Split nights

[emilybella]

In desperate need of some help, our 5 month old was a brilliant sleeper up until 6 weeks ago when he started waking multiple times a night. I had just about got used to that and then this week he throws a new curveball, he now wakes up around 2am and stays awake for 2-3 hours. Not particularly unhappy, his usual smiley happy self actually! Does anyone have any advice on how to stop this?

We have a really good routine in the day and bedtimes so he naps from 8.15-9.30/9.45 and then naps again at 11.30 until 12.45ish. One last cat nap at 2.45 for 30-45mins. We start bedtime routine of bath, bottle and sleep at 5.45pm(the hour before is full on witching hour). He is usually asleep by 6.30 in his crib with his dummy and his comforter. I’ve tried playing white noise all night, I’ve even tried co sleeping which he hates so is a non starter. Help!

X

Hello!

It might be the early nap....my little one didn’t nap before 9am at that age and that helped a lot!

Split nights usually occur due to being overtired or development. Has your baby learnt anything significant lately? It not, I would look at overtiredness being an issue and consider two longer naps rather than three.

Yep!
My toddler (22m) has huge form for this. Thankfully it's down to about once a week at present but for the past 9m ish, she's done this on and off - sometimes every night for a few weeks, and then sporadically. Its a 3-4 hour block, and it's knackering.

I have no idea what causes it, save to say it's better currently than it was, and to wave in solidarity. Our rules for it are that lights stay dim and no toys, but I honestly just used to put a fairly dull film in, or take the opportunity to do a couple of hours of work. Basically, I try to make it really boring.

Just to say, we have exactly the same issue with our 5-month-old. I’m wondering whether our bedtime is too early (around 6-7pm), but I can’t see how I can push it back as the baby is so ready to sleep by early evening.

Hello! Sorry I’ve just name changed but I’m OP. We’ve moved his bedtime 15 mins later and had a little success but he’s not started teething so the entire night is now a nightmare! He has just learnt to sit up, could it be that? He’s also learnt to roll over repeatedly and make me panic that I’ve lost him somewhere when really he’s just the other side of the room to where I left him!! X

We are in exactly the same boat with 4.5 month old. Has it got any better???

My baby has stopped doing this for the past 7 nights. After having 2-hour nighttime waking for maybe two months. I didn’t do anything to change it. So, there is hope!

@Hump1 my DD is the queen of split nights. Luckily shes growing out of it now at 20 months and only happens every now and then but it was brutal and she done it every other night until about 1 year old. Then slowly faded.

My advice - which I wish i had done - is to nip it in the bud early. See to their needs and then straight back in the cot and a gentle form of controlled crying to start with if they cry. (I used to do a quick cuddle then back in cot and reset timer for low amount of time) This is only if it become a regular thing though, your baby might just have something going on for a couple nights and then be fine.

He has stopped doing the split nights thankfully! Still a complete nightmare every night though, he wakes up anywhere between 5 to 15 times a night. We probably need to do some cry it out with him but I’m too much of a wimp to do it!