18month early wake ups!

[Franktank19]

My 18month old has been waking up at 5am on the dot every morning for the past 2 weeks. It doesn’t matter what time I put him to bed (6.30/6.45pm is currently) He has an hour nap a day which I have managed to move later in the day to see if that helped but it doesn’t.
He sometimes goes back off to sleep with me in my bed but I do not want this becoming a habit.
What do I do???

Possibly try getting him to go to bed a little later at night, that will I'm sure mean a slightly later rise in the morning x

The clocks go forward soon which will help it seem better!

6.30 seems really early to me. Perhaps could try keeping him up 30/45 minutes later and see if that makes a difference? You'd have to do it constantly for a few days to know if it's making a difference.

For comparison, my 18m DS needs about 10 hours at night so we aim for a bedtime of 7 45/8.00 which means he'll normally wake up at around 6am.

I found you get used to it!

Thank you

Same here - we have an 18month early riser who needs about 10h sleep a night. She will never ever have more than 10h20 minutes. So we have a 19:45 bedtime.
I think you should slowly adjust bedtime and naps a bit later.
Good luck x

I think bedtime is too early. So they are sleeping more than 10hrs still not ideal. I would try to get bedtime later then you might get an extra hour.

My kids bedtime was usually about 7.30-8. My youngest is 15 months and sometimes she is just absolutely shattered by back of 6. I hold off to bath her at 7 and then she'll be down in bed by 7.30. She also has a 1hr nap.

Ok thank you guys. it’s tough trying to keep him up late and entertaining him by myself - I can’t cook my own dinner until he is asleep as he needs me in the same room as him but I will adjust.
Need to break the cycle as he is napping early at nursery as is shattered then by 6:30 is asking for his bottle and bed...but I will try all you’ve mentioned, thank you

Interesting because I thought you should put them down earlier as they're overtired...

@Franktank19

Ok thank you guys. it’s tough trying to keep him up late and entertaining him by myself - I can’t cook my own dinner until he is asleep as he needs me in the same room as him but I will adjust. Need to break the cycle as he is napping early at nursery as is shattered then by 6:30 is asking for his bottle and bed...but I will try all you’ve mentioned, thank you

Why can’t you cook with him in the kitchen with you? That’s what we do with my 18 month old. She knows the oven is hot and not to touch.

In my experience with my own son, nothing i did made a difference to the ridiculously early wake ups. Not what you want to hear i know. I just had to wait it out. Got easier when he became interested in telly because i could put it on for an hour and size on the couch. Starting your day at 6.30 seems more reasonable than 5.30. This too shall pass

I do try and it’s not an excuse it’s just such a small kitchen he is literally under my feet and I worry he will pull pans etc down...I tend to just batch cook his food so that’s ready to go and then sort myself out later when he’s in bed

@Franktank19 Ah I see, that’s hard. Would you have room for a kitchen tower pushed up to a worktop? My toddler will stand up there for honestly up to an hour colouring with crayons, playing with a wooden spoon, messing with (washed!) eggshells etc - she loves it! I can see why you’re tired if you can’t start thinking about cooking until he’s in bed!

Oh what’s a kitchen tower?! This sounds great

Yes I read about being overtired too @MrsABC123 literally he’s asking for his bottle and is shattered bless him.
Think I’ll have to just try and ride it out

@franktank19 we are in the same position although she excelled herself with 4.15 this morning 😭😭😭

It is so, so shit. Putting it down to a sleep regression.

Eden's box Kids STEP UP KITCHEN HELPER KIDS WOODEN STEP STOOL chair learnining CHILDREN black board white board drawing www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0828QNSL5/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_fabc_55XS6K1ZHEPM5C5HB5W9?tag=mumsnetforu03-21
This kind of thing - they’re a bit expensive but you can find them 2nd hand on FB marketplace and if you’re diy inclined there is a “hack” to make your own out of an IKEA stool. Hands down our Best Buy for preserving kitchen sanity! But it might not fit in a small kitchen...

Fab! Thank you