early wakings - 9 month old DS

[AnguaVonUberwald]

Please can someone advise.

DS is 9 months old and from 4 to 8 months we had terrible trouble with his sleeping, I wasn't getting any sleep at all, and eventually we followed a very gentel regime for getting him sleeping in his own bed and actually getting some sleep.

www.drjaygordon.com/development/ap/sleep.asp

This worked very well for us, but we are struggling with the morning part.

It says "don't get the baby up till 6am", which is fine if your baby will sleep till around then, but DS is now getting worse and worse - first it was 5 am (with no sign at all of going back to sleep), then 4am!

What do we do? If he is awake at 5, should we leave him in the cot (trying to get him back to sleep) until 6, and then get him up even if he hasn't slept? Doesn't that teach him that staying awake is worth it as mummy gets you up eventually?

On the other hand, getting him up straight away also doesn't work, as that reinforces its a good idea!

He sleeps from 7 at night so is 8/9 hours all we can expect from a 9 month old baby?

NB he went to sleep an hour and a half late last night and woke up at 3 am, finally went back to sleep at 6.30 (having been up) and slept for 15 mins!

Someone please help, I want to do what is right for DS, but don't want him to be waking up if its my fault for reinforcing bad behaviour!

Merry Christmas!

Anyone? Please help!

No real advice but it is perfectly normal.

DS is 19 months, and only in the last week has he slept past 7.00am. Honestly I kid ye not. Before that, even when he was teenytiny he would be up somewhere between 4.45 and 6.00. Anything after 5.30 was a lie in

We just got on with it, and tried to prop our eyes open with match sticks - If he woke up just moaning and groaning then we would try and leave him as long as possible, but there were many times when he woke up crying (even at 16/17 months) where we knew that there was no way that he was going to settle, and had to get him straight away.

Once he was able to walk we had toys for him to play with upstairs, so he was able to just play around while we lay in bed and kept an eye on him.

The only advantage of having an earlier riser is that they usually go back down for a nap at 9ish - most of the time I would put ds in my bed and snuggle down with him for an hour!

DOn't have much advice but dd was doing this at 9 mo too. Not quite as early as your ds but was regularly waking up 5-5.30am.

I tried giving her more solids later in the evening (6pm ish) in case hunger was waking her up. I also tried extending the time I went in to get her up very gradually, so for a few days I went in at 5.10am, then a few days at 5.15 am, then 5.20 am and so on, to try to stretch her out a bit.

I don't know if any of this worked or if she just grew out of it but a few weeks ago (she is now 13 mo) she just started sleeping till about 7am every morning. She has just started walking too which may be wearing her out more so she slees better? Anyway, it will come to an end, I promise you!. It's knackering though, you have my sympathies.

Had similar with ds for a while when he was about 7 months. For a few days I tried just starting our day at 5am, but quickly realised that was just a bit silly (for me). Have you tried putting some teddies or toys in the cot so he has something to keep him occupied?
I've also read somewhere about getting a timer lamp or something and set it to come on just before 7, or whatever time you want to get up, and soon baby associates the light with getting up. The idea is when he wakes and the light is off, he knows it's not time to get up. Didn't try it so don't know if it works.
I did the toys and teddies in the cot and that would give me an extra half hour.
Also I have found that since ds has become very mobile he now sleeps for an extra 2 hours(ish) in the mornings and still has 2hr nap in afternoon.
I wouldn't bother trying to keep him up late though, I never found it made a slight difference, just left me more pissed off tbh.

I re introduced dd2 11pm dreamfeed at this age as she was waking at 4am and wanting to start the day.

I found by doing this she then started to sleep through untill 6.30/7am.

You may find your ds is waking at 4am because he cold. I think i remember reading somewhere that 4am is when it is at it's coldest.

That's true lizzie
Or does your boiler start up at this time? What about traffic noise? have your neighbours been leaving early for work?

Thank you very much ladies for your responses, it helps just to know I am not alone.

I guess I am extra stressed about this as am due to go back to work in about 6 weeks (only 2 days a week), and can't see how I am going to function.

Its also encouraging to know it does end. I am reluctant to start putting him to bed later, as having a couple of hours with DH each night on our own is making the world of difference to our relationship!

lizzie mum, thats very interesting, might well try that.

Not sure about the boiler or neighbours, will check that out!