waking at 6am......should i feed and return to cot?

[*Vicki*]

ok so i know i should be hanging my head in shame for complaining.....my LO used to wake up between 7am - 7.30am up until last week.

We went to stay with the mil coz we had to have some work done to our boiler and central heating which created alot of dust and so meajnt we couldnt stay there...while at mil's she started refusing naps and waking up between 5 and 6am...she starts babblingthen starts whining until going into a loud cry...im not sure if shes hungry as it soundslike an OT cry....should i just get her up and feed her? should i feed her and put her back to bed? or would that be reinforcing the early waking?is it something to do with her eating habits during the day? (she still has a DF and still doesnt eat much solids but is downing 5 bottles a day including the DF)...

im just worried that this is unusual for her...we ve been home since saturday and the early wakings and practically non existent naps have continuid...help!!

[*Natasha*]

Could you post your routine please?

[*Vicki*]

oops yes  sorry 

here s the routine...it variesfrom dayto day depending on how much she ll sleep...


              5.30 - 6am       wake up, babling, rolling around cot
E             7am - 7.30       milk feed of 4 - 5 oz's
A             7.30 - 8am
              8am - 8.30am    solids
A            8.30 - 9am
S            9.30am            settles but wakes up screaming about 40 mins later...
              10.20 am         awake

E             11am             milk feed - 3 oz's
A             11.15 - 12pm
E              12pm           solids - but is beginning to fuss and so cannot take her solids properly,barely eats half

S             12.45           she is very OT and takes along while to settle
               1.20pm         awake and screaming,so i go and sit with her, laying her back down when she rolls over

               2pm            i end up getting her up
A             2pm - 2.45pm
 
E             2.45pm        Milk feed 3 oz's
A             3pm - 4.30

s             4.30 - 5pm   

E             5pm           solids - but starts screaming and arching back and rubbing eyes
               6pm           milk feed - 5 oz's
s              7pm           goes to sleep after whining for a bit

she then wakes up every 40 - 60 mins or so but soothes herdelf back to sleep after afew mins...im looking at my routine and it looks very all over the place....could this also be the prob weith the naps? is she OT and refusing to sleep coz the routine isn't tight enough?

[*Natasha*]

It looks like her awake time in the morning is too long as it is before bed and could be the reason for her taking short naps and waking early. At this age i would aim for 3-3.5hr awake time.
To help you out this was our routine at this age:

7am – Wake
7.30am – Bottle 200mls
8.30am – Yoghurt/Cereal
9.30am – Sleep 1.5-2hours
12pm – Fruit/Custard
1pm – Bottle 150-200mls
2pm – Sleep 1.5hrs
5/5.15pm – Vegetables/Meat/Pasta then Jelly
6pm – Bath
6.30pm – Bottle 200mls
7pm – Bed

[EllenS]

You could also try early bedtime for a few nights - push it back in 10-15 minute increments.  When you hit the right bedtime, she will sleep longer in the AM.

[emmas]

I've had an early riser for weeks now - fingers crossed I'm coming to the end of it.  The hardest part is what to do when they wake early with the first nap - what seemed to work for me was trying b any means to get ds back to sleep for even just half an hour around 7 so you can start the day again, or I made sure he got lots of light and kept him as close to 9.30 as I could - just strechting it a little each day.  My ds is also fussy about eating solids - I make sure I leave it around 1.5/2 hours after milk before solids and he usually eats more.

PP is right - a 6 o'clock bedtime works wonders - I think its a funny age where they don't want a catnap but can't quite make the A time needed to not have one so if my ds wakes before 3.30 i'll put him to bed early so he is awake no longer than 3.15 hours.

I'm no expert and its taken me weeks to break the back of it - but thought I'd shre what worked for me with you.

[jennyh]

hugs vicki ,early mornings are killers

[*Vicki*]

thanks everyone....i feel bad coz i know it could be worse...ill try what you ve all suggested and if it doesntwork then ill have to assume shes become an early riser i guess 

having said that i had her in bed by 6.30pm tonight and so far shes stayed asleep and happy....she napped much better today too.....she woke up just after 7 this morningso maybe thats why  hmmmm oh well lets seewhat happens tomorrow 

[jennyh]

good luck

[*Vicki*]

thanks 

im not good at early mornings...and dd1 is just as lazy as me ha!     

[jennyh]

stock up on some strong coffee .
i am just living on the hope i can get revenge on india when she is a stroppy teenager ,cos she is never gonna get a ly in

[*Vicki*]

lmao 

good idea      im gonn write that one down lol 

[*Natasha*]

Good luck keep us posted

[*Vicki*]

I will x  thank you