early waking, what's worked for you?

[slightlyconfused85]

I know this is a common one but I really am struggling with wake ups between 5 and 6am. Going to bed early myself isn't a great solution for me because I am not a very sound sleeper and wake several times a night anyway.

DD is 20 months old and I don't mind her waking up any time after 6am and she always used to sleep until roughly 6.30. She is now waking up anytime she feels like with a 5 in it. I consistently leave her until 6.30am even when she gets very cross but she doesn't go back to sleep and then spends all morning tired.

I've tried the usual later bed/earlier bed/blackouts but she still wakes up very early. At the moment she's in bed at 7 and chats herself off to sleep usually between 7.15 and 7.30. She currently naps around 12.30pm for 1.5-2 hours and needs this to make it to the end of the day without meltdown.

Is she too young for a groclock? Her speech and understanding is pretty good. Anybody got anything that has worked? She's not a bad sleeper, but she and we could do with another half an hour or 45 minutes.

Not too young for a growclock but they're not the be all and end all solution.

We've got one, had it since about 24 months, and some days she gets it and some days she doesn't. But 5/7 mornings she stops in bed, so that's got to be better than every morning.

It comes with a story book so that's useful too if she has good understanding of stories. You could probably make your own story up about stopping in bed as the one that comes with the clock isn't great.

We also talked about it during the day and the night before too, about staying in bed if it is still dark etc.

It's hard, I feel your pain and dd was just like yours at that age. She grew out of it by 2.5 years old so it will get better.

Thanks Nowaysis. I might get one and give it a whirl. The worst case scenario is it makes no difference at all, but if she starts to get it that's something! I don't really mind getting up on the early side, I've never been one for long lie-ins, but I draw the line at 5 anything...!

I was exactly the same, quite an early bird myself, but before 5.30am is a no-no for me, 5.45 I could cope with, but 5.15 go back to sleep!!!

Have a look on ebay or Facebook groups, there might be one going cheap. I think they're about £22-£25 full price

Gro clock didn't work for us with DS (4 years). He still wakes between 5-6 every morning bar the odd one so very keen to see what others say. Once he wakes up its 0-60 in about three seconds and NO WAY he's going back to sleep. He is tired and irritable in the day. Worried as he's starting school in September and I don't think he is getting enough sleep.

Have you tried shortening the lunchtime nap or pushing it half an hour later?

I'm not at this stage yet but I was reading a baby sleep website recently and it said that earlier bedtime (contrary to logic and reason!) did not automatically lead to earlier wake up. It said the opposite is sometimes true.

Sorry I can't remember which web site I was looking at. I was surprised at this i must say...

Gro clock worked very well for us, when accompanied by a bit of bribery in the initial first couple of weeks to get the hang of it - e.g. go back to bed and try to sleep, dont get out of bed til your sun comes out and you can have cheerios for breakfast/watch peppa pig/have a red sweetie (which are vitamin chews but she loves them so it's a win win as she'll get one anyway). After a while it's become a habit to stay in bed, worked better than I ever expected. Dd was 2.5 when we got it

Another gro clock success story here :) got it when ds was about 2.5 and getting up earlier and earlier, and it seemed to work overnight! He now stays in bed until the 'sun' comes up and is very proud of this usually! You could try an earlier bedtime too? Ds goes 6.30-6. It'll probably all go to pot now!

Gro clock fab for us , used to be between 4 and 5 every morning was awful, pretty immediate response, able to set for 6 for few days then 630 and for past 6 months 7am at the earliest. Can't recommend enough

Thanks all. Needto was your child also around 2.5 or.younger? Am going to get one but fear I am a bit early. She is at the good end of speech and understanding though so maybe ok

Is their room completely blacked out? I mean completely? This had a massive impact on our dd - she is 15 months and sleeps 6pm until 6am (atleast) everyday now.

Also have you tried earlier bedtime? My dd goes to bed earlier than many toddlers I know , but sleeps later and has a nap. I don't think it is a coincidence ... I believe sleep breeds sleep when they are little xx

Btw none of that is boastful- just stating helpful facts. Believe me - we have been to hell and back with dd sleep and now seemed to have nailed it- so happy to help!

Hi I think she was just over 2 . We made a fuss when she stayed in bed til sunshine up, she s 3 now and still comes into our room to tell us excitedly when sunshine is up.

Gro clock worked for us at 2 years 2 months. DD started waking at 6 which was fine, then quarter to - ok, 05:30 - it's only half an hour, we'll take it in turns getting up, 05:00 - we coped for a while, 04:45 - gro clock ordered from Amazon!

I made a big show of the book that came with it, then when we went upstairs the special clock was there. I increased the time from 04:45 by 5 minute intervals and it's set for 7am now and she doesn't shout out until the sun comes on. We had a few nights of "mummy, the stars are still on!" But after less than a week she was consistently not shouting out before the sun came on.

2 weeks in we went on holiday and I thought it would go tits up but we took the clock and I was amazed that she still waited for the sun.

Oh goodness, is 17 months too early ?

I think I might order a clock in anticipation of my lo being old enough to use one!