pushing forward getting up time

[eclondon]

My baby is 6months old and always been a problematic sleeper since born he's woken between 2 and 6 times a night and has never had longer than 4hrs in a row sleep. However in the last week we have a new pattern of a dream feed at 10pm and one wake up at 1am which sounds fabulous (and Oh my it is such an improvement on earlier this month when he was up every hour) however he still wakes up for the day at 5am.

When he was doing multiple wakings my partner would get up at 5am with him but this is unsustainableas he is so knackered so it's back to me doing the early mornings.

Basically I want to "teach" my baby that 5am is still night and not play time and plush hours getting up time to 6am (or could I dream for later? !?). I am currently sat in the dark with an awake baby "singing" to me from his cot. I'll get him up for the day at 0630. Will this work? Will he learn to sleep longer? Sorry I'm so tired and just want some sleep for myself and my partner. Thanks in advance

Bump. My ds has a far better night's sleep if he goes to bed at 1830 but then wakes nearer to 0500 :-/ as op says this is far preferable to the alternative but can we hope for more?

what time does he go to bed?

What did you do to encourage him to settle when he woke at night?
Not wanting to teach you to suck eggs, but minimal light, calm quiet talk, does he have a bottle when he wakes?
One thing that I read was to disturb them but not entirely wake them half an hour before they usually wake to try and encourage them to go into a deep sleep again (but that means YOU waking up!! )
My son used to wake anywhere from 4.30-5.45 (a lie in!!) when he was that age. He now wakes anytime from 6.30 onwards at almost 3 years of age.
I did think he would wake forever at 4.30-5 and did think I might have sleep deprivation forever!!
Wait till he does sleep longer and then you'll be awake panicking that he's dead ill or something!

Also, try pushing his nap time later. My DS used to want to nap at 9 when he's woken at 5. I started pushing his nap by 15 minutes each day. Sleep experts reckon the earlier they nap in the morning, the earlier they will wake up. It's worth trying.
Good luck!!

I read something yesterday that said they need a long lunchtime nap as otherwise they are so tired when they go to sleep at night that they go straight into deep sleep too early so when they move to lighter sleep in early hours they properly wake up.

I've been trying to settle ds (also 6 months) for longer lunchtime nap with varying success!

What's his routine like at the moment?

OP does your baby wake up early because of hunger ?
Are you on solids yet ?
My suggested routine:
630/7am - wake up / start of the day
Morning milk
845- Breakfast
Very short nap max 30 mins
1130am - lunch
12-230 nap
245 - milk
430 - small nap max 30 mins
530 dinner
615 - bath
7 - jar of baby rice pudding
10pm - dream feed

It's a version of Gina ford.

And worked for my 3 DC

It's funny I'm pretty opposite to Gina ford - I bf on demand, have ds in sling loads and pretty much cosleep but our routine is really similar. Just up a bit later and we do blw so the meals are more snacks but it's basically the same. Just goes to show whatever you do it all ends the same!

Cogitosum - the routine worked for me. And was probably more of a crutch to make me feel more in control. Plus I desperately hate being sleep deprived. I also had premie twins - so I needed a routine.

Oh that wasn't a dig at you moggy I hope you didn't take it like that. I can imagine with twins how important a routine is.

It was more a dig at myself... So anti Gina fordand I've ended up with an almost identical routine!

Bump. My ds has a far better night's sleep if he goes to bed at 1830 but then wakes nearer to 0500 :-/ as op says this is far preferable to the alternative but can we hope for more?

Cogitosum - no I know it wasn't a dig ... Was just trying to justify my control freakishness !!