Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Please or to access all these features

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.

Can't suss this one out

7 replies

FebMama · 19/04/2023 08:03

Hi all!

So my LO is now coming up to 12 weeks old. Pretty good sleeper at night. Daytime naps not great at being put down but will sleep fine either in the sling or the pram whilst we're out on a walk.

He's combi fed but mostly formula, his first feed of the day is a breastfeed and any night feeds that are needed are breastfeeds (although doesn't always feed at night). He then has 4 bottles of formula throughout the day of 6oz each.

Recently, I get him down to bed for around 10.30pm/11pm. He's then waking up at bang on 5.30am every day but he's still tired. Thing is, we aim to start our day at 7am or thereabouts.

When he wakes at 5.30am, I've gotten into the habit of bringing him into the bed and we have a cuddle for a little bit which is lovely but I am worried about creating bad habits! When he wakes at 5.30, there's been times I've fed him thinking he's hungry, but he's not and he just falls asleep. As soon as we have our cuddle in bed, he just falls asleep. So why is he waking at 5.30?! Isn't it too early for him to have created a habit wake?

Recently I've had him in the bed until we wake around 7am and he wakes up so happy and rested and that's without offering a feed at 5.30am.

I have tried to settle him in his own cot at 5.30am but he becomes too restless and then I can spend up to 90 minutes trying to get him back down by which time we need to be up for the day anyway to do the nursery run for my toddler. So bringing him in the bed gets us an extra chunk of sleep before we start the day. I'm not sure I like the idea of starting our day at 5.30!

So I'm wondering:
Why is he waking at 5.30am each day if not hungry?
Is the bringing him into the bed at 5.30am likely to cause some bad habits at this stage?

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
CupidStunt24 · 19/04/2023 08:45

I had this with my first son, he used to wake about 4am all restless and banging his legs, I read loads on it and the only thing I could gather is that it's really normal and lots of babies did it! I used to put him in my bed too, and he would go straight back to sleep, we would often doze on and off til about 8am and it was lovely! He was sleeping through without a feed by then too. It didn't create any habits, he just one day didn't wake restless and he never did it again! He's 2 now and I'm not sure I am going to get the luxury of laying in til 8am this time, I have a 10wk old now and I can't see the toddler allowing this somehow 😂

Zonder · 19/04/2023 08:48

Don't worry about creating bad habits at this point. You are doing something that works for both of you. I also had the same experience with my son (but not my daughter) and I just enjoyed the extra time to snooze together. Before you know it he will be onto a different sleep phase.

FebMama · 19/04/2023 10:04

Thank you for the replies @CupidStunt24 @Zonder! I guess I'm just thinking ahead to the dreaded 4 month regression and feel like I could perhaps be making my life a bit harder when that comes by bringing him into the bed!

I co slept with my eldest until he was around 11 months and promised myself I wouldn't be bringing DS2 into the bed this time around but anything to get a bit of extra kip 😂

Can either of you remember how long it went on for and when it suddenly just stopped?

OP posts:
GinnyBee · 19/04/2023 15:07

Babies like cuddles. Don't worry about bad habits! Wanting to fall asleep hugging someone is not a bad habit for a baby, nor an adult. I can go to sleep in about 5 minutes when I spoon my husband, but it takes me 20 minutes or so without the hug. It's just how humans are! If it's working then it's fine and if one day it stops working for you, you can address it then.

Zonder · 19/04/2023 22:28

Sorry I can't remember. It's all a blur 🤣 but before you know it you will be in a new phase. With more things to worry about!

FebMama · 20/04/2023 10:12

@GinnyBee thank you for the reassurance 😊

@Zonder you're right, I should be thankful for the sleep I'm getting at the minute before it goes downhill 😂 (although hopefully not!)

OP posts:
CupidStunt24 · 24/04/2023 06:26

@FebMama I can't actually remember, it wasn't too long. One of those things where at the time you think "is this how it's going to be forever" and now you look back you can't even remember the details! When he started the leg banging, after a while I did start just putting my arm across his legs just to still him a bit, and when he learnt to roll it all kind of stopped completely!

New posts on this thread. Refresh page