Using the clocks going forward to 'cure' early waking

[bayleaf]

Maybe I'm being absurdly optimistic but I keep hoping that when the clocks go forward in a couple of weeks I'll be able to use it to 'cure' ( or at least improve) our dd's early waking habits - and I'm wondering if anyone has any tips that might help me to use it to best advantage.

To fill in a few details....
Dd is 14 months old and a gf baby (who always fittted the rouines beautifully). Over the last couple of months she has started waking at 6am ( when it always used to be 7am) and then in the last couple of weeks whilst she has been ill, at 5am.
Just before she became ill I had decided to be a bit more strict about the cclb routine as we had 'distorted it' to the extent that dd often wanted a good hour plus at 9.30 and I let her have it even tho' she ''should'' be down to 30 mins now- because of course she had woken early so was more tired than she should have been.( I can no, longer remember whether the early waking or the longer morning sleep came first)
She often still slept the 2 hours at lunch time too.

I didn't think the only sleeping 11 hours at night was due to needing less sleep as she got older as on the days she goes to nursery (2 days a week) she barely sleeps in the day ( 90 mins max) and if anything the early waking is worse after these days.
I've tried putting her to bed earlier (6-6.30)- sometimes it makes no difference ( ie she still wakes at 6am ) sometimes it makes her wake at 5am...)
MY plan is that when the clocks go back and her 'natural waking time of 6am is actually 7am everything will be hunkydory again - but I'm possibly deluding myself - and should I put her to bed at 7pm still ( 6pm old time)
Any hints/advice please????

... I think we all go through this at some point.... it's frustrating and yes to a certain extent the clock going back will help but it's a temporary measure. Last summer DS went for several weeks with a wake up time of 6 AM.... and I was 9 months pregnant...
I can sympathise espcecially as DS who slept until 715 has just chenged this for the past 2 weeks to 645 and this AM was 615 !

probably won't be very popular for this but it sounds as if theres a lot of sleep going on here and maybe you shouldn't worry so much! or maybe I'm just biased as all of mine(20 mths, just 4 and 5.5) think anytime from 4.30 is quite acceptable for getting up happily to play/read and nothing has made a difference! Even my toddler only gets max 9hrs total in 24 !
On a more encouraging note a friend swears by kinesiology.. you could try that!

I am so glad to see this discussion as I am having a really bad phase with my 30 month old. I am 22 weeks preg. and am still putting him down for a sleep at lunch time for an hour or so as I desperately need this break. I think he is almost at the stage of dropping this sleep although some days is really needing it. The past week he has been waking any time from 5.30. Is this to do with the daytime sleep/lighter mornings/birds singing?? The problem is that when he wakes so early he really needs his lunch time nap - any advice??

tufty - a 20 month only needing 9 hours is very unusual. Kids certainly vary but generally speaking a child under the age of about 2 needs/wants 12 hours in a 24 hour period. Some of it is their own natural preference but some is according to how active your child is. My child never sits still and will actually spend quite a lot of time running from one end of the room to the other over and over just to tire himself out.

If your child is very active then they probably need two sleeps a day. 30 months is certainly not too old for that (IMHO!), up to age 3 is probably OK. The 5.30 waking is probably more due to the time you put him to bed. My son is 31 months and only has 10 hours at night - we aim for 9.30 - 7.30am with about an hour during the day - this usually works out about lunchtime.

Rozzy, can you please expend on your first sentence ? How late and how long did it work for ?
Thanks

Rozzy, can you please expend on your first sentence ? How late and how long did it work for ?
Thanks

I was kind of hoping that the clocks going forward would make a difference too. I don't see how it can't work, if you still do things at the old times how can they notice. Does it not just mean that everything is an hour later as it were?I guess the light in the mornings could be a problem, but not if you have black out curtains maybe?

Respect to all those who have and are coping with early morning wakings during pregnancy. Will pray to avoid this if have any more. How did you have the energy to make anymore anyway?!!!

My DD is 6.5 months and is after alot of experiments she is sleeping from 7pm till 6.15ish. I have just started to accept this fact and I feel alot better but of course would love her to sleep till 7. she has about an hour at 8.30 -9 ish (depends when she wakes), and then about on hour and half to 2,45 hours at 12ish. She is startng to make a habit of not sleeping the full two hours at lunch. Should I let her cry for 15mins to see if she goes back to sleep. She has gone back to sleep a few times before. It's just not long enough to get her through the afternoon. I was giving her less time in the morning but she was very grumpy by lunch time getting her to eat something was becoming difficult. Anyway, any suggestions would be good.

