How Do I Extend AM Wake-up Time?

My son is 11 mths old and is a great sleeper (praise the lord) b/c I, too, work full-time. However, he has had his phases. Around 8 mths he began waking at night around midnight (he also goes to bed at 7 PM) and would cry and cry until I picked him up and gave him a bottle. Finally, I decided to pick him up, give him a pacy, and hold him a few minutes. Then, I would place him back in his crib. He would cry (and cry hard) for 15-30 min. and then go to sleep and not wake again until 6:30 AM. After a few nights of this, I no longer picked him up and only gave him the pacy. Also, after 4-5 days the crying tapered off to only a small protest that would last a couple of minutes. And now, he rarely wakes at all. The key is consistency... same bedtime and bedtime routine and same reaction when the baby wakes at night. The crying part is TOUGH but I promise you that it will diminsh in a small amount of time. Good luck! A.

I give my 8 month old daughter a warm bedtime bath in the evenings before bed. Then she usually goes down around 8-8:30. She usually sleeps through the night, but sometimes she will wake up. For the most part she's pretty good about sleeping. Maybe try laying him down a little later? She also has this bedtime pooh bear in the crib that sings and plays soothing music with lights, she loves it and it helps calm her back to sleep if she's in a half sleep daze.
If he wakes up because of the fliping over, go in there, flip him back over on his back and give him his pacifier and then leave the room. Thats what I do and she goes back to sleep...I don't get her out or mess with her.

Have you ever read the book "Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child"? My daughter was colic and never slept. Finally someone told me about this book....it has been a life saver! My daughter is now 8 mo. old and sleeps through the night - going to bed around 7 and waking up around 7. It wasn't an easy process though, but the book guided me through. It gives you several options on how to "fix" sleep problems. After trying all of the other options, my husband and I finally agreed to let her "cry it out". I know it seems completely unnatural for a mother to let her baby cry for an hour. After about a week our daughter started sleeping through the night. If she wakes up, she puts herself back to sleep. I can even lay her down for the night still awake and she'll go to sleep on her own. If she ever wakes up before it's actually time to get up - I don't go in her room. She either lays in her bed awake until at least 6 or she'll eventually go back to sleep. How are your son's naps during the day?

My daughter will be 9 months old on the 30th of this month. She has just started sleeping until about 6 in the morning. She goes to bed about the same time as your baby and she use to get up about 3 or 4 for a bottle, but she would go right back to sleep. I wanted to cut out that bottle to have her sleep until about 6. So when she wakes up at that time (this could be bad) but i put her in the bed with me and give her the pacifier and she goes back to sleep. Then when she wakes up about 6 i give her a bottle then. It has worked so far, it has been a week now..

Hi, S.. I would try a couple of things... 1) don't put him down until 8 p.m. if you can help it 2) see if there is anything that correlates to that 4 a.m. time - is someone else getting up at that time who might cause him to stir? 3) I wouldn't give him a bottle if he wakes at 4 a.m. even if he cries. If he has already been fed and wouldn't need the bottle you are just getting him into a bad habit by giving him the bottle in the middle of the night. My doctor said it is really easy to get babies into bad habits without even knowing you are doing it. If you have a rocker and/or you can hum/sing a little that usually worked with my son. Keep the lights off when he wakes up (if you don't have a night light in his room or in the hallway now is the time to get one) and keep your voice low. Hope this helps. C.

My two stayed up until 9 and i nursed my daughter so when she would wake up like that I would get her to feed her and she would end upu sleeping with me for a little while but do try to keep him up latter at night that may help my kids also ate solid foods all day pretty much and had cerial with a little karo in their bottles at night that broke my daughter of waking up early my children also have plush blankets they still sleep with.

S., I have heard from several sources, including the "Healthy Sleep Habits. . ." book that someone else spoke about, that actually putting him to sleep earlier helps with this problem. I know it sounds counterproductive, but it does really work. I put my 5 month old to bed at by 6:00 - 6:30 and he sleeps until I wake him around 10:30 to feed him a bottle with cereal in it- in his dark room. Then he goes right back to sleep and doesn't wake until 5 AM and sometimes I have to wake him up to eat at that time because I have to feed him and then get dressed for work. Hope this helps!

Try putting hime to bed a litttle later, by 4 a.m. he has already slept 8 hours. Or as hard as it may be he is lerning a habit of waking at 4 a.m. moming picking him up and givin him a bottle for him it is becoming his routine, you may havae to let him cry a couple of mornings.

