7 month old wake up time.

[SnowWhite26]

So the situation is that for months now lo has been going to bed at about 630 as she gets very tired is ready then. She naps for 2-3 hrs a day sometimes less. She naps in buggy and car so no strict nap times.She is also still in our room and we hope to move into a 2 bed place soon. She starts stirring at about 4 most mornings and after about 20 mins or so i can convince her to go back to sleep mostly by putting her in the bed with us. She will then wake for the day anywhere between 5 and 530. I know this might be a phase as when she was in with us before she used to sleep till 7ish. Has anyone got any idea how I can encourage even half sn hours more sleep. Will it better when shes in her own room because i do wonder if she forces herself awake as she sees us and decides to play. Its very tiring as I am waking at 4 and just antcipating it.I akso worry shes npt getting enough sleep.
Thanks. X

[mumto1babyboy]

I could of written this myself!! My little boy is 7months old and he is exactly the same I am exhausted!!
Not really sure what to advise as I'm in the same situation but just wanted you to know your not alone!!
I'm thinking of trying to prolong bed time a bit later although it will be hard as he's conked out by 6-630! Lol xx

[graysor]

Also following. My nearly 6 month old dd is the same, except there is no persuading her back to sleep after 4. Feeding and bringing her in with me makes no difference, she just squawks loudly and thrashes around. sigh

[poocatcherchampion]

My 7mo same. 2yo was basically up til 2am poorly.
I'm in bed..

[Mslad]

My lo started waking at 4.45 / 5 every morning from 5 months, I found it really hard (especially as she would only do two 30 minute naps during the day...but that's a separate issue). At 9 months she started sleeping till at least 6, now she's just turned one and most mornings she sleeps till at least 7.30 (bliss). Sorry I've no real advice (I did read a lot about early walkers at the time), it's really hard at the time, but they will probably grow out of it. Hang in there!

[orangebird69]

Same here! Watching...

[SnowWhite26]

Thanks for all your msgs :) i am trying to not get her our the cot and ignore her till she crys. Shes normally happy gabberling away. Hopefully be better in her own room soon. I was going to cut down naps but she falls asleep in car and pram so a bit impossible.x

[FATEdestiny]

Brining back a night feed may help, I'd suggest a dreamfeed when you go to bed.

It is not unusual during early weaning (up to about 9 months) for nights to be disturbed when baby was previously sleeping through. This is often in the form of an early-morning-but-still-nighttime-really wake up.

Early weaning foods are often low calorie (fruit, veg) and baby may not have the wide range of food groups and the portion sizes of an older child yet.. Therefore belly gets full on lower calories and so milk intake can actually increase in the early weaning (6-9m) stage, not decrease as some may expect.

Babies can also start to feel dehydration during early weaning. Think about the amount of water/fluids baby was getting from milk just before you started weaning and compare to now. Is baby getting enough fluids through the daytime?

So, despite my waffling, I would recommend bringing back (just temporarily, don't worry!) a night feed when you go to bed. Because I didn't have a problem settling mine, I'd try for fully waking baby up for this feed - nappy change and the lot. Make it a bit like a re-set button at 10/11pm. So that once settled back to sleep after that feed, with a new nappy, it is like re-starting the nights sleep.

Also make sure baby is still getting plenty of milk feeds through the daytime to maintain calorie intake. I recall early weaning feeling like going back to the newborn days of spending all my time during the day either feeding baby or getting her to sleep - what with fitting in 3 proper meals, four or five full milk feeds, drinks from a beaker and all the normal daytime naps. Relentless feeing/sleeping marathon!

It does settle down though. I would then test the water after a couple of weeks. Skip the dreamfeed and see what happens. If baby goes back to early waking then carry on for a few more weeks with the deamfeed. If baby sleeps later don't bother.

We had a mix-and-match time for a while whereby if I wasn't knackered when I went to bed I'd give baby a feed, but if I was knackered I wouldn't give the feed but would expect an early morning. The dreamfeed need not be set in stone, its not an 'always' or 'never' thing. But does help on the times you'd rather not have a stupid oclock wake up call.

[waitingforsomething]

What time do you put her to bed? I only ask because I have just passed through the early rising phase with my 2nd baby, having gone through it all with number 1! Both times I have managed to fix it, weirdly, with an earlier bedtime. In both cases I've started putting them down around 6.30 then they wake up between 6 and 6.30. 7pm or later and they seem to be overtired, cry at bedtime then wake up 5/5.30.

[Pollyputhtekettleon]

My 6 month old is waking at 5am every day for the last 3 weeks. I don't like it but I'm just rolling with it. I'm sure it's s phase and will pass.

[SnowWhite26]

Thanks for the replies :)FATE we have recently (in the last 3 weeks) dropped the dream feed as she wasnt really taking it and it was really disturbing her sleep pattern amd making her restless in the night. I know what you mean about the food and I do wonder if shes hungry but she never crys for it. In a week we are moving and she will be in her own bedroom. I am hoping this means that when she wakes early I will leave her babbling to herself until a resonable time or she seems distressed. I cant help thinking she knows I am right next to her atm and she can see me so she gets very excited lol.Maybe I will try the dream feed again in her own room. I am baby led weaning so she is eating but not loads like purees. She has 7oz at 6-7am then breakfast 7oz mid morning lunch 7oz mid afternoon tea and 7oz before bed. I have considered uping her bottles before bed. What do you think?
waitingforsomething- she goes to bed at 6.30 occasionally 7. We have drawn it out as I think that she probably would go down earlyer at 6-615. She likes to chat to her dummy theb pops it in and goes to sleep. Do you think i should try 615 to get into cot? Seems very early. Shes always tired though. Thanks. What a mind field. I want her to get enough sleep and just feel shes still tired at 5 lol x

[waitingforsomething]

I agree it is early but mine have never woken earlier because of an early bedtime. You could see if she will go 6-6? Worst case is she goes 6-5 which is same wake up time but an extra hours sleep. If she only goes 6-4 then knock it on the head immediately! I know a few people that do 6-6. I have learnt over time that kids awake after 6 is normal - just trying to get rid of 5 something can be an effort.

[Cineraria]

Is it due to the brighter mornings and evenings? Could you try a blackout blind, maybe?

It made a huge difference to my son. He sleeps for the night at ten and although he still feeds overnight, he doesn't want to get up until at least 9.30, whereas he was wanting to stay awake and play from 6 before we had it due to the daylight. He naps better too.

[SnowWhite26]

Yeah we have black out blinds although the light still creeps through the sides. Its weird coz she could fall asleep in the light. Its the waking up. I dunno I guess it must be habit as well. Thus morn she woke at 5 so I left her tp babble. She kept going quiet and the at 5.45 she got a bit upset. So i put in the bed with us and we all slept till 8 haha. I didnt think for a minute she would gp back to sleep. But maybe she needed a half an hour babble lol

[Sparrowlegs248]

Wish I knew the answer, my ds wakes around 5am most days. It was 4 one day last week. He usually goes to sleep OK, is eating vast amounts of normal adult food (not puree etc) during the day, drinks water, bf several times a day, and a couple of times at night and still wakes at 5.