Baby waking at 4 every morning!?

Question

When I was pregnant, my baby started kicking every morning at 4. Now he's 5 and a half months already and he still wakes up at 4 every morning. What can we do to break this habit? Obviously it was funny when I was pregnant, but it's not any more! Most of the time he'll be wide awake!

Answer 1

my baby (4 months) also wakes during the night, mostly not crying - just grumbling or sometimes babbling (whooo noises - i'm sure you know them well) We have found it hard not to go in and put dummy in at every noise because we'd do anything for a good nights sleep. So i know how you feel. Over the last week, we have let the baby lay awake in his cot and babble/ grumble as much as he wants. he normally goes back to sleep anywhere from 2 minutes to 30 minutes later. If he starts to cry then i would go to him and try and soothe him with dummy or stroking head until he goes back to sleep. Sometimes i have given cooled boiled water without taking him out(just lifting him up slightly) and this has helped him go back to sleep. I'll make sure he hasn't pooed just by sniffing (gross i know) and straighten out gro-bag/blankets. I never put the light on and i've got used to doing it this way in the dark. People might disagree but if he does cry at this time i will give in quite easily and give a bottle for him to get back to sleep - he's still only 4 months after all. i think letting babies cry it out is fine after 8 or 9 months. maybe my next baby will be a good sleeper - i'm facing up to the fact that this one is just an early bird and doesn't want to miss anything! good luck!

Answer 2

is he hungry when he wakes? if so you may need to increase his feed before bed. Walk in his room when he wakes put the covers over him say 'bed time' firmly but don't make eye contact. Kiss him and walk out, if he cries leave him for five minutes and repeat the process increasing the 'crying' time by 2 mins each time, go on with it until he starts to settle himself eventually you will not have to return. This may take a couple of nights work but it worked for my little one. It is hard to let your baby cry but at the end of the day more harm is being caused by this waking in the night problem. He will learn from this method that you are not going to give in to him, and that he can settle himself. Crying will not hurt your baby unless he has a hernia or some other condition that could be made worse by the strain of crying.

Answer 3

My baby is just over 6 months old now. If he wakes in the night (which he does frequently) I go to him, put his dummy back in his mouth, re-wrap him (Egyptian mummy style) in his blanket, stroke his head slightly, then leave quietly. I keep the routine the same throughout any of these nighttime wakes. He quickly realised that it was not yet morning, and 8/10 times he will go back to sleep.

I keep some water in his room at night, if the above doesn't work I'll take him out of bed briefly for a quick drink (1-2 mins maximum), then go back to the routine above.

Hope this helps...

Oh and try not to make too much eye contact in the night as I find this encourages excitement!

Answer 4

Hi,
I would leave him in his cot unless he is crying. if he is crying then go in to him and give him his dummy or a feed or whatever you would normally do. dont get into the habbit of getting him out of bed no matter how awake he seems. My daughter is 11 months and sometimes wakes at 4 ish but she goes back off on her own after a while.. it can take an hour or so but if they aren't crying then they are probably just wanting to play.

Answer 5

Try giving him his bedtime feeding an hour later later and putting him to bed later and see if that helps. Otherwise, if he's not crying just leave him be and see if he drifts back off to sleep. If he's a bit fussy, you might need to give him few reassuring pats or a pacifier, if he uses one, but this usuallly works. But whatever you do, don't turn the light on, start talking to him or making it "fun" and stimulating for him to get up at that time. Good luck.

Answer 6

try putting him to bed a little later at night. when he wakes you up at 4 am , let him know it is not time to get up by feeding him and putting him back to bed , do not turn the tv on while feeding him, and use as little light as possible,keep the baby talk to a quiet minimum so as to not get him all stimulated and thinking it is time to get up and party!!! Most of all just be patient, I know at this stage you probably feel you will never get a full nights sleep again, but trust me I have been there and eventually you will.

Answer 7

is he still breastfeeding? if so, stop the night feeds. Your partner will have to get up with him for a few days until he realises he doesn't get any thing for his effort of waking. If he isn't feeding and still waking you may have to try the whole controlled crying thing. It's really tough, but it does work after a few nights. Or it could be that he is just a very early riser, try and put him to bed later for a few nights.

Answer 8

He sounds like he is ready to get out into the world! I wake up at 4 AM to go to work almost every day! I would try to give him some warm milk to get some extra sleep.

Answer 9

you need to make sure he is full up on his supper and try to leave him a little longer before you go to him each time he wakes up.. he will soon stop then..
im 5 months pregnant and my baby has got in a routine of kicking like mad at about 9 or 10pm..hopefully when born will have a mad hour then sleep through!! mmm i think not x

Answer 10

You could try putting him down to sleep a little later,see if that works cos it may break his habit and out him out of whack!Or When he does wake up,don't go into the room,just leave him to settle back down to sleep again.He will soon get bored and go back to sleep if nobody goes in.I know it Will be hard ,but that's the only thing that I can suggest