early wakings

[camys mum]

Hello,
My LO is 5.5 months old. He went through a phase of great sleeping, but seems to be waking earlier.
His usual wake-up time is 7am, but for the last few days it varies between 5am/6.30am. I feed him and he goes back down, but this does effect our routine, we are trying for 4 hour EASY. This morning, I tried to give him only a few minutes on the breast, (to tide him over until 7am) but he cried when I took him off, so I continued the feed.
Also, when I put him back down, he falls asleep. When I go into his room at 7am to wake him, he's sleeping so soundly and yesterday cried when I woke him up at 7am. His bedtime is 7pm, so a 7am wake-up is okay? I feel so rotten waking him up, DH thinks i'm crazy.
Also, he has been waking around 4-5am, not for a feed, but a nappy change. Once the soaking nappy is off, he's happy to go back to sleep. I feel like we might be creating habitual wakings if we do a change so early every day, does anyone have any suggestions?
Thank you!

[*Natasha*]

Could you please post your routine? Perhaps it needs tweaking.

[camys mum]

We are trying hard to reach the 4 hour easy, but it's been a struggle as we are still trying to extend naps. Things have been getting better, especially when we extend some of the A times, although the last few days they have gotten shorter again.
After today, I think we are going through a growth spurt. My LO usually eats 10 minutes every 4 hours, the last feed of the day and dream feed are usually about 20 minutes, but today he ate WAY more than usual and at erratic times, so I think this may be why things are a little crazy. Feels like our routine is taking a nose dive, but i'm pretty sure this could be why?
If you don't mind, i'll post our routine from a couple of days ago and then todays routine, you can see the drastic difference. Thanks so much for sifting through this, I feel like i'm going a bit nutty. So easy to feel like we are taking steps back after trying so hard to stay on track. 

2 days ago, trying to extend A times, to help with 45 minute naps.

Wakes at 5.30 Feed 10 minutes and goes back down.
E 7 (10 minutes)
A 2 Hours
S 9 (45 minutes)

E 11 (8 minutes)
A 2.5 Hours
S 12.15 (slept 1.30h)

E 3 (10 minutes)
A 2.5 hours
S 4.15 (slept 45 minutes)

E 6.45
S 7pm

DF 11

Todays routine:

Woke 4.20 change nappy
Woke 6.15 feed

E 7am Didn't want breakfast as I fed at 6.15
A 2 hours
E 8.50 Cried until I realized he was hungry (took 17 minutes)
S 9 (woke at 10am)
E 11.50 Ate 10 minutes
S 12.08 (slept 1.30)
E 2pm (Ate 10 minutes)
A 2 hours
S 3.20 (slept for only 30 minutes, was VERY over tired)
E 4.50 (10 minutes)
E 6.30 (ate 20 minutes)
S 6.50

DF 11


Thank you for taking a look.

[*Natasha*]

Definatly could be a growth spurt. As for extending that first nap try a slightly longer awake time in the morning even 5-10mins.

[camys mum]

He woke a few times last night, I fed him at 2.35am (which I don't normally do, but I felt he needed it).
He woke for the day at 6.45am and it was a struggle to get 10 minutes of food into him (usually this is the case) so hopefully the growth spurt has finished, I wonder if growth spurts last two days?
I pushed his awake time this morning by 5 minutes, hopefully things will get back on track. Thank you so much for responding, much appreciated. So much to figure out!