13 Month old waking at 4am… HELP!

[Onetiredmumma1]

My ds has recently decided the day starts anywhere between 4-4:30 am. First two mornings I thought it was just a minor issue that would pass any-day, but here we are week two and I’m slowly crumbling 😂😩

I’ve read and researched so much! I’ve moved nap times, made sure he’s fed till his hearts content, changed from sleep sac to duvet and pillow and back again, purchased tommee tippee black out blinds, used white noise, made sure the room is correct temp and he’s not too cold, paid for huckleberry plus the list goes on and as you can tell I’m desperate 😂

He has anywhere between 2-2.5 hours of day time sleeo and goes to bed at 7pm without any issues.

If anyone has any magic suggestions I’m happy to hear them 🙏🙏

If he's content leave him and see if he will go back off. Other than that welcome to Camp Early Risers. My 11 year old has always been up between 5 and 5.30. Its easier now she is older but was hard the first few years.
You may have to do what I did and change my sleeping habits to accommodate DSs. Sorry I can be more help 💐

How many naps is he taking? If he is still on 2 sounds like he might be starting to transition to 1 nap. It's crap tbh my daughter is doing this and she will get up early if she had 2 naps that day. 1 nap she will wake her normal time of half 5-6am.
Also maybe try shifting to a Kate bedtime between 7-8?
How warm is it in your house right now? My LG is sleeping poorly with the heat right now.

If this has been happening for over a week and you've tried all those changes, maybe you haven't let anything go on long enough to make a difference? Sorry hope that doesn't sound mean I just mean it factually. When changing something about sleep/routine you need to give it a good few days/a week to actually see any difference, and probably longer if you're making multiple changes at once. Changing from sack to pillow and back again hasn't let the change have any effect.

Mine is 13m and sounds like we have similar nap and bed times. So maybe it's just an impact of the lighter mornings/warmer weather and he'll readjust in the next 7-10 days.

Also second the poster who said if he's not crying then leave him to it. Mine will often babble from 5.30am but I'm not going in to get him unless he's crying or it hits 6.30.

Yes @Greenflamesburn I am thinking that’s the case I just need to go to bed earlier and accept my day starts then 😂

@Riverbananacarrot yeh so I have begun to try and transition to one nap at around 11 but is proving difficult as he’s waking so early, i got him back down the other morning from 4:30 and he slept till 6:30 so we managed a 11am nap fine, he slept for 2.5 hours and the following morning woke at 5 so a little improvement! We’re lucky we aren’t too warm at home but the heat is definitely impacting him.

@reabies no offence taken :) I am riding it through and trying to stick to the new nap routine, we have kept the pillow but he was kicking the duvet off and waking before 4 because he was a little chilly so I thought while we are having issues anyway best not add to it if he’s getting cold.
I agree I think the lighter mornings and warmer weather are really not helping, we live by the sea so 4am the seagulls are out in full force and are so loud!

Sadly once he’s awake he’s not happy until he’s out his cot so lots of raging and tears until mummy's up 🫠

Thank you for all you’re replies ladies ❤️

That sounds so tough, especially if he's not happy chilling on his own! Keeping my fingers crossed that it's just a short phase for you, but I know that every day with an early start feels like a lifetime, even if it's only happening over a few weeks😓

When my daughter started doing this I was advised by a sleep consultant to move her to 1 nap and it worked too a few days to settle out. She was approx 14 months then.

Do you have blackout blinds? It's very light at that time now. I'm sure it's likely a short phase if new. DD also did this at around age 2 for about 2 to 3 weeks and then went bk to normal again. Could also be developmental if they are trying to walk etc. It is so hard though x

@reabies I hope so too! Good job they’re cute! ☺️

@Tryingtoconceivenumber2 hey, yes so
this is day three of switching him to one nap I’ve managed to keep him going until 11 and hopefully when he’s adjusted will push to lunchtime. He made it through today like a trooper until 11 and is soundo atm. I have recently purchased the tomee tippee blinds to go over his window which are great! He has been walking for a little while now so I think it could be down to the naps. Like @reabies said I think I just need to perceiver and hopefully will see results soon. 🙏🏼 glad your little lady cracked it !

@Onetiredmumma1 fingers crossed for you. I'm sure by next week you will be edging more towards 6am x

Another vote for dropping to 1 nap. You are in for a difficult ride as 2 weeks in the 4am start and the subsequent need for 2 naps will be pretty entrenched. I’d aim to try and keep them up until 10, or 5-6 hours after waking, then put her down for a nap. Bedtime might have to be quite early so you won’t see an instant difference in wake time. But as you fall into a routine of big sleep in the middle of the day with 5-6 hours of awake time either side you can then slowly start shifting all the times. The other option would be keeping 2 naps but making bedtime much later. Good luck!

If your in uk could be the light as thats when sun rises. With out 3 they all started waking 3.30 and 4 and after a week we got blackout curtains and blind and hey presto they are sleeping fine again

Thank you everyone. Xxx