My little girl is 10 months old, been waken up at 5am everyday for more than a month now, and will took at least 1 hour to get back to sleep.

She sleep in her own cot beside me, never use a dummy and breast feeding. In bed at 7.30pm, asleep around 8.00. She had 2 naps during the day but each of them only last 45minutes.

At 1st I thought about the sun light and bought a black out curtin, but not work. Then I thought she must hungry, but after I feed her she still awake.

hi,

try giving her a bottle of formula before she goes to bed in evening maybe she is hungry so that wakes her at 5....

also put her in her own room.perhaps because she knows you are there and will make a fuss of her at 5am every morning that is why she does it.for company.if she is waking at 5 give her a dummy. maybe she is unable to soothe herself back to sleep with out one. maybe she is just not tired enough to sleep.lots of activities to make her tired in evening.

Thanks Julianne, for BOTTLE, this is one thing I worried as well  for latter. She's been breast feeding all the way, she refus bottle now, or should say formula. I tried all the brand she won't take any. And for DUMMY, she never used one either, she don't know what it is for, I used to give her one she just play with it then throw it away, I think it is too late to introduce a dummy to her now, she's almost 11 months old.

She did wake up cup of times between 8.00 to 12.00, every time she just stand in her cot and cry for me, if I'm not there she will cried for hours(I tried controled cry, it just not work for her, she cried till midnight, I did it for about 4 days, nothing get better so give up).

During night she only wants me, even her dad hold her, she still cry.

I will try my best to make her tired for sleep now.

Hi,

Unfortunately they do reckon that babies normal waking time in the morning is between 5 and 7! So it may just be that she is waking up ready for the day. Does she have anything in the cot with her so that if she wakes up she can play with it? I do this for my son but I must admit he still just generally cries when he wakes up in the morning! But it might be worth a try.

Have you tried putting her in her own room (that's if you have the space!)? I found that when I moved my son into his own room at 4months he started sleeping much better.

I don't know what you did for controlled crying, I think there are different techniques for it but what I did with my boy was put him down and leave him for 5 minutes, go back in and put my hand on his chest and stroke his head for no more than 3 mintues, then leave the room again. Go back in after 5 minutes again and repeat the comfort. Continue going back in leaving 5 minutes on their own for half an hour. Then extended it to 10minutes between going in for half an hour. Then go to 15 minutes, then 20minutes. The first time I did it it took 1 1/2hr for him to go down and then after a couple of days it went down to 30mins, then just a few minutes. He's being a bit fussy with going down at the moment but he's got a cough so I'm putting it down to that. It may take her a number of days/week to get into this rhythm as she is older than my son.

But if she just isn't tired it might be worth just getting up with her having breakfast and then waiting until she is tired again before putting her down - if she's your only child you could always go back to sleep when she does.

Good luck!

hi,

she will continue to refuse formula as long as she knows you will give in to her and give her breast.persevere with bottle feeding, but firstly get someone else to give the bottle to her, so she doesnt smell your breast milk on you.

how much do you feed her solids during the day?maybe she is really hungry and that is why she wakes 8-12 each night.

i breast fed my boy till 1 month then he began teething. he took to the bottle fine, i think the longer women breast feed the harder it is for the child to take the bottle.maybe speak to your health visitor or doctor for advice.

julianne

Hi RAch,

When I did the controlled cry, first when she's about 6 months. I did let her cry for 3 minutes first then 5, then 10, then 15..... but what I found was every time I back to her she will still cry for long time doesn't matter what I did(kisses, holded her hand, stroke her head...but not pick her up). And as long as I stand up not even leave she start to cry again. She cried for 4 days me too. I even tried when she was 7 months old again ended up I feel so bad.

My little boy did exactly the same! I know there are some people who don't agree with controlled crying but it was the only thing that would work for my son as when he cries in his cot as soon as I pick him up he bounces around on me as happy as anything so there is generally nothing wrong with him! I think some children know how to play the system. If you want to go down the controlled crying route I think you'll just have to perserve and try not to feel too bad about it. Could you get your OH to do it? As Julianne said about getting someone else to give them formula so baby doesn't smell your milk it should help also with the controlled crying.

As your baby is nearly 11months do you think it might be worth trying to give her some full-fat milk rather than formula as I assume you will probably be going onto this milk at a year old anyway. She doesn't need to have it in a bottle but in a cup/beaker that she has other drinks from.

hi,

how are things going with your little girl? any better with the sleeping?

julianne xx

PS

Forgot to say....You can do the controlled crying thing but a bit different. The first few nights sit by her cot and read or just rest until she goes to sleep...gradually over a few nights move your chair slowly further and further away from cot until your out of room. You can always let her know your there by making little shushing noises every so often.

Good luck