What is the most likely cause of evening wakings (before dreamfeed)?

[Aunty Vi]

Just curious really, this is obviously not a big problem (as it doesn't wake us up!) but still a bit of a pain sometimes!

DD (6 months) often wakes and cries once (or occasionally more) during the evening, after bedtime but before her dreamfeed.  I don't think it is hunger, as she typically wakes around 9 or 9.30pm but has her last day feed at 7, and can generally do at least 4 hours between feeds now so it shouldn't be that; also I can generally settle her again without feeding if necessary.  There doesn't seem to be anything else particularly wrong either - no wind, needing poo, hot/cold or anything else obvious.  If it is close to 10pm when she wakes and if her dreamfeed is already prepared (she has a bottle for DF only), we tend to give her it early rather than settle her and then get her up again for DF just after; but if it is a while before DF time and/or the bottle isn't ready yet, I can usually get her back to sleep with shh/pat without too much trouble, except if she is teething or something.  So I am just curious what is likely to be causing this - over- or undertiredness or what; any thoughts? 

[BigSkyMama]

I have the some "problem" so I would be intrested to hear thoughts as well.  We do the same things you do and LO can STTN so I have wondered this as well.  He goes back to sleep easy too.  Will follow with intrest!

[choccielocks]

Hi,
From what I've read on other posts, waking a couple of hours after going to sleep is caused by overtiredness - someone correct me if i'm wrong!

My lo occasionally did this in the past and then I realised it was the days when is evening cat nap was short/didn't happen and also when he was more difficult to settle to sleep he would sometimes wake a couple of hours later and i'd be shh/patting again. I also did what you did and fed him anyway rather than risk waking him up again at normal DF time. Hope you get it sorted!

[*Ali*]

Definitely OT here. If DS has had short naps or a long A before bed we get NW an hour or so after BT. Sometimes it's just a cry and he goes off by himself. Sometimes he just has a quick cuddle from DH and he's Ok again.