9 month old early waking and so much more..Help!

[Aussiegirl123]

My almost 9 month old has been waking between 5am and 5.30am for almost 2 months now. He cosleeps and this is issue we hope to address shortly. We didnt want to start sleep training until he had adapted to my return to work.

Anyhow, this morn he woke ar 5.10am, having slept since 7pm the night before. I realise schedules have big part to play in this issue but I can only get him onto suitable schedule once early waking issue is resolved as it has knock on effect for naps etc. His first nap this am was at 7.45 as he was shatted at this point having been up 2.5hours. His next nap was from 12.15 until 2.15. He wont nap again today, plus he has had quota of day time sleep and as you can see his naps are far too early as result of early waking and by time bedtime rolls around (6.30 - 7) he must be overtired. Im just not sure where to start...should we resign ourselves to an early riser and the silent battle as to who is getting up with baby at this time. Im really very exasperated by it.

Also, the cosleeping has taken on whole new level of commitment as baby now requires one of us to be there pretty much all the time or he wakes and gets upset. Not the biggest issue in one sense as we are usually shattered from our early start.

im almost brought to tears with envy when I see other babies' daily schedules which start at 7am.

As I said I dont know where to start on any of the issues Any advise would be welcome.

[FATEdestiny]

...I can only get him onto suitable schedule once early waking issue is resolved...

Its the chicken and the egg situation. I suspect that moving around your daytime routine will be the thing that helps solve the early mornings. But you don't want to change the daytime routine until early mornings are solved.

I solved early mornings in my 10 month old be temporarily bringing back the 11pm dreamfeed. This is assuming you are no longer doing any night feeds. A couple of months ago when my DD was early waking, bringing back the 11pm night feed acted as a night time 'reset button' which lead to her sleeping in later in the morning. This almost immediately resulted in daytime naps moving later the following day, which reaffirmed the change when bedtime came.

[mariposa10]

It's probably not what you want to hear but sleep training should sort out the early waking because he'll be able to settle himself back to sleep. Once you start and are consistent, sleep training takes a few days to work so you could start sooner. Have you tried making his naps shorter so you can space them out a bit more?

[Aussiegirl123]

FATEdestiny and Mariposa10 thank you so so much for suggestions. I think I might just try a dream feed tonight and see what results. Out of hope that he would go back to sleep we have given him a bottle when he wakes and he drinks every ounce(but doesn't go back to sleep). Maybe if he is even a little hungry at 5am then this is enough to cause him to be wake. I do think its become a habit at this stage and that his body clock may have adjusted to this as his wake up for the day.

Mariposa 10 ,I think you are right, sleep training is required at this stage. At least if I had my bed to myself I might be more rested at 5am. Honestly, the thoughts of it makes me want to cry. This morning I was trying to ignore him (pretending to be asleep) as he shuffled around the bed at an ungodly hour and realising that he wasn't getting any reaction, planted lots of kisses on my cheek in a bid to stir me.. Might try and start some sleep training tjis weekend, that or hand in my notice as I'm too tired to function in work!