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Original poster

has anyone tried controlled crying for early morning waking?

112 replies

Tutter · 05/06/2006 21:14

sorry if there's a similar thread - dh has given me access to the laptop for 10 mins so i don't have time to search archives.

ds turned 1 a fortnight ago and wakes around 5 or 5:30am. we suspect he's woken by the planes - they start around that time. in the past he often went back to sleep but now he usually is up for the day.

we used cc when he was 6mo to get him to settle himself at bedtime and it worked well. we're now planning on starting again tomorrow morning to get him back to sleep.

i'm sure he needs more sleep as he is grouchy and grotty til he goes back for a sleep at 8:30-9ish - and this is usually a long one - an hour and 20 mins or so.

also has a lunchtime nap - around an hour.

anyone tried anything similar? tips would be oh-so-gratefully received - i am so sick of waking so early Sad

OP posts:
flannelettepyjamas · 03/08/2006 00:31

great tips aquablue
I tried the CC this am when DD woke at 5.13am [groan]
And it worked
She went back to sleep til 6.50 again
So, I'll have a go at putting her down for her sleep around midday and see how it goes.
I did that yesterday and she slept for 45 mins - that was the only sleep she had all day!
Hopefully if I persist, she will start sleeping longer.

aquablue · 03/08/2006 05:03

flanelette - DS has woken up after 30-45 mins into his daytime nap, and i did control crying at this time too (and it worked!)! if you know that they need the sleep, then they will eventually go down.

i just put DS down for his midday nap, and poor thing was just about sleeping when i was feeding him lunch just before!!!

my theory is that you know they need about 13-14 hours sleep, so you just need to try and work how it suits yourself best! and what's reasonable for them too! (ie i don't think they can comfortably stay awake for more than 4 hours at at time.

flannelettepyjamas · 03/08/2006 09:58

Yep that makes sense.
Perhaps I'll try the CC at the lunchtime sleep too after another 45 minute jobby today.

twinmumma · 03/08/2006 21:03

Hi guys.
I need advice.... but to recap...My twins are 18 months almost.
Today and yesterday I changed routine so they go to bed 7 to 7.15 (then last night they woke in night (not usual - think it's teeth) from 11.40 til 2.30 (agghhhh!)
then woke at 7.20 - the longest lie in yet!

I put them down for daytime sleep 11.45 for 2 hours. Twin 2 has 2 hours. twin 1 had 1 hour 15 both days... little monkey. She had to have 5 mins this eve as she couldn't keep her eyes open.
MY QUESTION IS - do I give them lunch 11.30 or at 2 - 2.15? I have been giving it at 2pm and moved tea from 5 to half past. I give big snack 11am.
What do you all think???
I'm not sure what to do - as they were very picky with lunch after sleep... but then may be too tired to eat it before. hmmmmm

flannelettepyjamas · 03/08/2006 21:52

good question twinmumma
and hats off to you for havig twins
I don't know the answer to this. We are just going through the 2 sleeps to 1 sleep transition with DD (14 months) and I've been feeding her before her lunchtime sleep so that she doesn't wake early hungry. Having said that she only sleeps for 45 mins at the mo anyway!
I guess you could try both ways. If you are feeding a good lunch at 2ish, then a later dinner that could contribute to a later wake up time in the morning as they would be less likely to wake up hungry.
I hope that makes sense.
Perhaps you could try a week of each different lunch time and see which one suits.
PS DD is still asleep and it's 6.52am

aquablue · 04/08/2006 01:31

I'd try giving them lunch at 11:30am. Then an early dinner, and early bedtime, which means much earlier evening relaxation for you!!!

Was reading an article (in Glamour mag) about comparing stress levels in a career woman, mum of twins and ER nurse, and guess who had the highest stress levels? yep you guessed it, the mum of twins!! Mainly because of the unexpected. Her heart rate was even high when she woke up, before they were going to playup and then when they went asleep, her heart rate went right back down. I know exactly how that is, and I've only got one DS! So def hats off to you twinmumma!

Flannelette PJ, just realised you're aussie and have a 14mth old - just like me!

flannelettepyjamas · 04/08/2006 03:16

Hi Aquablue,
Cheers.
Actually I am English but live in Brisbane with Aussie DH ( and Aussie DD).
Where are you?

bloss · 04/08/2006 04:23

Message withdrawn

aquablue · 04/08/2006 04:58

flanelette - living in melb!

funny how we both started the one sleep a day this week! yesterday DS went down at midday and woke up at 2:45pm! And then slept with no complaints at 7pm, and woke up at 6:50am!

but i know it won't last forever, and something silly like teething will make him wake up in the middle of the night and then ruin the whole routine again!

Original poster
Tutter · 04/08/2006 08:16

i'm going to throw a spanner in the works by saying it works better for me to give ds a snack at 10ish, then lunch when he wakes up. he's just too tired to eat a proper lunch before his sleep. i normally try to keep him going to 11:30ish and he sleeps for a couple of hours. yesterday he was shattered (teeth) and slept from 10:30 to 1:15!!!

