Baby only contact napping past 5am

[Mama297]

Our 5m.o. wakes around 5am everyday and is still tired, but won’t go back down in the cot.

Baby wakes once or twice a night before 5am and settles back down in the cot fine, but when they wake at 5am they won’t go back to sleep in the cot. Even with dry nappy / feed / rocking they won’t settle in the cot. The cot is in our room and it’s warm with white noise so don’t think it’s temp or them being disturbed either.

If we try to get up for the day they are unhappy and struggle to wake up properly. If we put them in the cot they cry. They only want to be asleep in our arms. When we let them sleep in our arms they sleep for another 1-2 hours.

Does anyone have any success at getting their baby to go back to sleep in the cot after this time / any tips?

What does the rest of their sleep pattern/nap schedule look like?

They are in a lighter sleep at that time. Just hold them and use it as a time to read a book/watch a show on your phone. And be grateful it's only from 5am but daughter only slept if she was tummy to tummy with me all night! She's 3 now and sleeps through some nights in her bed so it does pass. But honestly try not to stress about doing the right thing and just do what gives peace for now!

Ahhh yes, mine did this around that age. It did pass, he started sleeping longer after a couple of months (it was midsummer for us so I think the light didn't help). I made sure I went to bed as early as possible, and used the time to read Mumsnet and search for cute second hand baby clothes.

Some of my friends' babies were up for the day at that time, so I was grateful he'd sleep if I held him!

My 5 month old son does this as well. I just hold him and read a book/go on my iPad. There’s no point upsetting him for no reason.