Can't cope with my day starting at 4.30am.. help

[sjcmum]

Until about a month ago, DD2 was waking up for 2-3 feeds a night. At Christmas when she turned 1, I stopped feeding her at night and we did CC. She then sometimes started sleeping 10.5-11 hours. When she did wake it was really quick to settle her I resolved not to feed her until 6am. Trouble is now she has started waking up at 4.30 - and will only go back to sleep after at least an hour, possibly an hour an half of crying. She'll then sleep for 30-45 mins and by that time if it is after 6 I'll feed her.

Question is - Do I just grin and bear this until she starts sleeping longer again? Or do I give in and feed her earlier in the hope that she might go back to sleep. She is really hungry when she does feed, and has a huge breakfast not long afterwards as well.

Added problem is that it is waking up DD1 who then ends up in bed with us, and usually means I don't get any more sleep.

What is the best way to extend how long they sleep?

It's not teeth is it? Or is the cold waking her? I have to keep the heating on low over night at the moment, as my two wake if chilly.

My son USUALLY doesn't have a feed at night now and he's 12 months, however sometimes he does randomly wake, I try teething gel first and leave room, if he still won't settle, then I may cheat (as I call it) and give him a bottle. But I rarely have to do that, usually the teething gel works and he goes straight back to sleep. And luckily if one night I do give him a bottle, he doesn't wake up the next expecting one. Probably as he hasn't had an official feed at night for a while now, so it's not a habit.

If he is ill I have to roll with it and just give him a bottle to soothe him and of course Calpol etc. But once he is better again, I go back to no feeds at night.

I find if he doesn't eat well in the day and have a good dinner and milk drink, then he is more likely to wake at night right now.

Of course there are plenty of people on this website whose children still have middle of the night feeds at much later ages. So try not to get too stressed - although easily said rather than done, if they're waking the other child

My two kids share a room, so I have to get in there fast if the baby wakes before he rouses his sister.

HTH

teaandcake - thank you - good suggestions. Teething gel does sometimes work, and I do usually put an extra heater on in their room - but haven't the last few nights as it has been milder - so I might try that again tonight.

Unfortunately she is not in the least bit interested in a bottle, so no chance of that working. I have tried a cup of water in the night, and that didn't work either. She is now eating more during the day, but drinks very little between her morning breastfeed and bedtime one (only 2 she gets now)....she just doens't seem interested in either water or milk at all. I kind of think if I could get a bit more into her in the day that might help. She is quite small for her age, so maybe I should go for lots of little snacks or something.

Other thought I had is that she obviously doesn't know the difference between when she wakes at 4.30 and when it is 6 - so could be why the cc isn't really working at that time, as she is expecting to be got out of the cot and given a feed, and probably can't understand why it isn't happening. I've been trying to make sure I turn the light on when I count it as morning... but not sure it is having any effect.

Anyone else got any tips?

I was just thinking if it was me I'd either add an 11pm feed again for a short while, as that may help them get through to 6am. Or do the feed at 4.30am to send them back to sleep.

As I suspect this is just a blip she's having and it'll stop again soon enough. I don't think you'll get her into a habit by doing this for a short while.

But maybe some other mums netter will have a better idea for you, but it's not much fun leaving them to cry at 4.30am for them or you

I also used to leave a few toys in the bottom of the cot. I'd add them as I went to bed, as obviously if you put them in there at bedtime, there's always a risk they'll play with them instead of going to sleep at bedtime . I suppose she may play with them at 4.30am possibly and then drift back to sleep instead of crying My first child used to wake and chatter for a while in the night but I used to just leave her and she'd play with her toys and go back to sleep again eventually.

I really hope things improve soon for you though. Send you a hug x

Thank you for the hugs teaandcake - much appreciated! It was 5.15am this morning so marginally later. I've kept the room warmer which seems to have helped. But also I did manage to persuade her to have some water, and eat a biscuit. Rather than scream she was quiet for quite a while until I then fed her at about 6.10 when she kicked off again.

She has toys in her cot the whole time anyway - but doesn't seem interested. DD1 would wake up v.calmly in the morning and happily sit chatting to herself and playing while we still dozed and enjoyed listening to her - no such luck with DD2.

Poor DD1 has been knackered today as she woke up before 6 too.... hopefully it is just a phase with DD2 otherwise I think we'll have to think about separate rooms.