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Sleep

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Original poster

hand holding for early wake ups needed!

33 replies

tiredybear · 29/06/2016 06:17

4.30am. again.
feed and cuddle in bed. used to be able to put him back in his cot and he'd go back to sleep for an hour or two. Just lately, he's up for the day instead. ugh.
He's just turning 15 months, never been a great sleeper. had dropped to one night feed, now back up to 2/3. Just discovered the joy of tantrums too (thought that wasn't until 2yrs!!?!)
Yes, it's summer and the birds are singing and it's daylight, so I suppose I can't blame him. but it's just SO early! I know it's a phase but...ugh.

anyone else?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

MoonlightMedicine · 29/06/2016 06:27

Yes. You're not alone! I've been up in the night with my poorly 5 year old and then up as usual at 5 with 2.5 year old DD. I'm used to it now :(

DocMcFanjo · 29/06/2016 06:30

Yep! 2 year old DD waking around 5 these mornings with at least one night wake too.

She first slept through age 13 months but has had a few changes of mind since!

I'd cope (just) but am 34 weeks pregnant now and dreading the thought of dealing with two. I'm just assuming I'll not have a decent night's sleep for the next 3 years or so. Who knows, maybe I'm being optimistic.

This too shall pass (by the time they're in college...)

BendydickCuminsnatch · 29/06/2016 06:50

Yes, I'm on another thread about this at the mo too, and had my own a few weeks ago! There are lots of us in the same boat, ha! Bloody babies.
DS is 13 months and is usually up between 5&5:30 so could be worse. But my concern is that he's waking because he's hungry which makes me feel bad. I can't get more food into him in the day, he eats loads! Although sometimes doesn't eat anything due to teeth or tiredness (he's cutting his 13th tooth at 13 months old). And he's so tired because he's up so early because he's hungry!

In the last week I've managed to cut his naps down to 2x 1.5 hrs, and bedtime has moved from 6-7pm, so I'm hoping less sleep in the day will mean he catches up at night and goes 7-7?? I think I'm dreaming!

TheEagle · 29/06/2016 07:49

We had a patch of 5 & 5.30 wakeups from our now 14.5mo DTs.

It co-incided with me stopping breastfeeding them so I think they were genuinely hungry because they stopped taking milk overnight.

It was totally exhausting but it seems to have passed now.

I feed them up to the gills during the day and they sleep until 6/6.30 (from around 6.45/7 the night before)

I think there's a huge developmental leap around the 15-18 month mark so things might go tits up again in another few weeks.

Hugs for you, early wakeups are the pits.

TheEagle · 29/06/2016 07:52

bendydick, maybe your DS is ready for just one nap? I know all babies are different - my DTs have been on 1 nap since about 11 months.

They definitely sleep better at night if they've just had 1 nap of around 2 hours. They usually nap 11-1.

Cursed teeth! DTs are getting number 11&12 and it's tough on them

BendydickCuminsnatch · 29/06/2016 08:00

TheEagle, yes, sometimes he does take 1 nap. Most days though he's knackered by 8 as he gets up so early and I can't bear the thought of him being tired for another 3 or so hours before having one midday nap so put him down for a nap. If his only nap was at 8 then he'd be up for a long time before bed so then I try and get him to have an afternoon nap too. Wish I could get him to be alert and not tired for a good chunk of the morning, but as it is mornings are spent either tired or asleep.

TheEagle · 29/06/2016 08:26

Oh I know it's so hard isn't it! My older DS was doing 1 nap from 12. He seemed to be more able to stay awake, when DTs were waking at 5, they were zonked by 9am. They still would only do 1 nap for me - monkeys!

splendide · 29/06/2016 09:39

Oh god the early waking is the worst isn't it. We're in a 6/6.30 stage now which I can completely live with.

Anything before 6 and I lie on the floor in his room with my hand in the cot shushing. I refuse (for my own sanity) to open the curtains before 6.

I did find it massively improved when he dropped his morning nap at about a year. I know it's tough though, I just stopped doing cot naps but if he fell asleep in his buggy or the car then fine.

polkadotdelight · 29/06/2016 09:42

DS is a 5am waker, he treated me to 4.20am today. He is 21 months and always been that way. I am haggard.

