So fed up with 5am wake ups (3yo),

[Braxtonlife]

Dd has always been a great sleeper, slept through since 3 months old and sleeping 11 to 14 hours a night. Then she turned 3 and it all went wrong.

She is fighting bedtime so it is becoming later and later (up to 9pm) then wakes at 5am. I don't even mind waking this early but I'm just frustrated because I know she i still tired. She will wake up in an awful mood and be yawning and falling asleep in the car on the way to nursery.

I just don't know how to handle those early starts anymore. Sometimes she climbs into bed with us and falls back to sleep instantly (rare) but often if we tell her it's not time to get up yet she has a huge tantrum. It's just the worst way to start the day for all of us and I feel for the neighbours, so often I go to her room and stay next to her as she tries to go back to sleep. She hardly ever does and it's so boring lying there for over an hour, I have to lie on the floor and as I am 6 months pregnant it is also pretty uncomfortable amd painful.

I think we need to be more consistent, what would you suggest?

Could try one of those clocks which tell her when it's time to wake up? My dd has always been an early riser. I've just had to get used to it. I tried lying with her etc and nothing ever worked. She's still the same now at 7. The clock didn't work for us sadly. She is sometimes really tired and has massive meltdowns. Even now because she's so tired. But there's really nothing we can do apart from making sure she's asleep on time. Which is easier than getting her to lie in.

Also have a 3 year old who loves to wake early (this morning was 4.50am) and am also 6 months pregnant, so feel your pain!

We have still to solve the issue but things that seem to help:

• Early bedtime! Before, he was going to bed around 7. Now I try to have him in bed by 6.30 and he's falling asleep pretty quickly so he obviously is ready to go to bed then.

• Keeping the room dark.

• Explaining that it's night time, it's still dark, it's too early, downstairs isn't 'open yet' etc. I also keep water next to his bed so I can easily deal with his reasoning of 'I need to go downstairs because I want a drink...'

I also keep a stash of books next to his bed and have apps on my phone with games he likes. So in all honesty, some mornings, I just hand him those and let him occupy himself for a bit whilst I doze next to him. I try not to give in and take him downstairs straightaway.

That said, other mornings I just make the most of it and stick him in the pram with a drink and a croissant, put my trainers on, get my headphones and head out for a long walk. That way I get some exercise in before the day begins, he gets some fresh air and we aren't disturbing everyone else in the house!

We had this when our DD was about 2.6, it was worse in the summer as her curtains are too thin and the sun came through early. You could try blackout curtains / blinds if this is part of the issue?

We had success with the Gro Clock, DD is now 4 and we either set the clock for 6 or 7 am and she doesn't come into our bedroom before that, if she does wake up earlier she stays in bed and sometimes drops back to sleep which is really good.

Also, have you dropped all naps to make sure she is tired at bedtime?

Hey,

We are in a similar position, DS whose 3 and a half has been an early riser since forever. A good day is 6.30 but that's super rare, it's usually 5 or 5.30 especially now that it's summer.

Some things that we are implementing recently:

1. Grow clock - you may already have one. Its definitely not fool proof but helps with explaining when it's time to sleep/get up. We've set the sun setting to 6am and he absolutely is not allowed out of his bedroom until then.

1. Stargate on his bedroom door - this was mainly to stop him coming in to our bedroom in the night which was affecting all of our sleep. We just built a plywood door that slides on to the door.

1. No TVe until after breakfast. Difficult but definitely necessary

1. Better bedtime routine. Even if he's napped in the day we now try and start the bedtime routine at 7pm every night for consistency. Even if he's awake playing in his bedroom until 9pm. Also no TV before bed.

We aree by no means at the point where we ve cracked it. This morning DS woke up at 4.55 (went to bed at 8pmn last night) and stood by his door for. 30 minutes shouting at us. I gave in eventually and laid in his bed with him until 6am and the sun came on on his clock. Some mornings are more successful than others!

I'm also 9 months pregnant and really wish we'd have this sorted by now

Following. 3.4yr old here who generally is up 5-5.30. Sometimes earlier. No matter what time she goes to bed. She has a gro clock but ignores it (worked for DD1 but not her). She is currently potty training and her speech is improving at a phenomenal rate recently so I’m hoping it’s all development leap related and a phase…. Wishful thinking maybe?

Thanks all, a lot of this really resonates! I think we have a few issues:

-napping: I think this is why it all started, she probably should drop her nap but isn't so nightsleep is affected. We have cut it down to an hour (we need to wake her up or she'd sleep forever) but don't know how to drop it fully when she's up so early, she's so tired she'd fall asleep anywhere after lunch.

-late bedtime: not an exact science but it seems that the later she goes to bed, the earlier she wakes up so i think we need to start the bedtime routine even earlier knowing she faffs before falling asleep.

-distractions in bed: We've given in to letting her take a couple of toys to bed in the evening as she's then happy to lie down and will fall asleep quite quickly but then as soon as she wakes she looks for them and starts playing which probably doesn't help.

-summer: the bright mornings probably don't help, she wouldnt know if it was 5 or 7 am so a gro clock might be worth a try

It's really nice to hear we're not alone but sorry you are all going through this. We've been so lucky and never had sleep issues, can't believe its happening just as a non-sleeping newborn is about to arrive argh. I think that's why I'm desperate to "fix" it but cant work it out and I'm so frustrated!

Yesterday she slept from 8pm til 7am which was a dream, but we did nothing different! The only thing I can think of is I heard her cry at 4am. She must have had a bad dream and got herself back to sleep so she was at a different stage of the sleep cycle at the dreaded 5.05 which meant she stayed asleep?

We've also never gone downstairs or interacted much with her til 6.30/ 7 in the hope it was just a phase and she'd soon understand being awake at this time was boring, but the phase continues...

@JammyC exactly the same age here, and also coincided with potty training. I think it could be developmental too, just a very tricky age all round in this house!

@mama1993 all the best with the rest of your pregnancy and birth, thank you for the tips! Really feel for you with 4.55 start, psychologically if it's not even 5 it feels so much tougher!

@PrimeraVez i admire your energy! I'd actually probably enjoy being out in the fresh air especially in this weather rather than frustratingly lying there wishing her to go to sleep so that sounds like a good plan! I haven't done it yet as Ikeep thinking she'll go back to sleep but since she never does I might give it a go!

Is the room as dark as possible? We have a gro blind and blackout curtains for 3yo DS. There’s no incentive to get up- toys, tv etc. Harder initially as I would give the iPad and doze but DS was waking up early to get access to the iPad. Now a 5am wake up is extremely boring.

I implemented some of the advice last night, mainly the earlier bedtime, and we all slept in until 6.30 which felt like such a huge treat! Perhaps just a fluke but even if it only happens occasionally I'll take that!
It was also lovely having her in bed earlier so I I could have a more productive evening. Thanks all!