False start bedtimes
False start bedtimes are yet another one of the most common sleep disturbances that babies experience.
Simply put, a false start bedtime is when you put your baby to sleep for the night and they are up about an hour later, usually crying, unhappy and not exactly ready to wake up. This wake up is not necessarily a habit (although it can quickly turn into one if not dealt with properly), but this waking can happen for a few reasons.
If this happens to your baby, you may be thinking, “what gives?” I did a perfect bedtime, my baby napped, they had a great dinner…WHY are they up an hour after being put to bed?
I get your frustration, as this has totally happened to me before in my own house. There are a few things that can cause false starts to happen which we will explore here in today’s post.
Ask yourself these questions:
Was my baby actually ready for bed?
Did he/she have too much time awake before bed?
Did they not have enough awake time before bed?
Did they eat ok?
Are they feeling ok?
Did they sleep in too late that morning and had a too early bedtime? etc, etc
Once you rule out these things, it’s much easier to pinpoint what’s actually happening and why your baby is waking up.
What causes false starts and CAN they BE PREVENTED?
You’re in luck! Yes, they can be prevented. Thankfully there’s usually a very straightforward reason and fix to this problem.
The two main reasons for false starts is when your baby has a very large wake window before bed or when they are unable to fall asleep independently.
Here are things that can cause false starts:
Too long wake window
If your child’s wake window is too large for him to handle before bed (meaning, they were up for more hours than what’s recommended for his age) then that over tiredness can very likely cause them to wake shortly after being put to sleep for the night. Their body processes that bedtime as a nap, and or they are pumped with adrenaline and cortisol which makes it difficult for them to have solid deep sleep. If this sounds like your baby, shorten that wake window before bed. Bridge that gap between the last nap and bedtime whether it’s with a mini nap or some quiet time for an older baby or toddler, so that your child isn’t going into bed overtired. Trust me on this one.Too short wake window
The same is true for under tiredness (I see it happen more with over tiredness, but this is also common). If your baby’s wake window before bed is TOO SHORT, this can mean that he was tired enough to fall asleep at bedtimes but not necessarily tired enough to stay asleep. Build up that sleep pressure, guys! Make sure your baby has has enough time awake to be tire enough to fall asleep and STAY asleep.Lack of independent sleep skills
The other main reason babies wake from false starts is when they don’t have independent sleep skills. If your baby cannot fall asleep on his/her own, you better believe that they will wake after completing one sleep cycle expecting and waiting for mom or dad to come help put him/her back to sleep and they will do this not only at bedtime but throughout the night. It’s never too late to start teaching your baby good independent sleep skills so that he can easily go back to sleep when he/she wakes after bedtime or in the middle of the night. These skills will be tremendously helpful and beneficial for you and your baby.Fell asleep during the bedtime feeding
If your baby is falling asleep during the bedtime feeding, I would really recommend making that feeding a bit earlier to ensure that your child is eating well and taking in a full feeding before he turns in for the night. Babies who fall asleep during feedings are only taking in a half a feeding or less and this can cause them to wake up hungry shortly after being put to sleep (aka a false start). Allowing your baby to fall asleep while feeding can also cause them to wake u shortly after wanting to be put back to sleep again (see number 3. reason above).Discomfort/gas/reflux
Some babies are prone to discomfort, gas or may even have reflux and this can obviously disrupt their sleep. If your baby has a sensitive tummy, try moving the feeding a drop earlier so that baby has time to digest that feeding. Spend a few extra minutes keeping your baby upright and burping him to make sure you move around some of that gas or air that may be trapped. This should really help prevent that waking from recurring.
What do I do when my baby wakes up from a false start?
You may be wondering exactly what to do when false starts actually happen. Do I take my baby out? Do I feed my baby? Do I try bedtime an hour later?
In short: Don’t take your baby out of the crib if you can help it. And here’s why…
It's not time to take baby out to play or have awake time, etc....I mean of course if you think your baby fell asleep during the bedtime feeding and woke up hungry, then go ahead and feed your baby, but try to make sure your baby isn't falling asleep during their feeding the next night.
Treat this waking as you would any other night waking. It's bedtime and your baby just woke up too soon after going to sleep for the night, but it wasn't a nap or time for a feeding or time to play, etc...
Taking your baby out can reinforce this waking and it can quickly become a habit that you don't want. It can also be really hard for your baby to fall back asleep when they're put back in the crib after being taken out for some time, as their body will have processed that sleep as a nap and they will be rested and overstimulated even though it’s really bedtime.
Another downside to taking them out now is that they'll likely demand a repeat of this process the next night and possibly require assistance falling asleep as well. This will only further perpetuate this waking and their need for help each time they wake. It's a vicious cycle, to say the least.
Lastly, If you need to help make your baby feel better or more comfortable by sitting with them or coaxing them back to sleep, it's ok and much better to do this than taking them out and treating that false start like a nap. Following the tips outlined here should really help you get through this and prevent false starts from happening. I hope you will find it helpful.