Early waking

[DrunkDori]

My baby is 9 months old and I seem to be finally cracking down on waking through the night and bed sharing.

Currently she goes roughly 10 hours in her cot - hooray. However it's from around 6:30 till between 4 and 4:30. Sometimes I can get her back to sleep by bringing her in with me, other times I can't.

I've tried putting her down later but she tends to wake all through the night if I do that.

Any suggestions?

[Cathster]

No advice I'm afraid but going through the same thing, down to the exact same timing!

Feel I should be grateful that she's doing 10 hours, but man that 4am waking is so tough isn't it?

I occasionally give her the morning bottle early and she goes back to sleep but not for an hour or so and only for about half an hour so barely worth it!

What's her routine like during the day?

[DrunkDori]

Oh no, sorry to hear you're going through it too. I feel the same - I know loads of people would kill for a 10 hour stint (I would have done a couple of months ago) but 4 o clock is a killer!

I tried giving her a bottle at 4:45 this morning but I think it was too little too late - she just finished it, burped, giggled then gave me that "let's play!" look.

She's actually getting into a bit of a pattern in the day now. I used to really struggle to get her to nap but she's doing a lot better. Now I'm thinking is she having too much in the day haha. Can't win! She has between 2 and 3 hours a day spread over 2 naps.

How about your daytime? Do you find anything changes the night time significantly?

[Cathster]

Yep, we were having horrendous nights a few months ago, it's amazing how quickly you get used to the new norm!

She's down to two naps now and does pretty well at them, between 30 mins-1hr20 at 8 and 1hr-2hrs at 12ish. I've tried putting her down for naps/bed earlier/later, doesn't make much difference (like maybe 10 mins!). She has barely slept today as we've been out, just over an hour in total for the whole day, so interesting to see if that makes things better or worse!

I did wonder today if she was waking out of hunger, she's not increased her solids much although she is on 3 meals a day. So I've tried feeding at every opportunity today to see if that has an impact. What's your DDs feeding like?

There is a 8/9/10 month sleep regression so it could all just be down to that....

[BendydickCuminsnatch]

Exact same boat, had a thread on it this week. DS is 13 mo though. Gah.

[HappyInL0nd0n]

Have you thought about waking her before you go to sleep, say at 10.30 and giving her a bottle then? 10 hours in the cots sounds amazing - 13 hours (from 6pm-7am) may just be too long for your little one to go between meals.

[DrunkDori]

It might be hunger in our case too I just can't be sure - she does go back to sleep sometimes without a feed. She is having 3 meals a day and has recently had a real improvement in her appetite. Still loves her bottles and has a 6,10,2 and 6 O clock.

Thanks for the suggestion Happy. I did try this a while ago when waking through the night was rough and it definitely made her sleep more disrupted but perhaps that's changed and it's what she needs now.

She is teething terribly at the moment - 4 top ones coming through at once so perhaps that has some bearing on it all.

Let me know how you go on tonight Cathster. Baby Dori has just fallen asleep absolutely shattered but isn't surprising after her early wake up. She's only had 3oz of her usual 8 at this time as well. Every night feels like such a lottery!

[Cathster]

Hope your wake up isn't too early tomorrow Dori. DD went to bed at 10 past 7, a whole hour later than normal, so will be interesting to see if she sleeps a little later - unlikely based on previous late bedtimes!

I've not tried waking her for a bottle but based on times I've had to wake her before to give medicine etc. she doesn't appreciate it and takes longer to go back off again. Any things worth a shot if this carries on though, I'm back at work tomorrow!

[Cathster]

Sorry you're suffering through this too Bendy!

[DrunkDori]

Well hope your nights have gone a bit better Cathster and Bendy.

Mine hasn't been great - woke at 7 for rest of her milk. Back in cot until 11:30 then in the bed with me. Squirming and stirring almost hourly until 4:45. She's currently in my arms listening to white noise but not sleeping. At least she's calm and not trying to hurl herself off the bed though.

