Help needed - 6mo with inbuilt 5am alarm clock

[n5rje]

Has anyone got any ideas - my 6mo DS4 is a good sleeper during the day, he goes down with absolutely no trouble at 7pm but has never slept later than 5 - 5.15am. He wakes like clockwork really crying every day - he doesn't burble a bit then decide he's hungry and start crying iykwim he wakes with a cry. I don't think he's hungry, I've tried leaving him to cry but he just gets worse and worse as if he's in pain. By 6am I normally feed him (bf) and then he'll doze until 7ish when he has the rest of his feed. I go back to work soon and really need some help/ideas to help me to get him to sleep until about 6.30. Thank you all in advance.

Blackout blinds, co-sleeping, checking that there is nothing that is disturbing him at that time, such as neighbours getting up, people leaving for work outside anything that makes a noise really. You could try wake to sleep, which is rousing him slightly before he would usually wake, so in your case about 4-4.30pm which apparently can start them into another sleep cycle so they sleep longer. Some suggest putting them to bed later so they wake later. Weetabix or porridge before bed to fill him up. Making sure he is not too hot or cold at this time. Feed him at 5-5.15 and put him back to bed. Put some toys/books out for him to play with.

You have my sympathies, my 2.2 yo DD still wakes at 5-5.15 despite everything, I think some of them are just made that way.

Thanks shoegazer, I do have blackout blinds and have wondered if anything is making a noise at that time. My DP does have to get up for work at that time but not everyday so DS may have got used to hearing the alarm (he's in a different room but would still be able to hear it). I think I will try moving his weetabix to the evening for a while and see if that helps. You must be exhausted, my 3 other DSs are all really good sleepers so my body isn't used to a 5am start yet.

I read on here recently about I think it was called 'wake to sleep' ??? Might be worth doing a search because I can't remember the exact details but basically the idea is you get up some time before their usual wake up time, and rouse them just a little bit so they are out of their sleep but not wide awake. Apparently this is enough to adjust their sleep pattern and they then sleep on past their usual wake up time.

Wish I'd known this five years ago, we had YEARS of 5 and 6 wake-ups. DS is now 6 and wakes later naturally. But it might be worth a go for you!

wake to sleep as HG says

I have used it and posted before about it

deffo search the archives for it and you will find out more

My two were both very early risers, and I was told it would get better. They're now in their teens, and they are still early riser - unless it's a school day!!

Our DS used to wake up sometime between 5 and 6 every morning, not crying but in play mode and would wake us burbling loudly to himself and would not go back to sleep (even though not hungry), argh.... then suddenly one day it stopped. We never figured out what caused it to stop, unless it was slightly cutting back the amount he slept in the day - but that means there is hope for you! He now sleeps till nearly 7 most of the time, though he still occasionally wakes at 6.15ish, but we don't get the 5am wakeups any more (touch wood...)!

just a thought but my DD started doing this at 6 months and it took me a while to realise that basically, she was waking at 4.30/5am then would go back to bed at 6.30/7am. So she was basically getting up early because her body clock knew she could go back to bed a little later. I dragged it out so that she didnt go back to bed until 8 or 9am and hten she started sleeping later again. it might not work for everyone though.

My DD did the same, woke religiously at 5am, I would just feed her and put her back down for a bit. When she stopped having a feed (BF) in the mornings she started sleeping later. It has gradually moved from 5 to 6.30 with the occasional 7am. I do sympathise, it used to drive me nuts & I thought that was it forever. I was so envious of people with babies who slept till 7am every morning!!
Personally I couldnt have done the wake to sleep as there is no way she would have gone back down easily.

My DD is 2 and a half and has just started sleeping in til 6.30/7.00 She was an early riser, 5/5.30 but I think I was putting her to bed too tired. So I changed her nap from 11:30-12:30 to 1pm-2pm, so come 7pm ish she is starting to get tired but not exhausted. She is in her cot for 7:30pm and after a few "wheels on the bus" and "Head shoulders knees and toes" she is off.
I think Sophiale01 suggestion is really good and makes a lot of sense, so maybe try that.
Good luck, it wont last forever.