Why won’t he go back to sleep???!

[Littlejammy]

My DS is 8 months and recently he’s been waking up for a feed around 3/4am but doesn’t drift back off during the feed as he would if he fed at say midnight. He stays awake for over an hour and a half before going back to sleep but I normally have to feed him again.

Why? It’s like he doesn’t have the drive to sleep in the early hours but he hasn’t always done this.

Any tips for what I could do? My DP says we should just let him cry it out till he goes back to sleep but don’t want to do this. Maybe stop doing the second feed or interval sleep training. I just want him to realise he has to go to sleep again quickly but how??

I didn't sleep train. My Dd did this for a short time, well about 6 weeks, but there is an 8 month sleep regression. Have a google and it might give you some tips or the realisation that you're not alone. It certainly helped me!

Dont despair, give him a few weeks and he’ll get over it. Keep things quiet, dim and boring while he is awake. Darkened room, don’t talk etc.

Is he actually crying? My DS (9 mo) does this but if he's just chattering and not actually crying then I just leave him to it.

My DD is also doing this; she’ll only go back to sleep if held or in my bed which I don’t really want and will wake as soon as I try to transfer her. I’ve tried being more strict with naps with no effect.
I’m taking hope from previous posts that it’s just another sleep regression and will pass.

He eventually starts crying so I can’t just leave him to it 🙁
Good to know I’m not alone and hopefully it’s just a phase.

My 6 month old is doing this too. I wish he would just feed to sleep like he used too, it's like walking/bouncing round room at 3am screaming (inside my head!) "go to f*coming sleep".
Fingers crossed they just grow out of it.

Definitely an exhausting phase - my Dd did that about that age too. It will pass.