Early morning waking - advice please

[harriea]

I know this is going to sound really annoying - but DS7.5 months has slept through from the 10.30pm feed from 11 weeks (although can wake up anytime from 6am and chat). We dropped the feed at 4.5 months but suddenly for the last month he is waking at 6am and DEMANDING a feed. Often he won't drink his last bottle as he is too full before going to bed. Suggestions anyone?

hi harriea, how was Ds this morning? I've just read this thread with much interest as my 11 month old DD has just in the last 2 weeks started to wake at about 6am when her ususal waking time was anywhere from 7.30 to 9.15am.

We haven't changed anything in her routine at all but i have noticed that she isn't eating much tea (even though she hasn't had a 2.30pm milk feed for months now). She woke again at 6am this morning but I left her chatting to herself and just moaning occasionally until 6.30. She did then grab at her milk but didn't drink it all and ate no cereal whatsoever and back in bed at 7.45!

Does your DS go back for another morning sleep when he wakes so early?

Sat am and Sunday am continued to be better. 7.15 (!) and 6.50am. THis morning 6.30 but not prtesting with hunger till 6.45am. Think he needs even more tea actually as he had all his bottle at 6.15 (had to put him down at 6.30 as he was exhausted) SO on the basis of 4 days we are making progress

6am isn't early in our house either- that is what we aim for (5am is more normal)

Feed him - he is going much longer without a feed and is due one. He is sleeping really well now. I def wouldn't re-introduce the 10.30pm feed - but as this is now gone feeding him at 6am seems fine to me.

good news harriea. fingers crossed for you that it continues.

For anyone interested, the strategy continues to work. Even if he wakes at 6 now, can settle himself back to sleep, and if wakes at 6.30, don't feel the need to go and get him till 7 (ie is not frantic for a bottle). Dropping the the 2.30pm feed really does seem to have had the effect of making him drink all the 6.30pm bottle and he is definitley making up his milk requirment in cereal, yoghurt, cheese sauce etc

Glad to hear that your strategy worked . hope you don't mind but i have a question on your original post - how did you go about dropping the 10.30pm feed? - my ds is 5 mths and has slept through till 6/7 since 10 weeks - i don't want to drop the feed and then have a crying hungry baby on my hands at 2am but feel that once he starts taking solids we should drop this feed.

We carried on doing it until he was only taking 2/3 oz. We always did a dream feed - ie we never wokr him any more than was strictly necessary. He has been fine until this last month when he started to cut out the evening bottle and wake up hungry. although we have gone through periods of him waking at 6 and chatting. WE have a policy of not going to get him unless he is absolutely yelling and little by little he seems to be getting the message.

guess i should wait a bit longer then as he still takes a full bottle at the mo - like you we used to leave him in his cot chatting from 6 till 7 (sometimes he fell back to sleep) but he's just learnt to roll over which means that he crys to be rescued when he can't roll back! - 6am is therefore our wake up but he's still happy not to have his first feed till 6.45ish - just when you think you have it cracked, it all changes!

guess i should wait a bit longer then as he still takes a full bottle at the mo - like you we used to leave him in his cot chatting from 6 till 7 (sometimes he fell back to sleep) but he's just learnt to roll over which means that he crys to be rescued when he can't roll back! - 6am is therefore our wake up but he's still happy not to have his first feed till 6.45ish - just when you think you have it cracked, it all changes!

The rolling over theing must be SO annoying DS of 8 months has still not rolled over and sleeps flat on his back in the same position for 11-12 hours.........very cute but I DREAD to think what is going to happen when he rolls over.....yes I would wait until he is having enough food and a full 8oz at 6.30pm/7pm before dropping it ie when he is losing interest

My 17 month old son has always been a good sleeper - goes down by 7.30pm and usually wakes at about 6.30. He's now started waking at 5.30!!! He still has a 2 hour nap after lunch - do you think this is the problem? Should I cut this back now?

My 17 month old son has always been a good sleeper - goes down by 7.30pm and usually wakes at about 6.30. He's now started waking at 5.30!!! He still has a 2 hour nap after lunch - do you think this is the problem? Should I cut this back now?

Carrsa - I was reading on another thread that you should cut back on their nap times if you want them to sleep later in the morning, maybe he should sleep for 1 hour it might make all the difference. I have a problem with my 2.5 yr old who wakes now at 5:30am and doesn't even have her lunchtime nap. We have just said bye bye to the dummy a couple of weeks ago so she may well just be adjusting...AND I am 35 weeks pregnant - so maybe I should be getting used to the early mornings again!!!