So Rozzy, what tine do you put him to bed now and when does he get up ?
DS was up at 615 this morning...a month ago he was usually up at 715 !
Whigers- I have black out lining but the window is huge so there is always a bit of loght coming through in the morning. It is just amazing how babies will wake earlier in the summer. We will see more and morecomplaining about their kids waking up earlier and earlier.... like we did last summer. It is seasonnal !

Also if your daughter has less than 90 minutes at lunchtime, give her 15 minutes at 16h-16h30 or cut down the morning nap to ensure a long nap at lunchtime.
If you put her down at 9 and go into her room at 945, does she easily wake ? If so, she has had enough sleep, if not let her sleep another 10 minutes but leave the door open and open the curtain.

Well we had a 5.30 start to today - possibly due to the fact that last night's ''bedtime'' meant getting in the car at 7pm and then sleeping in the car till 9pm ish when she woke on return and was tranfered to her cot.
I fed her at 5.30 - but she was clearly still tired ( she is just getting over a viral infection) so put her back in bed and she slept till 7.30 - GREAT - except i'm very aware that if I feed her agian at this time she will start waking then just because she expects milk.

I don't believe I'm being 'optimistic' in saying that she needs more sleep - I'm certain that she does - tho maybe I'm being optimistic in hoping that I can persuade her to have it at hours to my convenience rather than hers!
The problem with leaving books in her cot is that it's as close as possible to completely dark in there so she couldn't 'read' them! That said , when she is compltely better I might try just leaving her and ignoring the shouts for a bit to see if that works over a few days.
On the advice of someone on here I tried controlled crying during her lunchtime sleep months ago when she only took and hour max but needed more - and it worked a treat - thus my hope of more 'mumsnet miracle advice'!

Bayleaf, because you fed her at 530 today doesn't mean that she will expect a feed tomorrow at the same time... She had a "Special" day yesterday so you gave her extra TLC but that doesn't mean that from now on you need to feed her at 530. I know you're not saying that but thought I'd reassure you !
How old is she ?

she's 14 months - (today!)- thanks for the reassurance -I was hopeful that an odd ''out of hours'' feeeding like that would be ok but I'm aware that it can become a problem if you do it too often and start creating an expectation and thus a waking then even when the feed isn't really needed.
Have had crap day as period just started and was hopeful that it wouldn't as we've been trying for no 2 for 7 months now and this was my first month on clomid ( possible pcos)
Heyho! Who'd have hormones eh?

730 is what we all dream of Rozy
I thought you were going to write : in bed at 830 up at 8 ..... but DS goes to bed at 730 and for the past 2 to 3 weeks he is been up at 645 (and it's not improving). I may put him back to bed at 7 - see where that leads me to !
Bayleaf - sorry you had such a bad day. At 14 months old, I wouldn't worry too much on her picking up a bad habit if she has always been good.
Hope tomorrow is better

Pupuce - DD slept well at both her naps today. Woke 6.30am nap 8.30 - 9.45 then 12.15-2.45, went down well at 7pm. so very nice day, it's just always a bit different every day. I guess thats babies for you. But helpfully suggestins agian, thanks

Whigers - if babies were a science......
Glad it's better - hope it stays that way and don't hesitate to ask for support/advice - we're here for you

Sorry Rozzy - I have just asked you more info on the quality of life... didn't see you had written here. My question there still applies though

DS is 25 months old and is in a regular size bed so he can walk about once awake. Waking is not from hunger or full nappy as he doesn't get his breakfast before 730 or later and never asks for it anyway. He just gets up.
This AM was 610 !!!!!

DH was getting annoyed this AM and wants us to do something about it - especially as DS waked DD (7 mo) up and she would normally easily sleep until 730 !

Thanks Rozzy, DS doesn't even cry at 610, he comes in, jumps on our bed... all very happy. This morning I immediately got up and walked him back to his room. Told him to go to bed but he wouldn't... Even if I forced him to... he could get out and leave his room... I just don't think letting him cry would work.
Never mind - I will look into a GF solution (if there is any )
He is such a happy child and look so happy to start his day that TELLING him that he must go to bed sounds unrealsitic. But why am I complaining then...... sigh !

You may think I am the worst mother in the world but I am planning on puttin DS in a bed for the first time next weekend - he is very excited about the prospect - I am dreading him having free reign whe he wakes up SO we are putting a stairgate on his bedroon door. I know quite a lot of people who have done this and say it works really well as then he can read etc in his room until we go through and we know he will be safe and not leaping in with us at 3am!!!!!

What does anyone else think of this idea - am I a monster?!

I don't think you're a monster as DS is in that situation and doesn't have the stairgate so he leaves his room at 610 (this morning) and begins his day... maybe I should put the stairgate. I think we would then yell and wake us all anyway.... DO tellme if it works, I might try it.