11 month old started waking 5am help!

[RoyMum]

Hi I'm desperate

my 11 month old has started waking at 5am, he used to sleep 7 till 7 a few weeks ago. it started with him reducing his 2 hour and half naps to 2 half hour naps and i spoke to heath visitor about this and she said he maybe doesn't need naps anyone but that's clearly rubbish as he's now waking at 5!

iv tried everything like nappy change medicine more blankets a cuddle ignoring water checking at intervals. he isn't on the move at all only rolling which is sometimes a problem. iv even sat and held his hand and sshh him.

I'm desperate as I'm exhausted as a student on only 5 to 6 hours sleep and he's a miserable baby particularly in afternoon. i know this isn't enough sleep total of about 11 and half to 12 hours sleep a day for him like 2 hours too little!

Please help!

charlotte

[nextphase]

By 11 months, we were just on one nap a day.
What happens if you move to one nap around lunch time. Might he sleep for longer then during the day?

Mine have never slept the amount recommended for their age. At 16 months, were now doing about 12.5, and have been doing since we dropped to one nap - not that much more than your boy is doing.

The only other thing I can suggest is getting to bed earlier, to get in enough hours sleep for you.

[MamaMads]

I would say it sounds like he isn't getting enough sleep. Making such a sharp change in sleeping patterns can definitely affect them.

Why don't you try getting him back into his original routine on 2 one & half hour naps. Once he's back on that, see if his sleep at night improves. If it does, then you know its the sleep.

After that, try reducing his day time naps by fifteen minutes a day for four or five days at a time, once he's used to that, reduce it again and so on until you get him down to a suitable amount.

Every baby's different, but they definitely don't like change so take it slow!

[QTPie]

Teething (molars and canines)?

11/12 months to 19 months were "disturbed sleep" in this household: DS had slept through since 12 weeks old, but teething was hell (although his day time naps remained good).

DS used to consistently nap 45 minutes in the morning and 1hr 15 or so each afternoon. I brought his naps together into one 2 to 3 hour nap (from about 12.30pm) each day a 14 months. He still has one 1.5 to 3 hour nap each afternoon at 2yr 8 months.

We just rode through it. My stance has always been "no getting up before 6.30/7am" (never wanted to get into bad habits). Generally he only wanted reassurance. We put a spare mattress, duvet and pillow on the floor right next to his cot and took it in turns to go and sleep nex to him (often holding his hand). That way we could either drift back to sleep, in and out of sleep or at least be warm and comfortable...

They are all different and so are we as parents - it is finding a way to cope with it that suits both them and us.

QT

[KLou111]

This may sound daft, but he may need more sleep in the day.
My ds started cutting down his day naps, then would get overtired at bed time, therefore going into a deep sleep, then waking early. So he had 15-20 mins one nap in the morning to get over his early waking but meant he was sleepy at lunch so he had 2 hours at lunch. This then revived him for the afternoon, ready at 7 tired, but not knackered.
2 days later he was back to normal. Worth a try :)

[attheendoftheday]

My dd started waking at 5.30 about that age. I'm afraid to say it's a habit she's stuck with, for her hunger is the issue, she's starving by then.

Tbh I think that if your DS sleeps 7-5 that's pretty good, and should let you get plenty of sleep if you go to bed a bit earlier.

[Rubytaib]

I would love it if my 7mo slept 7-5. She's up every 2 hrs I don't know why. She's definately not hungry because she refuses milk. Any ideas ladies.
Thanks

[KLou111]

Can you ignore her ruby? See if she self settles?

[UsingAPsuedonym]

I'd love it if mine slept 7-5!!! I'd say that's pretty good going for an under 1.

[ZuleikaD]

Mine are both up at 5. It's just the toddler way. You go to bed at 9 and still get 8 hours sleep.