Hi everyone,
I hope you can help, I'm at a loss of what to do anymore. My little boy, now 3, has been waking up at the crack of dawn since we moved him into a toddler bed a year and a half ago! I can't believe it's been going on for that long. We were forced to move him into a bed because he kept climbing out of his cot and banging his head! But his sleep went insane for the first few months, then settled a little bit but the 4/5am wake ups stuck!
He'll have the odd morning where he'll sleep til 6.15/6.20ish, which is bliss!! And I feel like a new woman when he does! But it's rare. He usually wakes between 4 & 6, usually about 5ish and I just feel like it's making me ill.
I already have a thyroid problem caused by the pregnancy which makes me tired anyway and I work full-time as a teacher, so waking up at 4.30, like I did this morning, is killing me! I don't know how I'm going to get through the day. And I know he's not getting enough sleep either bc he's yawning, cranky and over emotional. I just don't know why he insists on waking up at that time and he just can't get back to sleep.
We've tried everything!!! I mean, everything!
Had health and development practitioners come round but they just suggested a sticker chart that he wasn't interested in. He has white noise, 2× black out blinds and curtains, really good Bedtime routine (it's not a problem putting him down at all). He goes to bed about 7.30, we do the bath, story etc. He has a potty in his room so he can change his nappy in morning to pants if it's wet (still in nappies at night). I don't know what else to do.
My husband works away a lot so it's left to me and I just feel like i'm losing the plot. I can't do my job properly and I'm upset for my son, because he's so, so tired. I keep telling him if he could sleep longer in the morning he'd feel so much better.
I really don't know what the problem is. Sometimes he'll wake up at 4am, dry nappy, room warm and dark, no noise, there's just no explanation.
I think he naturally stirs at that time but doesn't know how to let himself drift back off to sleep. I don't know how to teach him that though. He's a very active, headstrong boy and literally leaps out of bed and charges in our room! It's really hard for him to relax and stay still so I can't even stroke him back to sleep or anything. And he is wide awake at that time, chatting away while I'm dazed and confused!
I don't know where else to turn. I always thought when he started preschool things would change, I don't know why I thought this. But they haven't and I just feel desperate.
If anyone has any advice on what to do or who to ask turn to for help, it will be gratefully received.
Thanks so much!