Help! Baby Waking up at 4:30 Am!

Updated on September 20, 2010
K.A. asks from Costa Mesa, CA
6 answers

Hello! I have a 3 1/2 month old baby. He goes to bed between 7 and 7:30 fairly easily, although pacifier falling out will wake him a couple of times. Then he wakes up regularly around 11 or 12 and eats, then he eats again around 2 or 3. He will go back to sleep right away after his night feedings, but after the 2nd feeding he has been waking up around 4:30 and won't go back to sleep! I've tried feeding him, but he's not hungry. I rock him, but it doesn't work. The only way he sleeps is if I move him from his crib to his swing, but I don't want to keep doing this. Anyone experience this? Any advice? Thanks!

More info--I do all night activities in lowest light possible with no smiling or talking, he has a white noise machine in his room, and I always wait a few minutes before going in to see if he'll fall back asleep. I don't want to wait too long because then I'm just losing sleep listening to him whine. :) Also I have heard he's too young for cry it out or any of those sleep train methods.

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C.W.

answers from Las Vegas on

My daughter used to do that. If I didn't rock her she'd play in her crib and go back to sleep at 5. I was going in there rocking her and trying to feed her. I started waiting to see if she'd go back to sleep and she would wake up and start playing in her crib. I eventually played a lullaby music cd that I didn't think sounded creepy (she seemed to respond to music I liked/disliked lol) and at 4:30ish she'd wake up and I'd go in her room and turn on the music and rub her back (sometimes change her diaper) and kiss her and tell her I love her and goodnight real quietly and after a couple mins she'd go to sleep. :D

Good luck

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J.V.

answers from Chicago on

Wonder week. Google it.

L.A.

answers from Austin on

A couple of things you could try. At the 4:30 waking , do everything in the dark.. No talking, no lights.. Change the diaper, Warm up the wipes so they are warm and not a shock to the body.. Give the baby the paci and lay him back down pat his bottom in strong enough motion that it rocks him. Turn on a white noise machine or play soft music.. Do you let him cry for a few minutes at 4:30? Maybe something wakes him, bt he will go back to sleep in a few minutes if you do not go in..

Another option Move the first evening bedtime to 8 or 8:30.. Then gradually this will all slide the other times.. again for all of the feedings, do these in the dark no conversations no light.. He will be bored and realize there is nothing going on and will gradually just sleep..

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C.W.

answers from Austin on

my DD did this last month... about the same age. She was sleeping pretty good, usually 2 night feedings... She started waking up at 1:30 (almost to the minute!) every night, and stayed up from 1 hr- 3 hrs... blegh. She did it for 2 weeks, then went back to sleeping through the night, only now she only wakes up once to eat. ~My DD would fall asleep if I put her in her bouncy chair, but like you I didn't want her to get used to it. I usually would cuddle her or try to rock her back to sleep... used the chair when I REALLY needed the sleep though.

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D.P.

answers from Pittsburgh on

Yep--he's too young for CIO. At this young age, you just have to adjust to his schedule. You have a lark right now. These phases will come and go. Just start your day and look forward to his naps!

C.M.

answers from St. Louis on

It may just be a phase. My son went through that and luckily my husband was up at that time (usually he was up from 2-4 am) and would just let him play. I don't have any advice - just know that I've been there (but fortunately didn't have to get up!). My son/daughter (1, 3) did have a phase of about a month where they would get up around 430-5am and my husband was in bed by then so I was up at the butt crack of dawn for about a month. I just went to bed early myself!

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