help how i can i get dd 2yrs 9 months to stay in bed past 6am

[pandagirl03]

Please help me, My dd 2yrs 9 months was in a cot bed until 2 weeks ago when i decided that i would take the rails off the cot bed. When she was in her cot bed she would sleep till 8am most days sometimes 9am but never wake before 8am unless she was ill. Since being in her bed she has got up at 4am, 4.30am and 6am everyday, i am shattered. She will not go back to sleep or bed. I have tried the stairgate thing but our doorways are too thin to hold gate properly and she just barges it off. Please help, suggestions please.

Have you tried putting her back in her bed time after time until accepts that thet is where you want her to be. you might have to do it for a few days but it worked for my sil.

Or how about one of those bunny alarm clocks that opens it eyes and ears pop up when its time to get up.

not tried the putting her back to bed, she is so stubburn, might look into the alarm, she should get it at her age shouldn't she. She is a very clever for her age so i guess she will.

Will she come in your bed for a cuddle.

If not, and I know this is bad, but if I really needed the sleep then I would get up, stick her in front of the telly for an hour, and get some more sleep. Not every day, but now and again you have to pull out the stops.

i have tried the come in bed with mummy and daddy, she has done it once, but wont any other time. I did try to put her infront of the tv thing the other day as i was exhausted, but i just dont trust her to just sit there so couldn't sleep.

Can you put her in front of telly and drop off on the sofa? I really feel for you. It's tough when sleep becomes a privilege like this.

i could do but i couldn't trust her to just sit there, she is one of those children that is always up to something. If i slept she would trash something. Dp bless him got up with her this morning, so i managed to sleep in till 8am, but he is working nights next week so i will probally be up before he even comes back from work

Hi I have a 2.8 ds he is up at 6 everyday at least twice in the night, in his cot it was 8. HE comes in every morning and whips the covers off me and presents me with my dressing gown. My only suggestion is go to bed earlier - sorry its not more helpful but I have been and feel better for it but am hoping it passes. Irritatingly since he went into his bed he wont have a daytime nap so he is shattered so you would have thought he would want to sleep all night!!

Why apologise for sticking her in front of the TV, what else are you meant to do with them at 6am, get out the playdough, flashcards perhaps?

dd was around this age when we started putting some fairy lights on a timer and told her she couldnt come through till the 'fairies' came on. We started it at 6am and gradually made it later and later until it got to 7am and it has been 7am ever since (although she now has a digital clock and can come through when it says 7:00)

I just plonk him in front of cbeebies or five and make a cup of tea and then sit until his sister wakes at 7. It makes the day a long and hard one though.

thats a good idea seona and cheaper than the bunny clock. thanks.

I agree entirely with Leoemma, and would add -especially when you then sit on Mumsnet until 11pm at night.

Later bedtime?

Put the rails back on the cot bed? Maybe she isn't ready for the bed yet especially if she slept til 8 or 9am beforehand - sounds like she was happy in there.

Shut the door? Lot's of people do you know

My 3yr old is up at 5.30 ever mornin! so 6 am sounds really nice!!

If it's any consolation, my DS, (2yrs 9mths as well), has started getting up at 6am EVERY day-totally knackering!! I think it might have something to do with getting lighter so much earlier as well-need heavier curtains. This comes into play in the evening as well-put him in bed I'm sure he's thinking 'why are you putting me to bed-it's still daytime??'. Next thing we hear, crash, bonk, bang...he's turned his bin upside down to stand on to reach the door handle. sigh Bless him for being so smart :0).

Our 2 and a half year old has started waking at 5.30 every morning too! I agree, 6am sounds like bliss!
Has anyone else found the bunny clocks/ lamps on timers actually work?
Ellie

the lights on a timer worked for dd but you do have to be hard a few times and put them back in their room even if there is only a few minutes until the lights are due to come on. I also changed the time in stages e.g. 10 minutes at a time, so that it wasnt all done in one fell swoop. It did take a while but dd now stays in her room till 7am even if she wakes earlier than this (she is 4 now though - we started with lights on a timer from around 2/2 1/2 though and now she has a digital alarm clock and she can come through when it says 7:00)

Thanks for that, we will give it a go. Idea of 10 min intervals sounds good.
New baby due in 9 and a half weeks, so going to be a long term process!!!
smile