off with their routine, sleep pressure, or environment.

Luckily… there’s usually a fix.

Why early wakes happen (and what might help)

1. THE ROOM ISN’T DARK ENOUGH

Even a tiny bit of morning light can signal “time to wake up” to their little body clock.

Try this: Make the room pitch black. For daytime naps I say “so dark you can’t read a book,” but if early wakes are creeping in, we need that room almost cave-level dark — like, can’t-see-your-hand dark.You can absolutely DIY it with cardboard (thank you Amazon boxes 😅). Add white noise too — we had one in our daughter’s room, and my partner would even turn on a portable one outside her door when he got up. His car is loud, and she was obsessed with the garbage truck, so the second she heard either… that was it. Game over.

2. BEDTIME’S TOO LATE

This is super common — and often misunderstood. It seems logical to push bedtime later in hopes of a later wake-up, but when babies and toddlers get overtired, cortisol (the stress hormone) kicks in and makes it harder for them to fall and stay asleep. That second wind can lead to broken sleep, false starts, and those early-morning wake-ups.

Try this: Bring bedtime earlier for a few nights — even 20–30 minutes can make a difference. You can always shift it later once mornings stretch out again.

3. BEDTIME’S TOO EARLY (YEP, IT HAPPENS)

On the flip side — bedtime can also be too early, especially after a nap has been dropped too soon, or when naps haven’t consolidated properly. What often happens is that your little one builds up a day sleep deficit, and needs an early bedtime temporarily… but if that early bedtime sticks around too long, their body starts shifting their entire night sleep earlier, locking in that 5am wake-up as their new “normal.”

Try this: If you’ve been putting your little one down early because naps have been short or tricky — totally fair! — just watch for signs that they’re locking into an early wake. As nap routines settle, start nudging bedtime later to keep night sleep balanced.

And while you’re working on this, keep mornings boring and low-stimulation (no lights, TV, or food) to avoid reinforcing that wake time. Focus on building an age-appropriate day sleep total and schedule — once their rhythm comes back together, the mornings usually follow.

4. HUNGER!

This is especially true for younger babies, or even toddlers going through a growth spurt. If they didn’t get enough during the day, it can definitely show up as a 5am wake.

Try this: Check they’re getting good milk feeds and enough solids — especially protein and low-GI carbs across the day. Lunch and snacks matter just as much as the last feed of the day. Sometimes a few small tweaks to how and when they’re eating can make all the difference.

5. THEY’VE LEARNED THAT 5AM IS THE START OF THE DAY

This one’s sneaky. If you’ve been getting them up at 5:30am just to avoid the battle — I get it. But their body clock starts to expect early wakes as the norm.

Try this: Keep it boring until your ideal wake time. No bright lights, no TV, no breakfast. Light, food, and social interaction all reinforce wake-up time, so even just quiet cuddles in a dark room can help shift their rhythm.

6. 🥶 THEY’RE COLD!

This one’s especially important right now — it’s getting cold! Babies and toddlers often wake early because they’re cold in the early hours (around 4–6am is the coldest part of the night).

Try this: Dress them for the coldest point of the night, not the warmest part of the evening. Think: layers, a warm sleeping bag (with sleeves if needed), and singlets or bodysuits underneath. Cold hands and noses don’t always mean they’re cold overall — feel their chest or back to check properly.

It doesn't have to be like this.

When I was stuck in those early wakes, it felt like I’d done a full day by 9am and I was already craving my second coffee. I was drained, counting down the hours until their (and my) naps, and just surviving.

That’s what I help other mums with now.

If the tips above aren’t enough to shift things, I’d love to help. Sometimes a nap schedule tweak is all it takes. Sometimes it’s a deeper dive — adjusting bedtime, feeding, or sleep associations. But early wakes are so often fixable with the right approach.

Not sure what the problem is?

All my sleep support starts with a free Sleep Health Check — it helps me flag anything medical or developmental that could be playing a part. If you want to chat through things without committing to a full support package, you can book a low-cost phone call where we go over your baby or toddler’s routine and what might be going on.

Want more sleep support?

You’ll find more tips, stories, and real-life sleep advice over on my Instagram — I regularly share quick wins and relatable content for tired parents 💛

You can also grab one of my free downloadable guides, just head to my FREEBIES page to get instant access.

Whatever you choose, just know:

You’re not doing anything wrong.

You don’t have to keep doing this alone.

And mornings can get better.