4 1/2 mo happy 4-5am waking

[N_Mom_S]

Hi everyone!!
We've got naps quite sorted out thanks to lauradj! (saying that may jinx us haha)
Now there's a new issue that has come up. I had noticed this before, after those very occasional days when DS had good naps, but now that he's on a good schedule it's become more consistent.
He wakes up happy around 8h after bedtime (after some feedings, but those aren't a problem). These past days bedtime had been at around 9pm waking up at around 5am, and now I moved bedtime to 8pm more or less, and he wakes up at around 4am, happy and not hungry. The other nighttime wakings are crying and usually hungry or gassy.
I'm still doing W2S and shhh pat to put him down and extend naps, and to calm him at night.

This was yesterday's EASY (the best day and night so far):

WU 8:40
E 9:00
A 2h05m
S 10:45-12:15 (1h30m)
E 12:30
A 2h
S 2:15-3:40 (1h25m)
E 4:00
A 2h15m
S 5:55-6:30 (CN 35m, after 25m doing shhhh pat, that's why the long A time)
E 7:30
S 8:15 with shhh pat

DF 11:00
E 1:50
A 4:15 -> this is his happy waking, I waited to feed him at 4:50 but even after that he was still super awake, I put him down in the crib and he almost self-soothed (first time, that's huge for us!), but in the end he started crying and within 30 seconds of shhh pat he was out.
WU 9:00 (I woke him up but he was almost awake)


Is there something in our routine that could lead to that 4am waking?? There are no noises or light, it's just that 8h mark after bedtime.

I'd appreciate any input!!

[lily_layne]

I've found that happy early morning wakings often  come and go. You could try w2s if he consistently wakes at the same time but otherwise I would just leave him if he's chatting (consider it practice at self-soothing!) and do sh/pat if he escalates into an "I need you" cry.

[N_Mom_S]

Last night he woke up happy again at 4:30am, he couldn't self-soothe and shh pat only made him mad, so I fed him, it was almost time anyway. Could I be nurturing a habitual waking by feeding him?

[lily_layne]

He's still quite young so I wouldn't worry about feeding him. If he's taking a decent amount, that shows that he needs it. It's not really a problem unless he gets into a habit of waking and only nursing a few minutes or taking only an ounce or two. Many LOs start needing extra calories around 4-5 months old so an extra NF is pretty normal.

[N_Mom_S]

Thank you!!

[lily_layne]

Happy to have helped

[N_Mom_S]

I'm here again!!

Lately, I'm noticing that the 4-5am waking is not due to hunger. Last night he ate at 2:30am and then woke up anyway at 4:10 (8h after BT again). Shhh pat worked really quickly. It doesn't happen every day, but should I try wake to sleep? It works well for his naps (35m into the nap I stroke his hair until he moves), but I don't know how to do that during the night, it's quite scary. Apart from the fact that we sleep in the same room and my alarm going off may wake him up too!

Also, he's been waking up chatting too early (7:30am, too early for Spain!). I have recently moved BT to 8pm from 8:30-9pm, should I move it back again? I know EBT helps for a later morning WU but I don't know if it's helping my son... The only times he's woken up later (8:30-9am) is when he stays awake for some time during the night wakings, for example the 4-5am one.

Yesterday we had a strange EASY but he was happy all day and night:

WU 7:20 (chatting in crib until 8:15)
E 8:45-9:15 ->he fell asleep at the breast for like 5 minutes, so I guess that reset the A time because I tried to put him down and he was happy and excited. We did another 2h of A time after that.
S 11:20-1:10 (1h50)
E 1:15
S 3:15-4 (45m)
E 4:10
S 5:55-6:15
E 7:40
S 8:00

E at 10:50, 2:30, 6:00. Happy WU at 4:10 and 7:30am

[lily_layne]

If wake to sleep works for naps, I would give it a shot. Could you put your phone under your pillow and use the alarm on it so it won't wake him?

What time are you aiming for him to wake in the morning?

[N_Mom_S]

Anything between 8-8:30am would be OK. He's always woken up naturally at 8:15 but not anymore 

I'll try it under the pillow, thanks!

Yesterday BT was at 9:15 (I didn't intend to push it that much) but he still woke up at 7:30am this morning.
I've also noticed that the 11pm waking could be habitual, he ate very little and he kept waking up after the shh pat until I fed him at 1:40am and he ate a lot then. Should I do shh pat with that one or W2S? I used to DF around that time but he beats me to it now, he always wakes up before I go to bed.

[lily_layne]

He's always woken up naturally at 8:15 but not anymore 

Sounds exactly like my DD. I spent ages trying to get her back to the 8 am waking and it didn't work. I would have been better off just rolling with her new routine but that's not to say it's not worth a shot for you. Some mamas on here have had success with an 8 am WU.

I would sh/pat the earlier WU. I didn't DF but lots of moms on here have found that there LO starts beating them to it around this age. If your content to feed him then and it helps, keep on doing it but if you don't think he needs it, sh/pat should work.