Can someone help me with the "scheduled waking" issue?

[ellabug]

Hi all -- I am new to this board.  I have a 5 1/2 month old with numerous sleep issues, including really really short naps and several night wakings.  But what I'm here to ask about is how to do a "scheduled" waking in order to break a habitual waking.

Here's the scenario:  Ella goes down for bed at 6:30pm and ALWAYS wakes exactly 3 hours after she falls asleep...so most nights around 9:30.  She is obviously not hungry but when she wakes she is inconsolable and it takes her a long time of patting her butt and shushing her to go back to sleep.  SO...I had heard that you can go into their room around beteen 1/2 hour - 1 hour before their habitual wake time and wake them...and that after several nights of this, that habitual waking should be broken. 

Can someone explain this better or more in detail?  I want to make sure I'm doing it right.  Thanks!!
Kim

[Colin Macs Mom]

Hi there -

I assume that you are asking about Wake To Sleep? This technique is used to break habitual wakings, but the name is sort of misleading. You don't actually wake the LO, but just get them to stir and therefore switch sleep cycles. Stroke their cheek, tug the blanket, whatever to make them stir. Not WAKE, but stir. To be effective, this should be done 30 - 60 minutes before the wake time.