Baby waking at 5 from 6.30 - how to adjust routine

[adjsavedmylife]

DD is 7 months and a reasonable sleeper. She still wakes at least twice for a feed but generally goes 7-6.30. Nap for 30-45 mins about 9.30, longer nap about 1 for 1.5-2 hours. Mostly in sling but we’re working on cot naps.

The problem is she’s recently starting waking at 5am on the dot. I’m treating it as a night waking but it doesn’t work she just gets more and more distressed. Her brother was exactly the same and is still up early at 3 - we followed the ‘treat as a night waking’ for the best part of a year before giving up. She’s yawning by 6am but won’t be resettled.

I am loathe to put her down earlier than 7 as I don’t want the cycle to creep earlier plus it would mean two tea times etc - too difficult to manage. Has anyone has this? How do I help her get the sleep she needs - awake 5am - 7pm with 2-3 hours of day sleep doesn’t seem enough? Do I stick with trying to resettle or at least keep in the dark and quiet til 6? I don’t mind 6. 5 is grim but I’d suck it up if I thought she could manage on the sleep she’s getting.

Why would you put her to bed earlier? What time is the afternoon nap? I always make sure there is a big enough gap between waking from the nap and going to bed. Got mine that means waking her by 4pm however long she's had.

Or you could try pushing bebtime to 7.30pm?

The other things are:
Birdsong too loud if window is open
Too light
Too cold if light tog grobag
Bigger feed at bedtime

If you leave her when she wakes, will she go back? Mine stated waking at 5 30 instead of 7am for a while, and we just left her and after a few weeks she worked it out wasn't morning yet. Not everyone wants to do that though I know!

Sounds like a phase which will soon pass, hang on in there. Maybe get to bed an hour earlier yourself to get sleep you need. My almost 3 year old is a great sleeper, 7-7 plus 2 hour nap sometimes however my 9 week old is quite opposite and up at 4am-6am wide awake then naps 6-8.30 little monkey by which time it's time to get up anyway so I feel your pain. Hang in there x

Thank you both! Lunchtime nap about 12.45/1 for approx 2 hours. So the gap to the 7pm bedtime can be quite big for this age and she’s shattered. But v v resistant to a third nap. We’ve just bought her bedtime earlier which has helped with her nighttime sleep. I could leave her but am never quite sure at that time whether she’s hungry or not. I could try feeding her more at her night feeding(s). She often has a 5am poo too which doesn’t help - nothing like a nappy change to wake them up! If I put her back down she’s ok for a while but then starts to whinge. Stops as soon as she’s picked up to start the day.

Ouch 4-6 am! Hope they stop that soon. Fingers crossed it’s just a phase for us both!

Could you try moving afternoon nap to 1.30 ish? If they sleep longer in the morning, it may all shift but you need to get to that point obviously!

I would say that 5am is due to overtiredness. I know you said you don't want the sleep cycles to creep earlier, but you may find that an earlier bedtime for just a couple of days will hit it on the head.

It can be tricky at this time of year because of the early sunrise. Is the room completely dark? I've been using a blackout blind with blackout curtains over the top which has been effective.

Hope it sorts out soon!

As everyone says these things are always a phase 🙈
Youngest is only 9 weeks and only sleeps 9-1am then back down for an hour and that's it. She sleeps quite abit then in the morning, no concept of time at this age.
I do recall now my eldest who loves her sleep, did go through a phase where she was up at 5.30/6 and stopped daytime naps but it did soon pass but at the time it seems like it will never blinking pass. It's hard and very exhausting being a parent but all worth it x

Exact same situation here! DS is 9months so 'awake time' should be around 3hours...but with 05:30 wake ups (after numerous night wakings 😞) it's nearly impossible to stick to 2 naps and 7pm bedtime 🤷🏼‍♀️
Today I've done nap 8-9am, 12-2pm and bedtime was 6pm 😱 So we will see what happens!!

My five month old started to wake up at 5:30, then 5, then 4:30 ... Worked out it's the light and bought a blackout blind. Much better now! If she wakes at those times she gets herself back to sleep.

I'd also suggest trying an earlier bedtime. DD sleeps until 6am whatever time she goes to bed. I was worried when she started being ready for bedtime at 5:45 rather than 6:45 but she didn't wake up any earlier with it

My 5 month old has exactly the same sleep schedule and has also started fully waking for the day at 5am.

Luckily he still just about fits in his Snuzpod so I attach the cot to the bed and give him a toy to play with. He’s normally in a very good mood and will play on his own for a bit before falling back to sleep. If that doesn’t work then he comes into bed with me and sometimes drops off again straight away. I’m determined not to get up before 7:30 haha!

Thanks all! I think extra light and a bit of overtiredness could both be to blame. This morning it was 4.45 but she was so unhappy and I managed to resettle her in with me. In the world’s most uncomfortable position . At least I didn’t have to get up. Fingers crossed for tonight but I’m off to bed now just in case!

My 4mo is like this too...on top of 2-4 wake ups a night

We had been getting up whenever he woke, changing his nappy and bringing him into bed with us for a bit of a play & cuddle with dad before he had to get up for work. But then he was needing a nap at 7/7:30

This morning he woke up at his standard 5:15 but we left him to chatter away to himself until 5:45 when it turned to more of a whine. We changed his nappy and brought him into bed with us, but this time didn't play - just cuddled - and he fell back asleep on his own until just after 7. It's amazing how much better I feel after an extra hour or so asleep!!

Ha! DD got me back for being too smug/complacent on here yesterday - 5am wake up that she couldn't then re-settle herself from ... That will teach me!

We had 3am 🙈 and she just wouldn't settle until it was time my eldest got up little 🐒 exhausting isn't it!!! X