OP posts:
aquablue · 04/08/2006 08:51

agh, today DS went down at 12pm, and got up at 1:30pm!! boo!
but still it's good, this afternoon he doesn't seem too tired.

flannelettepyjamas · 04/08/2006 09:48

small world aquablue
it must be pretty chilly down there just now, eh?
well we had a 45 min sleep at lunchtime AGAIN - tried CC but to no avail.
I'll plod on.

Moomin · 04/08/2006 10:03

have cheated terribly but it seems to be working.... dd2 can now hold a bottle herself so we're chicking a bottle into her cot if she wakes before 6 (it was 4am this morning!!!); she drinks it and goes back off to sleep. with her, it's definitely hunger that's waking her up. if she eats well all day she can sleep til 6.30 sometimes; if she doesn't eat much tea or leaves some of her bedtime bottle, she wakes earlier.

will probably get told off now for leaving baby in cot with bottle but too tired to care.

Moomin · 04/08/2006 10:03

chucking

aquablue · 04/08/2006 12:28

Moomin, a friend of mine had same problem, and her doctor told her to give the baby food high in fat (good that is!) and energy for dinner. Like use butter on toast, advocado, lots of carbs (rice/potatoe) etc etc.

flanelette, yes cold here! when are you going to try for no.2?! are you b/f still?

aquablue · 04/08/2006 14:13

avocado

i'm still waiting for that pregnancy brain mush to go!!!

flannelettepyjamas · 04/08/2006 22:41

aquablue, actually I am 6 weeks pregnant!
early days I know but if all works out there will be a 22 month gap which I quite wanted.
How about you?
It's actually quite cool here just now and a bit windy.
BTW 6.30 today - and then went back to sleep til 6.50 (yehay!)

aquablue · 05/08/2006 07:11

flanelette, wow congratulations! hope you're feeling ok.
my dh is keen to try for #2, and i don't mind. although am enjoying life now, feels like it has just about come back to normal!

woke at 230am, managed to settle him quickly (and without a b/f thank goodness!) woke at 630am, but didn't go in until about 6:50am! he was so tired yesterday, and couldn't sleep till about 730pm - sometimes i find when he doesn't sleep well during the day, his nighttime sleep suffers.

Moomin · 05/08/2006 11:23

that's interesting aquablue. I've heard of that kind of thing when our nephew was about 3 and a terrible eater and very underweight: the gp told his mum to give him cream and stuff like that!

it's a thought though, as although dd2 is a 'good' eater it seems like she's only got a small capacity for food (unlike the rest of us in this family) and the food i give her is quite veggie-based, although she eats a lot of toast. i'll definitely buy some more avocadoes and think how else i can bulk her food up a bit. she'll also only take about 4oz of milk at a time.

Moomin · 05/08/2006 11:24

and congrats on the pregnancy x

aquablue · 06/08/2006 02:25

moomin, was meaning that maybe if your dd2 ate more food high in calories at dinnert, she might be able to last a little longer and wake up later?

having said that, my ds gone back to his 6am ways don't know why. it's hard i tried to feed him at this time this morning, and put him back to sleep, but only lasted half an hour!

aquablue · 06/08/2006 07:53

does anyone else find sometimes toddlers forget about cc?

today put down ds at 12pm, he woke at 1pm - did cc, went back to sleep. then woke again at 1:30pm - did cc (just to see what would happen) and he went back to sleep again! and now it's nearly 3pm and he is still asleep. and now i want to go out but too scared to wake him up!!!

michelley · 06/08/2006 09:27

Hi everyone

I need some help!!

My 2 year old keeps waking up at 3am, yes you've read it right 3am!! AARGH!! and I just can't get him back to sleep, he just screams and screams.

I have tried giving him a drink when he wakes, bringing him into our room (wrong I know, putting him to bed earlier then later, putting up blackout curtains but nothing seems to work.

I have read on the internet that you can buy a herbal remedy for children. It's called Serenite Jr. You can only get it from America and apparently it helps with restoring a healthly sleep pattern. Has anyone heard of this product? Anyway I have ordered it and I should be getting it in about 10 days time. I am willing to try anything as I am at the end of my tether!!

I can't understand why he is waking earlier. He has been a good sleeper from about 3 months but just recently it's gone to pot. I think I might have to try cc for the next few mornings so that I can save my sanity!!

Moomin · 06/08/2006 09:36

i think i'd give cc a go before trying anything herbal at all to aid sleeping. i know these things are probably very tempting given the lack of sleep, but i think this sort of thing can develop into a 'crutch'. your toddler needs to learn how to get himself back off to sleep and cc is one way of trying to ensure he does this. try doing a search on the Sleep threads for advice on cc with toddlers (and waking in the early hours) and see what others have tried.

Have you seen your gp/spoken to your HV? they might also have some advice for you. definitely try a few more avenues before resorting to sedatives (there might be a very good reason why they're not sold in this country)

as far as my dd is concerned, after 3 nights of putting a bottle of milk in with her and her going back off, she didn't wake until 7.30 this morning!!!!! dh thinks it's because she can stand up now and she helped herself to the dregs of last night's bottle off the changing table! we'll see what happens tonight (fingers crossed)

michelley · 06/08/2006 09:41

Thanks Moomin

I have spoken to my GP and HV and they were not much help at all.

I think I'll give cc a go tomorrow. I just hope the neighbours don't think I'm murdering him!!