4am waking- do we move her to a different room?

[Becky5W]

I would be so grateful for any advice! My lg is 2 years old. For about 3 weeks she has been waking up anywhere between 4am and 5am. You can tell she is shattered as she rubs her eyes, cries and is generally grumpy! About 3 days ago, we moved her into her cot bed as she was trying to climb out of the cot so we felt it wasn't safe anymore. Problem is, now we are finding we are having to go to her when she wakes up as she just gets out of bed and will not go back in, she won't even sleep in our bed. We have been thinking that we should move her toys out of her room so we can just leave her and eventually she will fall asleep on the floor or get back into bed and that way she won't be getting our attention. Her room is big and therefore she does have a lot of toys in her room. We don't know where we can store these toys so now wondering if we need to move her bed into the small room (we have 3 bedrooms but our room and her room are the biggest). I'm worried that she will be confused and it would make matters worse or if it is worth trying? Hubby and I are both shattered and don't know what to do to solve it. Can anyone offer any advice? Thanks x

[Quinandthem]

Following with interest.

We moved our 23m dd a few months ago into bed as she jumped out of her cot.

We've gone from her going to sleep herself after her bedtime routine to us needed to be with her till she's asleep otherwise she gets out if bed and cries at the stair gate (which we put up to stop her running into our room in the night).

[drspouse]

A friend went through this and tried going into the room, sitting and putting their DC back in the bed again and again ad nauseam, no lights, no talking. Is that worth a shot? May be 3 or 4 nights of 4am wakeups and messing about before she gets the message?

[mewkins]

Is it the light waking her as it does get light just after 4am. Also the incrssant dawn chorus! Have you tried the usual blackout blinds etc? (I wish someone invented soundproof bubbles for children to sleep in!)

[Becky5W]

Thanks for your replies. We moved her into the 3rd bedroom and made a big deal about how she has a whole room as a play room etc. She actually slept the whole night!!! 6.30-6.15am! Let's hope it lasts!! we did have a blackout blind in her old room and to be honest it was quite dark in there so can't be the light. I wondered about birds but when hubby was lying with her early one morning, he said he couldn't hear a thing.

[FATEdestiny]

That's great news!

While there is a limit on when is acceptable to get up - teaching a child to play quietly in his/her room upon wake up isn't a terrible thing.

I wish our three older children did this, rather than all piling into our bed when the wake up first thing in the morning. I am forever saying (through half-closed eyes) "can't you go and read a book or play quietly in your room or something...?". Anything for half an hour extra sleep for me!

[Becky5W]

Well it didn't last long, 4am she woke up this morning and wouldn't go back to sleep! I know what you mean, I do sometimes feel like saying just play with your toys then!