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SLEEP => Night Wakings => Topic started by: Ollie76 on May 24, 2011, 16:17:54 pm

Title: 5:30 am wake-up for 6.5 month old!
Post by: Ollie76 on May 24, 2011, 16:17:54 pm
Hi ladies,

I am in need of some advice here.  My LO has been waking up at 5:30 for the past 5 days.  She typically sleeps from 7:30-7:00.  We "plug" her once/night at 5:30 and then she goes back to sleep until 7:00.  But...the past few days she can't seem to fall back asleep.  Yes, she is working on her first tooth - but it has finally broken through so I'm concerned that we are getting into some kind of habit.  Here's my schedule right now (and yes, I probably should be putting her to bed earlier right now, but I'm concerned that it might reinforce more early wakings).

5:30/5:45 wake
8:30 - sleep
10:00 - wake
1:00 -r sleep
2:45 - wake
5:00-5:30 - catnap
7:30 - bed

Should I get rid of the catnap?? 

If this keeps up, I might have to do some pick-up/put-down....really trying to avoid that right now. 
Your help is so appreciated!
Title: Re: 5:30 am wake-up for 6.5 month old!
Post by: mmom on May 24, 2011, 23:08:27 pm
You might be in that phase where the LO is not ready for 2 naps, but the cat nap still causes problems.  Is there any way you can push out the first A and try 2 naps?

Are there any other teeth looming?  My LO got 2 in a row and that definitely effected EWs.
Title: Re: 5:30 am wake-up for 6.5 month old!
Post by: Ollie76 on May 25, 2011, 00:25:26 am
Thanks.  Do you mean make it longer than 3 hours?  I don't normally keep her awake 3 hours but I have been this week (with the EWs).  I could try.  I don't see/feel another tooth - but that doesn't mean that there isn't one there!  I'm hoping for a better night tonight...
Title: Re: 5:30 am wake-up for 6.5 month old!
Post by: mmom on May 25, 2011, 15:42:47 pm
A lot of moms put their Los down for naps at the preferred wake up time.  In other words, if your desired wake up time is 7, then sometime between 9:30/45.  This is not very BW, but some chose to do it when attempting to eliminate EWs.

I hope you had a better night.  EWs can be brutal.  We get EWs often and I always just leave my LO until it is time to wake up.  He never screams though.  He just plays in his crib.  What does your LO do when she wakes?
Title: Re: 5:30 am wake-up for 6.5 month old!
Post by: Ollie76 on May 26, 2011, 03:49:34 am
Interesting.  So, they would keep them up past the 3 hour mark then....hmmm....something to consider.  But, my LO  can barely handle 2.5 hours so I don't know if I could swing it :( 

So 5:50 was our wake up today - a little better but still not where it used to be.  I WISH she would just lie there, but, no, she usually cries at first, we go in and give her soother and then she lies there and looks like she's trying to sleep.  She cries out every 5 minutes for about 10 minutes and then eventually she ends up in full blown tears.  She has been so grumpy all day. 

I just don't know what to do now - I am wondering about that other tooth though...

So, when your LO does EWs, does he usually sort himself out after a few days?
Title: Re: 5:30 am wake-up for 6.5 month old!
Post by: mmom on May 26, 2011, 08:47:30 am
You don't want to hear about my LO. :P  Unfortunately, I have early risers.

Have you ever tried a dream med?  It depends on how your LO sleeps.  Mine sleeps on his belly, so I haven't been able to get it.  But DS #1 sleeps on his side, so when teething was bad, I would go in to his room in the middle of the night and slowly quirt meds into his mouth.  He would just suck them back.

I do think it is important to be consistent with how you handle EWs.  If you always to in and say do PU/PD, your LO will realize it is not time to get up. But if sometimes you get her, sometimes you try feeding, sometimes AP, etc., it will be confusing.  KWIM?
Title: Re: 5:30 am wake-up for 6.5 month old!
Post by: Jen114 on May 26, 2011, 16:52:28 pm
Have u checked what time sunrise is in your area? Just a hunch ?
Title: Re: 5:30 am wake-up for 6.5 month old!
Post by: *Kara* on May 27, 2011, 15:59:03 pm
I am right there with you!  But, we have been up at anywhere from 445-545 for the last 2 months!  Ugh.  I had hoped it was development/milestone related but it will not go away :(  I am really thinking it is just habitual and may give W2S a try - though I am scared that I will wake her!

