No more 5am wake ups. Hallelujah! Hope this helps someone else.

[TickledOnion]

OK, we cheated. We used a sleep expert but it worked. As it happened, we got lucky and the free phone consultation was all we needed to sort out DD1's early mornings.

I know it is different for everyone, but here's what we we did. The sleep expert asked if DD1 woke up ready to start the day or grumpy. We said ready to start the day and determined to start our's and DD2's day. She suggested we put DD1 back in her room, but open her curtains, give her some toys and tell her that she can start her day but mummy and daddy need more sleep and that she can come and get us when the sun appears on her gro-clock.

The first day she cried a bit and as the clock was set optimistically at 5:45, we had to return her to her room a few times. After a while we heard her playing and then she went silent for about 20 mins. This happened a couple of times, then we made a big fuss of her when she eventually came in and the sun was up.

The second day, the same thing happened but there was more silence and less playing.

The third day onwards she slept till her gro-clock changed and has done so ever since. We move it on by 5 mins every few days and are now at 6:50.

Oddly, the key to sleeping longer was getting her to start her day earlier. In the past we would sit downstairs in the dark with the TV on until about 7:30. She seemed to be using this as a substitute for sleep.

Also, the sleep expert told us we had to get the control back as she was controlling our mornings. I don't really understand how this worked but it did and I wanted to share it in case it works for anyone else.

If not, please don't be embarrassed to use a sleep expert. They are not cheap, but you might get lucky.

Wow! Congratulations!! Don't have an early waker (any more thank god) but was so bloody happy when my two year old finally slept through so I can understand how you feel.

That's brilliant, bet you feel like a new person.

Ok, so who was your sleep expert???!!! That sounds amazing. Well done

Duly noted thanks . I will try anything!!!

That's great! Bet you feel brilliant. Will remember this for when dd2 is older as I am sure we will need it

Sounds like a result! What age is DD1 by the way?

Does she still go to bed at the same time in the evening?

Out of curiosity - how old is your DD? My DS is 22 months and doing this, but I wonder if he's maybe a bit young to do this?

Oooh was hoping for hints and tips re:7mo but I have a feeling your dd is older than that

Congrats on getting your mornings back.

DD2 is 2y 9m. She was only an early waker after we moved her into a bed about 5 months ago. We kept tweaking her nap times and bed times but it made no difference to her mornings. She was tired and miserable and so were we. She now goes to bed at 7pm and we'll probably move her clock on to 7am.

DD1 is 6mo. She still wakes every few hours for a feed, but I know that won't last forever.

The sleep expert was www.gentlesleepsolutions.co.uk/index.html.

Hmm. May need a gro clock then - will have a try!

DD is 2.1 and understands what the GroClock does but either ignores it or doesn't look at it. Will try your method, we've had early mornings since 9 months (it's the reason she's an only child) and we can't keep going like this.

It's counter-intuitive, isn't it, we too do the 'trying to show it's still night time' thing, but it obviously isn't working.

Sleep expert sounds great, I've been tempted to call one for months to sort DS' 4.30 starts.

Gro-clock not so good, he just unplugs it.

Tried your cunning plan this morning!

Luckily we'd set the clock early and DD woke uncharacteristically late, so there was only 10 minutes between waking and being able to get us.

So far so good, she only shouted a bit (compared to bloodcurdling screeches if you tell her to go back to sleep) and seemed quite happy with the idea of coming to get us when the sun was up.

Will try again tonight!

I think I need this. But DD is only 16mo. She always starts her day between 4:30 and 5:30. I assume a 2y9m is pretty good with speech and can understand when you say daddy and mummy aren't ready to start the day?

Mine is 2.1 and she certainly understands 'need more sleep'. (My murderous expression is probably a clue.)

Condoleezza is your 2.1 yo in a cot? I'm wondering how effective it is for a young 16mo toddler still in cot and grobag.

Just checked on the groclock website, and it's for 2+ yo. My guess is right I probably won't be able to get my toddler to understand it.

No, she's in a bed. And bizarrely, this morning was the first time she's ever got out of it under her own steam, following me telling her to come and get us when the sun was up.

Yep, I guess I just have to bear and grin it. And repeat to myself 'this too shall pass'.

What a good idea this is. The gro clock always worked for my dd but if she starts this caper (or 12 week old ds in the future), I will be trying this!

Do you have a babygate on the door? I am tempted to try this as we have had a similar problem since moving dd1 to her big bed. However i fear that if we told her to play quietly in her room she wouldnt and would just run back out to be with us.

We moved the baby gate from her door to the top of the stairs, I was wondering whether part of the reward for playing is that they get to come and get you. Obeying the OP's instructions to the letter!

Aargh!!! Awake for about an hour and a half in the night crying and yelling to play with her toys, she's never asked for toys in the night. tickledonion, did your DD do that?

On the plus side, she woke 5 mins after the sun was up, although I'm sure that was because of all the yelling.