Early waking 2 year old ... I'm not coping well

[DorotheaPlentighoul]

DS has started, for no apparent reason, to wake up at around 5:15 each morning, crying hard for mummy or daddy. Wall between his room and neighbour's (we are in a flat) is so thin, I know he disturbs them; so leaving him to cry and rattle cot bars isn't great. We usually give him a book or toy, but it only works for 20 mins or so.

I know there are worse things, but I am SO tired ... am in the 1st trimester of pg which basically makes me into a zombie anyway, and this morning (extra early, 4:20!) I really felt like I just wasn't going to make it through the day with him. I actually felt angry with him at first -- and he's only 2, FGS, so I know that's not an appropriate response. But I just feel all over the place with exhaustion and fear for how it will be when we have our next LO in the spring. I coped rather badly with the broken nights first time around.

Anyway. At this age, any advice? He still has a nap after lunch and I have thought about dropping it but the only time I tried, he had a tremendous "night terror" that evening, which he's never had before or since. Also, at the mo he wakes so early that he's in a cycle of really needing his nap after lunch.

Sorry so long.

[DorotheaPlentighoul]

Oh well, serves me right for starting a thread that no doubt covers old ground!

I'd trawl the archives if I wasn't so blimmin' knackered

[TanteRose]

its a phase - it WILL pass! you will just have to go to bed earlier for a while.
But I remember that phase and it is awful....

[TanteRose]

also, can you bring him into bed with you when he wakes - it might give you another hour or so....even if you don't actually sleep, you can cuddle for a bit..
DH is helping out, right?

[IMoveTheStarsForNoOne]

What time does your heating click on?

Clocks change in a couple of weeks, maybe the change will help reset him?

How long is his nap in the day - maybe you could shorten it, rather than doing away with it totally.

[DorotheaPlentighoul]

I go to bed basically as soon as DS does these days -- lucky if I make it to 8:00! And yes, DH is helping and is in fact really wonderful at the weekends and in the night, etc. So I shouldn't really be feeling the tiredness as much as I am, but I guess it's just the cumulative effect. This AM I was truly in despair and felt resentful, and guilty about it.

We sometimes try bringing him in with us but it hasn't really ever worked, or at least not since he was under a year old -- he just cries if we try to sneak him through and lie him down with us for a cuddle or sleep. He is happy to be there if it means sitting up, climbing on our heads and playing with us, of course ... but at 5:15 this isn't much fun.

IMove, it would be nice if the clock change helped but I'm dreading it will make things worse! Need to think more positively I suppose. Shortening nap gradually might work, hard to say really as it is quite varied in length from one day to the next but will give it a go.

Heating ... actually not coming on auto at the moment, but yes, when we do start that, it will be gurgling away around that time ...

[iwouldgoouttonight]

Aw you poor thing. DD wakes any time from 5am so I feel your pain - I'd rather wake in the night and then go back to sleep than know you're up for the day at 5am!

DD is only nine months so I'm just thinking (hoping!) it must get better - she does seem to be improving as the mornings are now darker. DS did go through a stage of early waking (he's three years old now) and, although this doesn't seem to make sense, when we let him sleep for longer in the day he started to sleep for longer at night. Kind of sleep breeding sleep theory. Not sure that works for everyone, he might be unusual!

We also have a nightlight in his room which projects pictures on the wall and if he wakes in the night we sometimes put that on and it calms him down for long enough to get himself back to sleep.

It will get better!!

[DorotheaPlentighoul]

Ooh, that nightlight sounds rather nice.

[mamadoc]

CBeebies!

Not a good parenting solution I know but works for us. DD who's 2.5 usually leaves it until 6/6.30 now but for a long time it was always 5.30am.

We take it in turns to roll out of bed, switch on TV, install self and DD under duvet on sofa and try to nod off again.

I'm sure it is bad for her/encourages it etc etc but it gets me through and she never watches TV any other time.