Early waking - questions about capping naps

[Violet's mom]

So vi was doing really well, got a cold, had some AP going on but now we are back on track.  She now wakes at 4 or 5am.  I'm not certain it's not hunger related - she is not really eating solids (so aggravating) and is EBF - but she wakes and plays for up to an hour and will sometimes go back to sleep, sometimes not.  Her A time is around 3 hr 15 min.  I'm thinking that at 8 months old now she might need a slight increase?

Today went like this:
W 5:15 am
E 6:15am BF
E  8:00 (tried solids, ended up BF)
S 8:45- 10:10
E 10:15. BF
E 12:00 tried solids
E 1:00 BF
S 1:30 - 2:30
E 3:00 BF
E 5:00 tried solids
E 6:00 BF
S 6:30

Maybe I am bf'g too much but I just feel like she is always hungry! 
Every day is so different I cannot get her on a schedule - her naps are never consistent lately and I'm very frustrated with solids.

Thanks as always!

[amayzie]

Hi hon- The early waking is often a sign that the A time needs a push- perhaps move closer to 3hours 30? Also- sometimes putting the nap too early can cause early waking. Perhaps if you try moving that first nap later- say after 9am? this might help?

[Violet's mom]

Thanks - I pushed her a time yesterday and had an ebt of 6:15 and she slept til 6:30am today so we are holding off her first nap to 10am.  Do LO's ever need just certain times to nap?  Or is it all about a times?

[Violet's mom]

Oh and I've been getting some OT naps - waking after 35 mins and not happy - soothing took half an hour to get her back to sleep this morning...

[Maria14]

We are in the same boat with an almost 9 months old that wakes up at 5-5.30 am and desperately tries to go back to sleep for 1-1.5 hrs but lately can't.she has a short first A time for her age which I know needs increasing.but how do you push that first nap out if they are up at 5am?we are stuck in a vicious circle..

[Violet's mom]

I've been putting her down 3.5 hrs after wAkeup which might need some tweaking because of the OT naps.  Been doing this for a few days with an early bedtime and she's been sleeping 6:15 to 6:15am pretty well for the past 2 nights ( had a brief 4am wAkeup last night).  I'm gonna give it a couple days then push her bedtime by 10 mins.  Trying to get 7 to 7 before daylight savings. 

[afranklin]

Daylight Savings looms before me!! Hate it so.

This has been helpful with my new EW problem.

Amanda

[Violet's mom]

Yesterday she woke at 6:30 and napped at 9:45 am and 2pm pretty well...  And slept 6:30 to 7am last night (woke up with a shout for a minute at 3am and 5am - crawled to the other side of her crib and fell back asleep).  Today she was desperate to go back to sleep at 9:45 (only after 2 hr 45 min A time yikes) and fell asleep on me so we shall see how bad this messes with her night sleep!  I'm starting to think she might need consistent times for BT and naps instead of consistent A times - anyone else experience this?

[Mandy.kamal]

Exact same situation here...
5:00 am wakings and dreading DST in a few weeks!

I posted on the Naps forum about set naps so if I get any good advice, I'll send it your way!

Did pushing your A time fix the EW problem? I'm desperate to stop these EWs...

[Violet's mom]

Yeah not sure - I just think she was still adjusting after being sick.  Sticking with a 6:45 bedtime has helped.