Author Topic: 9 month old waking earlier and earlier  (Read 1685 times)

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Offline MummyInRio

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9 month old waking earlier and earlier
« on: August 03, 2015, 09:19:27 am »
Hi! 

My 9 month old has finally learnt to sleep through - horray!  He has never been the best sleeper but once well established on solids that all changed and we have gradually managed to get him to sleep through  He now sleeps 7.30pm through to 5.30-6am most nights with perhaps one brief wake up due to him practicing new mobility skills.  Our 'problem' now is that he is consistently waking before 6 and that seems to be getting earlier each day.  He is wide awake and wants to explore and chat.  A quick feed does nothing to resettle him.  We treat as a night waking, keeping it dark and not talking etc. but no effect.  This has a knock on effect of bringing his naps forward. 

His day looks like this:
Awake 5.30am.  Breast feed
7.20 breakfast
8.45 am nap for 30mins whilst in stroller
11.45am lunch
12.30 nap for 1h 30mins (up to 2 hours if lucky) in cot
2.30pm milk
5.30pm dinner
6.15 pm bath
6.45 breast feed
7-7.30pm sleep

He has never managed baby whisperer nap times recommendations, but the guide times from another method have worked.  He can fight naps so if he goes down tired his midday sleep can be less than an hour.  On bad days he will have a catnap at 4pm to stop him getting overtired. 
Any ideas welcome....on one hand I am celebrating progress but I know he needs more sleep and is waking up tired as a result.  :(



« Last Edit: August 05, 2015, 05:07:02 am by Erin M »

Offline cath~

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Re: 9 month old waking earlier and earlier
« Reply #1 on: August 03, 2015, 09:26:19 am »
I think you possibly need to try and push his am nap later (and so also the pm nap).  Too early a nap in the morning can cause/reinforce EWs and that might be what's going on here.

I'd try waiting until 9am for the am nap and hold this for a few days.  Then push 15 mins later and see how WU changes. It can take a few days for things to move though.  You might want to be aiming for more like a 9.30am nap in the end (to get a decent WU time)

If he's fighting naps regularly this may suggest he's a bit UT so you could try putting him down say 15 mins later for his pm nap (esp if you move am nap 15 mins later, or perhaps even later with the am nap change) which might help.
« Last Edit: August 03, 2015, 09:37:58 am by cathn »
DD1 - 8 years old
DD2 - 5 years old

Offline MummyInRio

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Re: 9 month old waking earlier and earlier
« Reply #2 on: August 03, 2015, 22:40:03 pm »
Thanks!  I see the logic in moving first am sleep back but harder than it sounds as he gets really crabby!  A couple of weeks ago he was waking at 6.30 and not napping until 9.30-9.45 then midday nap was more like 1-1.30. That seemed to work well, although half the reason he was waking later was because he had been awake for an hour in the middle of the night....around 2.30am....and therefore went back to sleep until a bit later. 

I am pretty sure he is not under-tired.  He fights sleep the more tired he is......today with a 5.20am wake up he managed a nap of 20mins at 9ish but then only 20mins after lunch!!!  He has always had a really strong Moro reflex and the more tired he is the harder it is to control his arm movements and he gets really wound up.  We used to be able to put him in his cot fully awake and he would either fuss himself to sleep or dose off babbling.   Now it is a major fight......he has to be rocked or bounced in the dark with calming music until he is fully relaxed then put in the cot..he will then buck and wriggle but can be calmed again by lightly bouncing the mattress. Once calm he will fall asleep by himself but often it has to be repeated twice again before he sleeps.  Exhausting!  I Think half of it is all the learning to crawl pull up etc. going on....and he just finds it hard to switch off.  Any ideas welcome though!  I think he would sleep better on his tummy but now he just thinks of that as being put down To crawl!


Offline cath~

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Re: 9 month old waking earlier and earlier
« Reply #3 on: August 04, 2015, 08:18:28 am »
Ah, that does sound hard work.

How long have you been having such trouble settling him for?  Just wondering if he could be in a wonder week at the moment?  My two always had more trouble nodding off when they were in wonder weeks.  Or could there be any teething going on?

I Think half of it is all the learning to crawl pull up etc. going on....and he just finds it hard to switch off.
yeah, this could be a big part of it. 

