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13 month old multiple wakes and 5am starts

3 replies

Charl881 · 08/06/2024 09:00

Please help! My 13 month old is waking multiple times a night and starting the day at 5am. The multiple wakes aren’t a new thing, he’s been a terrible sleeper since 4 months. But combined with the 5am starts we are now struggling.

I’m still breastfeeding and I think this is a big problem. I’m not sure whether to try to night wean first or cut his bedtime feed first, or do both at the same time.

I’m also not sure whether his daytime sleep is right. We are always having to wake him from naps.

He currently naps around 9/9.30am for a max of 90 mins, and then has a second nap around 2pm, capped for 30/45 mins. Bed around 6.30/7.

We cap his naps because in the past shorter naps seemed to lead to a better night sleep, and if he naps for too long we seem to end up with split nights. But now I’m wondering if he’s chronically overtired.

Later bedtimes do not work, we have tried.

I wouldn’t mind a 5am start if we were getting less night wakes, or if he wasn’t waking crying making me think he’s still tired! Likewise I’m not expecting him to sleep through all the time, but one or two wakes would be more manageable.

He’s still in with us because whenever we try to move him into the same room as his older brother he just disturbs him and then his brother ends up coming into us and it’s like musical beds. So we’ve stopped them sharing for now and at least oldest DS now stays in his own bed and wakes at a normal time.

Any advice welcome.

OP posts:
shardlakem · 12/06/2024 20:26

I'd say he's sleeping too long in the day actually? I hired a sleep consultant who advised no more than 45 mins for each nap...although I say no more than 60 mins and that works fine.
In terms of the multiple wakings I think that's normal, he just needs to learn how to settle himself, what do you do when he wakes at night?

Kosenrufugirl · 12/06/2024 21:11

Hi there I exclusively breastfed and had a terrible sleeper just as you describe. I don't think breastfeeding per se is the issue. I suspect the issue is feeding to sleep. Elizabeth Pantley has a lot of good ideas in her book No Cry Sleep Solutions. Available from Amazon for a few pounds. I hope it helps

Shefliesonherownwings · 13/06/2024 14:14

I wouldn't necessarily say the naps are too long. My 13 month old is on a very similar pattern and sleeps pretty well at night. I also wonder if it is the feeding to sleep that's causing the issues.

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