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Sleep

Join our Sleep forum for tips on creating a sleep routine for your baby or toddler. Need more advice on your childs development? Sign up to our Ages and Stages newsletter here.

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Original poster

Toddler newly waking at 0545

42 replies

Goosethemoose · 23/09/2021 06:42

My 21 month old has started waking at 5.30-5.45am and won’t resettle. It started as 0645 and we started bringing him into our bed so he wouldn’t disturb his brother (they share a room), but it’s got earlier and earlier. It’s now totally unworkable. How can we fix this?

He goes to bed at 7.30pm, usually asleep by 7.45-8pm at a guess. Naps around 90mins from 1.30pm. He’s currently a bit clingy as he’s settling into nursery, but we’ve got to nip this in the bud.

Has anyone dealt with this successfully?

OP posts:

MrsPelligrinoPetrichor · 23/09/2021 10:18

I agree, sleep patterns change all the time.

Original poster

Goosethemoose · 23/09/2021 11:28

When he wakes up now, he wants to come and chill in our bed. Which is a rod we’ve made for our own backs, I know, but I’d like to break the habit and stop him wanting to come down and just roll over and go back to sleep. He’s basically now spending what used to be his final sleep cycle, cuddling up with me bleary-eyed at 6am.

OP posts:

Skyla2005 · 23/09/2021 17:06

It's normal. Mine were all awake at 5 am it's a killer but nothing changed it just have to ride it out it does get better and you will be dragging them out of bed for school eventually !!

PseuDenim · 23/09/2021 17:14

My nearly 7 year old DC wakes up around this time, always has. Some kids need less sleep than others, like some adults need less sleep. I just adjusted my own habits so that I was getting enough sleep for me, and we are now used to it.

Guineapigbridge · 23/09/2021 17:19

This is normal (well all three of my kids went through this phase at the same ages as yours). IME they grow out of it naturally in about six months. Just get used to getting up earlier for a bit. Put them in the pushchair and get a fast walk in. They sometimes fall back asleep but at least you get a workout in.

WhyOhWhyOhWhyyyy · 23/09/2021 17:19

How long has it been going on for? Could just be a phase. I posted a similar thread a couple of months ago and was told by a lot of people to drop the nap, I really couldn’t face doing that so left it and she went back to waking at 7am after a few weeks. So not sure what was going on there but it did seem to just be a phase.
We did get a gro clock during that time but I’m not sure that was actually what made the difference.

Guineapigbridge · 23/09/2021 17:22

But I have zero intention of accepting that I will be up before 6am for the next few years! Obviously it might happen anyway, but I’m not just going to think “ah well, kids eh?” and make no attempt to change it!

Better to just roll with it. He's sleeping fine. Go to bed earlier yourself. What he's doing is normal and healthy.

itsthehopethatkillsyou · 23/09/2021 17:27

Drop the nap

If they get too tired in the evening, put to bed earlier.

crimsonlake · 23/09/2021 17:46

Tbh this is part and parcel of parenthood, children usually get up early.
Mine always did, either came in to my room and got in to bed with me or we went down together. Going down is not a reward? I would love those morning cuddles again.

Newmummy9 · 23/09/2021 18:20

Following with interest. My 21 month old has stopped going back to sleep when he stirs at about 6ish. I also am desperate to fix it. Good luck! Let me know if anything works

Original poster

Goosethemoose · 24/09/2021 06:07

Well he did it again, 5.50 to the minute and today I just held him and sat in the chair in their room and he dropped off again, and I was able to put him back in the cot. Which is not a great habit but at least he’s not shouting for me (touch wood!).

OP posts:

Covidwoes · 24/09/2021 06:17

We've had this on and off for 2 years with little improvement, and anything beyond 6.30 is a win. Some kids are just early risers. DD is now 3 and a good wake up is 6.30!

MrsRetreiver · 24/09/2021 06:18

@Goosethemoose

Well done, but I agree you need to lower your expectations of toddler wakeup times a bit! We had the same with DS at that age, going from a 6.30 wakeup to 5.30, then 4.30. He was often content to play/read/sing to himself in his cot, so we started using a gro clock to encourage that a bit more. I didn’t like leaving him for a while every day though as his nappies sometimes leaked a bit.

We were also definitely not ready to drop the nap so I played around with bedtime a bit, going earlier or later to see what worked. We ended up with a slightly later bedtime than usual - only about 20 mins - that pushed the wakeup time back to 5.45ish.

Covidwoes · 24/09/2021 06:21

What @Guineapigbridge said. I just go to bed earlier. We have tried everything, including a sleep consultant. None of it has worked. What I do now is go to bed early. I also have an 8 month old who still feeds once a night most nights.

Original poster

Goosethemoose · 24/09/2021 07:52

@Covidwoes what did the sleep consultant advise?

OP posts:

Original poster

Goosethemoose · 26/09/2021 11:38

Bumping

OP posts:

Covidwoes · 26/09/2021 21:40

@Goosethemoose complete blackout in the bedroom, night routine, no stimulation before bed like screens, no sleep 'props' like dummies, nothing in the morning immediately that they may want to wake up for (like an iPad), putting them to bed earlier so they aren't overtired (my DD wakes even earlier if she has a late bedtime. This is due to being overtired). She also said the key is persisting and consistency. We did all this for months with no change. DD is just an early riser! Hopefully it'll change as she gets older.

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