Early to sleep - really early to rise - how do we fix it?

DS has started setting his own sleep routine - he cracks it about 7ish and wants a booby and then goes to sleep on the boob....we also co-sleep.

He'll sleep from 7-7.30 until 11ish and then have a feed. He then wakes up 2-3 times before waking for the day at 3.30-4.30ish....

We are dying here....well DH is more than me because he's been the one getting up for the day with him at 4am...

I've tried keeping him up and trying to get him to sleep about 8.30ish or letting him go down at 6.30-7ish and then waking him at 8.30ish for an hour or so but he just cracks it and the minute you pick him up to settle him he goes back to sleep on our shoulder.

Does anyone have any suggestions?
I know that his sleeping pattern in itself is ok - it's just the timing of it all.

TIA

:bump: Anyone?

ewwwww thats early :o
id be inclinded to do all i can to resettle him again, im guessing youve tried that but im thinking thats the only way to get him to go back to sleep!

Yup tried to resettle with booby, rocking etc...
He's ready to party for the day *sigh* he flakes it a couple of hours later for 45 mins or so ......

Sorry I don't have much, was just wondering how you treat it when he wakes up? 4.30am is still sleep time, so if DS woke I would sit in his room in the dark, feed & not stir up, then cuddle & back into bed. We would treat it like any other wake up, until around 6ish...then ok we are up.
Could just be a bad pattern he has gotten into, most babies need at leat 10-12 hrs sleep at night & esp at that age. So I wouldn't think he was really ready at that time IYKWIM. Is it long before he then wants to be back asleep?
Unfortunately with lots of babies a later bed doesn't always mean a later wake up. 7pm is very reasonable at that age I would stick with that & just try & extend the sleep time.
Sorry I don't think I've offered much help.

Hi Erin.....we cosleep so he kicks us and pulls hair for about 20 mins before he screams blue murder....
I follow the same routine as a normal wake up - offer boob, rock him, walk with him if need be but he's chatting away and trying to play with us which he never does with a normal wake up

He is normally awake for a couple of hours before wanting a boob and sleep again.

It is pretty normal for babies to wake in the night and "practice" new skills...and I do remember DD doing this at the same age (babbling away etc). Now that DD is in her own room, some nights I still hear hear talking to herself at that time, and most of the time she goes back to sleep, but sometimes I have to give her a quick boob to resettle.

When DS wakes at 4am, do you try and tend to him straight away, or can you leave him for 20-40mins and then give him a boob, so he's had a chance to do his thing before being resettled?

I hope you find a solution, because tbh that's the main reason we moved DD out of our room (and I still miss her!)

HI Anna .... I leave him for as long as I can but he starts kicking, pulling hair etc...lol

Last night he sent himself off to sleep at 6.30pm and woke very briefly at 8ish - we tried to entertain him and keep him awake but he screamed blue murder and was asleep again by 9.
He woke 3 times and I managed to resettle him by walking up and down the dark hallway and then boobing him backto sleep but he still woke for the day at 4.30am and this time he wouldn't resettle he just wanted to be up and doing things....

I guess all I can do is try and change my sleeping patterns to fit in with him and wait for it to pass right?

Oh poor you! The only other thing I can suggest is teething? Or illness?

DD has just gotten over a horrid cold that sent her sleep wacky for about 3 weeks (as well as cutting 2 teeth at the same time!).

Yes, the zen mummy mantra is "this too shall pass..."

Hope you get some rest today.:grouphug:

ide be looking at the day routine. How does it go?

I pretty much let him lead the way MM...

Wake up - Play and cuddle for a couple of hours, boob, sleep for about 45-1.5hrs depending on whether or not I cuddle him, put him down or keep him in the ergo...

More playing, watch some telly - help me in the kitchen, - boob - sleep

Play - take the dog for a walk (most likely fall asleep on walk)

Dad comes home, play, bath or shower, more playing, some telly and then he is out for the night