Waking too early, and not ready to wake up

[gavinsmum]

Can someone help us, please!  My son has recently started a new sleep pattern at night, and unfortunately it involves waking up at 5 or 5:30 am every morning.  I wouldn't have a problem with it, but he doesn't seem ready to start his day.  He wakes up fussy and rubbing his eyes. 

He will not sooth himself to sleep as he does when he goes down at night or when he wakes in the middle of the night.  We've waited it out and he'll last until 6 or 6:30 which was his normal wake up time.

We've tried rocking him back to sleep, but he wakes the instant you put him back down - very frustrating when we have to be up for work at 6:30 anyway and are longing for a little more sleep.

We have tried bedtime anywhere from 7:30 until 9 and he is still up around 5.  We do a dream feed around 10 pm, and he used to last longer than that without eating at night, but lately the only way I can get him to go back down is to nurse him, and then he'll go back to sleep until about 6:45 when he wakes up happy and gurgling in his crib.

I don't know what else to try.  I was thinking of wake to sleep, but don't know how to do that properly, and am worried that now I've started a bad habbit with the BF and am afraid he'll be relying on that.  Any help would be greatly appreciated!!

[*Natasha*]

How old is your DS?
Can you post your routine for the day including times of naps and how long they are?

[gavinsmum]

Thanks for the quick responce - I am desperate and tired.
Sorry - he is 6 months old.  His days were routine until about a month ago and now he changes things up, but this is a close schedule.  And the 5 am feed messes up his EASY, because when he wakes up for the day he's not ready to eat.(I wish I could help him take longer naps, but I have a daycare in my home and need to focus on those kids while he's sleeping.)

5 am  BF and back to sleep
6:45  Wake and play
8 am  BF
8:30 - 9:15  Nap
9:30  Solids (Cereal and a fruit or veg)
10:30 - 11:15  Nap
11:30  BF
1:30 - 2:30 Nap
3:00   BF
4:30 - 5 Nap
5:00  Solids
6:15 - 7 Nap
7:30  BF
7:45  Bed time
10pm dream feed

Occasionally he will nap for longer 1.5 - 2.5 hours.  (He jusyt started this)  No matter what he does, he will end up napping about 4 hours every day.  3.5 - 4.5 hours always.  Never less than 3 naps usually 4 or 5.

[violet41]

I've read that putting bubs to bed earlier can result in them sleeping later.  There was an interesting article in Practical Parenting magazine (it's Australian) which explained how it makes a difference between putting a baby to bed at 7pm and putting him to bed as little as 40 minutes later.

I'd try it myself, except my daughter already goes to bed between 5.30 and 6!

[gavinsmum]

Thanks for that - I'd like to give it a try, but he usually eats around 7:30.  I don't want to give him less milk as I'm afraid he's already not getting enough.  Any suggestions?

[gavinsmum]

Oh - and do you have any more info on how I can get my hands on that article.  I'd love to read it, plus I think my husband will need some convincing.  He likes to see the facts

[gavinsmum]

Sorry for the many responces, but the more I think about this the more questions I come up with...

If he continues to wake at 5 should I just get him up for the day, and hope it gets later with time?

Should I feed right away or try to hold off until desired wake time of 6 or 6:30?

What time should I give him his dream feed?

If it doesn't make a difference in wake time right away, how many days should I try before trying somethng new?

Any info. greatly appreciated!!   

[gavinsmum]

This schedule souds do-able.  We'll give it our best shot!  If anyone else has suggestions I'm open to hearing all!  Thanks so much for the advice.

[gavinsmum]

O.K. night one and I am typing now at 4:30am.  I put him to bed at 7 and he went down well.  I accidentally fell asleep so he didn't get his dream feed until near midnight.  He woke up at 4.  Talking 1st, then fussing.  I did what we always do go in, say shh shh, put paci in, leave.  Usually he is out again within minutes.  Today,,,, he is still up 1/2 hour later.  What do I do?
He is mostly humming, but crying out for a minute or so every few minutes.  He'll go through periods of time of very quiet humming, but then he'll cry out or even cry for two minutes straight.  I went in once, but  it seemed to make things worse. 
Any suggestions?

To make matters worse, tonight we're staying away from home, so we start all over tomorrow.  I should have waited until tomorrow to start something new.  Oh well, live and learn

[gavinsmum]

O.k we made it through the night.  There were times when the cry sounded very angry.  I ended up going in around 4:40, but he still cried while being held.  I walked around with him in the dark until 5:05(he wouldn't let me sit to rock him).  when I finally gave in thinking he just wanted to be up.  I turned on a light and gave him toys.  This made him happy for a few minutes, but not too long.  I finally gave in and nursed him at 5:20.  He then let me rock him to sleep and he slept until 7:15. 

He might have been better off if I just left him in his crib - especially since my holding him didn't seem to calm him

Tonight we're sleeping away, so I knew his pattern will be messed up - that's partly why I gave in.  I figured I might as well get some rest and start over Sunday night.

I understand the earlier bed time theory, but I thought I read that 6 month olds need about 10 hours of night sleep and 4 hours of naps.  If I put him to bed at 7, isn't it expecting too much to think he'll sleep until 6 or 7?  Is it possible that he just needs only 9 hours of night sleep?


I wish he could just tell me!