Habitual Waking at 5am??

[Belle99]

Hello everyone, My dd is 6 months old and recently (last 2 months) will wake up at 5am and fuss and fall back to sleep constantly until 7am?  She won't take a bottle and refuses her pacifier most times, she just lets out a cry and rolls around then falls back to sleep for a few minutes.  Please help with any advice.
Thank you

[notenoughshelfspace]

I would leave it alone if I were you, especially if she settles herself. Mine does the same thing about an hour after I put her down. If it really bothers you, check out some threads on 'wake to sleep' technique.

[albertasweetpea]

Hi Belle - my DD is almost 6 months and has been doing the same thing for at least a month. I go in only if she is really crying, not just making noises and moving about. She will usually fall asleep (sometimes takes 5 minutes, sometimes up to an hour) and then wake again at 6...do the same thing and wake again at 7!!  :roll:
I know it's frustrating but if you leave her and she goes back to sleep that's all you can really hope for! I'm hoping it's just a stage that will pass SOON!! 
 :lol:

[Belle99]

Thanks guys, it helps to know that I'm not the only mommy out there with these obstacles.
Belinda

[meghan]

Hi Belle,
I would definately let her be if she is falling back asleep on her own. My lo started doing this same thing- waking at 4, 5, 6, and 7 am! But, she wont put herself to sleep. Of course, the first time she did it, I went in b/c I thought something was wrong. Now it has turned into a habit that we have to break- easier said than done.

Michelle- our lo's are around the same age. I have been reading posts on different ways to stop night wakings. How long has yours been doing this? Mine has been for at least a week or two. It is SO difficult to get her back to sleep at 5- sometimes she cries for an hour! DOes your lo use a pacifier? I think that is our problem- she needs it to fall asleep, but can't put it back in her own mouth yet, and when she wakes up at 5 she is too tired and upset to suck on it when I offer it to her. ARGH!

Just wondering what you are doing to try to eliminate the night wakings, or if you think its just a phase???  I am praying its a phase! :roll:

[Rohan's mum]

Hi everyone, this is my first time 'on board' although I have read a lot of the postings and found them to be very helpful.

I have exactly the same problem with my 18 week old son, he habitully wakes at 5.30am. Occasionally I can settle him until 6.30 or 7am but a lot of the time it can take up to an hour by which time I b/f him.
Unfortunately my problem is intensified by the fact   that my dh is convinced that my ds is waking for one reason only, food and believes that I am being cruel in not feeding him. He thinks it would be far easier just to give him 5 or 10 mins on the breast so that he can go back to sleep (him and the baby). He no longer helps in settling him and within the last week he has resorted to shouting at me and walking out of the room (this is 6am we're talking about).  :cry:

All this puts more pressure on me I think I probably need to try 'wake to sleep' but have to admit I'm afraid to do so in case it causes further problems with my dh.
Incidentally I think my ds is teething I can definately feel the first two uder his gums
Would appreciate any suggestions
Nicky, Rohan's mum

[shem2005]

My DD use to do this as well at abour 4am, she would always get herself back to sleep but sometimes it would take 5 minutes and some times an hour - it drove me crazy!!

I am happy to report though, that she now stirs around 5am but only for a short time. Sometimes she will also stir around 6am but she is so much quieter and it maybe lasts about 5 minutes maximum.

I think leave it alone and pray it does improve. I really do understand how bad it is because you spend the whole time awake wondering if they will eventually cry.

[travis's mum]

Hi Rohan's mum, I just read your post and although I don't have any different advice from the others, that is I agree if you believe its habitual then don't feed him he will learn to settle and in the long term you will be better for it.

I think it's a bit dissapointing your DH is not sapporting your decisions. I can undrestand your situation as although my DH never shouted at me about my decisions he wasn't allways supportive. e.g. I moved our DS out into his own room after only a few weeks DH was not happy at all but I explained in the long run it would be better for us all. There were many more decisions he didn't understand or agree with the most recent  one being rocking, I have always insisted he did not rock him even when we were out.  Last night DS woke in the early hours and after some time he put himself back to sleep. I explained to DH this would not have happened if he was always rocked to sleep, as he would not know how to put himself to sleep alone.  As time has passed my DH rearly questions my decisions as he knows I always have a reason behind them. 

I think you should talk to your DH and eplain that you spend most of your time with your DS and you know best, you have a reason behind everything you do which in the long term is best for all the family. Explain that it is soooo important you have his support in everything you do with your DS even if he doesn't always understand fully why.  I also think if you can explain to him exactly why and the outcome of your decisions, he will understand better e.g.although at the moment it might seem a bit harsh to leave him settling himself without food 1.he will learn to put himself to sleep with less and less fuss as time goes by (which is good for you two :wink: ) 2. He will learn to sleep through the night without waking for food (which is good for DS,he has a good night sleep without any interuptions.) I think in a couple of weeks when your DS is sleeping through the night and learns how to settle himself without help, your DH won't be complaining any more :wink: