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.

See, this is why I don't think it's anything to do with the clocks in our case - DD is up even earlier than "normal" time - so before this started she'd be up between 6.15-7am, so that would be between 5.15-6 now, except that she seems to be up like an alarm clock at precisely 4.45 these days! Also, ironically on Sunday she slept till 8 (new time)!!

Not sure about naps either - she dropped her morning nap ages ago so it's just the post-lunch nap now which are at very regular times when she's at nursery.

The only thing I can think of is maybe she's a bit hot at night but I took off her sleeping bag this morning and all that did was free her legs so she could bounce on the bed and climb over me! Might try fewer layers tonight though and see what happens.

I took a few tips from this thread and decided to increase protein in tea, then gave 2 weetabix before milk and bed and put fleece pjs on DS. I woke naturally at 4am and did my Internet banking waiting for him to wake, I fell asleep eventually and was woken by my DD at 7.30!!! He woke at 7.40am! That hasn't happened in months. I do feel incredibly guilty that maybe he's been waking because he was cold and hungry :( I told my mom and burst into tears.

On the plus point I have had so much energy today after a good sleep, we have had a lovely day.

Did the same last night but got a 3.50 wake up this morning, twas a fluke.
Blood is boiling now I've had the taste of a day with decent sleep, full day at work now on hardly any sleep :(

Well my ds has been staying with my mum for the last two night as we've been away.

He slept until 7.50 both mornings which is great for her but for us.

It's awful when you just don't know why they are wakening up do early.

Poor why I'm sure you are frustrated?

I'm am very frustrated but know there's nothing I can do but ride it out. Thankfully I have one good sleeper, DD is just gone 3 and she growls if you wake her before 7 :)

Why - don't give up! Both your body clocks have to adjust. I still wake often at 4 as this was the pattern for months. I listen to the radio and trained myself to sleep again. We had a few days of both back to 6.15 finally - Then 5.30am again today both were off their food so hardly ate anything yesterday. I am sure it's linked

Dotty- any chance your mums house / bedroom / covers are warmer and she feeds him tons? I am going back to warm toast or cereal before bed for mine tonight !

We have had a similar week with my 21 month old. I think it's to do with the clocks changing and hope he resets himself as he adjusts

5.20 this morning but alarm goes off at 6 for work so don't mind that.
I mentioned it to exp (my actual words were i think DS is trying to kill me) who has them on a Saturday night sometimes and he said he's never been up before 7.30 for him!
DS was off his food yesterday too, there's so much going round. I've had so much time off work this last month since they started a new nursery and have caught everything going :( just hoping their immune systems are getting stronger.

Why - been there re nursery germs. Both mine are bullet proof now and never a day off. It passes too

doodle do you think it could be to do with room temperature? I always worry about him getting too hot. Our house is just regular central heating but my mum's house has underfloor heating and is the same temperature all the time.

Also, she lives in the country and it's really dark,whereas we are in the town but I'm quite sure this couldn't be the reason!

He's in a grow bag with a blanket. I don't think she feeds him more than we do though.

He came home last night and slept until 6.30 this morning which is an amazing lie in, however I'm not hopeful it will last.

Mine always seem to be cool when they wake up. It seems worse in winter. We have total blackout on their rooms - we would have no chance otherwise. Easyblackout on line are great covers that exclude all light. We had to use in all our upstairs. Slightest light and they were awake. I didn't mention it before as I assumed everyone did this !!

DS has now decided that he needs his potty somewhere between 4.30am and 5am. Can't very well tell him no, can I?!? Urgh.

4.30 this morning. We had a 3am start on Saturday. I thought I was going to actually die.