5.5 mo waking at 3:30 every morning

[KnittingPretty]

I realise this is going to be contentious, but I am looking for some constructive help and ideas in trying to get my DS to sleep through again.

He is 5.5 mo and fortunately for us, he has always been a good sleeper..... until about 5 weeks ago. He would sleep through from 6:30 pm until 6:30 am, with a dream feed at 10. Unfortunately, since his 4 month growth spurt, he has been waking at 3:30 - 4. I thought he was hungry, but he doesn't want feeding at this time - only someone to play with! He is generally awake for about 90 minutes.

I BF him until about 3 weeks ago, and he now gets a 50-50 mix of formula/EBM in each feed. Under HV advice, because he is a big baby (same size as his 10 month old cousin, who is in 50th percentile!), we have started to wean him (puréed veg and fruit only) and we give him "hungry baby milk" for the 10 pm feed.

I am worried because he is having to make up the missed sleep at 8:30, with a 90 minute nap, but doesn't nap well at other times of the day (max 40 minutes, twice). He is in his own room and naps in the dark.

I know he is still young, so I am not too keen on leaving him to cry back to sleep, but I am worried that he is not getting the sleep he needs. The added bonus for us as parents is that we would get more sleep too, as we only get about 5 hours a night at the moment and I have to go back to work soon! (A selfish desire for more sleep, I know!)

I know there will be a group of people who say "she will grow out of it", or "lucky you - 5 hours sleep", or "I am still not getting a good night's sleep and my child is 2 yo", but I am afraid, I can't manage on this little sleep and still function as a normal human being. Any positive tips would be welcomed.

Thanks.

Have you tried bringing him in with you when he wakes at 330/4? Might settle him? Interesting that he doesn't want feeding, means is just habit waking him, unless hot, cold? sorry to state the obvious, am sure youhave thought of all that!
Maybe try an early morning co-sleep??

Not what you want to hear, but our DD started waking at night for extended periods (usually 1.5-2.0 hours) at around 4 months and still does it now. Not every night, she seems to go through phases where she doesn't do it but then it always starts up again. Nothing we can do could get her back to sleep - she's wide awake, happy and wants to play . I hope your DC grows out if it but if not you are unfortunately not alone.

She is 10 months now

Thank you both for the responses. I appreciate your time and knowing that we aren't the only ones going through this!
He was awake at 3:38 this morning - 8 minutes later than usual! :) He was awake for about an hour and I thought I had cracked it, but was then awake for the day at 5:45! Interestingly he hasn't slept so well at nap times today, so I hope he doesn't suffer too much tonight because of it.

claremoss, I may well have to cave in and co-sleep for the early mornings, but my OH has to be up very early for work and can't afford to miss any more sleep (high concentration job), so it looks as if it will be the spare room for me!

cavort, how are you coping?!? I am nearly tearing my hair out after 6 weeks, let alone 6 months of this! I will think happy thoughts for you at 3:30 tomorrow! :)

Is something waking him up? The birdsare bloody loud from about that time. He might be awake for an hour then just be tired because he never meant to wake.
Or could be a touch chilly.

What time is "very early" for DH to get up?
'cause if you can crack the silly o'clock playing, 6am might be reasonable to get up for the day (tesco at 8am on Sat is really quiet - I have early risers!).
With DS1, I ended up putting a load of duvets on his floor, and snuggling down in them when he work, with my fingers through the bars for him to play with while I dozed.
The only way I survived was really early to bed, and afternoon naps at the weekend. I had no social life. I still have no social life

Also check: light levels, temperature, that the boiler isn't coming on, the birds aren't singing.

We cope because we have no choice. It's far from great but it hasn't killed us yet so we've reached a point of reluctant acceptance. We go to bed early and DH helps me out when I am really fried. It was worse at first as she would get up 3-5 am and then up for the day at 6.30, but at least now she goes back to bed until after 8.

He was awake at 1:30 this morning for about an hour and over the weekend, he was awake at 2:30 both mornings. He is just playing on his own, which is fine (if a bit noisy!), but I am concerned that he is not getting a block of sleep, which I think is what babies need.....

I don't think it is the birds that are waking him. Maybe he is not getting enough stimulation during the day and is waking up because he needs more. (And other internet theories!) He is always so tired at the end of the day that we have no problem getting him off to sleep.

We could cope with a 6 o'clock wake up, DH would have been up for 30 minutes by then and on his way to work! Just need to sort out the solid block of sleep, now....