8mo waking up every morning around 4:30am for weeks

(18 Posts)
eversomuch Mon 24-Jun-13 22:07:05

We have now had about seven straight weeks of DS (almost 8mo) waking every morning between 4:30 and 5:30am. He mostly (but not always, esp now with teething) sleeps from 7pm until then, but the early morning wake ups are really starting to drive me insane. Sometimes he'll feed and go back to sleep for a little while, but usually not for long ... or if he does sleep solidly, DD (27 mo) wakes up before I myself can really get any more sleep.

I can rarely get to bed before 10pm and I'm dreading going to bed tonight because I know I'll be woken up at that ungodly hour (if not earlier; he's been waking 2 or 3 times/ night lately) and I'll get so cross and feel like crap most of the day.

And he hardly sleeps during the day -- maybe half an hour at most -- so I feel like I'm getting just no break at all, and I don't know what else I can do to get him on track. It's probably just a matter of him being ready to sleep through, but I can't take it anymore. Though I know I have no choice. sad

Any advice? DS is EBF and on three solid meals a day. Eating well, feeding well, just not mastering the sleep thing. Aside from meals and his 7pm bedtime, he's not on a very regular routine yet -- I've found it really hard to accomplish while spending half my day chasing after his big sister.

karrie8 Fri 28-Jun-13 13:54:42

Im shattered aswell my two year old up at 5am each morning no idea what to do I feel so grumpy with it aswell like I have less energy to do as much then the day really drags

98percentchocolate Fri 28-Jun-13 13:56:19

My little one was doing this until I bought a blackout blind - now she's back to 7ish (thank goodness!). Maybe you could give that a go?

karrie8 Fri 28-Jun-13 14:36:48

Ive done that too but its only been up two nights hopefully it will work soon x

Forgetfulmog Fri 28-Jun-13 14:40:22

I sympathise ever, my dd has been waking at 5.30 for weeks & 4.30 for the last couple of nights. Also her naps have reduced. She's nearly 10 mo. I think it might be to do with her development - crawling, trying to walk etc so should hopefully pass. I wonder if that's what's happening with yours?

It's a killer isn't it? Dd is still feeding through the night so I feel like I never get any rest too.

MyNameIsSuz Fri 28-Jun-13 14:45:41

Oh no, I came on hoping to find lots of people with an answer as my 9 mo is doing this too! He wakes up around 4.30-5, I bring him into our bed and feed him there so at least I can still doze, he did used to doze off too but with his most recent tooth that's all stopped, he just waggles around and chatters while I lie down with my eyes closed!

ChippingInWiredOnCoffee Fri 28-Jun-13 14:50:58

I have been too - it's the bloody birds waking me up! The birdsong is amazing, lots of different birds etc I just wish the feathery bastards could wait until 6am to start grin

It could be the birds & if so there's not much you can do, except what I'm doing and wait it out.... however, it's more likely to be the light, so try a GOOD blackout blind, don't be tempted by one of those stick up things - they're hopeless.

karrie8 Fri 28-Jun-13 15:09:21

Well im glad we in this together lol
Bloody birds I bet :-)

I would try and tackle the day naps and make sure the morning light is well and truly blacked out. If little day sleep, he could be overtired which means worse sleep and early wakings.
Also our house gets quite cool in the early hours which wakes mine up. So either put a blanket over them or have a think about layers (I put another one on dd if she wakes in the night to keep her warm).

eversomuch Sun 30-Jun-13 22:28:02

We do have a good blackout blind. A tiny bit of light might get in around the edges but I'm not sure if that's the cause of the early waking.

Daytime sleep is horrible. I try to get him down for a nap mid-morning; he falls asleep in my arms and wakes up as soon as I put him down. I try several times but then give up. If he does sleep, it's only for a max of 30 mins (although we've had a few golden 2hr naps). He's def overtired. Poor thing fell asleep in his highchair during dinner the other night.

He has been waking up closer to 5:30 than 4:30 the past week or so, so maybe that's a sign that he's slowly getting there?

He's not crawling yet but I'm hoping that he will soon; maybe being more physically active during the day will help?

Thanks for all the suggestions and good luck to everyone in the same boat!

omama Mon 01-Jul-13 22:13:34

do you try getting him down for a nap in the afternoon too if he only has 30mins in the morning? At that age my ds still had 2 daytime naps, a shortish one in the morning & then a longer one right after lunch at around 12.30. Perhaps if you try that he would be less overtired?

eversomuch Tue 02-Jul-13 21:49:52

Yes, I usually do try in the afternoon too, unless we're out. I'm just finding it so much harder to structure his day than I did DD's when she was his age. But she was the only one I had to focus on then...

lazzaroo Wed 03-Jul-13 05:16:02

My 6 month old is also an early riser, we've been up for about half an hour now! Dd1 dd it too, I recall her waking at 5.15 on the dot for weeks! It's a killer. Every morning I think...right, got to sort this out...but what can we actually do! I think with dd1 it just passed with time. We did the black out blind & White noise to block out other sounds. Also tried earlier naps & later naps!

How does your ds cope with staying awake from 5ish until mid-morning? Maybe worth trying earlier first nap for a while, fit in 3 naps if needed just to try & break the over tired cycle?

But, like I said, I'm in this situation for second time & am no expert but know how hard it is with another little one. No sleep when they sleep anymore!!

MadameGazelleIsMyMum Wed 03-Jul-13 05:32:12

Another one here with the same problem, DS is 8mo and wakes for the day before 5am. DD usually wakes as a result of someone getting up to take him downstairs. Daytime sleeps are pretty good here, I just think he is an early riser. Am trying to see the positives - lots of chance to get things done before I leave for work, but it's really bloody hard to wake up and realise there is no prospect if more sleep.

lazzaroo Wed 03-Jul-13 08:27:34

Always nice to know there are others in same boat, and I agree that in se cases ( like ours!) you can try everything but it'sjust the way they are! Becomes less stressful if you can accept it (and remember it won't e forever). Dd1 got up at 5.45 this morning. We all ended up under duvet on sofa watching wreck it Ralph! Dd2 went back to sleep for an hour at 6.30!

Hermionewastherealhero Wed 03-Jul-13 08:35:46

I feel your pain! DS wakes between 4.30 and 5.30 every day. It is painful sometimes! Better now husband and I take turns doing the early wake up. I do look forward to being able to put the tv on and him watch it and let me snooze instead of being crawled and climbed all over and my nose twisted and hair pulled if I pretend to still be asleep!

Forgetfulmog Thu 04-Jul-13 06:26:12

Ooh lie in this morning - dd didn't wake up until 5.10 hmm

sharond101 Thu 04-Jul-13 22:15:54

DS used to wake early (5am) and him sleeping later (7.30) cooincided with me taking away his morning bottle and him resultantly increasing his food volume throughout the day.

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