So I have a wide-awake baby at 4am again...

[CapeTownMommy]

I really don't know how to deal with this! I'm so :yawn :yawn today - LO woke up at 4am again this morning. She's not crying or anything, just lying in her crib and chatting and kicking, ready for play. So I got up and nursed her, hoping this would put her back to sleep (even though she doesn't generally nurse at night anymore, only when she wakes up), but afterwards she was still very playful (actually making noises against my breast while nursing).

Now it's very cute, and I love playing with her when she's in that mood, but I really need some rest now! I brought her into bed with me and cuddled with her for about 30 minutes in the dark hoping she'll get tired, but to no avail. Around 4:45 I cancelled the nap-idea due to the obvious lack of interest, and switched on the light. Huge excitement! So we played for another 30 minutes or so, she was soooo cute, and then by around 5:15 she started yawning and rubbing her eyes. So I cuddled her in bed in the dark again and within a few minutes she was fast asleep, and she slept until 8am.

Now of course I can't sleep with her in the bed next to me (no prizes for guessing that's why we don't cosleep) so I got up and played solitaire on the computer while she slept in my spot and dh catched up on some sleep.

Anybody have any ideas on what to do?

Trying to answer all the questions before they come up: She didn't sleep much during the day yesterday (one 2-hour nap early in the morning, and another 1 hour nap over lunch and a 30-minute one midafternoon) so I don't think that had anything to do with it. And she's almost 7 months old. She's not teething (as far as I can tell, or at least, no obvious discomfort), no new milestones recently, she's not trying to practice any new abilities, she wasn't too hot or too cold.

[waterfallraleigh]

I wish I had some advice. I understand the tired part as I adjust to life with a nighttime newborn nurser and a daytime rambunctious toddler. Just wanted to offer :hug2.

[CapeTownMommy]

Just an update: she slept until 6am this morning! Yay!

[illinoismommy]

Oh goodness, we are going through this too!! Maya thinks that somewhere 3-5am is a great time to wake and smile at me. I keep sticking the pacifier back in and trying to go back to sleep :yawn .... I have no idea why, I didn't think she got too much day time sleep...........

[herbalwriter]

Ds used to do this - about that age too. I read The No Cry SLeep Solution by Elizabeth Pantley and decided to try a more scheduled time for sleep, and it helped a lot. My ds just likes things scheduled; I had to adjust to that one!

[illinoismommy]

I think our problem is that she wants to fall asleep for the night about 6:30 to 7:30pm and then get up really early :/

[herbalwriter]

Yes, we went through that too. Sometimes a later nap can help with that. :hug2 It's really hard, this sleep stuff, but at least we know it's temporary. (Small comfort when you're bleary-eyed and short-tempered, I know.)

[CapeTownMommy]

Well we've now had 2 nights of sleep until 6am in a row (I think this may be a first, yay!), and I'm trying to figure out what worked! She did sleep slightly less during the day the last 2 days (between 3 and 4 hours, I think) with the last nap in the afternoon ending before 4:30 and not lasting longer than an hour. Note: I don't schedule it like this, I put her to bed when she's sleepy and let her sleep until she wakes up! But I do wonder if I should wake her up if she sleeps too much in the late afternoon, seeing that it might just mean a better night's sleep for us.

[illinoismommy]

Well we've now had 2 nights of sleep until 6am in a row (I think this may be a first, yay!), and I'm trying to figure out what worked! She did sleep slightly less during the day the last 2 days (between 3 and 4 hours, I think) with the last nap in the afternoon ending before 4:30 and not lasting longer than an hour. Note: I don't schedule it like this, I put her to bed when she's sleepy and let her sleep until she wakes up! But I do wonder if I should wake her up if she sleeps too much in the late afternoon, seeing that it might just mean a better night's sleep for us.


What time is her bedtime? She is like 7 or 8 months right? So 3 naps a day?