calling all fellow parents of early risers - i hardly dare say i, but i THINK this wake-to-sleep thing MAY work...! <<crosses fingers>>

[Tutter]

ds2 (1yo next week!) has always been an early riser - just as his brother was

generally it's between 4:50 and 5:10

we tried everything - blackouts, white noise, cc, milk, later bedtime, earlier bedtime, shorter naps in day, earlier naps in day

etc etc

the last two nights we have set the alarm for 4am and have gone in and gently roused him

he's gone straight back off each time

yday morning he woke at 5:25

this morning 5:45

so, not exactly miraculous, but a huge improvement

(but how sad that i should view 5:45 as a good time to start the day )

[SOLOisMeredithGrey]

Thought I'd revive this thread for anyone else that might be in need.
If anyone knows who plod is or can get in touch with her via CAT, could they push her this way please I don't have CAT and didn't see her January post here.

My update on this is that I don't have any problems with Dd sleeping through once she is asleep. She doesn't often wake earlier that 07:30/08:00, so I can say that I'm happy with this.
The Wake To Sleep method does indeed work well and I'd definitely recommend it to anyone having problems with their lo's waking up in the night on a regular basis.

[varicoseveined]

so glad I found this thread, I've had enough of DD waking anywhere from 5.30-6.15am. 6.30 or so would be fine, 7am would be bliss!

I'll give this a try in a day or two, once she's feeling better (had a bug in the last day or two)

[SOLOisMeredithGrey]

Good luck! Have a good read through the thread as there are some good tips and advice available on it.

[lowrib]

Just thought I'd mention for those with younger early wakers, I've found that if I bring my DS into bed with me after his early morning feed, he sleeps for a good hour or even 2 longer than he does if returned to his cot to sleep. (Bliss!)

[mummymimi]

Hi my DS is fairly good at night but will only sleep for 30-45 mins at a time in the day which is making him quite grumpy. Do you think this will work for naps?

[SOLOisMeredithGrey]

Mummymimi, I'm not sure about that. You could try it anyway ~ nothing to lose! come back and let us all know.

[mayorofwhoville]

what a fab thread!!!

was just about to start one about my 3yo DS1 who wakes up at 5.30 ish and is very grumpy for most of the morning!

will wave this tread at DH and we'll have a go tomorrow morning!

[SOLOisMeredithGrey]

Good on you mayor, let us know how things go. Have you read this thread right through? there are lots of tips re this technique.

[TheNatty]

have read this thread all the way through and im going to give it a go with my 23 months old.
5am is just too early for me, and although im sure its a light thing as its only been recently im gonna give it a jolly good try lol!

[SOLOisMeredithGrey]

TheNatty, my Dd sleeps until at least 8.30 most mornings! even in this lighter season and I don't have blackout blinds or even lined curtains in the bedroom. Good luck, come back and tell us hoew it goes

[fifitot]

I can't believe I found this thread again. Almost a year on from it and I'm still getting up at 5am!!!!

[SOLOisMeredithGrey]

Fifi! did you not get it working for you?! would you try it again? it really sorted Dd out for me, so maybe it's worth another shot for you?

[Broms]

Am so sick of the early mornings - my DS is 18 months old -been going on for nearly a year at 5/5.30am and now we are waking even earlier over the last week - 4.30 this morning - I have tried everything - short naps/long naps, wts, more food, less food, more milk, controlled crying. If anyone has any other ideas at all I would love to know them or do I just give up and go with the flow??

[mrsshackleton]

What has transformed my life is a bunny alarm clock, the one with the illuminated pictures of a sleeping/awake bunny rather than the pop-up ears. That plus cc.

DD2 just two and we bought it about three months ago when I'd had a week solo parenting and almost been killed by the 5am starts. Told her that if she shouted for us before 7am when bunny "wakes", we weren't comign in and she needed to go back to sleep until bunny was "up."

It worked pretty much instantly, every now and then she wakes around 6.15 (already a big improvement on 5) but I just leave her to yell until bunny is up. Most mornings she wakes me with a loud "bunny up, mama!"

