6 month old waking at 5/5.30am

[Mia & Scarlett's Mummy]

Hello Karen - seems like we've got out day time naps sorted and have graduated to this board!

This is an update for the more experienced moms of night wakers - I'd really appreciate some feedback about what I'm currently doing.

Right.  Mia is still waking at anytime between 2pm and 5pm.  But we have now phased out feeding her in the night, I offer her bottled water and its refused.  So when she wakes we don't go in straight away we always wait and see if she can settle back down.  After 20 mins or so we get up to her because grizzling has turned into crying (not mantra crying).

I go in, no eye contact, no talking.  Change her nappy, offer her water and sit and cuddle her and give her a dummy until she's calm and put her in her cot.  Calm but awake. And for the last couple of nights we haven't heard a peep out of her.

In some ways I see this as a success, but on the other hand I'm thinking - hold on am I going to have to get up to her for the next few months to change her nappy and give her a dummy?  It seems I've replaced one band-aid (as Tracy called them) with another.

What I'm really asking is - does this seem ok?  I'm figuring that as she's not having milk she'll work out that's it not worth waking up and staying awake just to be settled back to sleep by me. 

What do you all think

TIA

[Mia & Scarlett's Mummy]

Here's her routine if it helps.  BTW I have tried and tried to get her to have a catnap around 5pm but she doesn't fall asleep - and also with her awake times extended its hard to fit it in.

7am - Up 8oz bottle
7.45 - solids (cereal and fruit)
9.30/10.00 - S (1.5hrs)
11.45 - solids (protein and veg and fruits)
1.30 - 7oz bottle
2.30 - s (1.5hrs)
4.45 - solids (Tea)
6.00 - bath, 8oz bottle and tuck in at 7pm

TIA

[Mia & Scarlett's Mummy]

I'm loosing it

I meant to put 4.45 - solids (veggies and fruit and yoghurt) - not Tea (thought someone might be horrified and think I'm giving dd a bottle of sugary tea ((as I was as a baby apparently!!))

[Mom to M&M]

Hi Louise! Naps have been pretty good for the most part (knock wood) for some time now. Hopefully I didn't just jinx that! And even nights are really good - just this early waking issue... Last night she did sleep straight through until 6 am instead of 5:15 so that was nice - only difference was that she ate more - so maybe that's a small part of the equation in my case too?

I think your routine looks pretty good! Does she need a diaper change at that 2am time? What happens if you put her in an overnight diaper and don't change her - just go in and pat her on back and give dummy if necessary? We've never used one so it's hard for me to address that issue - M is a thumb sucker. When she does wake in the middle of night which is not common, we count to 100 before going in and then go in and pat her and tell her its still bedtime and turn on her crib toy (lullaby projection on ceiling) and leave.

[Katet]

Louise, I would cut out the nappy change & try to settle her in the cot before you do anything else. then if she doesn't settle try to offer water & then the cuddle. but I'd definitely stop the nappy change, that is WAY too stimulating. really you want to do EVERYTHING in  total darkness & keep it as minimal as possible

[Mia & Scarlett's Mummy]

Thanks Katet

I won't change her nappy tonight then.  She wears a pampers 12hour drynite nappy so she should be ok.  It's just that she's sodden at that time in the morning so I thought it may help.

But I agree, it is too stimulating - plus she loves it on her changing station!

I will let you know how I get on.

Thanks again!