Active discussions

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

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

6mo sleep issue?

7 replies

OkNowTellMeWhatToDo · 10/11/2021 10:21

DD was doing so well until she turned 6 months! Her night feed was getting later and later and then disappeared one night altogether and she slept 7pm-5am!... Then the clocks changed...

I think I did it all wrong... I kept her up an hour more and gave her an extra nap but that night she slept 8pm - 4am and we've been stuck getting up around about 4am ever sinceHalloween Hmm

I admit I've been a bit stupid and mucked around with her bedtime too much over the last week or so, brought it forward to 6pm (the old 7pm BST) but nothings changed, bedtime seems to be settling around 6.30pm currently but wake ups are still early. Last night she slept 7-4.30am.

We've tried doing dream feeds which seem to push her a little later, pre dream feeds she was waking between 3.30+4am.

I've read threads about other's struggles but at 6m should I be making bedtime earlier or later, I really can't see the wood for the trees at the moment!

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
Fancyties · 10/11/2021 10:24

What's day time naps like?

Original poster
OkNowTellMeWhatToDo · 10/11/2021 10:30

I've been using Huckleberry. They were based on wake windows so she's never up for more than 2-3 hours BUT I created a 'schedule' based on a bedtime of 6.30pm and rise of 5.30am and have tried to stick to this for a few days maybe a week? So nap at 7.30, 11.15, 3.15...but that assumed she'd sleep 1.5hrs x2 and last nap of 30m....but she only sleeps between 30-45mins Confused

She's been contact napped practically since birth but I've given up since 6m as even asleep on me she was starting to rarely get past 45min, so now she's rocked /bounced and placed in her cot.

Today I'm just following what Huckleberry suggests and giving up the dream feeds.

OP posts:
Fancyties · 10/11/2021 10:49

OK. I would personally what I did to solve the early wakings and you need to do it for 3 weeks to see a change. this is all advise I seen on mn, so I can't take the credit.

I tried to get lo to 9am or as close as for that first nap. It's prevents them thinking that 530am is wake up time. I also initially capped this nap to 1 hour, but that's up to you. As longer then 1 hour the theory is lo thinks they can wake up silly o clock to catch up in first nap.

At whatever time they wake, I would not and will not take my lo out of her room until its desired time to get up. I will do what I can to get her to sleep. Even if I rock, normally my lo self soothes. I will obviously change her, and feed etc.

I did 9am nap. 10am awake.
1pm sleep. Allowed lo to sleep as long as needed.
445pm nap - awake by 515/530pm
8pm in cot to go sleep - takes my lo about 5/10mins to drop off so you may need to adjust this if it takes longer.

The later bedtime helps with 5.30am wake ups. As sleeping 7pm till 530am is considered really good.

The other way - is on a temporary basis add a 4th nap. And get to your desired bedtime. It's kinder way. But I'm into pushing it all at once kinda lady 🤷🏼‍♀️

It is a hard slug, and lo will be tired.

Is lo overtired? That can be a cause for early wakings.

I dropped dream feeds about 6.5 months old as was disturbing her more then helping, If it wasn't disturbing my lo think I would have carried on until she was established on solids. Is lo taking a lot at dream feed?

Fancyties · 10/11/2021 10:52

I missed that lo only sleep 45 mins - can you encourage lo to sleep longer? If you have a look at some of the threads to lengthen sleep cycles. That will help massively x

TH22 · 10/11/2021 11:26

@Fancyties

OK. I would personally what I did to solve the early wakings and you need to do it for 3 weeks to see a change. this is all advise I seen on mn, so I can't take the credit.

I tried to get lo to 9am or as close as for that first nap. It's prevents them thinking that 530am is wake up time. I also initially capped this nap to 1 hour, but that's up to you. As longer then 1 hour the theory is lo thinks they can wake up silly o clock to catch up in first nap.

At whatever time they wake, I would not and will not take my lo out of her room until its desired time to get up. I will do what I can to get her to sleep. Even if I rock, normally my lo self soothes. I will obviously change her, and feed etc.

I did 9am nap. 10am awake.
1pm sleep. Allowed lo to sleep as long as needed.
445pm nap - awake by 515/530pm
8pm in cot to go sleep - takes my lo about 5/10mins to drop off so you may need to adjust this if it takes longer.

The later bedtime helps with 5.30am wake ups. As sleeping 7pm till 530am is considered really good.

The other way - is on a temporary basis add a 4th nap. And get to your desired bedtime. It's kinder way. But I'm into pushing it all at once kinda lady 🤷🏼‍♀️

It is a hard slug, and lo will be tired.

Is lo overtired? That can be a cause for early wakings.

I dropped dream feeds about 6.5 months old as was disturbing her more then helping, If it wasn't disturbing my lo think I would have carried on until she was established on solids. Is lo taking a lot at dream feed?

I've been seeing a sleep consultant recommend this exact same - essentially, do not bring the morning nap forward. Try and push it towards the time that they would have their nap if they were up at the desired time (6.30ish).
Original poster
OkNowTellMeWhatToDo · 10/11/2021 13:46

@Fancyties & @TH22

Thank you so much! Xx

OP posts:
Fancyties · 10/11/2021 14:29

Your welcome hope it helps. Just remember be consistent for a period of time x

New posts on this thread. Refresh page