'Wake to sleep' - what did I do wrong?

[Warwickmum]

Have 15mo DS who over the last 2-3 weeks has started waking at 5.30am on the dot every day . I know I should probably be thankful as others are getting up much earlier, but he had been sleeping from 7 to 6.30 which was just right for getting him up before going to work etc.
This morning I decided to try the 'wake to sleep' method (until now have tried getting him to go back to sleep in cot to no avail and have basically caved in everytime and brought him in with us - something we don't really want to start as a habit as DS doesn't go back to sleep and nor do we. Anyway, set alarm and got up at 4.30am, went in and tried stroking his cheek a bit to stir him slightly, but nothing. Tried stroking hair, still nothing. So decided to move him in his cot, at which point he did seem to stir very slightly, so left it at that. Went back to bed, just got to sleep and then DS woke up crying at 4.50!!! Went in and did manage to settle him back to sleep quite quickly, but guess what, 5.30am on the dot he was awake again!! Any suggestions? Do I need to try and stir him a bit more than I did? It is hard to tell if eyes open as quite dark at that time.
Thanks in advance.

[LordVolAuVent]

Hi Warwickmum, think you should wake him a bit more, yes - the baby whisperer even suggests a nappy change, but I would never be so brave! But it does sound like yours really didn't wake at all, just stirred enough to realise something odd was happening, hence the 4.50 waking in lighter sleep, iyswim!

I have to warn you though, I tried this wake to sleep thing with my DS (almost exactly the same problem) and it din't work at all, he wouldn't really settle back to sleep afterwards, would do 10mins then wake, on and off til I decided to get him up - was far more exhausting than just getting him up at 5.30! So if it's not working quickly, i'd advise you to stop or you might end up causing more problems than you solve. Does work for some (maybe lots!) though..

Good luck.

PS. DS went back to sleeping longer on his own after a while, and have given him a bit of a later bedtime with lighter evenings, which has helped too.

[bippyhippy]

I had this problem with my now 14 month old - he's now 15 months. I followed this and it worked - stop baby waking early

Blackout blinds worked for us too.

Good luck!