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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

one year old waking early - is there anything I can do??

11 replies

lolly123 · 10/07/2007 15:39

Hi,
I'm new to this site and I was wondering if anyone can give me some advice?
My lo is 12 months old, she has started to wake and 6.15/6.30 instead of her usual 8ish (or just before), her bedtime is 8pm.
It started when she was sick recently, she had an ear infection and was teething, but she's better now.
Is there anything I can do to help her sleep longer? I've tried leaving her to see if she'll go back to sleep on her own, but she just plays for 30/40 mins then cries, this morning I tried going into her room as soon as she woke and tried to help her get back asleep but she was wide awake.
Any suggestions or advice would really be appreciated...thanks,L

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

blobsmummy · 10/07/2007 16:40

Welcome to MN Lolly!

My DD is 13 months, and went through a similar sort of thing - I think they tend to around this time as quite a few other people have had this prob. No advice to give other than to hang on in there and your DD will most likely return to her normal routine within a couple of weeks (mine did).

You may find it helpful to be part of the July post-natal thread - these are all people who have got LO's the same age as yours and it's a great support to be in contact with others at the same stage as yourself. Here's the link:

July post natal thread

pesto1 · 10/07/2007 18:19

my dd did this to, i brought a black out blind and that helped a bit.
i used to just nip in lay her down again and walk straight out with out giving her any eye contact. took a few days but she got the message in the end!

dazedorconfused · 10/07/2007 18:30

I will be no comfort here - my dd is 3 this week and has picked similar time to wake up and is relentless!
Latest plan is to get one of these bunny alarm clocks.
Its worth trying anything as over time it is hard. Week days not too bad but Sundays - ouch!!

makemineaginandtonic · 10/07/2007 18:53

That sounds positively civilised! My 2 year old is up at 5.15 without fail, no matter what her bedtime is. Still, can't complain, she is normally asleep at 6pm.

Most "experts" draw a blank when it comes to this problem, figuring that by the time you've employed a controlled crying technique or suchlike, it is by then time to get up!

I find sitting like a zombie with a coffee on the settee with the tv on gets me through until a more civilised hour!

katelyle · 10/07/2007 19:09

That's what Cbeebies is for! Why do you think it starts so early?

NannyL · 10/07/2007 19:13

blackout blinds and blackout curtains may help....

so the room really is pitch balck

gegs73 · 10/07/2007 19:26

My ds1 did this when he was about 1 but used to wake up at 5am and it lasted a good few months - sorry! At the time we used to leave lots of dummies in his bed and he used to find one and give us an extra hour or so. Even now aged 3 he is up at 6.30ish whatever time he goes to bed.

Good news is:
You do get used to it.
It is not 5am .
As they get older you can tell them you are very boring before a certain time and plonk them and yourself zombie like in front of the tv until a reasonable hour.

It might be worth seeing if there are any sounds which wake her up that you can eliminate. We live near the flight path and now ds1 is 3 he tells us that the planes used to wake him up early.

orangecat · 10/07/2007 19:34

Agree - had this with my dd too. Seems to just be that they go through phases of this, or that different babes have different wake time. We too had a stint of 5.30am - not nice. But does make the usual 6.30 seem like a dream and the occassional 8am a positive lie in!

Seona1973 · 10/07/2007 19:46

my 9 month old ds is currently waking just before 6am and we leave him for a wee while to see if he will go back over (but he never does!!). We wouldnt get much of a lie in anyway as dd (3.8yrs) is through at 7am on the dot. We had to train her with fairy lights on a timer at the age of 2 to stop coming in at 5.30/6am and gradually we managed to get her to 7am. She is now allowed to come through when her digital clock says 7.00. She occasionally has a lie in to 7.15am

I think its pretty normal to wake at this time so you should probably just try to get used to it or go to bed earlier.

Original poster

lolly123 · 10/07/2007 20:10

thanks for all the replies - I really hope this is a phase and it'll pass, we're both exhausted!

OP posts:

mumsville · 10/07/2007 22:35

My ds did this - was a nasty shock and someone recommended
a) blackout blinds
b) cutting daytime sleep shorter

Worked immediately! He did have two naps up until that point now gets on fine with one (12.30 - 2.30 tops) and he sleeps right through the night again.

However, I miss that extra daytime nap - swings and roundabouts!

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