Have you ever tried this with your early waker?

[ballbaby]

Last night I slept in ds2s room in a separate bed. He woke at 5.45am (a good day - a bad day can be 4.20am and I'm sick sick sick of it) and I gave him some milk, which he finished then started crying to get up (same as normal). Every time he cried I told him "NO!" and he stopped. He started crying again 3 more times and then - can you believe it - went back to sleep. He's still asleep now! I'm in such a good mood I had to tell everyone! Will it work tomorrow - probably not - but I'm grateful for any small victory!

I refuse to get up before 7am so if they wake up they have to lie next to me and wait. Yesterday ds woke at 5.40am I bf him then repeated each time he protested - "Go to Sleep" which he did eventually and did not wake up till 9am!!

That always worked for ds1+2 when they were little. They loved sleeping in our bed too.

Ds3 hates our bed and will only lay down in it for 10 minutes or so without complaining. Our bed is only for bouncing on in his mind.....

all i can say is stick with it! My dd is 2 and 8 months and is still an early waker - we have now got her to about 6.15 after about a year of saying "back to bed"... as you say, before a "good day" was about 5.45, a bad day before 5am!!
we put up with it for ages thinking she'd grow out if it when "she starts walking, more exercise, less daytime sleep" etc but she didn't! Just became more tired!! Just stick with the "back to bed" "no" routine and don't give in!!!

I did exactly what you described ballbaby, for a year nearly! After that I managed to change dd's natural waking time from far too early to a civilized hour so persevere, it works eventually - who needs the natural ability to get up a 5 or 6 am every day anyway?

I have always had problems when I've tried to co-sleep. Both ds's think it's playtime when they get in our bed! Ds2 (14mths) had a good morning this morning - no milk (dh won't allow it when he gets up with him) and we checked on him and he went back until 7.00am. Fantastic. I'm not convinced it's going to last but it's put me in a good mood for the day anyway.