5 1/2 month old starting to wake at 4am - help?!

[jane07]

My 5 1/2 month old daughter has always been a great sleeper and has slept through from 10pm to 7am from about 8 weeks old.  About a month ago she started waking about 4 ish once a week.  Originally assuming a growth spurt I fed her and she demolished a 7oz bottle in no time.  So assuming hunger have also fed her the other times, she always goes straight back to sleep.  She is on 4 hour EASY routine so I was pretty sure she was hungry having ruled out anything esle.  Have just started weaning her 2 weeks ago as she also went back to feeding more often in the day and waking up hungry from daytime sleeps.  She then started to sleep through again like a dream...until 3 days ago.  The other thing that is a factor is we have moved to holland about 10 days ago and it did unsetlle her for a few days but we are back to her usual daytime routine now so I don't know if this is contributing to the problem.  The last few days are different to her previous wakings.  I'm not convinced it is hunger as she is having 30 - 35oz of formula and some solids at 11am and 6pm feeds and I am having great difficulty settling her back to sleep - usually taking about 90 mins, I also wait before rushing in to allow her to try and settle herself. last night I tried not to feed her, gave her a dummy, cooled boiled water which she had 2 oz of.  But as soon as I put her in her cot she would cry, tried shush pat etc to no avail and so in the end fed her.  She took 5 oz but think it was just because it was offered rather than hunger.  Don't know what else to do.  Dreading tonight as not sure what to do for the best and don't want to do anything to encourage her new little habit - help!

[Karen:)]

Hi there.  Sorry to hear about the tough time you're going through.  Hope I can be of some help.

My LO has always been a good sleeper.  Couple weeks ago, she went through a period of NWs at 4:30 -5am.  We just about ruled out everything and could not find the cause.  As it turned out she was waking due to the coldness in the early morning.  Our house is pretty warm at night and the heater turns on at 5:30 am.  Theose couple of hours just before the heater turned on was the coldest.  As soon as I added an extra sleeping bag, so slept through the night again.  Since you just moved, maybe your new place is cold in the early morning.  Try adding a blanket or sleeping.  Hope what worked for me will solve your problem too.  Wish you better rest tonight.

[~Alexa~]

Hello jane07!! I know how frustrating this can be!! I think Karen's point is pretty good, may be she is uncomfortable or cold.  May be she has gas and this makes her feel uncomfortable too.  When did you introduce the solids?

When she wakes up in the middle of the night, is she crying or happy? Have you tried shpatting when she wakes up?

Post your routine to see if there is something that needs tweaking.

xxx,
Alexa

[jane07]

Hi

Thank you both for your speedy replies! Fingers (and toes) crossed think we may have got to the bottom of this one.  Think you were both right and she may have been a little cold.  Apartment we live in has under floor heating and is always v warm.  Her room is always about 20 degrees so I have been worried about her being too warm and not even considered she may be cold.  We had moved her cot and I think she may have been in a little draught from the window and door plus I changed her to a lightweight sleeping bag,  have now moved her cot and put her in a slightly thicker sleeping bag and she slept through...thought we had cracked it.... then she woke again 4:08am! Then realised it could be due to a change in her formula as she was on hungry baby milk but changed to normal milk when we got here as couldn't find that one.  Have since discovered somewhere that sells it, hurrah, and she slept till 6am yesterday so everything crossed for tonight!  If it's not this then I will have absolutely no idea, keep everything crossed for us and thanks for your advice! x

[Karen:)]

It's so good to hear that your LO is doing better.  I'll keep my fingers crossed for you.