Just Turned 1 Year Old Wakes at 4A

Updated on June 21, 2014
J.M. asks from Melrose, MA
12 answers

I am fine with 5 or 5:30, she goes to bed at 7:30. Still breast fed. Today I let her cry/fuss on and off about one hour and she fell back to sleep, hubby went in a few times to try and give her pacifier. We have blackout shades and white noise. Any other tips? I did not go back to sleep (up since 3:52 am!). She takes 2 short naps a day. Thx so much.

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M.M.

answers from Chicago on

Try dropping her to 1 nap. And keeping the same bedtime.

But honestly, both of my kids have always been early risers. We were a 5 am crew for those early years, no matter what time they went to bed. Daylight savings was a nighmare for us!

When the pre-5 wakes happened, we'd just go lay them back down without saying a word, and let them yell until they got the message. I can only say it worked about 50% of the time.

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E.A.

answers from Erie on

She's sleeping 8-10 hours in one stretch at ONE YEAR OLD? Consider yourself lucky!
I slept when the babies slept. I also agree with Dana, you are doing your child a disservice by trying to create the Perfect Sleeping Environment. Children need to learn to sleep in all types of situations unless you are ready to put your life on hold for a while. We weren't, we wanted to be able to overnight with friends and their kids, visit with family during nap times, travel in our car for a weekend, and go to outdoor events like festivals. Our babies went with us and slept where we slept or where we put them (like a friend's guest room, or in a tent, for instance for a nap).

And there's no chance of keeping all things quiet after the second child (if you decide to have a second child, that is). We knew their general sleep schedule (even our kids had them lol) and worked our days around them like always, but our family was quite flexible in those early years, as far as sleeping arrangements and bedtimes.

The first child makes you think you are doing everything wrong. You will soon realize babies don't go by the book :) And those sleepless nights continue into their teen years!

3 moms found this helpful

C.C.

answers from San Francisco on

I know that it would seem logical to put her down later at night, but actually, try an earlier bedtime. Like 6pm. I know that sounds completely insane, but both of my kids slept SO much better throughout the night if I put them down at 6. They'd sleep until 6am that way. Yet, if I put them down later at night in an attempt to get them to sleep later in the morning, they'd wake up much earlier. Babies' brains aren't wired like ours. Something about 6pm just really works for their brains in terms of getting a nice, good sleep. Anyhow, just something to think about!

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D.K.

answers from Pittsburgh on

We put my son to bed when we went to bed. Last feeding about 11 pm. If he was tired before that he slept - just like during the day - when he was tired he slept. Wherever we were, whenever it was. Didn't see the point in a 'schedule' that you can't explain in rational terms to a baby. We ate dinner at about 7-8 pm. No problems at all with early waking. If you feed her at 4 am, how long will she sleep? We have no window shades or blinds and just regular household noise. We were firmly of the opinion that a baby should learn to sleep in any environment, whenever they are tired.

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J.G.

answers from Chicago on

Sleep gets crazy from the 12-17 month stage because kids are moving towards 1 nap.

If she goes to bed at 7:30 and wakes early, you are putting her to bed too late.

I have the same problem in my house. I put her down at 7, she wakes at 5:20. She is waking tired, I'm putting her down too late, but such is the way it is. We eat dinner at 6, and if she is going to see her daddy, she needs to stay up to 7.

You might want to start playing with the naps, gradually moving the morning one until it hits the afternoon one. This may get the night sleep back on schedule.

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B.A.

answers from Minneapolis on

I think she is hungry at 4 AM. Try feeding her and see if she will go back to sleep for a while. If she won't, she is ready to be up, so you may as well start your day early. I had one who did this for a long time. I learned to enjoy these early hours with her.

Other things you can try is to make sure gets enough calories during the day and to switch to one nap instead of 2.

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K.F.

answers from Salinas on

My second born woke up for good at this time (or earlier) for several weeks. It was awful.

I never put her down so early though. When the 3:30 am wake up time started I kept her up until 9 or 10 and neither of my kids ever went to bed at 7:30. Keep her up later at night, you can't expect her to sleep 11-12 hours in a stretch.

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G.B.

answers from Oklahoma City on

I good schedule for a 1 year old, starting at their first birthday.

Get up around 7 or 8

Eat breakfast

Play, do stuff

snack 9:30(ish)

Play, do stuff

Lunch 11:30/noon

Nap for 3 hours or so Noon - 3

Wake up, change diaper, snack

Play, do stuff

Eat dinner,

Play, do stuff

7:30/8pm bath time, settle down time

8pm-9pm bedtime

It truly sounds like you're putting her down way too early. If a child is going to sleep 10 hours straight without eating or drinking and you put them to bed at 7:30 that means they're going to be up by 5:30am...

See what I mean?

If you put your child to bed at 7:30pm they will wake up very very very very early. If you don't want to get up so early, start your day, then please put your child to bed later.

L.A.

answers from Austin on

All good suggestions below, I also suggest you put a few extra pacifiers in her crib, this way she can reach around and find one easier.

I baby sat a child once they used to have about 4 of them in her crib so she could reach around in the dark to locate one.

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J.K.

answers from Los Angeles on

I put my daughter to bed around 7:30 pm too when she was 1 year old (still do...). I made it a point to never start my day before 7 am. If she woke up any time before 7 am, I just let her fuss in her crib until she fell back asleep or just let her fuss until 7:00.

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B..

answers from Dallas on

Ugh. Hope you get a nap today!

Every time you think you have a schedule down, they change. You are doing pretty good by not picking her up, something I wasn't strong enough to do. She may just change on her own and get over this.

But if not, change her napping schedule. Yes, you will have to deal with cranky baby for a while, but she may just be ready to drop a nap. Try keeping her busy and awake through the first nap time and bump up the second nap time earlier. Or you could try making her bedtime later.

Good luck, hope you get sleep soon!

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S.H.

answers from Dallas on

She is hungry, feed her.

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