16 months - early mornings

[Unbreakable2017]

My DS is 16 months and we are really struggling with early wakings.

He goes to bed in his own room around 7 after bath, bottle and story. He goes into cot awake and we leave him with dummy - he is asleep within minutes. He will stir for dummy but usually finds it himself (or we go and give it to him).

He then wakes between 3-4 and I BF him and put him back down. He then will usually wake up again after 45 mins and won’t settle again. He used to go back to sleep if we brought him into bed with us and I BF him but this has stopped working, and he just shouts and hits us in the face until one of us gets up with him. We’ve tried leaving him in cot but he screams until we pick him up. We take it in turns getting up in the morning but it is taking its toll getting up at 5/5.30, especially with a night feed as well.

He has had periods of sleeping through (until 5/6) but recently we have had various illnesses/lots of teeth coming through.

Naps: he has a nap around 9 for up to an hour, and one at around 1.30 for up to 2 hours. He would sleep longer for the 9am one if we let him (up to 2 hours), but will then refuse afternoon nap and is then exhausted at bedtime. He has pretty much the same routine when he is with us and with childminder. He goes into cot awake for all naps, and will also nap in car.

He eats loads and has cow’s milk in bottle before lunch time nap and before bed. I had night weaned him and was only BF first thing in morning, but he had a sickness bug a while ago and couldn’t keep anything down so started BFing more.

I know I need to night wean again but am scared that if I don’t feed him at 3/4, he will then be up for the day. When I night weaned him a couple of months ago I did a bit of controlled crying (never left him more than a couple of minutes) but he just grumbled - now he full on screams if I don’t feed him.

Sorry for the essay! Just want any tips on how to get him sleeping later - not expecting until 7 but 6 would be amazing! Or even 5 would be ok if no wakings before then. Wondering if need to drop down to 1 nap but he is just so tired by 9 when he’s been up since 5.

Thank you!

[FATEdestiny]

You're right, this does come down to night weaning. Night weaning won't immediately stop the wake up, but it established an alternate way baby will be settled at that wake up. Ideally settled in the cot like at bedtime.

[Unbreakable2017]

Thanks Fate. We have been trying sending DP in instead, who is usually able to settle him, but he then wakes up 10 mins later and we eventually give up and I feed him.
Need to persevere but he gets so upset - screams, refuses to lie down and throws dummy out of cot!