Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Sleep

Join our Sleep forum for tips on creating a sleep routine for your baby or toddler. Need more advice on your childs development? Sign up to our Ages and Stages newsletter here.

Original poster

5am drama conundrum

16 replies

adjsavedmylife · 19/10/2016 10:09

DS is 8 months and very slowly getting the hang of sleeping. On a good night he will do a stretch of say 5-6 hours feed then 3 hours. Around 5am almost every morning, he wakes up alert but nothing makes him happy or resettles him so he whinges, moans and cries until about 6.15 until we manage to resettle him usually for another 40 min cycle. He will take a feed but cries as soon as he is done. A change doesn't help, nor do cuddles, walking around, bringing him in the bed, bouncing on a yoga ball. As far as I can tell he isn't too hot or cold, and no digestive probs. He doesn't want to play. If he was happily awake we'd just suck it up but he isn't happy. Any ideas at all on what else it might be/ we could try I would be so grateful!

OP posts:
Sparrowlegs248 · 19/10/2016 15:36

Have you tried just getting up? Ds wakes between 5-6 everyday, he's fine if we get up but would be very cross indeed if I tried getting him back to sleep.

Original poster
adjsavedmylife · 19/10/2016 21:19

Thanks Nottalotta. Funnily enough I tried a version of that this morning: brought the sleepyhead into bed, gave him some toys, popped a small light on, started to chat. Whinging within 3 minutes and not interested. I do wonder if it's just his pattern for now but if so he's on 4 naps a day which seems a lot for 8 months... And if he's up for the day surely he shouldn't need to sleep an hour later? He was a month early but still.
I really don't want him to think 5am is waking up time and don't want to encourage play. But I realise you don't get to choose these things! When he's up after his next sleep he's happy and smiley straight away but not at 5am so I am v confused!

OP posts:
user1474026214 · 19/10/2016 21:24

I assume as he is on 4 naps a day, his naps are short...perhaps he needs longer naps, which will make him more rested and therefore less likely to wake so early...? Early waking can be a sign of overtiredness from lack of day time sleep, I think

Tumtitum · 19/10/2016 21:29

Following as DD often likes an early start... But is happy (annoyingly so!!). We're also on loads of short naps which does my head in!! I try not to let her nap before 9... Apparently it's supposed to stop them using the first nap as an extension of night time sleep. She doesn't always manage it but we never nap before 8.30. Having said that, we've been doing that for ages and it's made no difference yet! Not a very useful reply, sorry!! Grin

Original poster
adjsavedmylife · 19/10/2016 21:34

Yep, rarely more than 40 mins however he naps (sling, buggy, on me, car). I'm just about to start trying for more cot naps which might help me crack the length. It's an interesting thought and I'll keep an eye on any correlation, thanks

OP posts:
Original poster
adjsavedmylife · 19/10/2016 21:41

Tumtitum yes a million short naps v tricky! How do you settle your DD as I find with so many short naps I am not always as disciplined as I could be...Perhaps if I work on self soothing it could help. He was getting the hang of it but then a mahoosive cold set us back.
I could try keeping him up but he's so miserable and desperate to sleep...glad to know I'm not the only one and good luck!

OP posts:
Sparrowlegs248 · 19/10/2016 21:47

Ds is awake and happy so.long as I don't try to enforce any more sleep. He's like a jumping bean, no way to keep him.on the bed! He's 15 months nearly though so order. I'd like him to sleep later, and was hoping the darker mornings would help, but mot a chance.

Hope you find the solution, it's evaded me!

Heirhelp · 19/10/2016 21:58

My 5 month DD does this sometimes I bring her into bed with a couple of sensory light toys to looks at/chew. This seems to keep her occupied and she resettles quicker, well after about 40 mins.

Original poster
adjsavedmylife · 20/10/2016 05:53

Worth a shot! Thanks

OP posts:
Whatthefreakinwhatnow · 20/10/2016 06:07

DD2 was always an early riser and then napped again and hour or so after waking and milk. She gradually stretched out her awake time before her nap until she was up at 5 and down again at 9, where she is now. she sleeps 9-11ish now, up at 5 and down at 6.30ish.

I'd just go with the flow and get up, toddlers are notorious for their early starts so you may as well get used to them now, you could have years of 5am starts to come!

Tumtitum · 20/10/2016 07:05

OP generally she self settles (whinges for 5-10 mins first tho, she never goes to sleep without a short protest! Wink) but if she's super tired she'll feed to sleep. After about 2pm it's super difficult to settle her for naps so I normally have to resort to the sling. She self settles at bed time with minimal crying so I know she can self settle, she just doesn't seem to want to! Confused today she was awake at 4, settled herself but was restless and woke again at 5 so I fed her, she slept but was again restless until 6, I fed her again at 6.30, tried to convince her to have a snooze in my bed but no luck!! So I haven't really slept since 4 Confused it's so annoying as last week she would wake at 4 but then could go back to sleep until 7 or even one glorious day 7.20!! She has a cold at the moment but not sure if that's really it or if I'm just clutching at straws!! I'm wondering about her room temp as it gets down to about 16.5 at the moment. She's in a vest and baby gro and 2.5 tog gro bag but I'm wondering if she still gets a little chilly and that keeps her from resettling...

manateeandcake · 20/10/2016 15:04

My DS often does this -- he has just turned 1 but has been doing this for months! It is almost exactly as you describe, usually I get the sense that he's not ready to get up for the day, but he is a nightmare to resettle. Sometimes I think it might be digestive problems, but he always seems fine later in the morning.

The only thing that helps is if he wakes around 4am. Then he tends to resettle fairly easily and sleep for at least two hours after. For this reason I'm tempted to do the "wake to sleep" thing where you lightly disturb them in order to start a new sleep cycle -- but so far I haven't been able to bring myself to (a) set my alarm for 4am and (b) disturb my sleeping baby!

Original poster
adjsavedmylife · 20/10/2016 16:26

Oof tumtitum that's tough. So hard to know, I also wondered if he's chilly but he runs warm generally.

manatee interesting - and we also have the same odd good night where he can be resettled if he wakes around then. Let me know how it goes if you dare try wake to sleep!

freak how old is your DD2 now / when she first started to go 4 hours from wake to first nap? I know they're all different but DS is nowhere close - 2 hours absolute max and often less. Not sure how typical that is for 8 months...

OP posts:
Sparrowlegs248 · 20/10/2016 18:50

I always do a slightly manic laugh at the wake to sleep suggestion. It obviously works for some people but the thought is just mad to me. Baby is asleep. Wake him?! Hell no!!

Whatthefreakinwhatnow · 20/10/2016 19:20

She probably made it to 4 hours around 9 months or so, she's 15 months now and is in the same pattern, only she had a short afternoon nap too til she was 13 months ish so it was up at 5, sleep 9-11, nap 1.30- 2.15 and bed at 6/7.
She naturally widened the gap but you could eek it out say 5 mins later a day until you get to a later nap time?

Tumtitum · 20/10/2016 19:39

Notalotta I managed to do it twice successfully and sometimes a loud noise will startle DD and she definitely sleeps for longer after... BUT I've also had far more disastrous attempts!!! Someone suggested I dream feed my baby at 3.30 to try to stop her waking at 4... No flipping way am I risking trying that!!!!

New posts on this thread. Refresh page