Can I just have some support before I totally lose my shit

[thinkingcapon]

This thread has been done to death
I'm bored of my own chat but don't have anyone to share this with in real life
My 2.5 year old has become a fucking ridiculously early riser
This am was 3.08......awake for the day from then
The day before was 0418
I've tried EVERYTHING from 3 different sleep consultants , all of them have totally differing opinions!!!
Please someone tell me I can get through this x

Have you checked the obvious... not getting too cold/hot; noise from outside or noise in the house? We went through an awful patch with our youngest and found it was the heating pump in the airing cupboard that was noisy and scaring her...... we put a radio on quietly so she couldn't hear it clicking on and off.

They are prone to nightmares at that age too.... low level lighting? A dream catcher? And the same reaction each and every time.... it's night time, we sleep at night time, back to bed, cuddle and leave. Over and god damned over but never changing the response. Even when you're so tired you would agree to anything to get some peace.

Other things... making sure they're physically tired but not overtired, plenty of fresh air and exercise, and no naps after 1pm.

Most of which you've probably tried and are thinking that's not helpful. We've all been there, if that's any help . And come out the other side.

As above, we've all been there and come out of the other side. It is so hard.
I found this early rising to be a test of boundaries with DD2. I think she came awake naturally at that time but instead of resettling, she thought it was much more fun to have some company. After 2-3 weeks of firm boundaries ie this is nighttime so limited talking, no eye contact but gentle shushing, reassuring rubbing of back etc she realised I was pretty boring at 3am and started going back to sleep again.

I seem to recall another push a year later when she just got into bed with us at 3am. But that's another story

@thinkingcapon hey there, I feel your pain. My DC has always been a ridiculously early riser. I firmly believe this comes from when they were a baby and would wake when daddy could be heard getting ready for work. DC is 18months now and still gets up anywhere between 5.30 - 8am. Usually around 6.30am.

No real advice I'm afraid, just wanted you to know you're not alone and one day the issue will resolve itself (I believe they get lazier as they get older! 😂) try not to stress as the little nuggets pick up on this and, for whatever reason, it just exacerbates things!

Oh Jesus that’s hard going. Poor you. A star chart and a wee choc for staying in bed worked quite well for us from around that age. Defo old enough for some small consequence. I’m sure you’ve tried everything though my sympathies

Don't put her to bed later on the premis it means a later rise.

I was talking to a colleague when our son was being an owl most nights and by putting them to bed later, cayuses the stress hormone (cortisol) to rise in their blood, they have a shit restless night and wake early.

I've had this with both if mine at that age. I can only tell you what we did (and you've probably already heard it)

Anything before 5am was night time & no getting out of bed. No lights, nothing remotely interesting. If I remember it was all kept quite quiet and dark and cuddly with the 5am wake ups too, until cbeebies 6am to try and keep it SO boring for them. No reward.

Eventually it naturally changed to 6 and then they've both responded well to a grow clock & know they don't get up until the sun comes up (slowly crept back to 7am).

But you gave my sympathy, it's soul destroying when the day begins with anything earlier than a 6

Have you tried the groclock?

What kind of parent are you? I mean this nicely but the only kind of people I’ve known this to happen are the soft as butter kind. Rule out obvious things - eg neighbour mx boiler coming on loud, regular alarm, too hot or too cold. Are they in a proper bed? After that get tough - no means no. No discussion. They get up. They get put back. They can scream but you ignore. If you can’t do this then learn to put up with it until they grow out of it.

Fuck me that's early

Are you burning him out during the day?

Mrspear thank you for your constructive criticism and also another thing - fuck off

Everyone else thanks so much.

I do have a groclock but I'm sure he wouldn't understand this yet......

I will continue to ride the storm. I'm not being a martyr but both the sleep consultants say he's one of the 2% they can't crack

I'll make an appt with gp. I'd rather shit in my hands and clap than get the hv involved

Put them to bed earlier. I know it sounds counterintuitive but it really does work.
And I have to agree somewhat with mrs pear. No means no. Set a time, I'd go early and gradually get later, maybe start at 5. You will not get up before then. Put toys in the cot. Make sure the room is totally baby proof and wait til 5. You could do this in conjunction with a groclock. My just turned 3 totally gets the clock and it really worked. We've gone from 5:30 to 6:15 overnight. She gets a magnet every day and then a big reward after 10.
Good luck.

I wish I could tell you that there was a suggestion on here that I've not tried
This morning is morning 11 of going in, being firm,saying no, it's nighttime, time to sleep and leaving. Pitch dark, no eye contact, I've lost count of the amount of times I've done that until I say when it's time to get up

Jeez nothing like a supportive poster eh, Op?

Hopefully he will grow out of it. My 19 month old finally started to sleep through the night at 18 months. Except now she's gone backwards and she's up at 4-5 now and I am an absolute monster without proper sleep. I feel your pain. I try to remind myself that at one point of her life she was up every 45 minutes

I agree with the bed a bit earlier, also has he dropped the daytime nap? Mine needed to be still sent for a nap until 4. They slept better at night when they had napped after lunch.

I made a bed on their floor - at least that way I could rest while saying ‘it’s sleepy time’. I did find I had to just maintain the line - it was still shit but marginally improved (ie 5.45). This time of year is rubbish - brighter morning birds tweeting sap rising 😱. Sympathy.

I don’t know myself now I get to sleep til 7am every day

I know you're in pain OP I promise it will pass

But you have truly made me laugh and I concur 100% with "I'd rather shit in my hands and clap than get the hv involved"@thinkingcapon

Could it be that your DS is hungry? Have you tried offering a sippy cup of milk, or yogurt and water in a sippy cup, before bed? Worked for me.

What happens if you scoop him into your bed and cuddle?

I've only taken him into my bed 3times in last 6 months. He used my whole body as a soft play bouncing around on my wobbly bits (there's a lot of them) singing,clapping, shouting......

He's a machine when it comes to eating.i can't bicycle pump anymore into him

Todayiwin you're welcome. It's one of my favourite sayings. I hope you're not a hv.

I'm sorry if I seem dismissive . I do really appreciate some strangers helping.

For all of you who have more than one , I salute you.....and I hope that , I'm time, when I'm out the other side, I'll start to enjoy being a mum. Ashamedly i don't feel
Like that yet.......
X

@thinkingcapon I guess @MrsPear is one of the controlled crying brigade. They can ALL fuck off! 😂😂

Hi OP, it’s truly shit isn’t it.

My kids are all grown up now but Ds2 nearly broke me, actually he did break me through lack of sleep but that’s not helpful to you right now..

It will get better , honest .

My eldest was like this until she was 2.5. She'd wake up in the early hours and would not go back to sleep. I would stay awake for as long as I could manage (4-5am) and do my best to get her back to sleep. If i failed my husband would then take her out in the car where she did sleep.

We tried everything. We couldn't bare the crying ways as she got so upset when left and nothing else worked. She grew out of it when she dropped her nap and is now an4 year old who sleeps through most nights

One of mine had too much adrenaline she still had he Moro reflex and just didn't need much sleep. Nearly killed me.

Found someone to treat neuro development delay it was like a switch within a few weeks.

DD was like this from a baby since about 3ish. Ot oscillated between stupidly early rising and stupidly late going to bed. At her worst it was a mix of both.
She grew out of it and I think being in pre school 5 days a week was what cracked it. She was finally tired.
She's 6 now and sleeps great and changes in routine don't affect her at all.
Hopefully it will pass soon .