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help from those of you with the richard ferber book

9 replies

bellow · 29/04/2005 19:43

i need help big time - we are going bonkers. my 18 months old is normally a good sleeper - sleeping 730 to 730, but following a bout of fever he started waking up at 6am. He did this for a week. In revenge so as to get some time to myself i started putting him to bed at 6 - so he is now sleeping from 6 to 6. I have tried putting him to bed at 7 and 730, he still wakes up at bloody 6!!!! I lent my copy of the ferber book - need urgently to know how he advices parents to shift sleep patterns forward, before I go completely mad and start hating him.... Am I supposed to do it by 1/2 hour every day, or 5 minutes once a week? He has a nap of about 90 minutes between 12 and 1/30am. Eternally grateful...

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NotQuiteCockney · 29/04/2005 19:49

The Ferber line on stopping early waking is to move the nap later. Changing the time he goes to bed won't fix it, but moving his nap later will.

That being said, I'd also make sure it's very dark in his room. At this time of year, the sun comes up pretty early.

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bellow · 29/04/2005 21:07

Thanks NQC. The problem is that if he wakes up at 6am he needs a nap around 12, max 1230. Also technically he is not waking up early, as he goes to bed at 6pm, and sleeps 12 hours. My problem is shifting his pattern forward. His room is dark also. Anybody else?

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NotQuiteCockney · 29/04/2005 21:26

Hmm, that being said, I'd shift his going-to-bed time and his going-to-nap time forward slowly. It might be unpleasant keeping him up later before his nap, but I've had good experiences shifting that way.

I'd do 15 minutes/day.

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bellow · 30/04/2005 08:11

thanks - will try this - we are all dying of exhaustion here, haha. does anybody have any other suggestions?

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angelp · 02/05/2005 07:31

6-6???? and you atre complaining? We would kill for that! We have 7-5

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ghosty · 02/05/2005 08:27

Bellow ... I would do it gradually ... 6.15 pm until he is sleeping 6.15am then move it to 6.30pm until he is sleeping until 6.30am and then 6.45pm till 6.45 then 7 - 7 ... it may take a few weeks ....
If you suddenly put him to bed at 7 then he will wake at 6 ...
Mind you, I am not one to give out advice ... my DS has always been a shocking sleeper despite R Ferber and Christopher Green and () Gina Ford.
DS has NEVER EVER done 12 hours ... and tbh 6am is not that bad really is it???

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bellow · 03/05/2005 19:56

thanks for good words - i know 6 to 6 does not sound bad, but i hate starting the day so early, i am full time with ds and my dp is working away, so i hate having to get up so early. It only seems bad because i was used to 8.... Have slowly moved his nap, meal and nap times forward by 15 minutes every day in the last few days. Big breakthrough yesterday - he slept from 7 to 7, yipppeee. Last night though he woke up about 6 times and was ready to start the day at 530am, left him to cry but finally gave in at 6. By 10 he was asking me to go to sleep, I told him "you must be joking, we are off to the playgroup". I live in hope.

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weesaidie · 03/05/2005 20:31

God! Sleep and wee ones! It seems to be a constant struggle!

Whenever I think my dd (13 months) is in a half decent routine she decides to wake up 10 times a night or at 5.30am or not go down at her usual time!

It is just a phase I tell myself.... I hope!

Good luck!

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bellow · 05/05/2005 19:47

Me again, seeking advice. My ds is now going to bed at 715 and wakes up at 530, ready for the day. I keep him up till 12, then he sleeps 12 to 130. I cannot believe it i buggered it, before he was on 6 to 6, and that seemed early. Should he have his nap even later? Is he overtired that he wakes up so early? I don't understand...help if you have experienced and fixed this...He is 20 months.