15 month old waking up at 5am but still tired!

[fairimum]

My 15 month old DD has been waking about 5am for the last few weeks, it would be fine if she had had enough sleep but she wakes up grumpy and wants a nap about 8.30. It doesnt matter if she goes to bed at 7 or 10 (usuaully about 7.30) she is always up early. She has blackout curtains, have checked nothing coming on that might wake her at that time (hot water etc) - really stumped - have tried ignoring her ont he hope she would go back to sleep with no luck. whatever time she wakes we don't give her her milk until 6.30 as dont want her waking for milk, although considering putting milk in her cot for her to wake up and have and possibly go back to sleep, but knowing my luck she will wake at 2 and have it and still wake at 5!

Am trying to drop the morning nap in the hope that she may sleep better at night but if i dont put her down for a nap in the morning she is in meltdown by 10.30

any suggestions/thoughts/ideas greatly appreciated!!

thanks

[whethergirl]

My ds is 4 now but always had some kind of sleep problem or another. All I can say - I know it's not very helpful - is that sometimes, no matter what you try, it's just a phase that unfortunately you need to go through, but it probably won't last and it will just change in it's own time. Especially around this age, their sleep needs tend to change, and dropping the nap - or any transition - is not always a smooth process. Personally, if my ds ever woke up before 5.30am, I would still class this as night time, and act the same as if he had woken in the night!
You could try gradually reducing the nap time, or just go cold turkey and stop the nap and hopefully she will sleep longer in the morning (I say hopefully, because unfortunately kids are not as predictable as we'd like!). Have some kind of a plan or what you can do when she is tired and needing a nap, (whether it's keeping her active/giving snacks/playing her fave game/whatever you think will help her forget she's tired). If you're going to do this, then stick to it - it'll be murder for the first few days but she'll adapt.
Good luck!

[fairimum]

Thanks - well gave her her milk in her cot and went back to bed and she went back to sleep until 6.30!! Sooo... hopefully she has had enough sleep to keep her going until nap after lunch!! fingers crossed!!
thank you

[whethergirl]

Excellent! That's the spirit. When my ds used to wake up early morning I even use to tell him "it's the middle of the night, go back to sleep"!! I'm not a morning person

[fairimum]

Well DD woke again at just after 5, again gave her her milk and she went back to sleep until just after 7!! woo hooo... fingers crossed this continues.. THEN comes the question of weaning her off the milk at 5am!! hmmm Hoping when stops teething will eat a bit more and not wake up hungry?

[whethergirl]

If I were you I'd be quit while I was ahead, stopping the 5am milk could be pushing it! Just get this habit well established as it's definitley an improvement! Good way to wean though, for when you are ready, is to give her water instead, or gradually reduce the amount of milk.
It might be just a comfort thing rather than actually feeling hungry for milk at 5am? Or habit? I guess when her appetite increases you'll find out.
I think one of my regrets when I look back is that I didn't try harder to look after my sleep needs. It really does have an impact on your parenting...also health and just life in general!

[Mamulik]

What if you give her some milk? would she go beck to sleep?

[fairimum]

Thanks WG!! Just found out expecting number 2 so i am shattered at the moment and need my sleep!! THink will just stick with this for now as has meant have managed to drop the morning nap too!! woohooo

[whethergirl]

Big congrats to you fairimum! No wonder you've been frazzled! xx