7 month old early waking

[Newbie mum]

Hello, I'd love some advise please.
My ds is 7 months old and is sleeping from 7pm until 0400 when he has a feed and goes back to sleep. He then wakes at 0500-30 happily cooing to himself in the cot and rolling around. I have a toddler too and I am worried that he will wake her (his cooing is quite loud!) and so this morning I picked him up and within seconds he was asleep in my arms. he went back to sleep until 0600-30, I picked him up again and he went back to sleep until 0700. Any clue why this is?
I'm not entirely sure he wants a feed at 0400 and wonder if I try just picking him up like the other times?

His EASY- all approximate
0630 wake up
0700 breakfast
Activity
breast feed
A
0930ish nap for 1.30-2hours
A
lunch
A
breast feed
A
2.30pm ish (I try and put him down at this time each day) Nap for 1.30-2 hours
A
supper
A
bottle feed
'quiet'/story A
7pm is bed
0400 breast feed.

Hope that makes sense.
Does anything jump out as the cause for the EW? Thanks!

[FPT23]

Hello!

I'm very sorry to hear about the EWs! Those are so rough, aren't they!? ...however, your routine looks great to me! Very standard for his age.

However, when he naps, are they more twds the 2hr mark? i'm wondering if maybe he is having too much day sleep? Maybe capping to 1.5 each?

Honestly, I feel his routine looks good. Ew can be developmental. Has he recently began any new milestones that he feels he wants to practice ...that happens often! He is tired and just needs that help to sleep, but he's going through a phase, Kwim? Last night my LO woke at 4am (he doesn't have any NFs and hasn't had a NW in forever) just chatting away and kicking. Haha! He wasn't crying so I left him to it and he went back to sleep around 5:15am ish. His routine is similar to yours, just a bit more A time (he's 8.5mths), and he's always done well. So perhaps that could be it.

Maybe you can try pushing one of his A times? Maybe to 3.15 A instead? See if that little push helps him all the way through.

Any teething happening?

Many hugs! Xo

[Newbie mum]

Hello, thanks for your reply. Funny you should ask if he has a new skill as when he wakes he rolls onto his tummy and backward crawls around the cot ending up horizontally at the bottom. He's can crawl backwards and gets about by rolling from side to side and has been doing this for a while, but doing it in his cot is new.

He is currently in a cot in our bedroom but I think he's ready to move into his own room which might help me not react to all of his noises and see if he will settle (at other times in the night he does self settle). If he's happy cooing would you leave him? or try and settle him before he properly wakes up? I will try and re-settle him at 0400 without a feed and see how that goes.

Yes, some days the naps can be two 2 hour ones, so I'll keep in mind the idea to cap them if things don't settle and yes he's also teething- the tops of two bottom incisors are visible and his is super dribbly!

Thanks for the hug :-)
other than the early wake up he's a good little sleeper so just need to get that bit fixed! :-)

[FPT23]

Hello

It could very well be developmental. I tell ya, my LO was up at 4am cooing away and moving around- but fell asleep. I mean, they are tired! They just wake and want to practice new skills so that is why I said this bc mine has been doing that.

Yes if he's not crying I leave him to it ...if I go in I will def make it worse. I only go when he calls haha and he fell asleep on his own after awhile. He's safe in his crib, yk? So I feel comfortable and we have a monitor as well

Yes keep the naps in mind- make sure he's not getting too much day sleep and NWing due to UT. From what you mention, that he falls back to sleep, then maybe it's developmental.

Give it some time and let him settle- see what happens! Sounds like a great sleeper and good routine. I wouldn't change it

Xo!!!!!

[donegalciara]

Hi, apologies for jumping in here! I came on to post a message and when I read ur problem it mirrored mine pretty much exactly so don't want to repeat it! My lo is 8months (34 wks) and this is exactly what's happening with him at the moment!! He wakes religiously at 4.30am and might doze again from 5-5.15 but then is ready to start the day and no amount of comforting will get him back to sleep!!! He isn't waking with hunger as its a struggle to get 5oz of milk into him at that time at best! His routine is pretty much exactly like ur lo's with a 2.5/3hr A, 2 naps of 1.2hrs and a catnap (on account of the early wake up) for 20 mins. We had cut this catnap but his second nap usually ends at 2pm so it's just too long for him to go from 2-7pm for bed! He has started crawling and moving about and has just cut his upper incisors and his 2 front teeth are now coming thro too so I know it could be just that?
I'm so wrecked and working full time with a husband who works away and a 4 yo who has regular night terrors so I'm at the end of my tether!!! If anyone could advise or help I would be so so grateful 😞

[Newbie mum]

Hello, I've just seen your message- how are you getting on? any better now?

[FPT23]

Hello ladies!

Donegalciara, my LO did 3 nights of EWs at 4am and maybe another one in there that he resettled on his own. Come to realize he was cutting teeth. Don't underestimate those bad boys ladies. That is why I was saying it could very well be developmental! New skills play hand in hand as well. I promise it happens! My LO is a great sleeper. I can't remember the last time he had NWs (up until the new teeth I just mentioned) and yee enough it was developmental.

Now, babies this age should be at 2 naps regardless of EWs. Sometimes when that nap comes way too early in the day, your creating a cycle of EWs because they tie that first nap with the rest of their night sleep, kwim? At this age, regardless of EW I would stick with a set nap time. No matter the early wake. For example if my LO has an EW, (for me EW is any 5am or earlier than that) it doesn't matter when, I will not nap before 9am. Nopeeeee. I have a now 5 yr old who I take to school and stuff but I do my best to keep him occupied and up. Now a days since he's closer to 9 months, I won't do a nap before 9:30am. Unless he's very OT or sick etc.. I end up getting a very long nap which I do not wake or cap. It helps push through the day. If you are finding your day coming short, push the second nap out until you can get at least a wake up time at 3pm +... that way if he's had bad/short naps in his day, you can opt for EBT to avoid OT or catch baby up on sleep ...do not be afraid of that EBT. Use it when you need! You'd be surprised how they actually sleep longer and better. After a few days of this (or a week or so of consistency) ..the EWs may subside!

Do bare in mind the developmental leaps too ladies. Teething, new solids that can cause some discomfort at nights, new found mobility... (crawling or rolling..wherever your child may be physically etc) ...

But EWs can also stem from that morning nap coming too soon. Many moms are afraid to push and get an OT baby but it can help break the loop too.. sometimes a little push like that just sets them back up to sleep through and more rested. So, try the set morning nap, and opt for a few EBTs, since you may push that second nap out too. I found with that set nap he was going 2hr naps and the second nap didn't need to be pushed and it worked out. (All babies are diff though)

Do also remember to use black out shades and possible white noise to block out morning disturbances

Hugs!!

Xo

[FPT23]

Bumping to make sure the ladies above are notified of my replied post ^^^

(I saw activity on recent posts. Just to make sure we are helping as much as possible)

Xo