I absolutely cannot bear the early mornings

[Mummy2022FT]

Before DC i was an early bird. I would rather do just about anything earlier rather than later. Now, things couldn't be more different.

DC (9mo) wakes up anywhere between 5.30-7am. When he does, a moment of dread fills my whole body. It's like in cartoons when they look up at the sky and go 'NOOOOOO!!!!'

It's the only time out of the whole day where I'm incredibly envious of the child free by choice women.

For some context, DC wakes every 4 hrs roughly but will go straight back to sleep (I don't do night feeds anymore)

So my question is, first of all does anyone else feel this way? Is there anything practical I can do to make this dread go away? Is it mind over matter?

I also sometimes go back to nap when he has his first nap ... this means I'm not 'ready' for the day at all so doesn't work if I'm going to a baby class or something as I need that time to get dressed etc but it helps sometimes on quieter days

Me too! Dd wakes between 4 and 5.30 am everyday without fail. Tried changing nap times. Tried later bedtime. Tried a feed and putting back down. She’s not having it! The first 30 mins of the day I regret every life decision I’ve ever made🤣 Then I just get on with it. I try and get up and do a work out or have a nice breakfast or go for a walk for a coffee or something to make it feel like I’ve achieved something meagre as I go back to sleep when dd has her first nap!

I was scrolling through Mumsnet just now commenting on posts, mainly because I was thinking the exact same thing only this morning and needed to hear about other parents experiences in general to make myself feel less alone! Yes 100% this. I also hate the early wake ups even though previously I was always the first up. It's the hardest part for me, second hardest is after at about 2pm when baby crashes and I'm faced with a trashed house and school pick up at 3. The only thing helps me is to stick my head outside and breathe a few breaths of outside air, and caffeine (I'm not breast feeding). For me the feeling passes after about 20 to 30 mins so just got to ride it out until then...and repeat after me "this too shall pass"

Mine stopped waking early at 13!!!

From 5.30am every day from birth till 13. We tried everything.
My sympathies are with you.

Yeah... don't do this

Nearly 20 years later, I still hold a grudge against DD for this . Lol. She was second child and after having 7pm till 7am firstborn, it was a huge shock to the system. Five am start and couldn't even go back to sleep as toddler needed to get to nursery . Was on my knees with exhaustion . Ended up going to bed myself at 8pm but it was a very tough time . My sympathy to you OP , my DD was still an early riser for years but at least later it was OK to do CBBies , juice box and toast.

I haven’t slept past 5.30 in 5.5 years and realistically it’s more 4.15 onwards. You will adapt.

Sorry, posted too soon. You will adapt but not get used to it (if that makes sense). I’m a naturally early riser but 6-6.30 rather than see every bloody sunrise for almost 6 years! I also think it’s because you’re not waking naturally- if you woke naturally then, you’d probably be ok but being woken up against your will is worse.

My second born went through an awful phase of getting up at 4:30-5am, it was horrific! We tried everything but nothing worked so we just accepted it and took it in turns until the phase was over. They aren’t quite old enough for a Gro Clock yet but my eldest is and it’s a marvellous invention, we don’t hear a peep until 7am! I’m already up with DC2 of course but as soon as they are old enough to understand they’ll be getting a clock as well 😂 I don’t mind the early mornings but it would be lovely to not have to jump out of bed immediately and start doing things, that’s what I miss the most from my child free days!

I remember it well! Both dc would start their day at 5:30am and want breakfast straight away. I have no idea now how I did a full days work being up at this time. It's all a bit of a blur! Eldest is 12 now and will sleep til 9am if left I disturbed. Me on the other hand struggles to sleep in past 6:30am after years of getting up so early!

100%. mine is 15.5m now and she wakes up any time 5am-6.30am and I pray every evening tomorrow morning she sleeps beyond 7am I just somehow find the strength to get up and face the day until her nap about 4h later. I repeat to myself this won't last forever.

I have a 10 yo. She grew out of the 5.45am wakeups gradually. But now I wake up on the dot of 6am, wide awake, whether I want to lie in or not.

Aaaaargh!

Morning hahah… I just had to search for this topic as I absolutely HATE the early morning wake up and needed to feel like I’m not alone with this😩. I also wake up and dread the day/regret my choices/wish I was free as a bird again… I find the mornings the absolute HARDEST, as soon as my son wakes he’s on the go, all I want is to wake up calmly so this doesn’t put me in the best of moods at all… then I feel guilty for being a crap mum (my partner seems to deal with everything so much better than me, he just seems to get on with it, well I do get on with it as I have no choice but I hate it and this is what I want to change, to change my mind set and not hate my life between 6am-10am. Being a parent is so much harder than I ever imagined, there’s not one single piece of education given to demonstrate what being a parent really means which I think is crazy… it’s the most biggest life changing thing someone could do, job you can quit, marriage you can leave but being a parent is for LIFE!!!!!!!