4am start to the day. Wwyd in this situation?

[graysor]

I found myself in this situation this morning. I don't think I handled it well. But I don't really know what else I could have done. So I'd welcome your thoughts on what your strategy might have been.

Dd is 2.2. She is under the weather with a nasty cough, slowly getting better after a week or so. She usually sleeps well, sleeping through reliably from 7.30-5.30 ish but obviously the cough is unsettling her. We've been having to go in and resettle her 3/4/5 times in the night. Which is fine, unusual for her, and she's obviously uncomfortable.

This morning after a broken night she was awake calling for us at 4. Approached it like any other night waking. Telling her it was still night time, time to go back to sleep etc etc. She got more and more upset and insistent. Repeatedly crying I want to get up, go downstairs, don't want to sleep etc etc.

We brought her into our bed. She refused to lie down. Cried louder and louder don't want to sleep in mummy's bed. Want to get up etc etc. She kept this up for 45 mins before I nearly lost my shit. Then I took her downstairs and we watched peppa pig. I dozed on the sofa while intermittently being told to wake up mummy.

I've been like a zombie all day and dd has been thoroughly miserable. Even though we've basically watched tv all day.

Fingers crossed tonight / tomorrow is better. But if not, what would you do?

Thanks for reading if you got this far!

Yeah I would have done what you did, normally for us ds2 (who does this) will lie down with us but just wriggle etc so we give up and give him the iPad to watch in our bed

I've had this with dd2 and what I did was sit up in bed and put her on my lap. She just didn't want to lay down but slept on me.

I spent one summer when dd1 was 18 months old getting up at 5 and I told dh now I will only get up at the earliest 6.30

The early wakings are shit.

I've been in this situation a number of times so I feel your pain.

Based on trial and error, if they wouldn't sleep in their bed or mine I would:

• try to get them to settle in my bed watching tablet/iPlayer on phone so I could doze
• lay on sofa as you did
• try and get them to nap mid to late morn and I'd get my head down if poss
• then I'd pop them to bed an hour or 30 mins early

Coffee. Much coffee.
And early to bed
I have a 6 year old undergoing assessment for asn who has yet to sleep through. On a good night we get 10-.5 with maybe a 2 am call. On a bad night its maybe midnight til 2.
All the coffee is all I can recommend!

Yep I would have (and have done) similar, it's crap but it does pass.
Are you on your own? If there's another person there I'd reach an agreement that one gets a lie in and the other gets an afternoon nap, so you can both cope. But if not, yes just doze on the sofa in front of the tv and make the best of it.
Sending

Calpol?

Thanks for the replies! Seems like I haven't missed anything obvious, which is both a relief, and a bit of a shame there isn't a magic fix!

I will try sitting propped up in bed though, if dd refuses to lie down again. She might be persuaded to flop against me.

Luckily dh is pretty good at sharing the load. He did most of the night wakings last night. And we strictly take it in turns to get up with dd, so the other gets a lie in. it's my lie in tomorrow whatever time she gets up.

She had an unusually long nap this afternoon, and I had a nap too. First time I've had to do this is ages.

It reminds me how grateful I am that most of the time she sleeps well in the night. Those of you with years and years of broken nights have my utmost sympathy.

We tried calpol too.

I'd have let her watch peppa on the iPad in my bed, I don't get out of bed before 7.

Ok, this is what I did, each to their own. I’d lie with them in their bed. I would never put a light on, dc would not come into out bed. It’s just a phase but if you keep taking her into your bed she will expect it every time.

She's still in a cot, so getting in with her isn't an option yet. TBH she hates coming into our bed, and always has. Even when ill.

Lol, you are so lucky. We've had this for 6 years! Those of you who suggested the iPad, does this mean your child will watch it from 4-7am until you are ready to get up? I just go to bed really early when I need to.

Jamhand my child will now. For the first 6.5 years of her life I've had to get up with her or had her come in whinging constantly that she's bored and I need to get up. Now she watches tv, tablet and gets food on her own. I feel terrible as I don't like her being up alone but she typically gets up at 5 daily and regularly 4.30 features so I'd be a wreck as I couldn't go to sleep early enough to counteract it every day!

Mine generally wakes between 5-5.30 and I will get up about 6. Now he is a bit older (just over 3) he will get up and play with his brother, if he is also awake

I don’t think it counts when they’re ill. Normally I say no tv or anything if they’ve woken too early and won’t engage with them but if they’re genuinely not well then I do whatever they need, if that’s coming downstairs then fine.
Both mine have had the awful cough and cold and if calpol and a drink didn’t settle them back off then we let them watch tv on our bed whilst we dozed.

When they're ill all bets are off. You'll get her back to normal quickly.