Early Rising: Your Baby’s Not Broken
Let’s talk about one of the most soul-crushing parental experiences that unites us all: the 4:59 a.m. wake-up call. Not from your iPhone. Not from a lovely songbird. No, from a grinning, footie-pajama-clad dictator yelling, “Maaaaaaaamaaaa! Toast!” before the sun even thinks about showing up.
Get the coffee ready for 5am
Waking up early is common in infancy and toddlerhood, I promise you, your teenager will sleep in past noon ( but we are also not happy with that lol)…. these kids can’t win!
Parents, I get it and I have personally lived it (and survived to tell you the tale). You didn’t sign up to start your day before your coffee pot has even woken up. But here’s the brutal truth about early rising in babies, infants, and toddlers: it’s very normal. Painfully normal. You’re not failing. Your child is not broken. You just gave birth to a little someone who thinks 5:15 a.m. is a great time to shove toast into the PlayStation.
Let’s unpack this with some science, sarcasm, and a bit of compassion.
Why Babies Are Up So Darn Early
Babies and toddlers are biologically hardwired to wake early. Their circadian rhythm (that internal body clock) is very sensitive to light and temperature changes. Unlike us, they don’t care about brunch, sleeping in, or watching “just one more” episode of Queer Eye at 11 p.m. They’re early to bed, early to rise… and unfortunately, they don’t have a snooze button.
Research published in Sleep Health shows that most infants and toddlers have a natural wake time between 5:30 a.m. and 7:00 a.m., depending on their age and sleep environment. That’s right. Your child might actually be textbook. The textbook just doesn’t come with a complimentary espresso shot.
The Parental Mismatch Problem
Here’s the real issue: parents are on a totally different schedule. We want to decompress at night. Maybe binge a little Netflix. Maybe fold 1,000 tiny laundry items while trying to enjoy adult silence. But your baby? They’ve been asleep since 7 p.m. and are now ready to party.
So when a parent says, “I just want them to sleep until 7,” what they often mean is, “I just want to stay up until 11 and still get 8 hours of sleep.”
I’m sorry to be the bearer of truth, but: You cannot mold a baby into a night owl just because you are one. If they’re naturally waking up early, the solution isn’t to push bedtime later (spoiler: that often backfires). The solution is to adjust expectations and maybe your bedtime.
5 Practical Tips for Managing Early Rising
Let’s sprinkle in a little sanity, shall we?
1. Reframe “early rising” as “age-appropriate waking.”
If your toddler is waking at 5:45 a.m., you don’t necessarily have a problem. You have a kid with a sunrise alarm clock for a brain.
2. Use blackout blinds like your sanity depends on it.
Because, well, it does. Light suppression = melatonin production = more sleep. Vancouver parents, I’m talking to you. In the summer, our sunrise is basically a late-night rave. Block it.
3. Stop pushing bedtime later hoping it fixes things.
Often, it makes it worse. Overtired kids wake earlier. Keep an age-appropriate bedtime (hint: it's probably before 8 p.m.), and be consistent.
4. Consider seasonal shifts.
I’ve noticed this over 20 years: early waking gets worse about six weeks before daylight saving time changes, especially here in northern regions like Vancouver. I’m curious if families closer to the equator have the same struggles. (Any Ecuadorian moms want to weigh in?)
5. Don’t die on the hill of “I deserve a lie-in.”
You do deserve rest, just not in the form of your child sleeping until 9. Accept that mornings are yours now. You are the chosen one. May your coffee be strong and your toast not end up in your Xbox.
Final Thoughts
Here’s the thing: your child waking up early doesn’t mean you’re doing anything wrong. It might mean you need a nap. Or a partner who handles morning shift duty. Or just a reminder that you can’t force a baby into a mold that doesn’t fit them. Instead, adapt. Shift your bedtime. Plan your mornings. Accept that “coffee in bed with the news” may not return until kindergarten.
In the meantime, let them have their 6 a.m. kitchen dance party. You never know what wild adventure awaits, like smearing yogurt on the dog or testing how far Cheerios can fly.
You’ve got this. (And I’ll meet you on Instagram at 5:15 a.m., #TeamEarlyRisers.)
