Baby wakes at 4am. HELP!

[mercutio84]

Been awake since 3.45 this morning with very happy wriggly baby boy.

We have had our 8month old with us since January (we are adopting). His sleep was going so well and he was sleeping straight through for first few months, but past couple of months his sleep cycle has really changed. He is not napping at all unless we're in the car (though he's not ever napped for longer than 30 mins ar a time). We settle him at 6.30/7 and this usually is a very smooth process and he settles very happily, Then he wakes up every 3-4 hours or so and at 4am it seems he's actually awake-awake and ready for the day! Sometimes the wakes will be for a feed but usually he won't take that much milk. I've tried increasing his solids over the day so he has three meals now and definitely feeds a lot at those times. We've fully blacked out our bedroom. He has been teething but his wake ups don't seem due to discomfort really and teething has recently calmed down Id say.

I am suspecting he is constantly overtired and think will need to start going for daily hour long drives to get those naps in. I think I may also try settling him at 6pk tomorrow to see if more sleep helps the situation.

Gosh it's a killer and feels awful to moan about the effect on us when feels like we should be so grateful to have a baby at all.

[FloofCloud]

Congratulations!
My youngest is 11, but mine were early risers too, I'd give milk and try to sooth back to sleep, keep the light off, get black out blinds. Try to see if anything happens at that time of day, does the hot water come on and make a slight click that could wake them?
Good luck and congratulations! One thing I will say, they change so much so things will change! My DD was awake at 5-6am every day, now she'd sleep til midday if she could 😋