Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

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.

Flip

1 2 3

Original poster

Toddler waking at 4.30am - help please!!

56 replies

Wonderlusst · 01/03/2022 05:17

Our toddler turns 2 next month and has generally been a good sleeper but always an early riser. I can take 6am or even 5.45, but she’s recently started waking for the day at 4.30am. It’s been about 2 months now, and ruled out teething, illness etc.

I am at my wits end as we have tried EVERYTHING.

Her bedtime is 7pm, and she has a 1.5-2hr nap at 12.30.

We have tried:

moving bedtime to 7.30pm (she still wakes at the same time)
moving bedtime to 6.30pm
cutting down naps
changing time of naps
controlled crying in the morning (doesn’t change anything, she just lies there crying)
bringing her in to bed (awful, she just rolls around and pokes you)

We do each of these for 10 days / 2 weeks to create a pattern and give it some time to bed in but nothing is working.

I am pregnant, we both work full time and these early wake ups are killing me. Especially as she’s very tired when she wakes up and grumpy so clearly still needs the sleep!!

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

mydailymailhell · 01/03/2022 05:26

No advice, I’m afraid, but following this thread as I am in the same boat. My toddler wakes at 5 am on the dot and has done his entire life, apart from those mornings he wakes at 4.30…..
The clock change is coming up, that might help?

autienotnaughty · 01/03/2022 05:29

It's hard my son was the other way and wouldn't fall asleep til 9/10 at night! It stopped when we dropped the nap but he was about 3 by then. I'd say lots of activity/stimulation during day. Set bedtime routine. Short nap after lunch like 60-90 min. Look at could anything be waking her do you have blackout blinds ? Is she needing toilet? What are you doing when she wakes I would try calmly put back in to bed no talking/stimulation. Also you say 10-14 days for new routine that's not really that long to see if it's working. I'd say more 4-6 weeks. If you feel like you have done everything and still nothing working then I'd bring her into my bed and try to doze.

2catsandhappy · 01/03/2022 05:31

I wake up then as I am cold. Could it be that?

Original poster

Wonderlusst · 01/03/2022 05:31

God I wish it was as easy as blackout blinds!

We have all of that - blackout blinds, white noise, sleeping bag so she’s not tangled in a duvet, room set to right temperature, no excess noise coming in waking her up etc

She’s still in nappies and won’t drink milk so has a bottle of water in her cot and can have a drink when she wants etc etc etc

This is why I am my wits end! The sleep blogs tell you all it’s an easy fix, it really isn’t!

OP posts:

Original poster

Wonderlusst · 01/03/2022 05:32

If you feel like you have done everything and still nothing working then I'd bring her into my bed and try to doze.

This is the worst, she rolls around pinching / stroking / head butting me, absolutely no one is getting any sleep this way!

OP posts:

Cottagepieandpeas · 01/03/2022 05:38

Send them round here, I seem to be awake at that time every morning 😩

Stringervest · 01/03/2022 05:44

We had this with DD. She is now 5 and still wakes between 5:30-6. We also tried everything you tried. In the end, a big improvement came for us when she turned 2 and we got her a Gro Clock. She understood that she wasn't to shout out until the sun came up and it worked almost straight away. Prior to that we just went to bed very early. I feel for you as pregnancy is exhausting.

DS is almost 2 and I can hear him stirring in his room but I suspect it's because the childminder gave him an insanely long nap yesterday. He is very different to DD. I don't think he would entertain a Gro Clock.

SummerRain41287 · 01/03/2022 05:46

I know this sounds terrible but I quite literally breathed a sigh of relief when I read the title of this thread. This is my DC now and has been since she was about 1. 5am. Every morning. Doesn't nap in the daytime anymore and hasn't for over 6 months. Goes to nursery from 9-3 every day. Is exhausted and asleep by 8pm most days. Wide awake at 5am. Every. Single. Day. Sometimes 4:30 too. Also at my wits end but I think my body is used to it now. Sorry to hear you're pregnant too, OP. I read somewhere that "gifted" children tend to not need as much rest. If that's the case, this child better grow up to be the next Einstein otherwise I'm tearing out all my hair. Good luck, OP. Hope DC settles down after the clocks go forward like pp said. Hugs.

glasshalfsomething · 01/03/2022 05:49

My DD was like this at that age. We resorted to hey duggee on i-player on our bedroom TV for 30 min each morning as she sat between us. We dozed, she stayed still and eventually grew out of it.

labyrinthlaziness · 01/03/2022 05:53

I had one like this, they grew out of it after about 18 months of stupidly early waking. Sorry that is not the answer anyone wants!
The sleep blogs tell you all it’s an easy fix, it really isn’t! Stop reading sleep blogs, they are nonsense. Nothing works with some kids and the commonsense stuff you can guess yourself anyway.

Original poster

Wonderlusst · 01/03/2022 05:55

I’m so sorry to read I’m not the only one but also it’s quite nice to have company at this time of the morning!

