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Sleep

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Original poster

How do I teach 22 month old 5am is not a great time to start the day?

19 replies

ateles · 21/01/2011 20:17

After almost a year of stupidly early mornings (it was 4.30 today) I am at the end of my teather! DD (22m) shares a room with DS (3.5) and often wakes him too, which is a problem as he is then exhausted all day too. We are thinking he may need to sleep in our room for a week or two, while we somehow tackle her early starts. I just don't know how to do it. She goes to bed at 7pm and has a sleep at around lunch time. She would sleep for 2 hours or more if I let her, but have been waking her after an hour to see if it helps, but so far it has made no difference. Can anyone offer any good advice?

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jollyma · 21/01/2011 20:20

I have no idea but when you work it out can you tell me please. I share your early morning pain! I put 22m ds2 into a bed a few days ago in the hope changing something was better than nothing.

Original poster

ateles · 21/01/2011 20:26

Its reassuring to know someone else is suffering too! Lets hope someone will come along soon and lift us from our misery!

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coldtits · 21/01/2011 20:28

Stop her nap, put her in your room, and ignore any whining before 6am.

When mine were that age, 6am was an acceptable start, but I would no more get up before 6 than I would get up at two. Not Acceptable.

dycey · 21/01/2011 20:57

I had a thread on here in autumn as had same problem and a wise one told me to delay nap and move bedtime to 8pm. After about 2 or 3 weeks of this it finally took effect. Ds only sleep ten hours and now from just after 8 til just before 6. He is 23 month.

He needs a 1.5 hr nap and if he has less he wakes early.

Try that! It solved our 6 months of 5am starts - tho we still have the occasional reminder!

baabaapinksheep · 21/01/2011 21:04

Have you tried putting her to bed earlier. If my DD2 (15m) goes to bed at 6.30pm, she wakes up at 6.30am, but of she goes to bed at 6.00pm she wakes betwen 7.30 and 8.30am.

Original poster

ateles · 23/01/2011 11:11

Thanks for your replies. She was awake at 4.15 this morning, something really has to change. We have tried changing her bed time baabaapinksheep, but it makes no difference. We are going to set DP and DS up in the dining room tonight (as far away from her as poss) and tomorrow I am going to ignore her until 6. I know it sounds a bit harsh but we have run out of options. We can't not let her sleep during the day, as she is just so exhausted it would be unfair on her, even with a nap she is asking to go to bed at 7, and standing by her cot!

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Original poster

ateles · 23/01/2011 11:12

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joanneg20 · 23/01/2011 17:02

We had this too, with my 18 month old DS and we solved it by ignoring him until 6 am. Was easier for us than for you, as he is our only child. But if he woke before 6, I'd go in and say 'it's still night-time' and then not re-enter until 6am. First two nights, he shouted non-stop from 4.30 until 6 and it was horrific. Third night he slept until after 6, and he has done since then. (Or, if he wakes earlier, he goes back to sleep after I go in and tell him it's still the night.)
If you're able to tough this out, I think it's worth a try.

jollyma · 23/01/2011 19:18

I ignore until 6.30 at the earliest, he doesn't wake before 5.30. If the day starts any earlier we are all in a bad mood so i dont consider it mean. It seems the biggest problem you have is the room sharing. It takes away the option to put your foot down. Sounds like your plan to move ds downstairs is worth a try. Good luck.

MistyB · 24/01/2011 13:16

Good Luck - early wakings are tough to deal with and tough to crack. At 24 months we introduced a light on a timer and reward chart for DS1 and he got the concept. It took a while. For my DD, an earlier bedtime worked though it is somewhat counter intuitive!

Am facing similar with DS2, deciding which to try - Right now I can't imagine either working but will have to take a leap of faith!!

Original poster

ateles · 26/01/2011 14:46

Its working! (well, sort of!). This morning she didn't wake til 5.50, and then stayed happily in her cot til 6.15! Yesterday was a different matter however! We are going to keep at it for a few more days, although DP is getting a bit fed up of dining room floor!

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jollyma · 26/01/2011 17:41

Thats great news. We are also having slightly better mornings since moving him into a bed. He seems to wake up and have a chat with himself then go back to sleep. All these things are worth a try! Any changes for us seem to take 3 or 4 days to start making a difference.

fruitstick · 26/01/2011 20:32

Mine too. We left him this morning and he screamed from 5:!5 til 6:30 when I eventually decided it was morning.

We went in every 10 minutes or so to tell him it was still sleep time but it made no difference.

Only trouble is - now he won't go to sleep. He's still awake screaming at his door.

I'm worried we've traumatised him

Original poster

ateles · 26/01/2011 20:59

How old is your DS fruitstick? If you can bare it, it could be worth it. With my DD, I only go in once, when she first wakes up. I find that if I keep going in it infuriates her even more. This morning she barely cried at all, and quietly played in her cot. I NEVER would have believed she would do that this time last week, as she is a feisty one .

I hope he is asleep now.

Glad things are improving for you too jollyma. I think you are brave getting rid of the cot, my DD definately needs containing!

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fruitstick · 26/01/2011 21:01

Ooh, I've just started a new thread as the screaming has reduced me to tears .

He's 2 next month.

I know, in my heart of hearts, that it's just rage because he can't get his own way but I hate it!

jollyma · 26/01/2011 21:36

I seem to remember that ds1 took about 2 weeks to work out he could come out of his room then another 2 weeks for us to persuade him to stay in bed so we aren't certain its worked yet! Dh was keen to give it a go and i was reluctant but cant complain so far. I have to come downstairs when he is going to sleep at bedtime or he wont settle.

NettieISroundlikefiggypudding · 27/01/2011 15:49

I have no contructive advise to offer just wanted to read yours see if anyone had any ideas. My dd is in a bed and wakes from 4-5 and screams blue murder at you putting her back in her room, just across small landing from DS, so waking sibling issues here too.
She will not stay in her room and the stairgate doesnt fit on her door.

Definate rage issue here! thats just me

jollyma · 28/01/2011 09:08

I'm waiting for that battle nettie, its got to happen any night soon.

fruitstick · 28/01/2011 09:13

Right, yesterday he slept til 6:30 but today he was up at 4am. I put him back in bed and told him it was sleep time but he shouted and shouted. He wasn't crying, just really angrily shouting 'get out, want to get out'. Much less shouting and upset than previously but lasted a good hour before he eventually went to sleep on the floor.

Please say this is an upward curve :)

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