Help getting 1.5yo to sleep past 5am

[Lanty]

My 17m old little boy wakes every morning between 5 and 5.30. He usually wakes briefly around 1am too. Wouldn't be a problem, except he's in such a terrible mood until he's had a nap. After which he's a different child.

Our routine

5.15am wake
11am - 1pm nap
7.30pm sleep

He does occasionally go back to sleep until 7am. He did this yesterday, so I tried a nap at 12-2pm instead. We kept bed time 7pm, but he didn't go to sleep until 8.30pm and still woke at 5am this morning. Tried to get him back to sleep for 40mins, but he kept opening his eyes.

He's breastfeed 3 times a day - bed time, on waking and before his nap. He loudly asks for milk at 5am. This morning DP went in to see if he could settle him, but DS just shouted for milk. He shouts for it at 1am, too, but is more inclined to accept not getting it then.

I'm considering weaning him, but it seems like a shame when he enjoys it and I do too. However, it could be better sleep would be healthier for him than milk at this age.

Has anyone managed to get their child sleeping later? What did you do? I really want to help him as he's in such a grump in the mornings, he's obviously very tired. He just fell asleep breastfeeding.

Thanks!

How is his understanding? We started using a groclock at that age, worked really well.

Ah! Interesting. I haven't looked at them, but will do so now.

He seems quick on the uptake. How did you manage it? I imagine at first I'd have to wait with him while he's in bed, until he gets it. I don't think it would take too long for him to grasp the concept, but I'm not sure if he would patiently wait even if he understood the principle.

Even getting him consistently sleeping to 6.30 would be great!

My toddler is exactly like this, though often he'd wake at 4am for the day!

Cut back on his nap by 15 mins and see if it helps. If not, cut another 15 mins.

Mine is 23 months now and we have to be strict with his nap (1 hour only) now which seems to let him sleep til between 5:30-6:15 ish. If he naps longer then his wake up always gets earlier too.

It's v frustrating I feel your pain!

Nothing worked with DS1, always woke up at 5.30am. He grew out of it by about 3 and started waking up anywhere between 6.15 - 7am. Now DS2 has started waking up between 5am - 5.30am!

Probably not what you want to hear but time was the only thing that helped my DD sleep longer. She used to be an early bird too but now will fairly reliably go to 6/6:30 which is a lot more manageable.

No amount of nap tweaking managed to change it for us. She was just ready when she was ready. (Sorry)

Time and patience. There's a whole billion dollar western world industry based around sleep for small people for a reason, it's a bit like the diet industry, none of it works 😂 If it did we would all know the secret.