6 month old waking from 3.30am - help!

[Lsarahk]

Hi there,
I am just after some advice (or some hope that this is just a phase he will grow out of!)
My 6 month old wakes up every morning from around 3.30, he will go back to sleep initially (I have to go in and put his dummy in) but then he’s wide awake again at 4/4.30 and this time he’s a lot trickier to put back to sleep, occasionally he will go back off until 5.30/6 but sometimes he’s just wide awake from 4.30!

He can self soothe and doesn’t need his dummy to get to sleep, it just helps in the mornings to comfort him. His current naps are:
6am wake (on a good day)
8-9.15 nap
11.30-1 nap
3.30-4 nap
7/7.30 bed

So he’s having all the recommended day sleep and the recommended wake windows. I have tried shortening the morning nap but he was very miserable and a lot of sleep ‘experts’ say that this one should be an hour and 15.

if anyone has any advice I would really appreciate it as these early mornings are starting to make me feel so depressed. It’s 4.57am and he’s been awake in his cot for 30 mins already (with me trying to get him to sleep!) He is not hungry as I do a big bottle at around 2am.

Thank you.

Instead of using wake windows and online guidance, spend a week or two focusing on your sons sleepy cues, and I’d try pushing bedtime a bit later, or reducing some of his daytime nap time. My son is a lower sleep needs baby and once we stopped following the ‘average’ wake windows etc and just followed his sleep cues, overnight sleep got a lot better (and I wasn’t as stressed trying to make the naps the ‘right’ time etc).

sleep pressure is low in the early morning, so if you try to move bedtime later (it’ll take a week or so to get on a new schedule), you might just want to try bringing him into your bed for snuggles so you can get some extra sleep (following the safe sleep guidance?).

second star to the right on insta has a good post about early waking, and loads of good information of different ages and what’s going on. Things like weaning and learning to sit up, crawl etc will also impact sleep over the coming weeks, but it will get easier with time. Good luck, and hope you get a nap today!

https://www.instagram.com/p/C7mk9DUo0ci/?igsh=MTFuem1mcWFvNDgwbw==

Hi Sarah!

You are doing such a good job and on disrupted sleep!

I have a six month old son and he has a similar pattern of waking every hour in the early morning.

I have just started bringing him into my bed (following safe sleeping guidance) from about 05:30 onwards. This way he reaches 07:00 (with about 11 hours of total night sleep).

I’d not tried that before, but it seems as though my sleep regulates his.

That might not be the right choice for you, so I will also say, I think it is normal at this age to have those wakes every hour at the end of their sleep.

A lot of what is online are averages. My son is certainly lower sleep needs than some of those. Realising that helped me, as I think expectations play a big part of how I feel.

I have been trying to have bedtime closer to 8 than 7, which has helped. Of course, you have to make it through the day to that time!

Are you managing through the day with that early start for yourself?

Thank you both so much for coming back to me.
I have tried to follow his sleepy cues today rather than sticking to wake windows so hopefully this will help!

I agree that he seems to just be a lower sleep needs baby.

We did used to bring him into our bed when he woke early but after a few days of this he started to get really excited to come into the bed and now sees it as a bit of exciting play time rather than a time to go back to sleep unfortunately! I miss those early morning cuddles.

I will also try a later bedtime and see if we can shift things that way, he’s gone down about 30 mins later than normal tonight so let’s see what the night brings!

Thank you both x

Hey! Is the room completely pitch black? My son is 15 months and will wake at the smallest crack of light. We got some temporary black out blinds and it definitely helped. Every baby is so different, but just thought I’d throw it out there. Hope you get a decent lie in soon x

Thank you! Yes it’s completely pitch black (I have two tommee tippee black out stick on blinds plus blackout curtains!)
4.07am and he’s wide awake arghhh. Just going to leave him and hope he drifts back off!

Maybe check he's warm enough - some children suddenly wake up earlier because because they are cold!

Try ditching the dummy at night time. They can cause more harm when they keep falling out. Rock him, sing lullabies and try white noise. Crying and sleep absolutely go hand in hand, so don’t let that put you off. Obviously if he’s inconsolable that’s different.

Oh bless you - it’s so hard! Thinking of you and sending solidarity 🫶🏻

Oh gosh, I could definitely see my son doing that! I usually hear him rustle, but he did give me a good wake up call by banging on my nose! 😆 Little trickster!

Having a baby is so hard, isn’t it?

Is there anyone who can take your lovely son and let you have a little bit of connected sleep?

This is definitely a phase, so will likely pass, but that bit of extra sleep might make it feel a bit easier whilst you’re both getting through it.