What if you have to wake Baby up? What if it's 7:00 a.m., he's not awake yet, and you need to get him ready to go to the babysitter's or the day care facility, or need to get him ready to go out with you as you make your daily rounds, or drop your older child at the day care center, or whatever your needs are?

What if he's sleeping late and that doesn't work with your plans for the day? What if it's an unusual day, when Mom or Dad has to catch an early flight for a business trip and needs a ride to the airport? What if you have a meeting and need to get to work an hour earlier? How are you going to wake Baby up?

Create an “Awake” Environment

First, walk quietly into his room and open his blinds. If it's 5:00 A.M. in winter, opening the blinds isn't going to make a bit of difference. But if it's 7:00 A.M. in summer, the sunlight will come streaming in. If sunlight or simply sufficient daylight doesn't reach the windows in question at the hours you need it, turn on a light in his room.

Turn on some music, too, if you want. Turn up the volume on the radio or TV in some other room, though music in your baby's room will be more effective. Hum or sing along with the music. Create light. Create noise. If all else fails (though that's hardly likely), stroke your baby's legs or arms or face, as you talk directly to her over the bars of the crib.

She'll wake up. If she's not a morning person, she's going to be groggy or maybe even cross. Have a bottle ready or be ready to nurse or have some strained fruits or vegetables or some cereals ready, if she's old enough. But be prepared to talk to her and keep her occupied while she feeds at the bottle or breast. Otherwise, if she wasn't ready to wake up yet, she might go back to sleep while she's feeding. Try to engage her as she suckles at the bottle or breast.

Having activity around her will help her wake up as well. Get her diaper changed, get her dressed, and get her out into the living room or kitchen or dining room — somewhere where other family members are located.

Let her get intrigued with what the other family members are doing. Let her get involved. Let her wake up as she follows the activities of others. Then get her ready for the day at hand. Are you about to take her out on a car ride? Tell her excitedly that's she's going in the car! She's going for a ride! Are you about to drive to the airport? Tell her she's going to see the planes! Keep excitement in your voice.

This Little Massaged Piggy

Another tactic to take with babies who are reluctant to wake up is a brisk foot massage. Taking care not to rub so hard that you cause friction and burning (an application of a little baby oil will help prevent that), rub her feet briskly. Rub either front-to-back and back up again or side-to-side and back again. Use your whole hand.

Although you're rubbing briskly, don't bear down hard on your baby's sensitive foot. This foot massage will help her to wake up. Brisk but restrained arm massage is also helpful.