Sleeping FAQ: 6-9 Months – Early Morning Waking

My 7month old son has recently started to wake between 4am and 6.15am. Having read all the advice I understand I need to offer him a feed and get him back to sleep. This I do but if he wakes after 5.30am he will not go back to sleep after having a feed. Should I wait for 15 minutes to see if he will settle himself before I offer him a feed at this time in the morning or go straight in and feed him?

I have moved his daytime naps forward and try to give him a small breastfeed at 2.30pm so he will eat a good tea.

Feeding details

4.00am: 20 minute breast feed from one side
7.00am: 20 minutes on second breast
8.00am: 6 teaspoons baby muesli mixed with milk
10.00am: few sips of water, 6 teaspoons apple puree
12.10pm: 6 tablespoons Tuna pasta/ Lamb casserole/mince and lentils, 150mls water
2.45pm: 15 minute breast feed from one side
4.00pm: few sips of water
4.45pm: 6 tablespoons potato and leek soup, toast fingers/ pasta with cheese sauce and selection of vegetables, small drink of water
6.10pm: Breast feed from both breasts for 15 minutes

Daily milk total: 2 and half breast feeds

Weight: 18lbs 7ozs

My son naps at 9.40-10am and12.45-2.45pm. He settles at 6.45pm.

Although it may be tempting to leave your son for a while after 5.30am to see if he settles back on his own it would seem that hunger is part of the problem. If he wakes early in the morning, then go straight in and feed him. Put him back into his cot and allow him to settle himself back to sleep. By offering him a feed straightaway it is more likely he will drift back to sleep again once put back in his cot.

The milk feed which you offer your son when he wakes early in the morning should be counted as his breakfast feed so, when he wakes at 7am or thereabouts, offer him his breakfast solids followed by the second breast. This should improve the amount of breakfast he eats. Offer him a drink of water and piece of fruit at 10am if he seems hungry and begin to increase the amount of solids you offer him at lunchtime.

It is good you are aware that the 2.30pm feed may take the edge off your baby’s appetite for his tea. Consider cutting this 2.30pm feed right back for a few days and see if your son’s appetite for tea increases. This carbohydrate rich meal will help him to sleep well at night providing he eats enough and still continues to take a full feed at bedtime.

If your son goes back to sleep quite quickly after you have fed him at 5.30am and then sleeps until after 7am remember the sleep he has had after 7am should be counted as part of his daytime total.  On a day when this does happen, cut back on his morning nap accordingly so he remains within the daily total of 3 hours.

Check on all the other reasons for baby beginning to wake early. As the mornings get lighter chinks of bright light may be appearing and rousing him when he is in a light sleep. Also, make sure your son is not waking through being chilly in the early hours of the morning. He may need a cardigan or long sleeved body suit on if he is sleeping with no covers.

If your son is quite active by day, trying to crawl and rolling a great deal, he may be very tired by 6.45pm. If you are aware that he falls asleep as soon as he is put into his cot then move his bedtime to 6.30pm. Letting him chat to himself for 15-20 minutes before settling to sleep can help with early morning waking. A baby who falls into an exhausted sleep at bedtime may well wake earlier the next morning. It can take over a week for you to notice any real effect when you do this but with persistence you can “reset” his body clock.

Once your son is consistently sleeping to nearer 7am gradually move his bedtime back to 6.45/7.00pm.