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Join our Sleep forum for tips on creating a sleep routine for your baby or toddler.

Sleep

2.5 yr old early 4.30 am wakings!!

12 replies

Katd31 · 16/10/2018 09:16

our ds has always been an early riser. we put him down around 7.30pm and in the past he would usually wake anywhere between 5.30 and 6. recently he has started moving it to 4.30-5.30. we have a 5 month old baby that he usually wakes up at the same time too. any advice would be much appreciated. he wakes up crying so i think a gro clock is out of the question. when he wakes up we take him into our room where more often than not he won't settle back to sleep and is awake from then. He still has a 1 hr nap which we try to give him between 11 and 12. i read something about sleep to wake (i.e. waking him at 4am) but i am not sure if this is for younger babys. i can't see that working.. but am interested to hear if it has for others.

tia

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2littleboymonkeys · 17/10/2018 05:55

My 2 year old did this. Is he still napping.

I cut down my day naps from 2 hours to45 mins and it did the trick. Toddlers will sleep for 12 hours in 24 I was told so if you split it down and he is having 2 hours at lunch then going down at 8 you would expect 6am wake up. I suppose the goal by 3ish is no nap and 7-7

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2littleboymonkeys · 17/10/2018 05:57

Also if mine wakes up at 5am crying and I move him to our bed he is a nightmare, if I just hold his hand he tends to go back down

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TeddyIsaHe · 17/10/2018 06:06

Oh god dd has been waking at 3:30/4am for three weeks now and I might actually lose my mind. I’ve tried later bedtime, less naps, more naps, nothing helps!! So no advice, but all the solidarity.

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Mealmaker · 17/10/2018 06:09

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Orangepear · 17/10/2018 06:18

Does he need the toilet? When my 2.5yo wakes up early it's because she needs a wee.

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Introvertedbuthappy · 17/10/2018 06:27

I would drop the nap. My 2.5 year old dropped his months ago. He still won't sleep through but will do roughly 9 - 6:30. Some children don't need as much sleep as others.

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Aries456 · 17/10/2018 07:45

Hah please help! Same situation. Got a 5 week old who is waking every 3 hours and taking an hour to go down each time (which I can handle) but my 20 month old has started waking at 5/5 30 And this morning it was 4.30!! She has an absolute tantrum if she isn't taken out of her cot and downstairs...which we are not going to do!! Please some help/ advice... shebis having a 2 hour nap from 10-12 And still seems tired in the day. Is that too long for 20 months?? She can't stay up longer than that in the morning or she becomes inconsolable and then by 6.30pm she is the same, so pale and tired....

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Katd31 · 17/10/2018 08:59

thanks for all your replies! i did try cutting the nap but he started falling asleep at 4pm. think he still needs it so have cut it down to an hour from 11.30 to 12.30 ish. in the past we let him nap when he wants for how long he wants so going to try and be strict with the times for 2 weeks and see if it has any effect.

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FusionChefGeoff · 17/10/2018 09:30

We did all of the above plus moved dinner to 5pm and bedtime to 6pm for a while.

Plus - and this was the hardest bit - basically sleep trained that 4.30am was still night.

So went in, laid her back down saying 'it's sleep time' then gradual retreat. First I stayed by the cot, constantly lying her back down, repeating its sleep time. Then moved to a chair. Then moved to by the door. Then left. The first 2 mornings were awful and she was VERY unhappy she wasn't allowed to get up!

So, get DP involved and accept that this will probably wake the baby etc but it's short term pain.

Then the 3rd morning she gave it a shot, realised I wasn't backing down and just laid herself back down and went back to sleep!

By the end of the week, if she woke I would hear her briefly on the monitor then she went back to sleep - heaven!!!

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idontknowwhattoput1 · 17/10/2018 17:44

My DD is 25 months and doesn't nap anymore she was waking up so early before now she wakes at 7.30-8 it's amazing ! I know how u feel I used to sit there at half 4 wondering what was wrong with my child

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Katd31 · 23/10/2018 19:34

hello we've adjusted the routine a bit by being stricter on nap times (only 1 hr between 11.30 and 12.30) and put down a little earlier at 6.45 for bath and he is starting to sleep through till 5.30 which is a lot better...hoping to one day get to 6am but both kids have croup so this is a really good improvement in a short space of time!

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Katd31 · 03/11/2018 07:45

Hello.. thought I should share for people in the same boat. so for the last few weeks we’ve been strict on routine of napping and bedtime etc...(nap 12-1 and bed 6.45/7) and he is managing to sleep till 5/5.30 (doesn’t help he had croup then clocks went back) last night I decided to stay at
my parents with the baby as am so tired from being woken by both of them that I needed a break. So left the toddler at home with his dad and he has slept till 7.30!!!! I think the baby waking up for feeds in the night and making noise must be waking him. Our house is small and walls are thin! Good to see there is a light at the end of the tunnel and he can sleep till then... even if it is just a one off. Maybe worth a try for others in desperate need