(((((HUGS)))))))

A lot of moms put their Los down for naps at the preferred wake up time.  In other words, if your desired wake up time is 7, then sometime between 9:30/45.  This is not very BW, but some chose to do it when attempting to eliminate EWs.

Kara - I might give this a try.... I kept Alexandra up as long as I could this morning after a 445 wakeup... but she was cooked by 8am... poor monkey was ready for a nap by 7 and I felt terrible keeping her up...
Title: Re: 5:30 am wake-up for 6.5 month old!
Post by: Ollie76 on May 27, 2011, 17:23:09 pm
Ok so my last 2 days have been like this:

day 1:  2 - 1.5-1.75 hour naps and 1 catnap - wake-up 6:00 a.m. (which is a lot better) and happy.  I kept thinking that she got enough sleep and that the catnap might need to be dropped in order for her to sleep any longer (I'm not complaining just trying to get her back to normal) so....

day 2:  I kept her up for 3 hours before each nap - she had 2 amazing naps and didn't need a catnap.  I was thrilled but, guess what?  She was up at 4:45!!!!  I gave her meds and had to do some AP (which I don't normally do) but I didn't want her to wake up her sisters.  She was miserable but eventually feel back asleep until 7:15- which doesn't happen much these days. 

mmom:  I really started thinking about giving her meds in her sleep - b/c something tells me she's not 100%.  She does have reflux too - so maybe that's acting up.  I'm going to give it a try tonight.  I'm not sure what to do about the catnap.  She always takes a few days to adjust whenever I change her schedule. 

Jen114 - I was wondering about the sunrise - so we made the room extra dark a few days ago...wish that was the answer :(

Kara - I can't believe you've been dealing with this for so long!  It's driving me bonkers!!  I end up waking up t 5:00 regardless if she's awake yet!!! And my 3 year old hears the baby crying and wakes up early too!!
Title: Re: 5:30 am wake-up for 6.5 month old!
Post by: mmom on May 27, 2011, 18:52:52 pm
Hmmm...if she has reflux, have you introduced any new foods?  Has she gained weight and maybe needs a med increase?
Title: Re: 5:30 am wake-up for 6.5 month old!
Post by: Ollie76 on May 27, 2011, 21:14:46 pm
yes, new foods but she seems ok for naps.  But, she is a very big girl and might need a med increase.  Has been spitting up quite a bit (often 1 hr after eating).  She is on a high dose as it is but I will be seeing her pediatrician on Tuesday so I'll ask him- good point.  Thanks.
Title: Re: 5:30 am wake-up for 6.5 month old!
Post by: Ollie76 on May 30, 2011, 16:03:53 pm
So I'm realizing that I can't do much to change these EW :(  5:15 today...but, I just gave her her soother and she stayed in bed until 6:45.  I am so used to waking up now that I couldn't help but watch her on the monitor.  She pretty much tossed and turned for at least an hour!!! She didn't cry - just looked like she was trying to go back to sleep but couldn't. ????  This was better than usual - where she would start crying 1/2 hour later - but why isn't she going back to sleep? 
Title: Re: 5:30 am wake-up for 6.5 month old!
Post by: *Kara* on May 30, 2011, 17:31:01 pm
If I knew the answer to that question, I would be a very wealthy woman ;)

I suspect it's a biological reason for her inability to fall back to sleep... sleep hormones levels do drop off significantly after 4am... when she has a brief awakening at 5am, she doesn't have the biological motivation to fall back to sleep. 
We were up at 455am today... ugh.  DD was done by 630 and had a one hour snooze on me while I watched TV... she literally passed out while sitting on my lap and reading a book!  I couldn't bear to lug her upstairs so I just laid down with her and we both slept for a much needed hour.  Needless to say, our EASY is shot for the day.  She is now napping again in her crib (but I had to rock her - I HATE TEETHING!!!)... it's 1030am.  Gonna be a weird day around here!

