Early waking

Emmet has been waking at 5.20am for the last few months. Is there anything I can do to encourage a later start to the day?!

He naps at 11am for 1hr 20mins & is asleep between 6.30/7pm. Clutching at straws I guess!

The baby whisperer has a strategy for dealing with this but it's a bit radical! I have done it with both of mine when they have been waking out of habit (ie at the same time each day). What you do is set your alarm for 1 hour before they normally wake, so 4.20 in your case. You go into the room and gently rub their tummy/arm/back. Not enough to wake them but just to bring them out of their deep sleep. Mine would move around a little. Then you go back to bed. If you can do this for 3 nights it will break the pattern and mine stopped the habitual waking. I was so knackered with India waking at 4.45 each day I was prepared to try anything!

I'm trying to decide if I am brave enough to try this....


@Shaunie, you try it first!

The baby whisperer has a strategy for dealing with this but it's a bit radical! I have done it with both of mine when they have been waking out of habit (ie at the same time each day). What you do is set your alarm for 1 hour before they normally wake, so 4.20 in your case. You go into the room and gently rub their tummy/arm/back. Not enough to wake them but just to bring them out of their deep sleep. Mine would move around a little. Then you go back to bed. If you can do this for 3 nights it will break the pattern and mine stopped the habitual waking. I was so knackered with India waking at 4.45 each day I was prepared to try anything!

4.45 isn't an early morning wake up, that's still the middle of the night

@gilbertandmartha I know! Thankfully we sorted it very quickly when she was small and never had the problem again with her.

[clothmama]

Urrgh you have my sympathy, I remember Louis going through a similar stage right in the middle of winter bbbrrrrrrr! Now I have to get up then for work a lot of mornings and it is really not pleasant!

I like the Baby Whisperer idea go on girls try it and let us know if it works

I tried some bw stuff with Jonah that worked!

Off out now so will be back later witj a plan ;-)

I have no advice but I'm stalking I have a dancing clapping baby at about 5.15am every morning, I don't think I'm brave enough to try sneaking and stroking an hour earlier incase I wake him

I think I might give it a try as it does look habitual at 5.20, occasionally 5.20am. Jonah started waking early but he was almost 3 so we put him to bed earlier for about 5 days until his wake up time shifted & it worked.

Emmet is too young for a gro clock type thing which we have also used & he already goes to bed early so not much room to manouvre there.

I shall hopefully update within a week with good news @JabberJabber