*Use a white noise machine - White noise machines can be very helpful at drowning out the noise from the outside world. Barking dogs, street noise and loud household appliances can all wake a sleeping child in the early morning hours when he is in a lighter stage of sleep.
*Keep your child's room dark - Keeping out the bright morning sun is very helpful in ensuring your little one is not waking with the roosters.
*Make sure your child's crib/bed is conducive to sleep - If your child's crib/bed is filled with fun toys she is likely to start playing vs. try to soothe herself back to sleep.
*Make sure your child's bedtime is not too early or too late - Catching your child's sleep window is critical. Going to be too early or too late can lead to more sleep issues. Specifically, it's important to note that going to bed overtired is the number one reason little ones wake up early. Try moving your child's bedtime earlier in small increments (say 15 minutes) and see what happens.
*Make sure your baby is not hungry - If you have a little one under 12 months and you are in the process of night weaning you want to make sure you are giving your little one time to adjust & you also want to make sure that she is taking in more milk during the day. It is always a good idea to consult your pediatrician when weaning for individualized support.
*Try to not overstimulate your little one - Unnecessary early morning check-ins with your little one can end up being more disruptive than helpful. Try to keep interactions to a minimum at this time.
*Your child is going through a developmental milestone - If your child is in the middle of a developmental milestone, he may have some minor sleep interruptions. These interruptions should be temporary if you stay the course. Allow your child plenty of time during the day to work on his new skill.
*Use a wake-up light - If you have an older toddler you can consider using a wake-up light to let him know when it's time to get out of bed.
-- If your family needs more individualized pediatric sleep support please do not hesitate to contact Rest Well Baby (www.restwellbaby.com) for more information on our gentle sleep services and to schedule a FREE 15 minute initial phone consultation anywhere in the United States. We're here to help tired families get the sleep they need! --
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