Help! Waking at 5am to start the day!

[mommytomackenzie]

I know this is a common thread, but I think I need help specific to my situation.  My 6.5 month old has been waking at a crazy time for the last week or so.  I have no idea what's going on -- but I don't think she's getting enough sleep at night time anymore.  I also, quite frankly, don't want to wake up at 5:00am either!  She used to wake up at 7:00am when she was still doing a couple night feedings.  Once she dropped those, her wake up time became 6:15-6:30.  Now it's soooooo early!  Help!  Here's what her routine has evolved into during the last week:

5:15 - wake up
6:30 - BF
7:00 - cereal/fruit
8:30-10:00 nap (should be 9-10:30, but I've been putting her down a bit earlier)
10:30 - BF
11:00 - veggies
1:30-3:00 nap
3:00 - BF
3:30 - fruit or veggies
6:30 - BF and cereal/fruit
6:45 - Bath, book, cuddles
7:15 - Bed

The crazy thing is I hear her on the monitor at 5am-ish and she's not crying or whining.  She's just playing in her crib.  I've tried leaving her in there to see if she'll go back to sleep -- and she'll stay and play by herself for 45min-hour.  Bizarre, I know.  I've also tried to go in and nurse her to see if that'll get her to fall back asleep.  That doesn't work either.

Thanks in advance for your suggestions,
Nicole

[NikiJ]

Nicole, Do u have blackout blinds?

These were my saviors this time last year (& this year too).

Well worth a try

Niki

[mommytomackenzie]

Ahh!  I'd forgotten about trying that!  I heard foil can work?  I'll try that tonight and see if that helps.  Even if that does help, I'm guessing it might take a couple days to see the results...given that this wake up time seems to be a habit now?

Thanks!

[Finns mum]

Just to add to the blackout blinds, we were having exactly the same problem with our ds, where he'd wake to start the day at 5.30 after dropping his night feeds. Regardless of whether I fed him or not, he wouldn't go back to sleep without some A time, which I certainly wasn't ready for at that time in the morning! We had blackout blinds but they still let some light in through the sides. Eventually, we taped the blinds to the window, so hardly any light comes in, and now he sleeps through til at least 7am most mornings. I had to wake him up myself this morning at 7.30, so he was obviously never hungry, just woken by the light!
Also, I wouldn't worry too much if your lo is making noises but not sounding distressed. Occasionally, my lo will wake at 6 and make noises for a while. Usually he'll put himself back to sleep, sometimes he'll chatter to himself until it's time for me to wake him. I try to ignore it unless he sounds like he needs me!
Good luck!

[taylorbean]

Your schedule looks really good, b/c she's not crying when she's wakes out of hunger, I would definitely give those black out blinds a try, or just let her play her in her crib until she cries or maybe settles herself back down.

[mommytomackenzie]

Hey everyone,

I tried the blackout blinds yesterday.  I even taped the curtains to the wall to make sure no light could seep through.  Unfortunately she still woke up at 5:15am.  She wasn't crying and I let her play in her crib until 6:00 and then I nursed her. 

Will it possibly take a few days with the blinds before I see results? Just wondering if I should have a back-up plan to try if I don't see any changes?  I don't think she's getting too much sleep during the day...but maybe?

I'd hate to think that my LO is just becoming an extreme morning person.  That would be hilarious and very ironic b/c I am *definitely* not a morning person! 

I appreciate any other suggestions.  I love this website!!

-nicole

[Jaime]

it can take a few days to adjust... but fwiw, i would treat the time you take her out of the crib as the official "start" time. 

[Finns mum]

Not sure if it would fit your situation, but before trying black-out blinds, I gave my lo a half feed when he woke, put him back to sleep (I usually had to have A time first before he'd go back to sleep) then woke him again at 7.30 for the rest of the feed to start the day. I made sure the 5.30 feed and A was as gentle as poss and fed in the dark, then was bright and chatty when I woke him again to start the day properly. If the black-out blinds don't work, it might be worth a try to help get him to distinguish night and morning!

[Karima]

We have been having the exact same problem. 

