25mo waking far too early!

[MarathonMama]

Hi all,

Can anyone help, I'm getting desperate? My 25mo previously good sleeper has started to wake everyday at around 5am. She used to sleep until 7.15-7.30am but for the past few weeks it has been 5am.

It doesn't seem to correlate to how much or little sleep she has in the day (sometimes she naps for 2 hours, sometimes she doesn't nap at all - which has always been the case) or what time she goes to bed (usually 7pm). She's not ill.

She wakes up crying for me in a really desperate way. I go in, try not to get her out of her cot, soothe her by stroking her head and reassuring her until she stops crying. and then leave the room. She's fine until I leave and then she just screams. I've tried leaving her initially and later but the crying just escalates until she's in a right state.

Anyone got any ideas why this might have started happening or what to do? There's nothing new going on in the household.

She's now tired all day and fractious, as am I! I'm also pregnant so am really struggling.

Any ideas very much appreciated.

We have more sleep questions than answers chez isit.

However, have you thought of trying a GroClock? It hasn't been miraculous for us, but it did enable us to shift DSs 5ish wake to 6am (actually by putting back bedtime, but we prefer that).

And there is something new going on in your household - you're pregnant .

I've generally given out trying to figure out why 29mo DS sleeps badly. Maybe she's having nightmares/night terrors (can't remember the difference). Perhaps a nightlight could help if she's started being afraid of the dark, or leaving the door ajar.

Now rambling, so will stop.