early waking for baby?

Question

my 5 month old has started waking at 5 am each morning,this is new he usually sleeps until 7 now hes wide awake ready for play at 5...i try feeding him (with the usual no eye contact no fuss etc) but he wont settle after this...any ideas? i hate ignoring his crying,and i dont want him to get in the habit of comin into the family bed,

Answer 1

Mine is 5 1/2 months and has been doing basically the same thing for the past few weeks...except a few times a night! This was out of nowhere, with no change to her schedule or routine.
My thought is that it's due to her changing/growing and possibly teething...and developing new sleeping and eating habits. She doesn't really cry but is wide awake, smiling and wanting to play.
Someone said to take a deep breath...good idea! After many exhausted days and nights I just accepted that this is the way it is right now. Makes it much easier to handle! Try to go with the flow.
If she needs to eat, I feed her..same as you, no eye contact, talking, etc. and put her back to bed. She'll talk and move around for a while but eventually goes back to sleep. Doesn't really take long.
If it isn't time to eat, I sometimes go to her and rub her back etc. to let her know I'm there. I avoid picking her up and definitely do not take her into bed with me.
The past few nights I have been putting her to bed a little earlier, which seems to be helping. Give it a shot...maybe it will work for you as well!
Good luck and get the rest when you can!

Answer 2

When a baby cries for mommy and she doesnt' come, the baby's brain floods with cortisol. This stress hormone impairs learning, causes anxiety and depression, and causes a child to become an adult who poorly handles stress. If you let your 5 month old cry, you are teaching him that you do not care. You may think you're teaching something else, but really, what else could a 5 month old learn?

You are never supposed to feed a child with no eye contact!!!!!!

Who is teaching you about infants and their needs?????

Infants evolved to sleep with their mothers. They are traumatized by being left alone. You hate ignoring his crying, but you don't want a family bed. So, you'll ignore his crying, right? You'll do the thing that damages your chid so that you don't what? have your sweet precious beautiful boy in your bed and feeling happy and comforted? That would be terrible, right?

(For whom? Not for him - for him, it would be paradise. It would be a thing that lets him now how much he is loved and respected - instead of considered some annoying crier that's throwing everyone off schedule/)

Answer 3

As babies grow, their schedules change. So just about the time you get this figured out, it will change again. But to help you get through it, try cutting back his names times during the day. He may sleep later. Of course, he might go to bed earlier too. You just have to work with it. Take a deep breath and sleep when they sleep if you possibly can so you are the best mom you can be at those 5 am wakings.

Answer 4

My son has been doing close to the same. I have actually read that putting them to bed a bit earlier will help them sleep longer. Something about not being able to get quality sleep if they are over tired. I'm trying it tonight!

Answer 5

I don't have any children myself ...but i'm very experienced with raising my 5 brothers and sisters ...also TONS of babysitting !

Try feeding ...hopefully ur breast feeding ...as bottle fed babies tend to be restless and formula is REALLY bad for their health ....then put him in bed with a really nice sounding mobile with bright colors!
I'm sure u've tried rocking him .......this might only continue for a short while as it could be a phase for him ....he is changing and growing fast! If you do get up that early and need to stay up with him ....maybe u could take an hour afternoon nap (very good for ur health) !!
Also .....where is ur hubby !! hehehe Can he help u ?
Hope i helped a little !! Good luck and hope u can get some rest !! Be very proud of being a mother ...i'm trying to get preggy ...but can't : (

Answer 6

He might just be an early waker now. My twins wake up between 6-7am every morning. I can't remember the last time we got to sleep in lol.

Answer 7

What time are you putting him to bed? How many naps is he taking? Depends a lot on the rest of his sleep schedule, and yes, how long they sleep changes as they get older!

Answer 8

I know you dont like ignoring his crying, but you have to do that or else he will think he's getting his way. You just have to let him cry it out. After a while he will realize that he cant get his way by crying.