After getting used to a very civilized 7 a.m. start for three months now, my little boy has started waking up at 5.00 / 5.30.  He will chatter away to himself quite happily for about an hour before he starts crying, but once I hear that he is awake over the monitor, I can't go back to sleep and lie awake waiting for him to start crying. 

I have tried black out blinds and shush/pat, but neither seems to work.  I too wondered whether he was sleeping too much during the day (typically 3 hours, split between two naps, one at 9 and the other at 1.30), but yesterday I grabbed him up and put him in bed with us and he fell back to sleep immediately - I had to wake him up at 7.10.  I made a point of not putting him in bed with us this morning as I don't want it to become a habit, but I have to find a way of getting him to sleep later as I too am not a morning person!!

He doesn't seem to be particularly hungry as I have kept him waiting till 7 for his feed and that doesn't seem to bother him at all.

I would also welcome any advice.

[AmyT]

I too am having exact problem. i feel like I have a cheek to moan as my DD sleeps all night and naps well in day and just is no trouble at all , but she has gone from a 7am wake up time to 5am. It kills me as I work now and dont get in from work til 6pm so it is a looong day. She's not hungry as she will refuse her bottle at 5am and wont even consider it til about 7am. However it is frustarting as I know she not getting enough sleep as she yawns and rubs her eyes after being up about 45 kins and after 1.5 hours she is ready for a nap and sleeps for two hours again. I used to put her to bed at 7pm but moved her naps later so that she could go to bed at 8.30 instead this worked at first, she slept til 6.15 the first night, then after that it has crept back and now it is 5,40am most mornings. We have had back out blinds from the start and I have taped them to the sides. So I dotn know what to do now. She doesnt cry on waking but sings loudly and shouts mamamamama to herself until I go in where shes waiting with a big smile!!

She is 6.5 motnhs old now. Is it something she will grow out of in time?? Shes gone from having about 11-12 hours a night down to 9.5-10. She has around 4 hours sleep in the day. This would be less but she has the extra nap in morning now as she so exhausted by 7.30am.

[mommytomackenzie]

This is making me wonder if it's a phase for this age?  I cannot believe how similiar our situations are!  Has anyone else seen this trend and then had your LO shift back to a later wake-up time?

Last night was the third night with the black-out blinds...and she woke up at 5:45am. She's added about 15 min every day.  Maybe I'm seeing progress here?  I'm going to keep plugging away for a few more days. 

I, too, would love additional advice from others. 

[Emma1]

I'm watching this thread with interest. Evie (8mos)  is waking at 5am now... I feel that 6am is acceptable, but seriously cannot handle 5am!!   

I put her to bed at 6pm and was used to 12hrs from her.  Perhaps I should just go to bed earlier!! 

[Gage and Sophie's Mom]

Hi ladies! I didnt read all of the posts, but a bunch of us were in the same position a few months ago. What I found is that Gage was getting too much day sleep. At that age they need about 14hrs total. So I found that Gage will sleep in a bit more if I limit is naps between 2.25- 2.5 hrs. Also once they become for mobile they will tire quikly and be out for the night. Gage has stopped his night wakenings (knock on wood) and eating like a horse since he has been rolling, creeping, sitting up, and trying to crawl. Dont worry there is a light at the end.

[Karima]

Right - I wondered whether that was Sam's problem, so I cut down his naps yesterday to an hour and a half each (he has two - one at 9.30 and the other at 1.30) and he is still asleep now, even though it is 7.15!!  I, of course, have been awake since 5.30, lying in fear, waiting for the first wake up sounds, but that is clearly MY problem and not his!!  So, I guess that was it - too much sleep during the day.  Hope this helps you other mummys.

[mommytomackenzie]

Good advice on the naps.  I'll try and monitor that too.  Right now, though, DD only has two naps -- each for about 1.5 hours.   I think it's probably the right amount.

And just to keep updating everyone, today DD woke up at 6:10!  So, we're seeing a progress slowly, but surely.  I think the blackout blinds are slowly helping to adjust her body clock.  It didn't happen overnight for us, but hopefully (fingers crossed!) it'll keep pushing her wake-up time forward.  I can definitely deal with 6 or 6:30...but 5am?  Ick!