The box says it's for children older than 2 1/2 but dd2 is a genius so I knew she'd get the message earlier. It's transformed my life, early mornings do something horrible to my body clock and left me quite depressed, now I'm back to my old self after nearly two years of feeling wretched.

[Debbbs]

I have just got a Gro-Clock from Bump to 3.com. Its BRILLIANT! I had the Bunny clock for my older two, but they kept playing with it, one of them was scared of the face, and then it broke. Plus it used to wake them up even if they were asleep, which was a real pain! This new one is silent, glows at night, and has stars that go out one by one, so that DS can really tell if its the middle of the night or nearly time to get up. It also has a lovely book with it which we all love reading, and its all about how you have more fun in the day if you've had enough sleep at night. Its quite expensive, but I'd do anything for a bit more sleep. Anything..... Fantastic, and I'm recommending it to all my friends!

[Broms]

Great thanks for the clock ideas - obviously got a few months to go yet but I will buy it now in anticipation! 4.50am this morning and you are right mrsshackleton it does really get you down and I can't wait to feel "normal" again.

[LibrasBiscuitsOfFortune]

My DS (10 months) has been waking himself at 5am for the last 10 days, (before that it was between 5:30am and 6:30am). Having read this thread yesterday, today I woke him at 4am, he was definitely awake as he started crying! Luckily he self-soothed very quickly, but he was still awake for morning at 5am . Will try again tomorrow morning.

[LibrasBiscuitsOfFortune]

Day 2 in the WTS house. Today I woke up about 30 seconds before my 4am alarm went off and thought I heard him cry, but not sure. Went into his bedroom and stroked his cheek and his tummy. No stirring. Moved him down the cot a little. Nothing. Continued to stroke cheek and called his name. Mutterings. Immediately left room. However he must have roused too much as he spent the next 30 minutes chuntering to himself (whilst I lay in bed thinking please go to sleep, please go to sleep) and then started to kick off. Tried to get him back to sleep, with shush patting and rocking but no deal.

Please someone come and tell me persistance will work.

[LibrasBiscuitsOfFortune]

Day 3 in the WTS household. Well DS was sick last night and was up for 90minutes between 10 and 11:30pm so I decided not to wake him at 4am as I didn't want him getting up then properly if he wasn't feeling well. I heard him wake at 5am and chunter to himself but then he fell back to sleep until 6am. Not sure what to do tomorrow morning.

[mad4myboys]

interesting thread. ds1 is 3 nnext month abd been getting up 5.15-5.30 for over a year but always worse in the new year for some reason. i also have a 6 month old whom im obv getting up in the night with so i cant cope with these starts. Ive bought a bunny clock but he just plays with it and keeps bringing it downstairs. REALLY dont know wether to try this or not...dh works away so its just me.....

[SOLOisMeredithGrey]

Do try the WTS method, I had to try it several times(the first time, I stopped too soon). I have never looked back though. It's been fab.

[LibrasBiscuitsOfFortune]

I stopped last week as DS was very ill and I wanted him to sleep whatever he wanted.

Starting again tomorrow. *sobs at the thought of 4am....

[artifarti]

Watching this thread with interest as DS (9 months) has turned into a 5am riser! I have ordered some blackout blinds and two front teeth are about to pop through but then...I might have to brave 4am too...yikes...

Let us know how it goes Libras - good luck!

[mad4myboys]

have tied it for a few days and ds2 has been getting up at 5.45 instead of 5am which is better BUT 6 month old has decided it is ok to get up at 5am now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[LibrasBiscuitsOfFortune]

WTS, Day 1 take 2.

Well I tried to rouse him at 4am today, it's difficult to know how roused he is suppose to be without actually waking but he did stop snoring for about 2 seconds and moved an arm so I'll take that. However he woke at 5:15am . I am going to try this for 6 days and then move his supper time to 6:00pm which has been suggested in another thread.