I keep telling myself it's her teeth now. Please, please let things change again for the better when they're through!

Good luck with work today Cathster. Have you been back long or is this you returning from mat leave?

[Cathster]

Oh sorry to hear you've had a rough night Dori. Have you tried giving her anything for her teeth? I hope they come through soon - can you see them below the gum yet?

DD cried in her sleep hourly until 1am when I gave her Nurofen, think it must have been her teeth too (she's been dribbling and snotting for a while now although no actual sign of them!) as she slept ok after that until she woke at 5:10 and started bellowing straight away as she had pooed.

First day back after mat leave... Dreading it a little bit!

[DrunkDori]

Oh you poor thing. I remember feeling like that - I went back when baby was 6 months but I'm only 3 days a week. I'm sure it'll be better than you're imagining. Good luck!

Let's hope all this is down to their teeth then! Sorry your DD was struggling I can see the teeth just poking through now but it's this last bit that was hardest for her with her first two. She gets diarrhoea with it too which is grim! I keep telling myself "it'll be different in 2 weeks". I really hope it is!

[DrunkDori]

So wake up was again at 4:45 today. That was after she didn't get to sleep until 8 last night, came into my bed at 12 and was wriggling from 3:30.

Seriously don't know what to do now. I'm trying not feed her till 6 as it threw everything yesterday.

Feeling so fed up with this. We seem to be going backwards. Anyone with any advice?

[FifiFerusha]

I am right with you ladies except my DS is 11 months. He has woken between four and five since I can remember, but when he had previous NWs I could get him back to sleep until 6.30(bliss). Now he sleeps through he wakes between 5 and 5.30 ready to play. I have tried the whole leaving him in his cot(if he isn't crying) until past 6 and I make sure I don't give him a bottle until 6.30 in some vague attempt that he will wake later but has only worked a handful of times as other things such as a bad nap day etc...can just get in the way of the routine etc..

Someone suggested that people always forget to consider how long a babys day is. For Instance if my little one wakes early and goes to bed at 7, he is still having a long day and than can be a killer for EWs. I am trying this out and doing the whole early bedtime thing today, capping the morning nap etc....aiming for a long afternoon one but have little faith. Others say a good half an hour of fresh air before bed( and plenty in the day). This has worked a few times. Try it out. Also a good snack mid afternoon and a later tea. However they may not take as much of their bedtime milk. So confusing isn't it?

My DD woke early until about the age of 3, now she will lie in whenever she possibly can. So here's hoping it isn't forever. Let's hope there is a solution.

Also what are your awake times between afternoon nap and BT? I try and keep DS going for fours hours but am wondering if this is still too long. The trick is an early bedtime. . .ha or so I have heard. Let's see x x

[Cathster]

Sorry you had another bad night Dori. DD did ok last night, slept through without crying in the night which is unusual, and woke at 5:20. She's had her first day at nursery today and barely slept while there, so gone to bed tonight overtired. I think we're guaranteed plenty of night wakings (already had 3) and an early morning again.

Fifi, DD goes 4 hours between her last nap and bed. If I squeeze in another nap she goes to bed too late and if I put her down earlier she would be going to bed at 5pm! I've tried same as you, leaving her in her cot until 6 (she used to happily talk to herself for a good while but complains after about 10-20 minutes now), leaving it until after 6:30 before giving her a bottle, nothing works. Hope the early bedtime works for you tonight.

Hope your LOs give you some respite tomorrow morning (we can only hope?!) sorry I can't offer any advice Dori but be reassured you are not alone!

[DrunkDori]

Hi Fifi. Sounds like you're in a similar place too then! You're right - it's super confusing. I will try out some of what you say about naps and food and see if that helps. Thanks. My daughter practically lives outside so I'm not sure the fresh air thing is working for her!

Another 4:45 wake up today. Had to give in and just gave a bottle at half 5. Now she's just lying in my arms awake. I'm starting to get really disheartened with it.

