9 month old has started waking at 5:00am, what can I do?!

[pinkdaisy]

Hi,
My little boy used to sleep through the night and now has decided to start waking at 5:00am, but if I bring him into my bed he falls back to sleep, but if I leave him to cry he just cries and cries? Any tips, have only brought him in wih us once, and don't really want him to start waking because he thinks that's what will happen. Have left him to cry most mornings, but is really hard.
help!!!

How many naps does he have during the day? it might be that he is ready to cut down on one nap or cut one out altogether depending on how many he normally has. Our LO started waking between 5-5.30 and it was only when I moved his naps from 2 (1 x am and 1 x pm) on the advice of another mum on mumsnet to a longer lunchtime nap that he started sleeping until between 6-7am. I also found that making sure his room was pitch dark and giving him a little bit of supper (rice pudding or toast) after his bedtime bottle seemed to help. HTH

Try the reassurance technique. Instead of leaving him to cry, go in and say 'Mummy's here, but it's still sleepy time (or whatever you say at night). Go in as often as you need to, don't time intervals but keep going in to reassure him that you're there, but that you're calling the shots. If after an hour or so (It may well take a long time) you decide to give up, then don't go in all weary and say 'OK, you've won,' but go in full of good cheer and say 'Well done, you've slept really well!' so that it's you who has called the shots. Try it for a few days and hopefully it will improve. Also, do you put some toys in with him, so if he wakes early he can just play? Hope this helps.