Early mornings getting me down!

[SnowWhite26]

Hi.
I dont no what to do anymore. My 13 month old wakes anywhere be between 5 and 5.40 mostly nearer 5. He goes to bed at 7 although have tried pushing it back but didnt really work. I go to bed early my husband and I take it in turns but I its starting to get me really down even when he gets up. I go through what I did yesterday to why hes woken up later or earlier. Its pitch black in his room. Heating coming on some mornings. I hate the in continuity of it all. I went to bed at 9.30 last night and he woke at 5 i fed him in a desperate need to go back to sleep and he just chatted until he got upset. Yesterday he slept till 5.40 why later? I analyse every thing. The one thing i have noticed is that he eill happierly go down for naps in the cot in the day but if we are out he will happily stay awake. For instance yesterday he had half an hour at about 9 in car and then was fine until left about 3.30 and slept im car for an hour. If I am in he will go for a 1-2 hr nap at 9 then either a car nap in pm if im out or cot if im in. Nothing makes much difference but wondered i should not let him sleep so much in the day. Ahhh my head will explode. I think its having 2 children so im so tired from running around all day. I dunno. My 4 year old woke really early and i think it slowly started to improve once she was walking. My baby crawls loads in the day. Anyway I just need a rant some ppl that might understand how much it takes over your head. My friends who have children that do it say im not strict enough and i should leave him etc
.. I can still hear him im still awake!! Thanks for reading xxx

Some children are just early risers. Mine always have been and still get up at 7ish sometimes earlier now they are teenagers.

I wasn’t an early riser but have kind of adjusted over the years.

If you have them in bed by 7 and they do sleep, I think that’s a decent night’s sleep.

My second baby was like this. It started with the 4 month sleep regression and it's only recently we've seen an improvement (he's just turned 2). I tried everything; more naps, less naps, ignoring him, cuddling him, etc etc. We have a gro clock in the boys room (unfortunately he sleeps with his 3 year old brother who's a brilliant sleeper!) but on the odd occasion he's woken up at 5, it makes no difference. He just makes so much noise we have to quickly pull him out so he doesn't wake his brother.
Unfortunately, my 4 month old daughter is following suit! Just when one was doing better, the other has started waking at 5! 😭

With the milk it is all about stretching it later and later even if it is by 1 min a day. Watch the clock and give it when it is a min later than previous day.
Also try diluting it, add a little more water to the milk each day until it slowly just becomes water.

I seem to have invented the Roald Dahl the twits, method of parenting, but whatever works

I have to admit I would have been pretty happy with this at 13mo but my son was waking hourly back then. He sleeps through from 19.30-5.30 now at 17mo but will at least come into bed and breastfeed and cuddle for 45-60 mins so I don’t have to get up straight away. When do toddlers start to get enough understanding for a groclock?

We had a an early riser. At 7 he's still up early. We just shifted our life to the new times. I found it meant I was less bothered if I knew what was happening. So we'd take it in turns to be up at 5 with the baby, and we'd just start the day early. When the other one gets up, the early parent goes back to bed for a nap, if it's the weekend.

Honestly, I think part of it for me was not fighting it. Which sounds wanky, but it made the biggest difference.

I think he's too young to understand a gro clock. I have one but my 5 year old used to just get up and press all the buttons repeatedly until the sun came up. I think kids who like following rules do well with gro clocks.

I've probably missed the boat with getting my kids to sleep later but some good advice on this thread

Later bedtime is the answer, mine went to sleep 8.30/9 and we never got disturbed early

Never too young. Even pointing at it and settling him back into bed when blue will give him a non verbal indication that it's time to stay in bed. And when it's orange you get up and reward him with lots of love and play time. Also don't set the grow clock at 7am. Try 6 first. It'll take a couple of weeks.
Then set it to 6.30.

Lol I’m pregnant, I go to bed at 20.30

There isn’t a way of settling my son back into bed. He is screaming when he wakes. But I’m ok with him coming in with us.

People always suggest later bedtimes but we tried it for a month and he was just exhausted and it fucked up his naps.

Never too young. Even pointing at it and settling him back into@HerSymphonyAndSong try now. My DS had one for his first birthday. As much as he didn't know the colours he knew the difference between them. Non verbal signs all the way. Ours is set to half six and at half six on the dot I go to his room and open the blinds and our day starts.

I think you’re at the right age to switch to one nap. Might help.

(For clarity, he woke up at the same time regardless)

It will be interesting to see what happens when the clocks go back, but my friend’s son wakes up at 5am when the clocks go back and then switches to 6am when they go forward so who knows

Catworrier I’m quite happy to try it, but “settling him back with non verbal cues” is hardly going to be something we haven’t tried, is it?? However as he settles in with us it doesn’t bother me too much, even though I don’t get back to sleep I’m at least not having to get up properly until 6.30

Oh no! I forgot about the clocks changing :( its going to be awful :(

4.45 this morning!!!!! Why??? It was an hour later 2 days ago. Why is he waking up so early and so differently.Do u think i should stop morning milk?? When do u give milk to urs andvwhen did u stop. Mine is 13 months? Dunno if i have creayed a habot to go in and give milk but its not working most of tye time!! X

I have a friend who diesnt feed her 8 month old milk till breakfast

You're totally overthinking this......in my opinion , this is just how it's going to be for a while.
I know it's shit, really shit, but it will improve

Later bedtime won't be the answer. I can't tell you how many times I've been told that. It just means they get up at the same time and are extra grumpy because they're tired.
I agree that you're overthinking. For now, it's a phase and it seems like you're just going to need to go with it. I know it's frustrating and you're tired but it won't last forever. x

I think you might be right about the milk. Mine had milk at breakfast at one year.

What time does the heating come on? Do the pipes knock and bang in little ones room?
Are you using a grow bag? Checked the chart to see if you are at the right tog for the room temp?

I no it seems extrerme but I just wondered if about the milk x

Just coming on to sympathise. I wanted to add to to those who say it won’t last for ever (it just feels as if it will while you are in the middle of it) and to say I coped by adapting my own hours (ie going to bed earlier myself). I would have no hesitation in snuggling down in front of the TV and having a snooze on the sofa at that early hour. Also to add that my two are teens now (DD has just gone to uni) and I would love to be able to have another one of those sleepy early mornings cuddling up with my baby while the rest of the world is asleep (rose tinted specs and all that). and also and remember the Mumsnet mantra - this too shall pass.

how are you doing now OP??

I think it’s normal. He’s had 10 hours overnight by then which is fine for his age plus naps. Seems mean to me to leave him if upset, he’s obviously just ready to start his day.