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Original poster

Early waking

25 replies

thewheelsonthebus · 11/09/2008 21:12

Hello all mums out there, this is the first time I've written anything! I have an 11month old DS who keeps waking at 5.45am... This has been happening for about a week. Beforehand he was waking at 6.15/ 6.30am which was okay, but 5.45am is sooo early! Is this normal or is there something I can do about it? He has recently started to 'bum shuffle' and move around, and I also started back at part-time work recently so I don't know if these things have affected him...

OP posts:

snickersnack · 11/09/2008 21:18

Normal. Sadly. Only thing I can think of that might work is wait until he grows up - one day you won't be able to drag him out of bed.

Sorry. ds has been doing this for months and months and months. Sometimes we get a lie in until 6.15, but more often we're up at 5.30. I will be watching this thread with interest to see if anyone has any clever suggestions.

Othersideofthechannel · 11/09/2008 21:26

This is how I first found mumsnet.
Nothing I tried worked apart from going to bed early myself.
DD started this aged 10 months. She has grown out of it but was at least 6 months before started waking after 6am again.

TheGreatScootini · 11/09/2008 21:30

Nothing can be done.DD1 has just grown out of it so far as she now wakes at 6.30-7 every day.DD2 however wakes up at 5.
It comes as a shock to me every morning, even though its been happening in our house for 2.9 years, whatever time I go to bed, (which is usually 9..so wild)5am is just an ungodly hour..

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desperatelyseekingsleep · 12/09/2008 14:25

Yep, ds2 did this for about 4 months from 8/9 months (at its worst, he was waking at 445am!) Has only just started waking later now and he's 13 months. I think you just need to grit your teeth and wait for him to grow out of it

CarGirl · 12/09/2008 14:27

How long and what time is his day time nap & what time does he go to bed?

BeachBunni · 12/09/2008 15:50

I'm so glad I'm not the only one. Ds is 11 mo and used to sleep until 8-8.30am but the past week has been waking up at 5 most mornings. This morning I even tried bringing him into bed with me as that used to work but instead I got kicked, used as a climbing frame, fingers up my nose, crawling all over the bed.

I think it's an age thing. Developmentally they're starting to move about and gain independance. I know my ds has recently mastered pulling up onto his knees and that's the way I usually find him in the early mornings holding onto his cot.

noramum · 13/09/2008 21:10

We had this as well. Now with 14 months it got a little bit better(mostly back to 6.15/6.30).

We brought bedtime forward to 8pm now as with the begin of nursery dinner got later and later.

I've been told it will get better but the mum refused to say at what age.

yummymummy1405 · 13/09/2008 21:39

ds went through this stage no doubt dd will too a bit further along the line. Grit your teeth atleast you have more time to get ready. Had to really search for a positive remark!!!

watsthestory · 13/09/2008 21:41

This reply has been deleted

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lou031205 · 13/09/2008 21:51

DD1 is 2.9 and woke at 2am last night. Insistent that she wanted to go downstairs. Top of her voice. Woke her sister. Both downstairs by 3.17 am - now who feels sorry for me?

watsthestory · 13/09/2008 21:52

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NeverEndingPileOfLaundry · 13/09/2008 21:58

My DD did this, she has just (hopefully!) grown out of it. (She is 19months). I think part of the problem is that she was getting cold in the wee small hours. We found that if we got to her before she was fully awake / checked on her if we needed to get up and go to the loo, and cover her with an extra blanket if necessary, then she sleeps a bit longer at least some of the time(6.30 /7.00) I don't know if this is worth a try?

LostGirl · 14/09/2008 07:31

Just trust that it won't last for ever but IMO it's better to just get up with them if they are happy and clearly ready to get up, instead of leaving them there until a certain time because all you end up is being cross and angry by the time you do get up and then with an upset child rather than a happy one... not a good syart to the day! You have my sympathy, dd2 has got up at 4.15 everyday since she was 3 weeks old. Just try and go to bed a bit earlier and know that it won't be like this forever.

dilemma456 · 14/09/2008 17:08

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missorinoco · 14/09/2008 17:33

It is such an uncivil time. I felt very sorry for myself when I realised I was up before Cbeebies!

A blackout blind delayed the wake up slightly for us, from pre 6am to post 6 am. Could be worth a try.

Sawyer64 · 14/09/2008 17:45

Yes blackout Blind is good,as is making sure they arent getting cold.My DD2 kicks off her covers,but sleeps alot longer in a "Grobag".

Baby Whisperer suggests (if you are really desperate) to set your alarm for 4am for as couple of nights,and then gently rouse them slightly so they arent fully awake.

Its supposed to "break" the habit of them waking at 5am,as you have "altered" their pattern of sleep,so in theory they should fall back into a deep sleep and "miss" their usual window of waking....

Haven't ever read/heard of anyone trying it,but I imagine its worth a try if you are desperate.

CrushWithEyeliner · 14/09/2008 17:50

Normal normal - you just have to get up with em. I wait 15 mins for cebeebies and have a snooze while DD plays. Awful but you just get used to it babe

Original poster

thewheelsonthebus · 15/09/2008 09:00

Thank you for all replies and suggestions. I feel better now knowing it's not only me. I have tried adding an extra ounce to his milk bottle at night so he now has 8oz and finishes it all! (He goes down at about 7.30pm). This seems to have worked as the past two mornings he has woken up at 6.30... Pre children never would I have considered 6.30 a lie in, but it is compared to 5.45!!!!!! I am not sure if this 'lie in' will last but I will try other suggestions if it doesn't...

OP posts:

macaco · 15/09/2008 10:15

try putting him to bed half an hour earlier. sounds weird but works.
read healthy sleep`habits happy child, marc weissbluth.

feeble · 17/09/2008 19:18

yes my 2 yr old son is up before 6 everyday and i have trained him to watch a video for a hour (which i put on for him then go back to bed)before disturbing us. Its not the same as getting up at 7 but it helps. i cant let him wake my 4 yr old DD as she is unmanagable if woken before 8 (just like her mum

pamelat · 17/09/2008 19:29

6am is a good morning for us

FeelingLucky · 17/09/2008 19:41

Yes, my DD started early waking around 10 months. It got better when she started nursery and dropped her morning nap. It got much better when we went on holiday to France where they have shutters and she slept in complete darkness (woke at a blissful 8am)!

At 15 months she sometimes wakes at 5.30/6am but can usually be persuaded back to sleep with a bit of patting/stroking.

branflake81 · 17/09/2008 20:04

Well I'm 27 and still wake up at 6am no matter what so I've never outgrown it - sorry, don't want to scare you!

rachels103 · 17/09/2008 20:24

5.45 is pretty normal for us despite every attempt. I wouldn't waste your time trying different routines, amounts of food, daytime sleep etc etc etc....we've tried it all!

Our only respite was when we went camping...ds ran around all day, went to bed when it got dark (9.30ish) and slept til 8.30. But that was very much the exception.

At least this thread shows we're not alone!

Othersideofthechannel · 18/09/2008 09:15

But Branflake, I bet you don't wake everyone else up for breakfast or entertainment!

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