How did work go Cathster? Sounds like you had a great night, the one before last hope your predictions about last night didn't come true.

Hang in there everyone!

[MoonlightMedicine]

Solidarity. I'm on DC2 who is 2.5 years. I've had 7.5 years of 5am starts!!

[Cathster]

Oh no Moonlight! That's awful!

We had a 4:30am wake up today :( gave her a bottle straight away, rocked her back to sleep and she was awake again and wanting to play within ten minutes. Aaaaarghh! Really starting to think I'm just going to need to adjust my own waking hours. But I love having my evenings, I don't want to have to go back to going to sleep at 8pm again like when she was four months old and not sleeping at all!

Work was ok thanks Dori. Getting back into the swing of it really quickly, and DD seems to be coping well with nursery, despite the lack of sleep. I've just picked her up from nursery and put her down for a nap now in a desperate attempt to avoid an overtired bedtime again!

[BendydickCuminsnatch]

DS hasn't taken an afternoon nap so has been awake since 10am 😰😰 DH is doing bedtime tonight so I'm going to run away to the gym and cross my fingers he catches up tonight, but in the past good day sleep = good night sleep so this might be the opposite.

[Cathster]

Hope your DS is sleeping ok tonight Bendy.

We have a 3:30am wake up today.... Feel like crying!!!

[jessplussomeonenew]

Do you have good blackout blinds/curtains as I think this time of year it really makes a difference?

[DrunkDori]

Glad work went well Cathster - it's crazy how quick you just adapt and fit it back in with everything! Sorry this morning sounds like a particularly tough one for you though.

I think black out blinds is a good call - I still haven't got round to getting them and definitely need to.

How did your DS do Bendy? My DD definitely struggles at night when she doesn't get enough in the day (which is silly! You'd think they'd need to catch up!) I hope this wasn't the case though and you had a good one?

I'm also wondering about milestones for my DD. She seems to be changing a lot developmentally at the moment and has started walking this week. I might be clutching at every possible straw here but maybe that has something to do with it?

[BendydickCuminsnatch]

Hi everyone! He slept 7-5, so that's good but it's just bloody annoying getting up at 5. He was laughing and screeching at 5 and running around like a loon. He was so hungry (inhaled a bottle and 2 weetabix) and is looking tired now so I think it is a hunger thing. Not too sure what I can do about that really, he had a massive dinner last night! Going to go to the park this morning - I usually would be putting him down for his nap now. Going to aim for a 10am nap and let him sleep as long as he wants and that's it until bedtime, see how that goes. Although I'm in 2 minds about that because yesterday he only had one nap and still didn't catch up at night (10hrs last night). Soooooo I don't know where my logic comes from. I have read that one nap will make him sleep longer, but also that less sleep in the day = less sleep at night.

I am so confused!!

What is everyone else's plan?

I do think developmental milestones come into it - into problem is they are happening ALL THE TIME and if they're not then they'll be teething or something... Sigh!

[peasofcake]

I think we got into a similar pattern around that age and was chatting to a friend about this yesterday. The best I could come up with is to break the habit, 10 hours in the cot is amazing at that age. If a 4 am wake up isn't for you (is it for anyone!?) then you need to shift the routine round and do later bedtime. Book yourself up for a super busy weekend where baby is entertained all the time and exhaust them and throw them out of routine , then you can try to start again with a routine. 2 naps sounds about right aim for 10am and 3pm and an 8-9pm bedtime and fingers crossed will all slot into place.

[BendydickCuminsnatch]

8-9pm bedtime!!!!!!!!! 😰😰 OMG. That sounds awful. But would I prefer that or a 5am wake up?? I work in the evenings (from home) and DH gets home about 8:30pm usually so I wouldn't be able to start work til after 8:30 or bedtime.
We're at the park now but DS is knackered, not sure if we'll make it til 10 :-s so confused!

[peasofcake]

Bendy, just go with what the baby wants today. You have to break your current routine first. IME a holiday as the best way to do this but obviously that is a bit ridiculous!!!