Now early am waking

[The Vern]

So my 6 month-old dd has almost stopped waking at night (now maybe only once and not every night), but instead we're dealing with earlier wake-up times.  For the past couple of nights, she's wide awake and chatting at 5:30.  I've set as a goal any time between 6 and 7 is a good time to start the day, but 5:30 is a tad too early.  How do I work on extending that early morning sleep?  I haven't been going in until 6ish as she's not crying and quite content lying there, but it does make it hard to keep her to the routine her having been awake since 5:30 (and that's just when I first heard her, so she could have been up longer). Just in case - she has a paci (finds it herself most times), has  a lovey, bedtime 7-7:30, independent falling asleep, 4 hr routine, taking solids and formula, naps 2x90, 1x40 give or take depending on the day.

[The Vern]

Stacy, here it is:
E:  6 or 6:30ish (7 oz formula); and hour after bottle, solids
S:  7:30 or 8ish
E:  10/10:30ish (7 oz)
S:  12ish
E:  2/2:30ish  (7oz)
S:  4/4:30ish for about 40-45 minutes
E:  5:30 - solids
A:  6:00 - bath
E:  6:30 - bottle  (7 oz)
S:  7:00 ish

She can usually tolerate about 2 hours of uptime. Her naps are generally at least 90 minutes, sometimes 2 hours, except catnap which we limit to about 40 minutes.  She just had shots on Thursday, just started sitting really well, and some rolling.

[teezee]

it could very well be developmental - many lo's go through that at that age..and if that's it - it should pass.

alot of times the early wakeups signify too much sleep..so it 'may' be time to drop that catnap and start extending A times somewhat. as you drop the catnap you will need to put lo to bed earlier til lo can handle longer A times..long enough so that she doesn't get overtired right before bed.

[KDawn]

Hi Vern, wondering how early am wakeups are going?  My dd is doing the EXACT same thing, same routine, eating schedule and naps!!  This week she hasn't slept past 6, just plays by herself until I get her.  She isn't hungry, just plays!  I'm taking her ocean wonders out today to see if that helps.  Otherwise I think I have tried most everything.  If you found something that works, please let me know! 

[The Vern]

KeiraDawn - though the past couple of days have been a bit better, her wakeups were around 5:30.  Lately, she's around 6 which I don't think is so bad.  She's the same as  yours - just lies there talking, or if she finds her soother she'll be very sneaky and be quiet until I come get her (so I have NO idea how long she's actually been awake). She plays with her lovey (a lamb) and a teddybear, but otherwise I don't have anything else in there. She seems happy enough though, unless she gets stuck on her belly. We'll see how the next few days go.  Let me know how you make out on your end.

Teezee - when do most los drop the catnap?  Can you explain a bit more about how I go about dropping it - she obviously can't be up from 2-7!  Should I extend each wake-time by a few minutes, making the other two naps later. And how early do you think I'd have to put her to bed? I'm afraid that too early will make for even earlier wake-ups, which was the initial problem I had in this post    Yesterday she skipped the catnap, though I had put her down for about 40 minutes and she just didn't sleep and she was actually up until 9 pm!!! (we were out visiting) and this morning she woke up at 6:40.

[summersusu]

I have had the same problem with my LO 51/2 months.  He always wakes round 5, and so I let him play until he fusses, give him his paci and eventually he will fall back asleep until 6ish or sometimes 7.  Our schedules look similiar so I am curious to see what they say about the catnap and so forth.  He goes to bed around 6:30 sometimes starting his routine at 6 with or without the catnap.  So I want to know how I can get him to sleep longer or will I just have to put up with the early wakings until he can handle staying awake longer. 

[teezee]

the vern - could you please post your lo's routine as it is now? def lo cannot make it from 2-7 and yes do start slowly extended A times..depending on how long the catnap is you can start reducing the amt of time while extending the other A times. there are sample routines in the easy forum that can help give you a better idea. post your routine and i'll see if i can help with any tweaking at all

[The Vern]

Teezee - see my routine posted in the third post in this thread. Yesterday was similar - she showed tired signs at 4ish so I put her down but she didn't fall asleep at all, just laid there all quiet and then she was up until 7ish again. She just popped her first tooth earlier this week, so that could play a part I suppose, though I'm unsure since everything else is still working like a charm. Her night sleeps are fantastic right now!  I've noticed that her first A time of the day is actually the shortest, at the most 90 minutes I would say before she starts to show tired signs, which to me seems odd as she's just slept almost 12 hours!?!?!  Can you make heads or tails out of this for me? I'll be away until Sunday but look forward to reading your response when I get back.  Thanks,  Maria

[TDR'smom]

Hi Maria,

When our DS FINALLY started sleeping through the night, he also would wake up at 5-5:30AM.  (He was 6 months old).  We found that giving him his solids a little later helped him sleep longer.  Even though your DD is not waking up crying to eat..Maybe it is a little hunger that is waking her so early?

Just a thought.  Maybe try pusing her evening solids to 6PM, then bottle at 7PM, then sleep?

HTH