@SummerRain41287 solidarity to you! We need to come back to this thread in 2040 and confirm if our children went though oxbridge aged 14 and now working for nasa

OP posts:

Neurodiversitydoctor · 01/03/2022 06:05

I read somewhere that "gifted" children tend to not need as much rest. If that's the case, this child better grow up to be the next Einstein.

DS didn't need as much sleep as the books say. Predicted 4A*s at A- level holding an offer from Oxford to read Chemistry.

Neurodiversitydoctor · 01/03/2022 06:07

He is 17 though. But sat maths GCSE a year early.

We did bedtime at 7:30-8, a 45 minute nap (in his buggy) and a wake up around 6-6:30 at this age.

Thissucksmonkeynuts · 01/03/2022 06:11

Been there,got the grubby t-shirt. It passes, in the mean time, strong coffee, I'd make a pot before bed so I only had to switch the cooker on, something nice and bready with Lurpack warm blankets (putting the heating on made older dc have nightmares) and make the most if being able to watch sweary programmes with a child in the room before they are too big.
I still get up early just for the peace and quiet now.

SummerRain41287 · 01/03/2022 06:21

@Neurodiversitydoctor

I read somewhere that "gifted" children tend to not need as much rest. If that's the case, this child better grow up to be the next Einstein.

DS didn't need as much sleep as the books say. Predicted 4A*s at A- level holding an offer from Oxford to read Chemistry.

This is wonderful! Wow! You must be so proud 🥰 I hope I am right then

Original poster

Wonderlusst · 01/03/2022 06:23

@Thissucksmonkeynuts

Been there,got the grubby t-shirt. It passes, in the mean time, strong coffee, I'd make a pot before bed so I only had to switch the cooker on, something nice and bready with Lurpack warm blankets (putting the heating on made older dc have nightmares) and make the most if being able to watch sweary programmes with a child in the room before they are too big. I still get up early just for the peace and quiet now.

It passes

Great. WHEN????

OP posts:

Neurodiversitydoctor · 01/03/2022 06:23

I am proud. His much more normal (in both intellect and sleep) is much easier to live with though.

OnceuponaRainbow18 · 01/03/2022 06:24

My son is 3 and we never found a cure as such but he’s recently started to sleep till 6am as we see as a win but for years it was between 4-5am! I just went to bed earlier well still do now 😅

SummerRain41287 · 01/03/2022 06:24

Yes, OP! How I'm still alive I have absolutely no idea. But solidarity to you, not me! You're pregnant ffs! Bless you. We've got this.

Neurodiversitydoctor · 01/03/2022 06:25

Sorry you need to cut the daytime nap down to 45 mins and accept some grumpy afternoons. DS regularly woke before 6 until he was 5.

SummerRain41287 · 01/03/2022 06:30

@Neurodiversitydoctor

I am proud. His much more normal (in both intellect and sleep) is much easier to live with though.

Did he show any other signs of his intellect at this age? Such as, talking very early? DC has been talking in almost full sentences since she was about 18 months? By 2.5 I could have a full on conversation with her. Everyone has always been shocked by this but I thought it was completely normal. She has just turned 3 and speaks fluently now. 4 syllable words, counts to 20 in Greek (she is half Greek). Was your son also extremely energetic as well as restless? I try to wear DC out every single day but nothing seems to work.

Original poster

Wonderlusst · 01/03/2022 06:34

@Neurodiversitydoctor

Sorry you need to cut the daytime nap down to 45 mins and accept some grumpy afternoons. DS regularly woke before 6 until he was 5.

I’ve been wary of doing this as I heard sleep breeds sleep but yes might cut down naps further and see how it goes

OP posts:

autienotnaughty · 01/03/2022 06:59

@Wonderlusst it gets easier when they go to school. It tired them plus you get a proper break.

Covidwoes · 01/03/2022 07:21

OP, in addition to various tactics, we have spent hundreds of pounds trying to get our 3 year old to sleep beyond 5.30. Nothing has worked. We have accepted that's just the way she is and have vowed not to waste any more money! She has 4 layers of blackout on her window . Dropping her nap at 2.5 never made a difference either. It affects me in a lot of ways (I'm on anti depressants which I'm sure I wouldn't be if I got more sleep). She isn't allowed to get out of bed til 6, but once I know she's awake I can't get back to sleep either, so I'm awake from 5.30 every day. I feel your pain!

SummerRain41287 · 01/03/2022 07:31

@Covidwoes

. Dropping her nap at 2.5 never made a difference either. It affects me in a lot of ways (I'm on anti depressants which I'm sure I wouldn't be if I got more sleep). She isn't allowed to get out of bed til 6, but once I know she's awake I can't get back to sleep either, so I'm awake from 5.30 every day. I feel your pain!

Gosh, the similarities. Absolutely nothing works. I feel your pain. DC is currently asking me to run away from her so she can catch me. Which I am extremely tempted to do except I may just keep running 😒 just kidding but seriously though, you're not alone. Sending hugs

Flip

1 2 3