Strange morning behavior from my 13 months old?

Question

this started about a month ago. let me first say that ruby has always been an early riser -- too early. we recently started having her stay in her crib till 6, no matter what (well, i usually cave at 5:45). she wakes around 5, cries out, i give her juice and tell her it's still bedtime. she used to cry on and off till 6; now she is quiet until exactly 5:45 (she has a really intense internal clock), and then i get her up. she eats breakfast, plays a bit, and then by 7:30 she wants to go back to bedshe does, and sleeps 60-90 mins. i KNOW she needs more nighttime sleep; she needs to actually SLEEP until 6 instead of 5, and this early morning nap proves that to me. but, i mean, even though i keep her in her crib after she wakes at 5, she doesn't go back to sleep. have any of you had a kid with this pattern? i know it is common in younger babies, but she dropped her morning nap a while ago, and then started with this recently. will she eventually learn to consolidate the sleep?

Answer 1

My daughter still took a morning nap till she was 17 months, so maybe ruby just decided that she did not want to drop hers after all. Sounds like she is getting enough sleep overall, so let her be until she decides to change her pattern herself..

Answer 2

You mentioned that you give her juice when she wakes up.  How much?  Maybe her morning nap is more of a coming down off a sugar high?

When my little guy started waking up (at about 11 months), I gave him 2 oz. of formula/milk.  It wasn't enough to make it worth it to him to wake up for, so after a few days, he started sleeping better.

Answer 3

my 17 month old also gets up pretty early, 5:30 or 6:30.  I have tried putting him to bed later, skipping a nap.  Nothing has worked.  He too goes back down a few hours after he gets up.  I guess it's just the way they are.

What time does she go to bed?

Answer 4

This will take some time for her to get used to but it sounds like you need to keep her awake more during the day and give her a schedule...Right now she thinks her wake up time is 5 AM and that one of her nap times is 7:30.....

Switch her schedule up.  When she falls asleep at 7:30 try to keep her awake for a while or IF she sleeps anyway - don't let her sound sleep - keep it noisy in the room, take her clothes off, tickle her so she doesn't get a consistent time of sleep.  Then put her down for a nap in the afternoon and let her sleep then... for a few hours if she wants....

Then put her to bed around 8 PM or so (or whatever time - just not too early) and she will sleep all night.  When she wakes up at 5 AM - do what you are doing and let her cry....

Then take her out at 6 AM and repeat the schedule... Eventually the new schedule will catch up with her and she will be tired during the day and sleep during her nap time and bed time.....

Good luck... Just don't let her have that 7:30 nap...

Answer 5

How early are you putting her to bed? Maybe your putting her down too early.

Answer 6

My dd (10.5 mos.) goes to bed at 7-7:30pm and usually wakes in the morning a bit after 6AM. She wants a nap by 9AM. It is ok for her to still have a morning and afternoon nap. She will probably eventually drop the morning one again.

I would not try putting her to bed much later. No later than 8PM. In fact I would try 7AM and see what happens. That way you know she's at least getting needed sleep. Even if you put her to bed later, she will likely still wake up at the same time. Sleep deprived babies sleep less.

I agree that you should still let her fuss, cry, play when she first wakes up until you are ready to get her up at 6AM. My dd sometimes falls back asleep when I don't go to her - but not always.

Good luck! I'm sure it will even out.