I know this has probably been covered a million times but I'm new to the forum and couldn't find much When searching, so apologies.
My 2.5 year old is waking routinely at 4.30-5am. I'm at breaking point. He's been doing it since he turned 2 in September. He comes out of his room and just potters around or tries to get in our bed. We tell him it's still bedtime, point out his Gro Clock and put him back in bed. I never take him downstairs before 6am - that's when his Gro Clock turns to daytime.
We have tried everything:
-Changing nap duration longer or shorter (he has an hour 12.30-1.30 usually). He's not ready to drop his nap. He is exhausted by 10am. A longer nap leads to him messing around for hours at night time.
-Changing evening meal time. We eat between 5-5.30pm
-Changing bedtime. Generally the later he goes to bed the earlier he wakes, but going too early means he's still waking early but is more awake as he's had a big chunk of sleep. He usually goes at 7pm.
-Keeping him really busy in the day. Makes to difference at all.
Ignoring him in the morning isn't an option. I won't pen him in his room with a stair gate. He needs to sleep longer. He's not ready to wake when he does. I could face it more if he woke bright eyed, but he's generally ok for an hour or two then turns into an overtired horror. He will only nap once a day, so giving him a catnap in the morning doesn't work either as he then refuses to nap for the rest of the day.
Any miraculous tips?!
My husband and I are constantly snapping at each other and I end up crying most days as I'm 30w pregnant, tired and hormonal. My husband works shifts and does get up on the days he's not working early/late, which helps me but doesn't solve the problem.