5 month old waking up to chat

[longlucie]

Hi,
I'm hoping someone else out there has experienced this and can either reassure me that I'm doing the right thing or tell me what to do....
My 5 month old has, for the past few nights, been waking up in the early hours(sometime between 3am and 6am), not crying,but chatting/cooing/playing. He also chats/coos when i put him down for a nap before he falls asleep(before he would always cry for a bit then fall asleep). I'm going with the theory that he's happy so I leave him to entertain himself until he yells for me-anyone else been through this and have any advice? Is it just a phase as he's learning to play in different ways? I'm reluctant to get up to him whilst he's happy, and he seems to 'catch up' with the sleep he's missed by chatting-before he'd wake at 7am and he's been sleeping in til 8 or 8.30.
Sorry for the essay-any advice appreciated!!

I would just leave him to it if he sounds happy! My DD went through a similar thing when she found her voice and I just used to leave her unless she got upset.

Hi, my DS also does this, its all normal and just part of development and sleep patterns where they go from heavy to light sleep wake up and then go back again. Its great that your baby can self settle as some babies wake up and dont know what to do so will cry. I think you are doing the right thing by leaving him if his happy then thats fine.