So DS gets up at 4.45-5.15 am....

[TrucksAndDinosaurs]

And I am confused about what to do. I read early waking is because of not enough sleep. I then read its because he naps too long. And then I read that it is just how some toddlers are.

Background: he had reflux. He may be ASD. Not sure yet. He is very lively and he never slept through til he was 18 mo. He does sleep nicely at the moment and we have a rock solid bedtime routine which sees him settling himself after bath and BF at 7pm. He naps 1-3pm.

I don't mind getting up at 6am at all. I want to keep the nap, if at all possible. We live in hot country so a siesta during hot part of day stops him climbing walls and I need the break too.

Is there anything I can do though to try to get him down for the extra hour in the morning?

Thanks

Oh yes, sorry, he's 25 months old. 2.1.

Will be watching this closely my ds Sounds exactly like yours! Same history though he is 22 months. Also he doesn't nap everyday. Would love to get up at 6!

Mine doesn't nap every day either. Sometimes it takes two hours to get him down. I lie on bed with him and BF him whilst being boring in dark room.

Romping him outdoors and swimming him helps. Going to playgroups or indoor activities with other kids doesn't. We don't socialise much because if I do something involving talking to adults and having coffee he doesn't nap. If I take him for a long walk or swim he generally can't stay awake after lunch (which we have at 11am, further fucking up any chance of being social :()

If he's napping 1-3pm & asleep by 7pm i'd say bedtime is too early. My ds had same naptime at that age but asleep at 8pm & we had a 7am wakeup time. Infact at 2.5yrs he still does 1.30/2-4pm & bed at 8pm, up 6.30-7am. Hth.x

Thank you. That's interesting omama - he used to be down at 7.15pm. We moved it earlier because we hoped it might be a case of more sleep = more sleep, sleep breeds sleep etc. On nights when he goes down at 7.30pm or later, it's worse,he is more wakeful at night and wakes just as early and is grumpy during day so I stopped later bedtime attempts.

Am also worried that if he doesn't go down til 8pm, I won't get to eat until almost 9pm, this is too late for me, I don't sleep well eating late, it makes me put on weight, I go to bed at 10pm.

If later bedtime is the answer I thnk I'd almost rather get up at 5am, rather than wait so late to eat my main meal!

Argh. me23 do you go to bed early? What's your routine would like to compare notes...

At that age, DD2 woke really early too, unless we limited her nap to 40 mins, and only before 3pm. She went to bed at 6.45. W cut her nap completely at 3y, she now sleeps 6.45 to 6.30 ish