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Sleep

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Original poster

Early rising/naps in a 2 year old - can they be connected?

14 replies

ceebeegeebies · 02/02/2011 12:39

DS2 (2.2) has just recently started waking up early (the last 2 days it has been about 5.45am) when he has always slept quite happily until at least 6.30.

I am just wondering if there is a connection to naps as I always assumed that long naps would mean he wasn't tired at bedtime rather than waking up early iyswim?

He has a 2-hour (ish) nap after lunch at nursery so probably wakes up at 2.30ish...and goes to bed quite happily at 7.15 and falls asleep quickly.

I have asked nursery to cut his nap to an hour today to see if that makes a difference but will it?

OP posts:

MattsBatt · 02/02/2011 12:42

It might well do

If it doesn't, you could try putting him to bed a bit later, although 7.30 is late enough IMVHO.

Both my kids did this, and the lunchtime nap was definitely to blame.

Original poster

ceebeegeebies · 02/02/2011 12:48

Thanks - I will see how it goes for the rest of the week with a 1-hour nap at nursery.

I really don't want to put him to bed any later as it has a tendency to drag to 7.30 anyway and then we let DS1 stay up for half an hour after DS2 has gone to bed...so any later and me and DH won't have an evening to ourselves Plus, they share a bedroom and I need to make sure DS2 is asleep when DS1 goes up to bed!!

He just seems so young to be dropping his nap

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MattsBatt · 02/02/2011 13:04

Both mine dropped their naps around the time of their 2nd birthdays, the little rotters darlings

Original poster

ceebeegeebies · 02/02/2011 13:26

Lol, DS1 actually dropped his nap at 2.4 but that was because DS2 had literally just arrived then and he refused to go upstairs for a nap - clearly in case he thought DS2 would get some attention or something

Ds2 seems to like his naps so I thought he would have them a bit longer - plus it gives us a break from the constant fighting squabbling between the DC

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MattsBatt · 02/02/2011 15:51

I'm so with you on that one! I rue the day my kids gave up their naps. Although, on the plus side, it means we can go out and about after lunch without them falling asleep/getting really stroppy ... In a few years' time I won't be able to get them out of bed at all and I'll be looking back on the toddler days with longing

how did your DS get on today with the shorter nap, or don't you know yet? Was he grumpy afterwards?!

Original poster

ceebeegeebies · 02/02/2011 20:44

He didn't seem particularly grumpier tonight (although I went to the gym after work so I literally came home and put him to bed )

Will see what happens tomorrow morning (fingers crossed!!)

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bicep · 05/02/2011 06:27

How has the rest of the week gone? I have an interest in this... my 2 yo ds for the last few weeks wakes at around 5ish. It's soooooo early! Before this started he was waking early and we cut his daytime sleep to 1hr. I thought it worked a bit, but now it's just as bad. He definitely needs his lunchtime nap (of course, he's been up since 5am!) and is knackered by bedtime (~7).

Did reducing your lunchtime nap help?

There must be something else we can try...

dycey · 05/02/2011 06:36

I'm wondering about this too. My ds (almost 2) is waking before six and going to sleep after eight. Not seeming tired ever really. I get him to nap by walking him in his buggy so wondering if I am prolonging the nap by doing so. Could really do with a longer night as am pregnant and tired.

Also need to get him to fall asleep unassisted again - but that's another thread! Frequent illnesses and anxieties making it all complicated.

ScroobiousPip · 05/02/2011 06:43

Interested too, ceebeegeebies, although I'm quite at how much your DS sleeps.

DS here sleeps 8.30/9pm til 6am (at the very latest, grr) plus an hour during the day (very occasionally longer but rare). Would love to get him sleeping in later!

Original poster

ceebeegeebies · 05/02/2011 21:18

Just thought I would update.

Thursday morning (after his nap had been cut at nursery), I had to wake him up at 6.45 to get ready for nursery so I thought great

It has been downhill ever since...Friday morning, about 6.10 and this morning, I woke up at 5.45 and heard noises outside our bedroom...went out and he was sat tapping his dummy on the stair gate - completely wide awake and DH thinks he had been there for a while!! I told him it was still bedtime and put him back in his bed...all was quiet for about 10 minutes then both him and DS1 appeared in our bedroom!!

So the brief summary is that I am none the wiser....have started another thread for other ideas about early risers!!

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Loolah · 05/02/2011 21:24

my dd2 is 22mths and has stopped going to sleep when put to bed at 7pm taking an hour plus to go to sleep (big prob as she shares a room with dd1) think it is due to daytime nap of approx 1 hour after lunch so have decided to cut it out and see how we go

suwoo · 05/02/2011 21:37

Gah to your wake up times . My early waker is 18 months and waking at 4 am . I think it is connected with him needing a poo soon after. He is with a childminder every day so his naps vary in length and the time of. There seems to be no correlation between his time of waking and his time of going to bed, normally 7-7.30. He is in our room in a travel cot and we co-sleep with his 4 year old brother. I have an 8 year old who has always slept through. I have matchsticks opening my eyes.

SkipToTheEnd · 05/02/2011 21:46

My DS was an early riser (usually about 5am) and he had 2 40 minute naps in the day - his first usually being within 2 hours of waking.

I decided to put both naps into one at lunchtime and it's made a huge difference. He sleeps for 2 hours sometimes more from 12.30 and goes to bed at 7 and sleeps until 6.45 - 7 ish the next day.

The regular long nap has made a huge difference to his mornings - I've heard sleep breeds sleep but I didn't believe it until now!

Original poster

ceebeegeebies · 05/02/2011 21:58

Suwoo you might be on to something there as, on the mornings he has woken up very early, he has had a poo...and I guess there is nothing we can do about that

Me and Dh dread the words of 'I pooed' at 5.45 in the morning

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