Any tips on how to make wake up later

[Harrisons_mum]

Morning all..... Another far too early morning for me. 

DS used to wake up at 6:15 every morning, which I wasn't happy about, but accepted.  Now he's waking at 5:30am!!  Could someone please have a look at my day to see if something needs to change.

He is 20 weeks, just started solids and bf.  solids are going really well and he is wanting more every sitting

Wake - 5:30 (try to shh/pat till 6, but doesn't work)
E - 6:30
A
E - top up @ 7:30 because not so hungry at 6:30, but fussing to feed
S - 8-10
A - breakfast fruit/veg
E - 11
S - 12-1:30
E - 2
A -
E - 4
S - 4:30 (falls asleep in pram while out walking)
A - dinner fruit/veg and rice
     Bath, pjs
E - 6:30
S - 7
Wakes - 10,1,4

EASY is a bit messed up with the longer A times and I've really been letting him lead me with the introduction of solids.

He feeds really fast now (about 5-10 mins for both sides) but has a huge appetite.

I've resigned myself to the feedings at night, but it would be lovely to lie a bit longer.....

[Erin M]

I'm wondering if his cat nap is too close to BT and is causing the shorter night?  If he's doing 2.5 hours of A time before his first two naps and much less towards the end of the day.  Do you think he'd nap from 4-4:30 (to keep the A times the same throughout the day) and then you could BT at 6:30/7 if he can manage that? 

Re: your night wakings -- if he's taking lots of solids, it might be decreasing his milk intake -- not sure if that is the case, but it's sometimes one things to look at.  Breast milk has more calories and fat than any solids that you can give, so he could be filling up on solids and less hungry for milk (which keeps him less full). 

[Harrisons_mum]

Thanks Erin, sorry to land you with this dilemma... It may be an EASY question?

Well last night was a bit messed up... Was so excited at the start and then ended up so frustrated

This was my day yesterday

Wake - 6
E - 6:30
A
S -8

Wake - 9:10
E - 9:30
A - breakfast (avocado,was still hungry so some banana too)
S - 11:30 (had to struggle to keep him awake because day was running so early)

W - 1:40
E - 1:40
A - lunch (banana)
E - 3:30
S - 4

Wake - 5ish. (was out in pram and slept fitfully)
A - dinner (pears and rice) bath, Jammie's
E - 6
S - 7

Wa

Nw's -
 he woke at 7:30 hungry?
12 (this is good for us)
2:30 (tried to re-settle, was a disaster fed at 3:30 and finally fell back at 4:30)
6 (up for the day, tried to re-settled but he wasn't interested)

I can't believe that even with such a long nw he didn't sleep later.  Also when he does a long stretch he seems to wake up every 2hrs thereafter.  That's wired eh?

After his catnap he is always so exhausted and I struggle to get through his bedtime routine without him freaking out.

The solids v bf is really difficult to find the balance, but he just always seems hungry do you think I should be trying to stretch the time between feeds.

Thank you

[Harrisons_mum]

Oh... When I tried to re-settle at 2:30am he wasn't crying, just couldn't fall over (I guess because he was hungry )

[Erin M]

I'd say that first nap is telling you that you really do need to push A times out to 2.5 hours -- that 1.10 nap doesn't seem long enough for him to be restorative -- and then you probably have some OT build up at the end of the day which is why he's so exhausted at then end of the day.  The cat nap and I ever got along with any of mine so we just did our best there and tried to get some sleep in, but I often had very tired babies at BT as well.

Looking at your night last night, I'd say that the 12 waking is probably hunger.  The 2:30 one is probably routine related as it still took him awhile to settle after you fed him.   Waking at 7:30 hungry makes me think he didn't get a good bt feed in - what's your feeling on that?

Oh, and it's EASY related too, but day and night sleep are so connected, it's ok to leave it here for now.