Help my 13mo waking 1/2 earlier each morning and not going back to sleep 4.20am today...

[fourlittlefeet]

Don't know what to do as DP and I are now knackered and I am 9wks pregnant w/ #2 so certainly need as much sleep as I can get. I've got this far without controlled crying and don't want to go this route. Has anyone else had this?

I know what you're going through.
My DD is the same age and is a terrible sleeper. For the last month or so 5am has been the standard wake up time but for the past two mornings we've made it to past 6am. I've tried reducing her daytime sleep to no more than 1.5 hours and I'm exercising her like a labrador!
It's very hard. Sometimes I think it doesn't matter what you do, they just don't want to sleep.
Hang in there. I'm sure it's just a phase, albeit and exhausting one.

My 13 month old was playing this game as well...

I did the same as ali23 and cut her daytime sleep (she was still having 2 naps and now has one). Its seemed to help so far...

its so odd, she did a couple of weeks sleeping 13 hours at night AND 3 hours during the day, and now this. grrr. I thought it may be not enough supper/ milk problems as I'm breastfeeding and the supply dips with pregnancy.

its a phase. it will pass

It is a phase, and it will pass. Bloody tough at the time, though.

I respect your wish not to do controlled crying, but (based on the experience of having three DSs, all of whom went through phases of doing this) I would try everything you can to give her the message that it's not time to start her day, it's still nighttime and she has to sleep.

If DP went in to her, kept her room very dark, gave her a small drink of warm milk and settled her back down, do you think she would sleep?

Or would she sleep if you brought her into bed and fed her?

Strategy #1 used to work with DS1 (I stopped breastfeeding him too early) and #2 used to work (sometimes anyway) with DS3.

is their bedroom totally dark? we have brilliant blackout blinds but before we got them dd would wake at the tiniest hint of light, so in the summer that could be at 4.30am!

is their bedroom totally dark? we have brilliant blackout blinds but before we got them dd would wake at the tiniest hint of light, so in the summer that could be at 4.30am!

the room isn't dark; we have cream curtains, but it was only a 10 days ago that she happily slept til 8 in there! DP does go and get her and I BF her for half and hour or so, but after that she starts cuffing us in the face and giggling and generally refusing to be sleepy!

Fortunately this morning was 6.15 so maybe we are easing out of the week of horror!

thanks for your tips, I think controlled crying would only happen if it continued very long term (it would have to as I would be too tired to go to her!)

I am keeping the black out blinds option; it does sound like a good idea if it guarentees more sleep, especially with #2 on the way!

My DD is nearly 2 and is now waking at 5.30am and keeps screaming 'mummy' at the top of her voice until I come in - tried blackout blinds, putting her to bed later, taking her out loads in the daytime etc. - I am living on the hope that as it gets darker again then the days of 7 am wakings will return - only another 3 months of bags under the eyes to go then!!! Not tried reducing her daytime nap - but that is my only 'me-time' (or should that be ironing / washing up / getting dressed - time?!).

ANY other tips or ideas would be greatly welcomed!!!

have you tried one of those rabbit clocks and telling her she is not allowed to come out until its ears are up? I know its worked for some of my friends

I'd always recommend blackout blinds - the merest chink of light and my ds is up and raring to go.

He is however generally prone to early waking so I know exactly how knackering this is. I have avoided cc also. What we do is go into his room, give him his morning bottle and then leave again. He grizzles for maybe a couple of minutes but then conks out again.

Worth a try?