Sounds like we just both have early risers... somehow we have to find a way to become early risers ourselves!
Title: Re: 5:30 am wake-up for 6.5 month old!
Post by: mmom on May 31, 2011, 12:38:51 pm
Ollie, it is a restless time of day for many LOs.  If there is anything off (teething, discomfort, too hot, too cold, etc.), LOs have difficulty settling.

Since you mentioned reflux, I am inclined to think that there is some form of discomfort at this time.
Title: Re: 5:30 am wake-up for 6.5 month old!
Post by: Ollie76 on May 31, 2011, 14:04:25 pm
*kara* that is EARLY!!!  I don't know how you made it through the day.....
mmom - we are seeing our ped/gastro today but she seems pretty happy most of the day and she's on the max dose of her meds so I don't know what he'll say.  I'm starting to wonder if we have some sort of habit forming though. Do you know of anyone having success with w2s?  She woke at 5:15 again on the nose. 

She stayed in bed until 6:00 but was also starved when I came in!  We don't have a dream feed anymore (and haven't for over a month) but maybe she's hungry?  She's on a specialized formula for her MSPI and is eating solids 3x/day.

Thanks for your help...
Title: Re: 5:30 am wake-up for 6.5 month old!
Post by: mmom on May 31, 2011, 15:35:45 pm
What was your routine like yesterday?
Title: Re: 5:30 am wake-up for 6.5 month old!
Post by: *Kara* on May 31, 2011, 15:38:54 pm
*kara* that is EARLY!!!  I don't know how you made it through the day.....

Tell me about it!  450am today.  I have learned to go to bed by 9pm ;)  She has been up at 5am for over two months now.  I think I might lose my mind!
Title: Re: 5:30 am wake-up for 6.5 month old!
Post by: mmom on May 31, 2011, 15:54:16 pm
Kara, do you have a thread going that we can help you on?   I know EWs are tough.  I have chronic EWs too.
Title: Re: 5:30 am wake-up for 6.5 month old!
Post by: *Kara* on May 31, 2011, 16:02:21 pm
I sure do!

http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=211019.msg2229761#msg2229761

Thanks for any help you can give - I am at a total loss...
Title: Re: 5:30 am wake-up for 6.5 month old!
Post by: Ollie76 on June 02, 2011, 04:32:04 am
mmom - I can't actually remember my schedule from the other day (I'm think I'm a little over-tired these days)!!  I had a little success this morning - she started to wake at 5:45 but didn't really cry out for me until 6:30.  Just doing her typical rustle around-in-the-bed thing.  Weird.  Anyways, here's what was different:

1. she didn't sleep much yesterday b/c we were out most of the day. 
2. she had her catnap again
3.  I made her room a little warmer
4.  I gave her meds in the middle of the night
5.  I darkened her room even more (as in I taped her blinds to her windows). Can you say determined??? ;)

Just wondering what made the difference. She didn't have her catnap today - let's see what happens tomorrow. 

*kara* I read your link.  How are things?  Are you using a paci?  We are and, in the back of my mind, I wonder if it has hindered my LO from being able to put herself back to sleep on her own......we only plug 1 or maybe 2x/night but my eldest daughter never had one and I never had these issues.

Title: Re: 5:30 am wake-up for 6.5 month old!
Post by: mmom on June 02, 2011, 12:17:02 pm
Ollie, what is your bedtime then?  Naps, overall sleep, and especially the last A to bed really effect EWs.
Title: Re: 5:30 am wake-up for 6.5 month old!
Post by: *Kara* on June 02, 2011, 14:00:18 pm
We have a paci and I am starting to wonder the same thing about it being an issue now.  I know it hasn't been in the last as she would still STTN without it, but I wonder if she is dependent on it during those early hours?  She can't plug herself yet.

We were up at 410 this morning... gross.
Title: Re: 5:30 am wake-up for 6.5 month old!
Post by: Ollie76 on June 02, 2011, 14:27:00 pm
Her bedtime bottle has been about 7:30.  Last night I gave it to her at 7:00 - b/c she hadn't had a catnap.  She had 2- 2hour naps yesterday.  But, she woke screaming around 10:00 and again at 11:00 - not normal for her at all.....so Tylenol again.  But...I didn't hear from her again until 6:00/6:15 which is great for me.

