If you've had an early riser PLEASE come in!

[upsidedown2017]

Almost 2 year old has been waking for the day between 4.50am and 5.30am for as long as I can remember. It's been a consistent theme since the early months and I think his body clock is very much set. We have tried lots of things. Nothing works.

Here's the thing; call me dramatic but it's ruining my life. For almost 2 years I've gone to bed soon after the kids do. I've not had an evening for that long. I can't function if I don't get 8 hours sleep (genuine medical condition). I can't get any freelance work done as I don't have an evening - by the time kids are in bed, dishwasher put on, clothes put away, stuff ready for the next day it's time for me to trundle off to bed. It's caused so many arguments between DH and I that are marriage is almost over.

I feel like I'm wasting my life. It was 4.50 today. I can't function at that time ... I've never been a morning person. I get my best work done in the evening. We end up sitting watching fireman sam or similar until 8.30am. That's almost 4 hours screen time before most people's day has started. I despise it! If he got up at a more reasonable time I'd feel up for getting everyone dressed, breakfast then out for an activity. As it stands I've had 3 coffees, a Diet Coke and am back in bed for a nap while DH watches the kids in the lounge.

I feel like we are wasting every weekend in this shitty routine. I feel awful and fed up all the time. All my friends kids sleep until 7 like our eldest did. I don't know anyone else that has gone through this like I have.

I am at the end of my rope.

I want my evening back! I want to be able to watch a series of an evening like most other adults! I want to feel like I'm living not existing. I want to start my day at a more normal time!

What can I do? I'm open to any and every suggestion!

Later bedtime makes NO difference.

Yes we have blackout blinds but he is always up before the sun rises anyway.

No, I don't think he's hungry - he's very well covered and slightly overweight if anything.

Supper makes no difference. He's definitely getting enough calories.

He's tired. He can't make it past 9.30am some days without napping. He looks shattered. I believe he needs to sleep longer.

It makes no real difference what nap length he has in the day.

HELP

@SelmaAndJubjub - whenever the heating comes on in our house there is a noise, mild banging of pipes etc. Likewise, if we use the oil filled radiator in his room there is a noticeable clicking noise when it comes on. This is what I contended with last winter. A choice between annoying noises or cold temps!

Also no advise but I had two of these/they did it until the youngest was about 7.5...
It's debilitating.

Now at 10 and nearly 12 they sleep in til 9 or so if I let them...so it does end, just to give you some light st the end of the tunnel.
I'm still fucking programmed to wake up at 5 however but st least I don't have to actually get up.

Actually the only thing that did sometimes used to work was having them in bed with me...it's not ideal but desperate times call for desperate measures.

whenever the heating comes on in our house there is a noise, mild banging of pipes etc

We had this too and the Tado has solved it because you don't get the heating turning on and off: it's on continuously (if you set it to be), but doesn't produce heat unless the temperature falls below a certain level e.g. 18 degrees. So it has actually saved us a bit of money and the house no longer gets chilly at night. You can set different day and night time temperatures.

I have had a groclock for DS since he was about 20 months. He's 2 years 3 months now and he definitely understands and responds to it. I'm not sure what time he wakes up (between 6 and 7 mostly although it has ocassionally been earlier) but he stays in his bedroom till the sun at 7. It's taken some training but he will do it - I would crack yours out!
DD also had one and remains a slave to it at almost 5...

My thoughts exactly, twofalls

The most stellar ‘advice’ I’ve ever seen on the sleep boards was, ‘Well my babies slept because I expected them to sleep!’

That went down like the fucking Titanic 😄

4.30-5.30am /(6 on a very very good day)..) 2 year old early riser here too, and always has been.

At one point I'm pretty sure it was because he was peeing tons and his nappy would always leak. This has stopped (we changed brands and the hormone to regulate urine production / flow I think has kicked in) and we've had a bit more consistent sleep.

We tend to still get wakes every 2-3 weeks at 3.30/4am that are full on screaming won't go back to sleep affairs. I tend to change him (even if he doesn't need it) and take him into bed with me where he usually thrashes around for an hour or two

For every other bastard early morning wakeup, I think we're as good as we're going to get - i.e. its an early wake up and lots of noise / chatter but thankfully he's not screaming at us. He knows we'll go and get him and for the moment seems ok - I'm planning to get a clock or similar soon so he can visualize it

Things that we've done to try and draw out the time in bed are: blackout blinds and curtains on top, white noise machine, put in a duvet and pillow. I've also made sure he doesn't nap later than 3pm - there's a marked improvement with this and getting him to bed and waking up (could be coincidental but Ill take it!) and also he's really affected if its too hot or too cold (its all very princess and the pea like..)

I aso had the issue with him trying to fall asleep mid morning as he was tired, but luckily he's in nursery now for those couple of hours so doesn't get the chance in the week. I find if he does it on the weekend it ruins the afternoon nap, which ruins the evening sleep. I can often be found belting out songs or shouting at him loudly to keep him awake!

I'm not sure how much this will help but the grobag people do a duvet that is zipped onto the sheets for when they move into a bed. Keeps the covers in place at least.