Hey! Try a routine. Babies will adapt within a week. Warm bath, bottle with some banana cereal to fill him up, put him to bed a little later, let him fall asleep on his own, in his crib!
He probably will wake up for a day or 2 @ 4am, but don't let him play and get all excited...go in check on him, avoid eye contact (my son would give me his little angel face, and I would give in and pick him up. I had to stop looking him in the eye!) Do what you need to do(diaper, blanket, maybe a bottle) quietly and quickly, and then get out of there. There is a book called THE BABY WHISPERER, it was the answer to all your odd questions. Remember, you are the mommy!!! You know what he needs, make sure he has that...but if you give him what he just wants...well, you will be tired and not be the best mommy you can be!

I don't think his bed time is the issue. I would work with him on tummy time. You can lay a blanket on the floor or grass and put him on his tummy and teach him to roll to his back. Tummy time helps babies strengthen their neck, shoulder and other muscles. He may not like it at first, some babies don't like it at first. But its a great time to get down to his level and play with him, sing to him, talk to him. Maybe get a floor gym. You can go on line at Babies R Us or Target and view some. He can roll around on that and also develop muscle control and motor skills. This activity may also make him more tired, resulting in a better nights sleep for both of you. If he gets used to getting fed at 4am, he will keep that habit and wake up expecting it, so I would discontinue that now.

Solids are usually introduced at 4-6 months so maybe he needs to eat more so he can make it through the night without waking. If you continue to be concerned maybe check with your pediatrician for ideas at your next visit too.

If he's going to bed around 7 and sleeping thru the night till 4am he's had 9 hours of sleep and NO food in his belly. My thought is that he's waking up at 4am because he's hungry and the early morning snack is exactly what he needs to get another couple of hours of sleep. So you can either push back his bedtime to around 9 or you can continue with the 4am feedings. It is unrealistic to expect an infant to sleep 10 - 12 hours straight thru without any sustinence due to the rate at which they are growing according to many experts including the American Academy of Pediatrics. So, don't stress too much your baby is going to grow out of this phase eventually =) Good Luck!
Sinder

I was a nanny all throughout high school before I ever had kids to call my own and with a family full of nurses around they all say if a baby wakes in the night at that age don't talk to them just change them if they need to be changed or feed them if they need to eat and put them back down. That way the baby knows that it is still time to be sleeping and not time to play. I hope this helps you.

Is your son on cereal yet? If so, be sure and mix a little in his bedtime bottle. This will help keep his tummy satisfied for awhile. I can only assume he is waking up hungry. Also, I agree with trying to keep him awake longer. That can help as well. Best of luck!

my daughter did the same thing and i started using a sleep positioner that kept her on her side that way she could breath better and she wouldnt roll over on her back and wake up so early, you can get them at target or any store like that they are only like ten dollars and they really work. good luck.

What about baby wedges on each side of him to keep him from rolling over to his belly?

Of course, this just may be his regular body cycle anyway. My son, who just turned 7 yesterday, has always been an early riser, no matter what time we put him to bed. Usually 5 a.m. is his time. As he has gotten older, he will "entertain" himself for an hour or so, but he still wakes me up first for a glass of milk before he lets me go back to sleep. It's frustrating, but I love him anyway.

On the flip side, my 9 year old daughter, could sleep for 12 hours and it is STILL hard to wake her up.

So I am just thankful that my son will get out of bed with no arguments in the mornings.

S.

I think you are putting your baby to bed too early. I know someone else suggested putting the baby to bed earlier, but maybe the baby is getting too much sleep. I dont think you should put the baby in the bed with you, this sets up a habit that wont easily be broken. I like the idea of bedtime routines and cereal to help with going to sleep.

Hi S..
My son is 18mo old so we're not that much ahead of you :) When our son would wake up early we would go in and try to sooth him back to sleep. Luckily it is still dark at 4am. Try going in his room (do not turn on the lights), roll him over and rub his back/belly until he calms down. It doesnt sound like it's an issue of him waking because he's hungry or ready to wake...just that he's not use to (or perhaps not comfortable) on his belly. You could also try the wedge (like prior poster mentioned) to keep him stationary. How about doing more tummy time during the day? Try getting him use to his belly? Just a few ideas....good luck!