Kara - there are days when I just want to throw that paci away!  My LO has no idea how to replug herself - probably b/c she doesn't have it during the day!  I guess I keep hoping that she will soon - and there are some good things about pacis.  I'm ok with 1 replug during the night - but if this early morning thing keeps happening (and today was not considered early morning) I would ditch it. 
Title: Re: 5:30 am wake-up for 6.5 month old!
Post by: *Kara* on June 02, 2011, 17:04:54 pm
I would do anything for a 6/615 morning!  I had to AP DD back to sleep... she finally gave up and went back to sleep at 515 and woke an hour later for the day... first nap was a complete nightmare... I think her first two teeth are coming in and it's making her unbearable in the sleep department!  The last 10 days have gone from fantastic to horrendous!
Title: Re: 5:30 am wake-up for 6.5 month old!
Post by: mmom on June 02, 2011, 17:20:41 pm
Ollie - What was the total day in EAS format?  I am wondering if since she may be teething and you are having those NWs so close to bedtime, if you will need to try an earlier bedtime.  sometimes they are able to handle the 3 hour A time, but their wake up is so early that they can't.  The day becomes too long.

((HUGS)) Kara.  Teething causes major SA and can really effect the mornings. 
Title: Re: 5:30 am wake-up for 6.5 month old!
Post by: *Kara* on June 02, 2011, 17:26:05 pm
((HUGS)) Kara.  Teething causes major SA and can really effect the mornings.


I think I just figured that out :)  It's tiring to have a teething baby LOL!  It's just weird, she was so independent in the sleep department until about 10 days ago... now she is super clingy and resistant... I have to help her fall asleep for every nap and at bedtime... she just freaks herself out with rolling and fidgeting about the crib now... she used to be put down awake for all naps and BT and would just fall asleep without a peep... not at all now!
Title: Re: 5:30 am wake-up for 6.5 month old!
Post by: mmom on June 02, 2011, 17:36:53 pm
We are getting OT now (sorry Ollie), but so much happens at this age and everything seems to change.  DS#1 was a mega EW like your LO.  I can't tell you how many of my mornings started at 4 or in that hour.  So I feel your pain. ((HUGS)) though.  I hope it passes soon.
Title: Re: 5:30 am wake-up for 6.5 month old!
Post by: *Kara* on June 02, 2011, 18:01:15 pm
It must be something about kids with moms named Kara ::)
Title: Re: 5:30 am wake-up for 6.5 month old!
Post by: Ollie76 on June 02, 2011, 23:32:22 pm
Here it is!

Wake - 6:00ish
E- 6:30 (bottle)
    7:30 (food)
S  8:50-10:45
E  11:00 (bottle)
    12:00 (food)
S  2:00-3:45
E  3:45 (bottle)
    5:15 (food)
7:00/7:15 bottle/bed

Just a side note - I mentioned it to my ped and he said lots of kids wake with the sunrise...ya, knew that.  He said "just like her cry." He made it sound so simple...if he only knew.  He doesn't have kids either. 

Kara - have you checked out the medical side of things?  Just to rule that out?  What about the meds in her sleep?
Title: Re: 5:30 am wake-up for 6.5 month old!
Post by: mmom on June 02, 2011, 23:36:13 pm
That day actually looks great and 6 am wake up with a 7 pm bedtime is not an EW. ;)

I think a lot of doctors have an approach of insisting we go with the flow, unless something is seriously wrong. But obviously we are all here because we are not go with the flow moms.

Since your routine looks good, I am wondering about teeth too.  Or, and I am going to contradict myself here, your LO likes a shorter A to bed? ???  I guess I keep holding on to the NWs so close to bedtime.  They just stand out as OT to me.
Title: Re: 5:30 am wake-up for 6.5 month old!
Post by: *Kara* on June 02, 2011, 23:40:13 pm
I have checked out the medical side - nothing.  My kid isn't even one to spit up ;)  At almost 7 months, I bet she has spit up 10 times total!  Nothing else medical... just teething :)