DS2 was up at 5.15 this morning. He came and got his tablet, all well and good, but then I heard talking. I brought him into my bed until he was so engrossed he stopped. Pushing bedtime back by 10 minutes a night isn't working. 😢😴

Following this thread with interest as I had two early risers - especially ds. Dd would wake early, but was happy to come into our bed and go back to sleep for a couple of hours. Not so ds. I remember a period of getting up at 5.30 with him, going downstairs and putting on the longest running Thomas the Tank Engine dvd and then falling asleep on the sofa next to him. From about two he learned to.operate the machine himself so he could play it again. I used to get him up because otherwise he would wake his older sister and while I could confidently snooze through with one of them on the sofa, with two it was impossible. I used to dread the hour changing in winter because he would then be waking even earlier. I’ve got no magic remedy - just wanted to say it won’t last forever (though it will feel like it while it continues). Best thing to do is make sure you get to bed at a reasonable time yourself and on no account ever have a hangover! Ds continued to be an early riser, but at the more reasonable time of 7am which we began to consider a lie in. On the plus side (for the future) neither dc has ever had any problem getting up for school. They are both teenagers now and love a lie in, I however am the one (re) programmed to wake early - which is why I am Mumsnetting on a Saturday morning in a silent house.

I had one like this. Early rising until 18 months. I stopped his lunchtime nap and it fixed it

My eldest was and still is an early riser. He’s now 8 and he flew into my room at 7am (earliest he’s allowed) and is in now my bed. When he was around 2 I left a bottle of water and a few toys/books in his bed and told him every night he had to wait for mr sun on the groclock. I refused to get him before 6. At 6 he then came into our bed and snuggled - up at 7. So I was awake obv from whenever he woke as could hear him (usually chatting or singing) but at least still in bed!
Sympathies OP - I think some are just like this. As they get older you can manage better but not fundamentally change them. My early one napped until he was 3.5 - but after lunch/nursery rather than mid morning.

The bonus is these days he gets a lot of reading done Pre 7am!

My milk monster will be fed back to sleep until up to 10am most days. Don't know how I will cope when she stops breastfeeding.

Bad mum confession; I will put on Peppa Pig and shut the doors and just snooze. There's something in that show that hypmotises kids. It's bad but needs must.

Can you not let them come into your bed? Even with your phone to play with an app? You might get an extra hour in bed that way.

Both of my DSes (now 6 and 3) have done this. Been good sleepers from 3/4 months old, going down reliably between 7.30 and 8pm, sleeping all night, but waking around 5am rather than 7am as preferred. I agree it ruins the whole day and seems to stand in the way of living a normal life again.

I can't give you any great tips because I never found anything that worked, but it did slowly extend -5am, 5.15, 5.30 etc over the ages 2-4. My youngest has just turned 3 and we are finally getting the occasional 7am awakening, otherwise mostly between 6 and 6.30am. We take the lie-ins in turn.

DS2 woke up at 6.55 this morning! 😆

@EvilDoctorBallerinaVampireDuck wow! What did you do differently?!

Absolutely nothing, he was obviously knackered! 😆

Now I'm awake for no reason.

Did he have more exercise at all?

Genuinely concerned about the clocks next weekend

It was 4.30am this morning.

I feel your pain. I have an early riser too. She was awake at 5.15 this morning. We've tried bringing her in with us but she won't sleep. Given her peppa pig on the iPad but she just messes with it and ends up turning the videos over constantly and moaning she wants peppa pig back. She won't stay in her room quietly either she will scream if left alone. Me and Dp are constantly knackered and go to bed early too. She usually naps around 11 but some days it's earlier. I'm going to try and push it back to 12. She also will fall asleep in the pram or car.

My lb has always been early riser is 4 now my husband gets up at 5.15 for work so dont know if related to this? It was 4.45. 5.30 is a brilliant morning for us. I go to bed early and hope it will get later at some point. We have a grow clock but he doesnt go back to sleep just messes about checking it and talking a bit. Things we have tried is no nap as he dropped them , so we tried to do short nap if needed in case getting over tired, childrens yoga before bed, lavander oil in bath, massage. He does usually get lots of exercise am unsure if this makes much difference compared to days he gets less. Wish i could tell you something that worked sometimes im pretty chilled about it and accept it and other times im desperate for a solution. I go to bed early every night as feel worse if i dont.

Sorry 4.45 this morning

Snap 😫 DD1 is 3.5 and wakes at 5:30 now everyday (mostly waits in room until sun comes on grow clock at 6:00) and DS2 is 11 months and up at 5am (plus at least 1 night wake, often 2 😢)
...dreading the clock change...I'll be up at 4am with DS 😱
Both of mine go to bed at 6:30 so I'm not sure how helpful the early bed times are? I guess it ensures they get more sleep but for me it doesn't seem to push wake up any later??? But everywhere u read suggests early rising is due to over tiredness?
What are people planning to do with clock change? Do I just get up at 4am then try to push naps back so we are on track for 6:30 bedtime again? Or will people try to not get up at 4am 🙈😂

Following with interest, my DS 19m is always up between 5-5.30. he poos every day around that time so I have to go in and change him (right away after an unfortunate cot smearing incident not envy)
We have a groclock he ignores. He goes to bed around 6.30 which I've tried to push back but DH seems to want to keep. He naps around 12 for 60-90 minutes. What time do all your little ones have tea? I wonder if our routine is too early at 4.30-5 ish?