Early risers

[Louisakate]

Help... my little girl is following in her brothers footsteps and I am getting more and more frustrated and depressed by it. She wakes really early (4:30am) and won't go back to sleep, then crashes after breakfast for ages. I know from my experience with her brother that it feels as though this early sleep should be part of her night time sleep. I tried everything with Alf to no avail. He sleeps later now that he is at Nursery (he is rising 4)if he isn't woken by his sister! I am contemplating trying to move her bed time much later (last night she was in bed by 6:30pm)I'm at a loss and I would really appreciate some help. I feel like I am the only one with this problem and like I'm living in an alternative universe! It drives me insane when other mums complain that their children were up at 6am...if only! I know DD isn't hungry because she eats really well during the day and other than the long sleep she usually has in her pram in the morning, she doesn't usually have any other sleeps of substance. Please, any sugestions gratefully received as I am going mad. I have contemplated just trying to get up with her and taking her for a walk just so the boys can get some more kip because we have struggled so long to get Alf to sleep later and now he is being woken by Esther.

[floo]

I have told people this before, but when my DS was small he had a sleep problem and I was told that he might be bored, so we put the radio in his room and turned it on at a normal level and turned it down slightly each day, it might work for those early mornings. I am sure that you have tried putting loads of toys in her cot, and using black out curtains. What about going cold turkey with her and ignoring her if she shares a bedroom with the boys try putting her cot in the sitting room for a couple of nights , maybe that would help.

[Louisakate]

thank you for replying, it is such a comfort to know that people have similar problems to us, I have decided to try some of the things you suggested, we have got blackout blinds but the curtains are of a light material and so the room isn't as dark as it could be. I'm also going to try the radio idea, and the toys, none of which I've been brave enough to try yet. We are also going to try the cold turkey technique which we did use with Alfie when he was little, I'm fairly confident that even if Alf does get woken early for a few days he will survive and in the long term it will definitely benefit us all. I know she is getting enough to eat during the day and isn't waking because she is hungry, she usually does a poo around the time of waking, so that probably has something to do with it, and then has trouble going back to sleep. We had such a problem with Alf and I got really depressed, so to be back here with Esther is a nightmare and we are really struggling!!

[floo]

I'm sorry that this is happenening to you again, have you got a game plan re changing her? I think I would be inclined to leave everything ready for the night time nappy change out so that when she wakes up you can change her really quick and in the dark (eek) so that she is disturbed a little as possible, maybe at that time switch the radio on. It could lull her back to sleep. With your DD being awake for most of the day she must be used to the stimulation and the noise of family life, the radio will (hopefully) be a substitute.

[fizzbuzz]

I did read a thread on here ages ago about early risers.

It said to move morning nap to a much later time as it is an extension of night time sleep when early which is what you say. I think it takes about 2 weeks to have an effect.

hth

[fizzbuzz]

How old is she? If she is napping in pram, she must still be little

[Louisakate]

She is nearly 7 months old, and I have just started putting her down in her cot rather than the pram which is really inconvenient, but seems to be helping! Last night we decided not to feed her in the night, she woke twice and grizzled away for about 40 mins and then went off again, then she woke at 5am, I went in and checked her nappy and then left again. she cooed away for 50 mins and then went back to sleep for 45 mins until 6.30am. A bit of a rough night,I did give her some water because it was soooo warm. Today she has been much more settled and has eaten loads which was good. She had a two hour nap at about 9am and then tried to go off again at about 1.30pm ish. she woke after about half an hour and had a good whinge but eventually went off again for a further half and hour. She has been good humoured and lovely, but was still ready for bed at six!! We will see what tonight brings, I'm off to bed now just in case!I have found some useful reading material on sleeping by Dana Obleman, has anyone heard of her?

[fizzbuzz]

My dd used to have a catnap anywhere between 5 and 6 foe about 1/2 hour to 45 mins. This meant she could make it to about 7.30pm at bedtime. Doesn't anymore though...just grizzles

However your situation sounds like it has been much better today. Try the catnap option

[Louisakate]

Might try it if the afternoon nap falls short. Last night was better, she was in her cot at 6pm and asleep, she was restless before midnight and cried a bit but I ignored her. She woke happy and chatting at 5.30am but we ignored her and she went off again after about half an hour until just before seven, I don't think she really wanted to wake up then though. Daytime naps are a bit more tricky. She goes down no problem but usually wakes after about half and hour and grizzles for a while. She does go off again if I leave her. If I don't, she is miserable and tired!

[NRJ3]

Hi
I purchased the Sleepsense Programme by Dana Obleman, it is a complete con. Usually I do not fall for these kinds of things but i was so tired and desperate. When I googled to find help getting baby to sleep it was the top hit site. I stumped up the cash to receive the electronic package including a whole load of so called freebies. The site claimed I would receive the package in minutes and to contact customer services if not. Around a month later I have received nothing (except a whole load of spam) despite chasing with their customer services department - they have just stopped responding to me. I have subsequently asked for a refund and am waiting for their response.
Just a warning to others to not waste their money no matter how desperate.

[startail]

Much later bed time. Personally I'd keep them up to midnight if they woke up at 4am.
I do not do mornings, never have, always last one on the school bus and DH generally does breakfast

[hairymonkey]

Oh god, was just about to start a thread about my 4 year old DS who wakes between 4 and 5. I'm going crackers. He's due to start school today, so hopefully that will help. So nothing useful to add, just I'm up too! Also he wakes up at the same time regardless of when he goes to bed, sometimes gets up earlier if gone to bed later. Off to weep into my shreddies.