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Refine 4-5am stretch in 6m old

9 replies

CraftyBugger · 03/03/2026 06:34

I have a 6month old EBF who uses a dummy. From around 8weeks she would sleep 8-3am, feed then go back down in her next to me until 7/7:30. We then hit 4months and she increased to 2 feeds a night with some issues with transfers into her crib, arms flailing and waking her up. That resolved afree around 2 weeks. So we decided to move her into her own room just after she turned 5months. She now sleeps 7-11:30/1 where I feed her. Generally goes back down in her cot great until we hit 4am. She will wake anytime between 4 and 5 at which point it is virtually impossible to transfer her without her waking 10-15mins later, yet she will fall back to sleep in arms as soon as picked back up. At this point I’m either having to co-sleep or hold her to bridge until 6:45-7: I really do. It do not like this aspect of the night as I worry about the safety of this.

At 7pm she self settles at night with her dummy and no further interventions. Naps are currently 3 a day wake windows around 2.5hours. Sometimes the 3rd nap is a struggle. She rarely feeds to sleep. We still have the next to me set up which I sometimes manage to transfer her into but it is very rare. Whenever she sleeps in this she likes her face right up to the edge of the crib, sometimes I wonder whether she would prefer something close to her face in her cot but I also know this is not safe.

Any tips on how the 4-5am wakes can be bridged?

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Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Happytaytos · 03/03/2026 06:38

I'd be incredibly thankful she's such a good sleeper.

Cosleeping is fine for the last bit of the night, look at the lullaby trust. She's big enough now for some of the risk to be mitigated.

The light might be starting to wake her, is her room blackout blinded?

chateauneufdupapa · 03/03/2026 06:44

She’s an amazing sleeper and just an early
riser really so the holding is helping her get back to sleep when she really wouldn’t otherwise. I’d either move bedtime an hour later or just accept it tbh. With a newborn myself and a 2 year old who wakes around the time of your baby, I’m very jealous!

CraftyBugger · 03/03/2026 08:16

It doesn’t feel like she is a good sleeper due to losing our long first stretch of 8-9hours she used to do pre 4months, but I know it could be way worse. I have tried stretching her to an 8pm bedtime but she’s more than ready by 6:15. I guess I can only hope with the clock change we can do a slightly later bedtime.

OP posts:
chateauneufdupapa · 03/03/2026 15:22

She’s an amazing sleeper for her age, she really is!

Happytaytos · 03/03/2026 15:59

She's incredible, there's millions of parents out there who would willingly swap!!

Are you waking once or twice? I'd try to get her to make the first chunk longer if you can, make sure she's full before bed and get your head down!

CraftyBugger · 03/03/2026 19:11

@Happytaytosshe has 2 full wakes and will have a a few dummy resettles where all that’s needed is for the dummy to be put back in. I’m having to go to sleep at 8:30 to enable me to get 8hours due to her early wakes preventing me from sleeping after she wakes at 4am

OP posts:
chateauneufdupapa · 03/03/2026 19:23

CraftyBugger · 03/03/2026 19:11

@Happytaytosshe has 2 full wakes and will have a a few dummy resettles where all that’s needed is for the dummy to be put back in. I’m having to go to sleep at 8:30 to enable me to get 8hours due to her early wakes preventing me from sleeping after she wakes at 4am

Again - that’s amazing! How many parents of 4 month olds do you think get 8 hours sleep?!

chateauneufdupapa · 03/03/2026 19:26

I think your choices are probably carry on as you are or you could even just cosleep all night so she could just latch on your boob and you could go right back to sleep…

Happytaytos · 03/03/2026 21:09

Yep still OK to be in bed at 830. Why aren't you sleeping past 4 if she is? You can v safely cosleep.

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