5 Month Old Waking up at 4:30 Every AM!

Hi S.. I have a 10 month old that started to do this around 7 months. For a little while my husband or I would get up with her at 4:30 or 5 am because she seemed so wide awake. We also tried adjusting her bedtime earlier and later (which was 6:30) but that did not work at all. It was a very difficult couple of weeks. She continued to do it consistently. Then we decided to just let her go in her crib. She would sing, talk to herself, and it would be tempting to go in there and get her because she sounded as though she was awake for the day. But she wasn't crying. Eventually she dozed off to sleep until 6-7. I noticed that when we would get up with her at 4:30 she constantly yawned and it was as though she was still in sleep mode. It is just too early. Try to see if she will fall back to sleep. Like everything else, this phase will pass too. Best of luck! K.

What happens if you ignore her at 4:30am? My LO does this ALOT and always has. some days she will literally play in her crib til 6am when I am ready to go get her.
Pushing bedtime later never worked either.
Does she wake at the exact same time every morning? You could try wake-to-sleep to get another sleep cycle out of her. Basically you go in around 4:20am, stir her gently to BARELY wake her, and hopefully get her to sleep longer.
Google wake-to-sleep for exact details. It works on many babies under the age of 6 mos!

My 14 month old daughter was doing this for months. And it was really taking a toll on my husband and I. My solution was to buy room darkening shades for her room. We live on a street with bright lights and close to neighbors that leave lights on at night. These lights were shining in her room. Even with blinds up light was coming in. Sleep studies have shown that when the eyes sense light the brain is told to start waking up.
The shades worked for us. And she has been sleeping until approx (6:45-7am) ever morning. We are keeping our fingers crossed. Good luck. K. :-)

Just wanted to let you know your not alone! I'm going through this same exact thing right now. My 6 month old son goes to bed anywhere between 6:30 & 7 and he wakes up around 11:30 to nurse. Then he'll sleep sometimes only until 2:30 again but then he wakes up at 5am for good. He's wide awake at that time and I don't know what to do because he wakes up his 2 yr. old sister because he fusses and cries because he doesn't want to be in his crib anymore. It's taking a toll on the whole family. Hopefully it's just a phase that will pass soon. I guess we were lucky with our 2 year old, when she was 6 months old she would sleep 11 hours straight! I guess every kid IS different!

Try "Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child" by Dr. Marc Weissbluth (sp?). Great advice for all kids, newborn through teens. It's a little dry but his suggestions have always worked wonders for us!