What is your wind down routine like before naps?  Maybe you could make it a bit longer.  Perhaps carry him for a walk around the house for a bit (5-10 mins) before you put him down.  You could chat to him about what you see in the house and out of the windows, or sing to him.  It might help him to relax a bit more before nap time.  Some people find a massage helps too.  Have you ever tried baby massage?  Would he like that do you think (once mine could crawl they never wanted to stay still for one, but it might be worth a try still).

Does he have a lovey?  Not all LOs are interested in them at this age (mine weren't) but it might be worth offering one to see if it can help him with settling.
DD1 - 8 years old
DD2 - 5 years old

Offline MummyInRio

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Re: 9 month old waking earlier and earlier
« Reply #4 on: September 02, 2015, 08:22:01 am »
Hi.  I just thought I would give an update and ask a few more questions. I have had a really busy time at work so not been able to write more until now.

After a few weeks of terrible nights I finally tried PU/PD again.  I first tried it many months ago and because he bucked and writhed when I picked him up it never seemed to soothe him.  But now, it has been a godsend.  He has finally started to sleep through more consistently.  Last night we got 10straight hours from 7 til 5!!!!  My first nights of uninterrupted sleep for 18months!!!  Feel like a different person. 

I still find that he takes ages to settle him in bed at night with PUPD.....not sure when PUPD will mean he will plop into bed and dose off on his own???  We have a good bedtime routine but he can be as calm as anything (although happens rarely) and still immediately want to stand up after being put into cot.  Would love to know more about introducing a lovie......I have tried but he just seems to fling it around. 
Also any tips about PUPD at 5-5.30am to extend the night?? It seems so cruel when he has slept through and is a happy little thing who just wants to play......
Naps are still not good, although the first nap is always after 9am so shouldn't be causing the NW.  Problem is getting the 2nd nap longer than 45mins......difficult as I am working the the nanny to solve and cannot do it myself.  Works ok for me at the weekend!!!  But this doesn't seem to be effecting night sleep as much anymore. 

Thanks!!


Offline cath~

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Re: 9 month old waking earlier and earlier
« Reply #5 on: September 07, 2015, 08:41:57 am »
Hi again,

Sorry it's taken me a few days to get back to you.

After a few weeks of terrible nights I finally tried PU/PD again.  I first tried it many months ago and because he bucked and writhed when I picked him up it never seemed to soothe him.  But now, it has been a godsend.  He has finally started to sleep through more consistently.  Last night we got 10straight hours from 7 til 5!!!!  My first nights of uninterrupted sleep for 18months!!!  Feel like a different person.
this is great! :)


I still find that he takes ages to settle him in bed at night with PUPD.....not sure when PUPD will mean he will plop into bed and dose off on his own???
it does come - for some LOs though it can take longer than others depending on temperament.
Is his routine still as in your original post?  Could you post what the last few days have looked like?  It might be that he's a bit OT/UT at BT and a tweak might help.  Maybe he's ready for more A time.  That could help to extend his second nap that you're having trouble with.  It could also be developmental e.g. a wonder week or something else going on.  My DDs always took/take longer to settle at those times.


Would love to know more about introducing a lovie......I have tried but he just seems to fling it around. 
My DD1 didn't really take to a lovey until she was 2 and my DD2 has just taken to hers in the last few weeks (aged 19 mos).  Some do take to them earlier though and it is worth trying, but don't worry if he's not interested. Some things that can help include you keeping the lovey with you (e.g. in your top) for a few days/nights so it can start to smell like you :)  Also encouraging him to snuggle with it or passing it to him each time you PD (as long as it's not making him upset/winding him up!).  Apart from that, sometimes you just have to leave it in their cot and wait for them to take to it in their own time.


Also any tips about PUPD at 5-5.30am to extend the night?? It seems so cruel when he has slept through and is a happy little thing who just wants to play......
DYT he's had enough sleep at that time or is it an EW? Is there any sunlight in his room that could be causing him to wake up? You could try pushing the first nap to 9.30 to see if that helps.  At about this age with my DD1 we needed to move her first nap later (and cap it I think) to stop the EWs.

Have you read this?  It might be helpful:
From 2 to 1 nap transition (10-12m and older)
DD1 - 8 years old
DD2 - 5 years old