Wakes 1hr after bedtime

[MackMum]

My 19wo DS has a habit of waking 45min-1.5hrs after he goes down to bed. I've read on this site that that usually happens if LO is tired at bedtime. Thing is that even when I brought bedtime earlier (or even if it was later than usual) so that bedtime was just 1.5hr after his late afternoon catnap, he still does it (and he just wakes earlier next morning which means he's more tired again by the following evening.). He naps well during the day (two 1.5-2hr naps and a 45min catnap).

So, are there any other reasons for these wakings? Sometimes he resettles himself, other times I have to go in and give him a small pat/shh. Over the past 3 weeks he has woken at this time about 1 night in 2.

[Mamastalawatt]

Hiya,

I'm no expert (my DS is 7 1/2 months and we're still finding our way through!) but we have experienced this as well, between 4 and 6 months - even now occasionally.  I think with my DS, this has happened when he's been overstimulated before bedtime rather than under or overtired.  It particularly happened when we were abroad on holiday.  At one point he'd go to sleep for 45 mins to an hour, then wake up and scream for another hour 

Have you thought about your wind-down routine?  We do bath at 6pm, full massage, jammies, cuddles and stories or singing, then last feed before bed at 7pm.  I found that if this was happening, I fed him in his bedroom right next to his cot (usually in the dark) helped to wind him down better.

Hope you get it sorted!

Mama

[Lana]

Do you use a paci?  At those times he is waking during his transition.  you are doing the right thing by seeing if he can settle on his own and using the pat/shh if he can't.

[MackMum]

We've finally eliminated the paci  completely - not that we used it very often before - so that's certainly not an issue. Last night DS woke only 30mins after I'd put him in bed (and has done so before now) which makes me wonder if he was having trouble getting past that first 20min mark. He woke very suddenly almost screaming poor boy. I waited a minute or so but he wasn't settling so I went in. Settled easily enough with a minute or two of pat/shh. Since he's pretty easy to settle I'm not too bothered by these early wakings - except that it makes me more hesitant to get anyone to babysit (usually MIL) cos they're a lot more nervous about how to settle him.

We do try not to overstimulate him in the evenings. He usually wakes from his catnap around 5:30pm. We have cuddles for a while and then I'll either put him in his babyseat or lie him on the floor to play with a toy or something. Then at 6:30ish we have his bath (in with Dad) - he's not usually in the water for more than 10mins and it's pretty low key. Then once he's dried and changed it;s about 7pm and he has his bottle - usually drinks about 190-220ml. We feed him in the lounge but with the main light off so that it's reasonably dim and we don't have the TV up loud. By the time he has a burp and windown (singing 10green bottles in his room with the light off) he's usually into bed by 7:30pm.

Like I said, I tried bringing his bedtime earlier - as far as 6:45 but it didn't make any difference to the wakeups a short time later - except that he just woke earlier in the morning 

[Lana]

Quite honestly it could be developmental.  What I mean is that he may just out grow it on his own.  If he is settling easy for you with the pat/shh I would just continue what you are doing. 

If you feel that you want to leave him with someone you could teach them the method.