4.30am hell!

[SusieQue]

Oh my goodness we are currently going through hell with our 7MO! He has been consistently waking up at 4.30am for the past week, not going back to sleep then spending the rest of the day playing catch up. He's just woken up after less than 30 minutes sleep this morning and I'm about ready to blow!! I know it's OT loop but I just don't know how to break it so am hoping someone can help! Here is our last few days (not particularly structured as I have a 4YO but we do our best)

A 4.30am - we give a bottle then put back down but he cries and struggles until 5.30 when we get him up
Solids 7am
S 7.30 (he is impossible to keep up later than this as he whines and cries)
A 8am
Take out in the pram at 9, sleeps for about 45 minutes
Bottle 10am
Solids 11am
Sleep 12
A 12.45
Bottle 2pm
He just refuses to have an afternoon nap now, I've tried cuddling, car and pram but no luck
Dinner 4pm
Bath bottle and bed 6pm

These super EBTs are just not sustainable going forward but until I can get him to nap later in the morning I just don't know how to get around it. Does anyone have any ideas? I'm pretty sure this is not a teeth issue as he shows no other signs and there are no health issues either. He just won't sleep!

[SusieQue]

Anyone?

[Jodes112]

Hi!

Usually for us an EW means that they need a longer A time between naps.

Which is pretty difficult to implement when you have the EW!
What i would suggest changing though is that second little nap in the pram. Even if he has done a 30 minute nap at 7.30. Id still push that A for a long as you can (2.5-3hrs) and just push through & see how you get on with that.

Generally an early morning nap also doesnt help an EW but i understand you are stuck with that as he wont stay awake any longer!

Id aim for

WU 4.30
Cat nap 7.30 (30 mns)

Nap 10-11/11.30

Nap 2-3.30

See how you get on with that.
Also to break that EW cycle have you tried wake to sleep?
It woukd mean you going in 20/30 mins before normal wake up and just stirring him gently. In hope that it breaks the slee cycle and he sleeps longer.

Hope that helps

[SusieQue]

Thanks for the reply. He woke again at 4.40 this morning after going to bed at 6.30 yesterday as he had a late afternoon nap. Our day today went like this:

A 4.40, got up at 5.30, bottle at 6
S 8.15, stirred after 30 minutes but resettled himself
A 9.30
E 10.30, solids 11.30
S 1
A 1.30 (wouldn't resettle)
E 2.30
S 3.45, catnap until 4.10 (woke him)
Solids 5pm
Bath, bottle and bed, asleep 6.40

We'll see how the morning goes tomorrow but I'm fully expecting another early wake up! Maybe it's developmental?

[Jodes112]

It could very well be developmental but i have a feeling its too many naps and not enough A time. Ideally he needs to be having only 2 naps and thats what you need to be pushing for.

If he had to have the 3 naps to get him through, one need to be short and be used loterally just to get him through to the actual nap (which is why i suggested a short nap if needed at 7.30) you can then start the day as 'normal' after this but i wouldnt allow more than 30 mins and then put him to nap as you would with the normal 2 nap routine.