Early rising 16 month old

[Harvey19]

Hi,
my little boy has never slept brilliantly. I think I may have had one full nights sleep with him but that is a distant memory. I’m just after some advice if there’s anything anyone thinks could possibly help.
his current routine is:
wake up anytime between 4.45-5.30
nap for 30 mins. Anytime between 8/9. I try to push this out until 9 but some days it’s so hard because he is so moany and tired.
nap 12.45/1 - 2.15 (he naturally wakes after 1hr 15 very occasionally I can get him back to sleep for another 40 mins.
bed time around 7ish
wakes at least once in the night demanding milk sometimes more, each time wanting milk.
then awake at 5ish again
i know there’s a lot of posts similar and there is no magical solution but any advice is welcome.
his room is dark, he isn’t cold, he eats well
he can be really moany and hard work of an evening wanting to be held. He self settles for naps and we are working on that at bed time, which last night he did go to sleep on his own but has woken at 4.40 this morning!
Should I be dropping a nap? Just feels impossible when he’s awake so early to stretch him to go until his lunchtime nap.

thanks

The only thing that will work is pushing the morning nap on. To 10 or 11, eventually becoming the only nap. Try limiting it to 15- 20 minute's this week, then drop it next week. It will make him tired and grumpy in the morning, but that is kind of the point !

Also though morningness is largely inherited and inate. There is only so far you can change it. Other tip is go to bed at 8:30 twice a week.

I do agree limiting the morning nap at this age. also a later bedtime. Some Los just don't do 12 hours over night.

We did at that age
945am asleep 10am awake. Yes crazy for 10 to 15 min sleep but is just enough for a boost till after lunch.
1245pm asleep awake 3pm
8pm asleep.

Then to get rid of that nap, I was off for 2 weeks over summer and she was almost 18 months. So I just went out every morning.

Thanks I have tried before but he never took to it to well but I started Monday pushed his nap to 9.15-9.30 and then yesterday 9.30-9.45 and both days he slept 12.45-3 in the afternoon so am very pleased with that as he was only having 1hr 15 in the afternoon. Night time sleep is slightly better but still a few wakes and wanting milk but I’m trying to reduce this and he is beginning to not want as much so hopefully over time we will get there! Thanks for the advice

☕Well done keep going you will get there.

NHS tells me that your LO needs between 11 and 14 hours sleep total in 24. So just be aware that 2.5 hours in the day only leaves maximum of 11 hours at night (likely less). At 18m DS my short sleeping early riser did 7:30- 6:30 with a 45-90 minute nap at lunch time. I had to limit it to 45m if I wanted to be sure he was down by 8.

Once you have the sleep routine sorted i would be tempted to just offered water during the nights. Can take up to a week, but also up the calories in the day! Glad it's working for you.