5 am ...

This is more a rant than anything else but my DS, who is 4.5 months, has decided to start waking up progressively earlier and earlier each day for the past week. He goes down for bed at 7 each night - nothing has changed there - and would get up around 6 am (with a couple night feedings). Now he's decided that between 430 and 5 am will be his jam and nothing I do puts him back to sleep.

As far as we know, he's not teething, but the last few days he's been making this new sound that is almost like a persistent whine. No fever.

Anyone else have painfully early risers? Should I just buy stock in coffee if this is the rest of my life? Lol

Re: 5 am ...

Try keeping him up later.

Kids only need do much sleep.

5 am

Tried that a few weeks ago (edited bc I wrote last week but then I thought about it) woke up the same times. Suppose we can try it again.

Message edited 3/20/2013 6:40:59 AM.

Re: 5 am ...

My youngest was an early riser too starting his day anywhere from 430-5am from about 6 months until he was close to 1.5. Then he started to sleep until 530-6. Just recently at 2.5, he's up between 6-7.

No matter what we did as he was younger, he got up the same time. Now he doesn't go to bed until 830ish & it helps.

Re: 5 am ...

i feel your pain....my DD did that a lot as an infant and sometimes now as a toddler. i found that when she goes through growth spurts she gets up early...like there"s so much on the brain that she cant contain herself! l

5 am ...

DD did that. It lasted a few weeks and she is back to sleeping 7-6

Re: 5 am ...

yes... won't matter if he goes to bed later either.

5 am ...

I didn't think of him having another growth spurt but that could be possible. And to the above poster, I'm with you. I've tried putting him down later to the same results. We will see what tonight brings. Least I know I'm not alone at 5 am !

Re: 5 am ...

In my experience, you have to do it slowly & consistently.

I did it half an hour at a time earlier, move times after 3 days.

Like changing a time zone... Your kid will get used to the shift.

My DS was sleeping at 4 months from 7 pm to 5 am. Didn't work for my work schedule (I'm out of house fro
6 to 5 or 6), so I transitioned him to sleep at 9pm, wake at 7am. Same number of hours. Took about a month.

On the other hand, I know plenty of kids whose sleep schedules are 7 to 5, and that gives you alone time at night...

Re: 5 am ...

My DD is the same way. Whether we put her down at 5pm or 10pm... she has ALWAYS woken up at 5am!!!! Some days it will be 530 or 600... but she is almost always stirring at 5 and wants to be awake. I think it is just her natural circadian rhythm.

5 am ...

Just an update that I'm sure will change five more times in the next week or so:

I put DS to bed for two nights between 715-730 and he was up the first night at 5 am again and the second at 430. Deciding last that he really couldn't get up any earlier than 430, I followed our usual routine and put him down around 645. He slept until 6 (with his usual wake ups - about 3 last night).

I've come to the conclusion that his sleep will be what it is and some mornings I will need a larger cup of coffee than others.