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!

It is ridiculously early, OP. However, I am an extreme night owl who struggles to fall asleep before 1-2am. I thank my lucky stars that my DS has slept through until 7 am since he was about 8 months old.

OP I think you're being over dramatic about being 'sick with exhaustion' from having to be up at 5:30 with a toddler, it's really not unusual.

I actually love that time of day (I got up and went cycling at 04:45 today - it was starry and beautiful out). When DS was a baby/toddler he used to wake up early too - I use to give him a feed then chuck him in his seat on the back of my bike and taking him cycling with me! With young children I found it best to embrace the situation rather than getting stressed about it🙂

Well my almost 3 year old daughter woke up last night at 2 am because of the chickenpox. She was uncomfortable and wanted to go downstairs for a drink. She was back asleep at 2:30 am.

At 3 am my 1 year old daughter woke up screaming bloody murder because of teething. I took her downstairs to not wake up the others, gave her calpol, milk, put her in her babyseat.

She fell asleep around 5 am after screaming on and off for 2 hours.

I then managed to sleep for about an hour on the sofa, when my husband came downstairs, because he had to get ready for work.

He told me he also woke up at 4 am because of the screaming and watched youtube from 4-6 as he couldn't go back to sleep.

My 3 children are now wide awake and I have to entertain them for the rest of the day.

It's been a bloody awful night.

Yanbu, but I would have killed for a 3 year old 18 month old who woke at 5 after sleeping through the night! It's amazing what you can get used to, though!

Lots of people have to get up at this time every day. What an overreaction.

I used to get up at 3.30 am three days a week (slept in till 5 on weekends) to exercise my horse before work. 40 mins to feed home animals, get dressed, 30 mins travel, 20mins set up and make feed, fetch horse, saddle up, on by 5.30, finish 6.30, wash horse, put gear away, put horse away, leave by 7, home for 7.30. Quick shower, ready for work, catch bus and to work by 9am. I'd hit about 15,000 steps before I got to the office.

I'm the same
When my kids were school age I loved that time of day just to be quiet, walk, run, be myself

Now they are older I just to do it naturally

When it was forced upon me with young toddlers I hated it 😂😂

All the people saying they go to bed early so 5:30am is fine don’t seem to understand that some people like a lot of sleep. I go to bed at about 10pm and would sleep until 8am if I could. As it is I get up at 7 most mornings. I’d find 5:30 soul destroying.

I remember when my children went through the 5:30 waking stage OP and found it very difficult. Thankfully my DH got up with them on weekdays since he copes a lot better than me with lack of sleep.

For those with peri-menopausal insomnia - HRT helped me with this.

I look back at my working life and am amazed that I used to be up at 5.30 every day before commuting an hour and a half including a 2 mile walk to open a shop at 7.30. Then I'd be on my feet all day before making the return commute - all this in 3in stilettos. I can barely walk from a cab to a restaurant in heels now.

I'm in my sixties and happily retired now and baulk at setting an alarm for 7am in order to make an 8am gym session. A 10.30 class is much more my style these days. Old age has its compensations!

Magnesium sorts sleep out post menopause now.

When my son was 18 months old he finally started sleeping through the night. I was up all hours of the night with him. He used to run his dummy across the bars of the cot like he was in prison lol. I'd have to sit next to the cot with my hand holding his so he would drift off then trying to sneak out for his room with squeaky floorboards was a nightmare. Now he is the exact opposite. Always sleeping. I miss him being a baby.

The earliest I'm ok with getting up and out of bed is 5.30am. I really struggle with anything earlier, even 5.15am is an issue lol.

One of my DC who has an autism diagnosis was a horrific sleeper for years. I spent those years barely functioning as being up 3-4 times in the night for anywhere between 10 minutes and an hour was soul-destroying.

DC still doesn't sleep well, and will regularly wake me up for 15-30 minutes around midnight/1am, with me then having to get up at 5.30am for work, but their sleep is much much better than it used to be!

Every two hours. Every single night. For the first year and God knows how many months.

I conceived a second child during that time and neither me nor my husband can remember having sex.

New fear unlocked, eh people? Chronic sleep deprivation can lead to pregnancy 🤣

I had this during the pandemic (just without the magic 2nd pregnancy!) - totally empathise! DH was working awful shifts in the covid wards at the time. But according to MN I (under a previous username) was selfish for wanting to see my mum to get some respite (I didn't whilst the lockdown rules were in place, but so wish I had!). and DD didn't sleep through the night until 3.5

My daughter, just gone 2, likes to sleep for a few hours then wake up as if it’s a nap then go back to sleep 4 hours later. Some nights I’m not getting to sleep until 5. Right now I’d take 5am wake ups over this!!! I’m exhausted.

I feel ye!!! My twins woke religiously for the day bang on 4am for 18months!
When they did start sleeping through and sleeping later my body clock was so messed up, I still now over a year later wake up naturally about 4am and just get up.
Now through the chaos I cherish those hours in the morn as it's the only time I ever get to myself!!

Yeah I'm grateful if it starts with five

YANBU

Sleep deprivation is awful!

I get up at 5am now for work which I’m not a fan of but I’m able to go sleep earlier because I don’t have a little one clinging to me meaning that I have to wait until they’re in bed to get chores done or just have some me time.

“I don’t need much sleep so you shouldn’t either!”

This post is full of smug gits if you ask me.

Being woken up by little kids at 5.30am on a cold dark weekend morning is a horrible feeling. I do not miss those days AT ALL.

Now that you don’t have young children @Gumbo do you still do this? given you enjoyed it so much?

@leafybrew what do you do once you’re awake at that time?
What time do you go to bed?

Enjoying getting up early is definitely an older person thing, the only people I know who enjoy it are aged 50+.

Absolutely - as mentioned, I was out cycling well before 05:00 today....

Yes OP, I look back and think the same. But I used to put myself to bed earlier. 9 sometimes.