What to do with my early rising toddler? 4am start to the day:-(

[dottytablecloth]

Ds goes to bed at 7/7.30 and we've tried putting him down later but it doesn't seem to matter.

Anyway he sleeps straight away but over the last few weeks has got into the habit of wakening at 4/4.15am. It's far tok early to start the day.

We've tried bringing him into bed with us but he's always hated this so there's no chance he will to back to sleep. We've also tried letting him amuse himself with toys in his cot but he cries and we've also tried the whole going in and saying it's still nighttime and leaving him but again he just cries and cries and everyone is stressed.

The only solution seems to be getting up (this is the only thing that stops the crying, he's perfectly fine when we get up so it's not teeth or anything bothering him.)

Is there anything I can do to break this habit? Ds is 21 months btw.

I realise this approach probably won't work for you lot but I'd be putting earplugs in to soften the noise and going back to sleep. Hell would freeze over and the house would have to be burning down before I got up at that ungodly hour.

OP out of interest, what did he do yesterday and today with the clocks going back?

Mine has still woken at around 4am... which makes me wonder if something is waking him that is happening at that time.

MsA I know lots that took this approach. I did when mine were still contained in the cot. Post cot at 20mth it got trickier. I can't function on 5 hours sleep never mind drive to work and do a full day ...

Let there - ours wake at thus time usually as they are cold. I use fleecy pjs with vests as both never keep covers on. Or onsies when older. We think also that in mid winter the heating kicks in and pipes make a noise

Yes fleecy PJs and vests here too. PJs must have feet (or meltdown occurs).
I'll have to ask DH what time our heating kicks in.
Whyhas mine does that. I think it's most inconsiderate of him to go back to sleep. Especially as I've got to work

Let there - if you have any other solutions pls tell me Mine have been wide awake at 5 not 6 since clocks changed. Thankful it's 1/2 term so slower pace this week

Wow, I'm 'impressed' there are so many people in this situation and thank you so much for the advice and replies.

It's been a regular thing over the last while so nothing to do with the clocks, I don't think.

He goes from sleeping to wide awake straightaway at this time, there is no chance of him dosing off again. Anything we give him to entertain him is thrown out of the cot and he just shouts "mama up" until I get him.

The only thing that stops him crying is to be taken downstairs.

I'm so tired with it now and I'm having dc2 in 6 weeks so I don't know how I will cope.

Am loving idea of support thread.

God that must be hard OP - one of the things that's put me off having another is DD's early rising. You definitely need a

All of you whose toddlers stay quietly in their cot or chatter to themselves - mine cries or calls "mummy" to ensure I get out of bed! Oh & a pp asked about the clocks going back - dd got up at 3 yesterday (but dh gets up with her at the weekends so that was ok)

gro-clock, with a reasonable expectation for getting up time. I have an almost 2 year old DD who is prone to bouts of early rising. We have a gro clock which is set for 6.30am. If she wakes up before, she just chats to herself until the sun comes up (then she shouts for us!). If she wakes up significantly earlier than this, we go in and remind her about her clock. If she cries, she cries. With the exception of illness or teething it won't hurt her to wait. 6.30am is not late, she is able to sleep or rest until around this time. It has taken a lot of training but this works for us almost every day.

Glad it's not just me Doodle, I know it sounds heartless but thank god mine never ever woke up that early. About seven is their earliest. They obviously take after me and need their sleep

OP you didn't say you were pregnant as well! Crikey no wonder you're exhausted. Kick your DP in the leg and make him get up.

3.28am start here . BUT he went back to sleep after a brief BF (in our bed). This is why all attempts to give up BFing have failed...

Have you tried a higher protein dinner? A friend suggested this amd it worked.

Great tip wips. Must review this myself and get DC off pasta diet

Funnily enough my HV suggested that back when we were first having trouble. We then found it he was dairy intollerant and put all the problems down to that, and completely discounted the protein suggestion. Will give that a go. Thanks!

Can't believe there are so many in the same boat! My day started at 4.20 today, 3.30 the day before!! Again not to do with clocks I don't think, the toddler just doesn't need a long long block of sleep at night. After nine or maybe ten hours he is up!

I also worry a bit about the TV watching but what on earth else can you do at 5am??!

Mine is 2.4 btw.

3.30 this morning. Bring on the caffeine

Another 4am toddler here, no words of wisdom to add other than its exhausting isn't it!!! Xx

When dd wakes up really early I give her milk in bed with us and she usually goes back to sleep after a bit of wriggling - as long as everything stays dark and there's no chat.

Tried that Google - it works for a few days & then she starts wiggling so no-one gets any sleep

Googie not Google!

What are his naps like op? Could he be overtired. Sometimes that causes early waking (weirdly). It might actually be worth putting him to bed earlier, if you think overtiredness could be the problem.

So glad that I'm not the only one! DD (19 months) is currently asleep on my boob having woken up at 4.45 (as she has been for about a week now!). She's normally asleep between 8-8.15 and has about 10 hours' sleep on average (I count myself lucky if
she does 11, and can count on one hand the number of times she's done 12!) so it all - used to - fit in nicely with us getting ready for work etc in the morning.

I can't leave her in the cot as she'll scream her head off; I could put ear plugs on as I know she's not distressed but I don't think I ought to subject our neighbours to her wailing (she can be VERY loud).

I don't think it's the clocks as this started before that so am wondering if this is the 18 month sleep regression (albeit a bit late) ?

Livvy don't tell us they'll still be doing it at 3!

Penelope in answer to your question, acceptable activities at 5am (according to my toddler) include - but are not limited to:

• Climbing on the windowsill and belly flopping onto the bed
• Opening mummy's wardrobe and emptying out all of the socks
• fiddling with buttons on the alarm clock / turning on the radio really loudly
• Playing peek-a-boo under the duvet
• Doing "round and round the garden" on Daddy's tummy
• Demanding "book! BOOK!" loudly

HTH.

3.30 again this morning. Went back to sleep at 5am. I had to get up at 5.30am for work.

Sorry fflonkl cross post! There are a lot of us, aren't there?

When I originally mentioned the clocks going back, I was actually meaning are our DCs waking up at the same time as before the clocks (i.e. was a toddler waking at 4am now waking at 3am), or are they waking up at the "new" 4am, so to speak. I was trying to figure out if there's something that happens at that time that's waking them up, like somebody leaving for work on a motorbike, or central heating kicking in. Does that makes sense. Probably not. Am sleep deprived...