Original poster

tiredybear · 29/06/2016 10:00

glad we're not alone but sorry you guys are suffering too.
Bendydick - yeah we're same here with naps. last week he looked like he wanted to drop to one, but now back to 2 x 80mins naps (to the minute!). I think he's a bit ahead in a lot of ways so may be having the development leap now, but has always been behind with sleeping - only started reliably having naps ofmore than 30mins during the day from around a year!

Don't want to wish the time away, but can't wait til i can get down to one nap - feel a bit trapped! If he doesn't sleep he's SO grumpy - and having regular tantrums even when he's NOT tired.

TheEagle - so jealous! can't imagine my LO EVER sleeping that well at night! I think the extra night wake ups are due to hunger as he's stopped eating very much during the day. Really upped his feeds from me, byt mainly just plays with his food now, he always used to eat so well, so not sure what's going on.

OP posts:

splendide · 29/06/2016 10:07

The problem is that by the time you figure anything out they've moved on! M

BendydickCuminsnatch · 29/06/2016 10:36

Sorry to jump on your thread tiredy. But what do people think about just powering through the morning and keeping him up until about 12 even though he really is super tired by about 8? Do you think that would kind of reset everything?
I'm reluctant because today he slept 8:30-10 and is still knackered now, making his tired noises, whingey etc etc, so skipping morning nap will be that x100. But short term pain for long term gain? Last night he slept 7-3, DH got up to feed him as he was starving, then slept 3:30-5:30. We had a glorious period of sleeping through the night (but waking at 4:30-5). I do much better without night wakings!

TheEagle · 29/06/2016 10:37

splendide, so true! I drove myself daft trying to "fix" DS1 and his sleep but I just try to follow DTs lead and see what happens.

They don't sleep all night tiredy! Come morning there's always 1 or both in bed with me too

TheEagle · 29/06/2016 10:39

bendy, could you even try keeping him up until 10.30/11 and see now that goes?

DTs can't last longer than 11 for their nap, I've tried stringing it out until 12 but it's miserable for everyone.

They sleep 11ish-1ish and then are ready for sleep by 6.45pm.

It seems to work well for them.

Diddlydokey · 29/06/2016 10:42

Stop BFing at night, he doesn't need it and it isn't helping the solids or his teeth. I would feed after breakfast and before bed, but not feeding to sleep.. teeth should be brushed and going to bed clean.

Gro anywhere blackout blind.

BendydickCuminsnatch · 29/06/2016 10:44

The Eagle I could do that. I'll try it tomorrow! So do they have an early or late lunch?

TheEagle · 29/06/2016 10:49

They have dinner after their sleep so usually around 1.30 these days.

Breakfast: 7ish
Snack: 10ish
Dinner: 1.30ish
Snack: 3.30
Tea: 5ish

Good luck!

TheEagle · 29/06/2016 11:03

diddly, once the child's teeth are brushed after solids then breastmilk at night doesn't damage teeth.

Breastmilk contains a property called lactoferrin which actually protects teeth.

Nighttime breastfeeding is often not about calorie intake but about comfort.

If the OP felt like night weaning she could look into it but I think she just wants some support and the knowledge that she's not alone in waking in the wee small hours.

MoonlightMedicine · 29/06/2016 11:11

TheEagle that's really interesting, I didn't know that and have been worrying about both my children as they have both been big night feeders. Both have really good teeth (eldest is 6).

Diddlydokey · 29/06/2016 11:18

www.reuters.com/article/us-breastfeeding-past-two-years-idUSBREA2D1Q820140314

There are links to on demand feeding beyond infancy and tooth decay

Diddlydokey · 29/06/2016 11:19

Once there are teeth on the scene, I would only do a bedtime routine of pjs, milk, teeth, book and bed and no milk until morning.

TheEagle · 29/06/2016 11:20

kellymom.com/ages/older-infant/tooth-decay/

TheEagle · 29/06/2016 11:23

The study that you linked diddly, did not research children who had their teeth brushed after solids before bedtime.

As I mentioned above, brushing teeth after the last ingestion of solids will help protect against decay.

My children all got their first tooth at 21 weeks. I was certainly not going to stop breastfeeding them during the night at that age.

Diddlydokey · 29/06/2016 11:24

My children all got their first tooth at 21 weeks. I was certainly not going to stop breastfeeding them during the night at that age.

I would have... put that down to different parenting styles I suppose. I like my sleep too much to be feeding at night for too long.

TheEagle · 29/06/2016 11:26

Horses for courses I suppose diddly, we are coming at this from 2 very different viewpoints.

Sorry to derail your thread OP

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