Just seen a sleep consultant about early wakes

[sunflowerandivy]

9 month old wakes and poops in night. Wakes between 4 and 5:30 am most nights.

And this is what they suggested-

1. Earlier bedtime! Apparently a 4.5 hour awake window too long before bedtime
2. Porridge before bed. This will help stop the middle of the night poos apparently!

Please, has anyone had experience of earlier bedtime helping earlier rising!

Yes, definitely true.

What time is bedtime at the moment?

Bedtime normally 7:30ish. 4-4.5 hours from last wake

Yes this is a thing. Sleep begets sleep is the phrase I seem to remember. Give it a try - you’re already waking up crazy early, not much to lose. Need to give it a good week at least though, don’t just disregard if no results on day 1.

Tbh if your baby is waking to poop you're not going to be able to sleep train - you can't teach them not to poop!

And how would eating more prevent pooping?!

She seemed to think it does. Worth a try.

At nine months there’ll be a phase of something else before you know it!

Probably cos you're paying her, and the pooing is the problem.

Mine was doing about 3-3.5hr wake windows and 2 naps (1.5hr + 45m) at that age. They weren't popping at night but also weren't sleeping through either, would wake 2 or 3 times a night but settle easily.

Surely the pooping at night would be more likely a development/hormonal thing, I'd have thought!?

Mine are 11 and still awake at 545 every morning...

I have done controlled crying at 7 months. She can settle herself to sleep. She still wakes constantly- split nights and early rising. She poos most nights around 4am.
This sleep consultant has transformed the lives of dozens of families in the city I live in, some of whom I know personally so think it's worth a shot!

They’re 9 months old. They’re meant to be waking in the night…!

We are not trying to eliminate night wakes, just lessen them and try and get her to sleep longer than 4:30am!

Well, you seem happy in your decision and the advice you've been given. I hope it works out for you.

Not really sure what else to say 🤔

Sleep breeds sleep. An overtired child will sleep poorly, adding to the over tiredness. You might just have an early riser but I'd agree that 4.5 hours is too long for 9m.

Porridge before bed will keep her full for longer and hopefully stop any waking fire to hunger. It's also slow to digest so maybe that's why it'll stop the poo overnight.

Yep agree

Not true at all.

Earlier bed didn't help us with early walking but worth a try.

4am was the morning not the night time according to my ds, nothing to be done except getting a decent coffee inside me for a couple of years. 5.30 is a really normal time for babies and children to be up for the day.
If you don't feel your baby's bowel habits are normal then have a word with your gp to discuss allergies etc.
When I mentioned early morning pooing to the hv when I had my first dc, she said it was a good thing, I'd be able to send her to school knowing she wouldn't need a poo. Fair enough.

For some children early rising can be caused by overtiredness - but for others it can be that they have simply had enough sleep by 5am! 10-11 hours is normal at this age overnight, and if they are lower sleep needs and have a decent chunk in the day they may even end up with an even shorter nap. So for some babies, an early bed fixes an early rise. And for some it makes them rise earlier! (For context I'm also a sleep consultant too!)

Yep an earlier bedtime defo works! I’ve had 4 and when if they went to bed at around 7 at that age they’d be up at 5; if they went to bed 6/6.30 very latest they’d sleep until 7!

Won't happen overnight. Takes at least 6 weeks

An early bedtime does not always mean a later wake time, most children don't sleep 12 hours overnight so your 9 month old waking early seems normal for their bedtime.
My DD has always gone to bed later because I don't want to be awake super early, she will only sleep 10/11 hours overnight.
I would have a look at the following sleep accounts on Instagram as they do lots of free advice to help (although can't help with the pooing in the night):
Little nest sleep
Second star to the right
Hey sleepy baby
Fox and the moon infant sleep
Lyndsey Hookway

9 months old. She’s meant to wake during the night. You’ve already done “controlled crying” and now you’re trying another form of sleep training. Surely this is giving you the message that it doesn’t work?

every single baby on this planet is different and wired different which is why sleep consultants are a load of shite. No human on this planet sleeps 100% throughout the night. Your child will wake up just as much as she is now, only shr won’t bother asking for you because she’ll know you won’t go. She isn’t an alarm clock or robot. She’s a baby designed to wake up.