Author Topic: Do early wake ups naturally extend?  (Read 1527 times)

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Offline Little Bear's Mum

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Do early wake ups naturally extend?
« on: September 06, 2005, 23:24:30 pm »
My nearly 5 month old wakes up between 5-6am every day. I've tried leaving him especially if it's closer to 5am rather than 6am, but after about 30 mins of talking to himself starts crying to get up. Often he has fed about 4am so isn't hungry, just wants to be up. I was thinking he was going back to sleep, but I am now thinking he's not because he can then only last awake about an hour once I get him up at 6am.

I'm wondering, if I start gettting up when he wakes up and starting his/my day then, will this cause more problems. It seems that leaving him hasn't encouraged him to sleep longer, so I wonder if I'm achieving anything by doing that.

If I do start at 5am, will he naturally extend his own time out anyway as he gets older. I notice that the 'books' say as they get older they sleep longer at night, so will he just do this naturally?

He's wrapped up so can't play in his cot so to speak, all he can do is turn his head from side to side in the dark, can't even suck on a finger, so I feel a little mean leaving him there for a longish time.

Due to his feeding at night and this different wake up time every day it makes being on a 4 hour EASY anything but EASY.
Hayley
Ohakea, New Zealand



Offline Mum to Ella Rose

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Do early wake ups naturally extend?
« Reply #1 on: September 06, 2005, 23:35:59 pm »
Our dd went through a period of early wakings and lately has ended it with her day beginning anywhere from 7-7:30. When things were earlier (even now actually) we just went with the flow adjusting the day accordingly and maybe stretching bits to get a semi-normal bedtime. Dd does play in her crib in the morning too... maybe you could try swaddling from the waist down? Or leave one arm out so he can find his fingers?

Sharon
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Offline PaulaPR510

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Do early wake ups naturally extend?
« Reply #2 on: September 06, 2005, 23:42:52 pm »
Are u sure ur son and my daughter haven't met at some time? Because it sounds like my daughter's wake up time exactly. She is now 9 months and ever since she was born she has been getting up at 5-6 am, at the first sign of morning. I thought it had something to do w/ her bed time, which is roughly 7pm, that perhaps she was going to bed too early. But different sources that I have read have said that an early bedtime does NOT mean an early wake time. I also think it has become a habit because I wake her up to breastfeed her before I go to work at 6:45. But then again, what about the weekends when an hour more would be very welcome?

Whatever the reason, I have tried a few things to try and correct it. I also tried waking her for a feed before I went to bed... it didn't work. I even tried putting up thicker curtains so the light won't come in so she would think it was still night time... nothing! I have just learned to get up early and take naps in the evening or got to bed early... and on the weekends, take naps whenever she does.

Does anyone out there have any clues as to what we two sleepless moms should do? plz respond.

Offline julieb

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Re: Do early wake ups naturally extend?
« Reply #3 on: September 07, 2005, 04:36:23 am »
Quote from: Little Bear's Mum
He's wrapped up so can't play in his cot so to speak, all he can do is turn his head from side to side in the dark, can't even suck on a finger, so I feel a little mean leaving him there for a longish time.

I really don't have much advice since I'm in the same boat, but I just had myself a really good laugh reading your post and the visual that popped into my head!   :lol:  :lol:  :lol:   I'd want to get up as well if I were him!   :wink:

Anyway, I started out trying to get my LO to sleep till 8 am.  Had the hardest time.  So I moved it up to 7 am (with 7 pm bedtime) and it worked for a little while, then he wanted up at 6 am.  I didn't give in, and fought with him every morning, up and down, until 7 am.  Then he started waking even earlier at 5 am.  I KNOW if I give in and get him up earlier, it's just gonna get earlier and earlier!

So here are the things we've done, in case one works for you...
The room is PITCH black (foil on windows and everything).
Adjusted the bedtime forward or back.
Change the diaper (or better nighttime diaper) because he doesn't like sleeping in a wet diaper.
Leave to play (sometimes falls back asleep), resettle when he cries (but don't get up).
Wake-to-sleep method 1 hour before.

And if it's any consolation, I recently dropped the night feedings and DS has slept through the night 2 out of the last 4!  One night until 6:20 am (and easily resettled and went back to sleep till 7 am) and the other until 7 am!  Woot woot!

One thing I didn't really try, but should have, is making DH get up with him in the morning.  Even though he's not hungry, he may still associate you with the milk and get too excited to go back to sleep.  They're out of luck with DH and less likely to keep trying.
Julie
DS 1/31/05 (spirited/textbook but a touchy sleeper)
DD 10/15/10 (textbook/angel/spirited)

Offline Little Bear's Mum

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Do early wake ups naturally extend?
« Reply #4 on: September 07, 2005, 08:07:57 am »
Thanks for your replies. Luckily it's still dark at 5am, but I do wonder if the birds are starting to chirp. I don't know, I'm still asleep!!!!

I've tried the nappy change, and just leaving him, infact all suggestions above except wake to sleep. He's often waking at 4am for a feed anyway, so I imagine if I did any sort of arousal he'd just want feeding sooner. I guess at least he then may continue to sleep a little later though. So would I wake to sleep an hour before he normally wakes for feeding at 4am (ish) or somewhere in between 4am feed and 5am wake?
Hayley
Ohakea, New Zealand



Offline julieb

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Do early wake ups naturally extend?
« Reply #5 on: September 07, 2005, 17:38:42 pm »
Hmmm, my guess is he eats at 4, and falls asleep for only one cycle and is awake again.  I'm sure that 4 am feed is partly habit as well.  Do you really think he's hungry?  Does he take a full feed?  I'd either try doing a sort of DF at 3:30 am (to skip the 4 am and disrupt the 5 am) for a good week, OR try not feeding at 4 am and hold him off till morning.
Julie
DS 1/31/05 (spirited/textbook but a touchy sleeper)
DD 10/15/10 (textbook/angel/spirited)

Offline Little Bear's Mum

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Do early wake ups naturally extend?
« Reply #6 on: September 07, 2005, 21:54:57 pm »
He takes a full feed if given the opportunity. Last night we had a great night, he went to bed at 7pm and slept until 4am when I heard sucking noises. He eventually told me to get out of bed and feed him (lol) at 4.50am. I only let him have one side, then slept again until around 7am. Yay!!!! Unfortunately I missed his window at around 8.30am kept him up and now he won't go to sleep. I can't even resort to b/feeding like I usually do in dire cicumstances. He's been 1h 20 past when he should have gone to sleep now and just won't. Hang on, it's gone quiet... here's hoping.

Anyway, I'm wondering if it was the 7pm bedtime, or the fact he was awake from 2.15pm yesterday until bedtime. Or maybe it was both! Hopefully we can replicate this tonight. He also took a good feed at 7.20am so that was an improvement too. Unfortunately I've now mucked things up by having to feed him to help try to get him to sleep, so I'll now make my 4 hours from then. Oh well, it's better than yesterday's attempt at a normal day anyway.
Hayley
Ohakea, New Zealand