To be horrified I used to wake at this time every day?

[iusedto]

At 18 months my previously crap sleeper started sleeping through (mostly) but swapped multiple night wakings for waking very, very early - 5-530 generally.

This lasted for around a year. Then he dropped his nap and sort of shifted that sleep to the morning. Gradually he’s been waking later and later and now sometimes I have to wake him. (Not often.)

I have a ‘new’ 18 month old who thankfully doesn’t seem as inclined to start the day when it’s still the middle of the night but she did just wake me about half an hour ago and I am waiting for her to go back to sleep.

But - AIBU to be horrified this was a habitual start time if you like for me once upon a time? I’ve given myself such a hard time about not properly enjoying ds as a toddler but I kind of think no wonder; I must have been sick with exhaustion!

Hehehe - wait til you hit the menopause. I'm awake between 4 and 5.15 every single day. Have been like that for years.

Meh

My two children both used to wake up for the day around 4am when they were around 18m and putting them to bed later seemed to make things worse. I survived rather than thrived during those years.

I look back and wander how I managed at the time I was exhausted. I now struggle getting up at 5.30am for work even with an unbroken nights sleep.

I'm proud of myself for managing it and have no desire to return to those days!

Surely it depends on what time you go to bed though. I have to get up at 5 to get to work but am asleep by 9.30pm so it works fine.

I get up at this time for work (nurse). Im off today but often wake naturally. I don’t mind a couple of peaceful hours getting things done before the kids are up these days but it’s a long day when they’re young. I love it in summer.

This is my life and my DC long since grown up and moved out.

I love being up and about at 5am, it's so peaceful and a good opportunity to get exercise or admin done before the grind starts

This 😩

Sitting here with my 1 year old who was up at 5. It’s early but I don’t think it’s that early for kids. He doesn’t wake much in the night and my older DC sleeps through so I still get a decent amount of sleep.

@HollyBollyBooBoo for me no … getting up at 5 is horrible regardless of what time you go to bed!

I do think there is a sort of difference anyway; it’s the same for night workers, quality of sleep just isn’t the same during the day.

I am in peri menopause but that particular delight hasn’t hit me although I am plagued by insomnia. Often going back to sleep … at 5. So doubly soul destroying if I was then woken at this time!

Posting at this time in the morning you’re going to get replies from people who have to be up or whose body locks are wired to be!

I think you adapt. I had a few bad nights sleep recently and felt physically sick with exhaustion, and remembered that was just how I felt nearly every day on maternity leave.

Don't let them become swimmers - we are up 4 weekday mornings at 4am and 5am on a Saturday!!!!

Ds is wellllllllllll past the toddlers years now 😂

Oh I disagree, I think it depends on the person. I've got kind of a weird work schedule because I collaborate with people in different timezones a lot, so my usual sleeping hours are about 9pm to 4am. I don't mind at all, my body is used to it, sometimes I go for an early swim and get the whole lane to myself. Even when I used to get up later in a different job I didn't like staying up late. My brain and body work best in the morning. I went away with colleagues last month and we went out for dinner at 8pm, which I'm sure is normal for a lot of people, and I'm sure I talked a load of nonsense after about 9.30! Luckily they are nice colleagues.

I salute your tiredness from those days and am glad things are better for you now.
Of course it would be hard to feel all the joys when you're so very tired, thank goodness you can thrive not just survive in motherhood now.

We are still in the early waking era as well as being up in the night (although youngest daughter is currently asleep on me so I am taking this as a win / lie in 🤣).
I am dreaming of the day when I have to wake my children up. My morning alarm usually goes off when we have been up for hours already 😆

I’m a total early morning person, so I naturally wake up at 5-5.30. I love using that time to walk the dog, read quietly, watch the world wake up. I head to bed around 9.30-10pm.

I have a baby now, and the 1-3am feeds are by far the worst for me!

I’m perimenopausal and to wake between 4 and 5am is basically a lie in 😂

and me, I have always been a Lark but at menopause it suddenly got worse and hasn't got any better through the years since.

I was going to say the same, do not encourage competitive swimming OP, 4 x 4:30 wake ups and 1 x 5:30 here. You get used to it.

Awful, gone no more, cat alarm clock these days

I didn't think 5.30 was particularly early or unusual for babies and toddler!

Im now wondering if I was particularly unlucky. Neither of my kids slept through until a couple of years either.

I used to go to bed myself fairly early but 5.30 did at least feel like morning!

My toddler is a 5-5.30 wake up and today the baby went for 5.45 too! I make it as boring as possible until 6 in the hope they'll get the message and DH bought a decent coffee machine. Only way I survive!

I have not had a full night’s sleep for two decades so I think YABU!
When the dc finally slept through I started waking up at 3am with the menopause. Waking up at this time every day is tiring and makes for a long day.

Is 5am really that early? 😅 I haven’t slept past 5am since I was about 12 weeks pregnant with my son - who is now 4.5yo 😂😂
By the time I’ve done his bedtime and got the place sorted out after work etc I’m usually getting to bed about 10.30/11. I also have Hashimotos which seems to affect my sleep pretty badly so most nights I’ll sleep 11-4.30ish with wakes at about 12 and 2 😩 Then DS appears in my bed at some point during each night so that’s another wake when he comes in. I’ve basically been exhausted for about 5 years 🫠😂

I love getting up early, it gives you such a head start for the day especially having children. Not everyone is a morning person though!! X

I was about to type that! 5am seems late for me now. Those long lie in’s I imagined when the kids were teens have never materialised. If i sleep until 5am now i’m happy.

Morning person here; 5 aint that early for me, i'm up then anyway most of the time. I like the peace and my current job starts at 6.30 anyway.