5am wake up?

[lottie198]

My son is nearly 15 months. He started sleeping through the night a few weeks ago (of his own accord). We co sleep and breast feed and he seems to have naturally dropped the night feeds. Whilst this is great, his wake up time keeps getting earlier and earlier. Sometimes he's awake for the day at 4.45/5am. Which means he's exhausted by 830am and needs a nap! And then he needs another nap in the afternoon which then pushes bed time late. The later he goes to bed (9.15 last night) , the earlier he wakes and the cycle continues .
Just not sure what to do? Should I try capping the naps?
Don't get me wrong I'd much rather him wake earlier and sleep through than him wake up lots but he's taking 2 long naps a day and feel like he's trying to catch up in the day.
Eg yesterday he woke at 5am napped 830-10am and then fell asleep by 2pm in the car and didn't wake till 430pm (carried him in). Bed time was 915.

I wouldn't let him sleep beyond 3pm. That's always been my cut off.

Then an earlier bedtiime than 9:15.

I don't know why I'm offering advice on sleep as all mine get up early.

next Sunday 5am becomes 6am.

Sounds like he has got into a cycle of "catching up" in the day. I'd definitely cap your morning nap - maybe 30m maximum? Then earlier afternoon nap, latest wake from that 3ish and a 7-8pm bedtime. Over a few days as the wake pushes later you can maybe drop to one nap! (Also it's super normal to get early rising when nights improve as all those mini wakes are gone and that "awake time" adds onto the end and you get a 5am wake!)

Oh and the PP is right, 5 becomes 6am next week so you could just wait for that!

You need to cap his first nap to no longer than 10-20 mins and bring the first nap closer to the middle of the day. The extra sleep pressure before bed time should mean he sleeps longer at night. You'll skip the first nap when he wakes later.

Good luck.

Thanks everyone!
The problem I have with capping the first nap is that we usually go out after that nap and don't want him to be grumpy. Would an afternoon cat nap would that work just as well? So usually he naps at 3ish so I could try and cap that to 30 mins?
This morning he was asleep by 930 (stretched him as long as possible) and he's still asleep now (45mins) and no signs of waking just yet. I know he will sleep another hour probably. But he wakes up in a fantastic mood after a good nap.
Completely forgot about the clocks changing. Yay

You may find he's not grumpy after only 10 mins or so. That was my experience. Your basically trying to set his circadian rhythm to a long sleep in the middle of the day and adding a brief sleep to tide him over when he wakes early.

I think I usually did this nap out and about in the pushchair. I appreciate that is tricky if it's very early though.

You may find he's not grumpy after only 10 mins or so. That was my experience. Your basically trying to set his circadian rhythm to a long sleep in the middle of the day and adding a brief sleep to tide him over when he wakes early.

I think I usually did this nap out and about in the pushchair. I appreciate that is tricky if it's very early though.