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Sleep

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Original poster

who has solved the eternal problem of getting a BABY not to wake early...?

24 replies

WilfSell · 08/07/2008 22:51

He's 11 months. I know he can sleep long periods at night because he has and does (occasionally). He has a BF usually about 10.30 or about 1am (not usually both). But then he is waking, without fail at the moment, at 5am. 6 we can cope with, but 5 is exhausting, especially when he does the 1am too.

We try and get him to go back to sleep but he screams and wrestles for an hour when we need to get up anyway.

We've only just cracked the 3 year old's early waking (with the marvellous bunny clock) but feel, somehow, this might not work with a guy who can only say dadadadaaa.

OP posts:

Original poster

WilfSell · 08/07/2008 23:01

Someone must have, shooooooooooooooooorly?

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bluewolf · 08/07/2008 23:04

No - having same thing with dd who's 10months. She ends up in our bed - used to work that I would bf and she would go back to sleep, now she wants to grab lamp, face of dp and i and fall out of bed. My evil solution is to put her in same room as ds who's nearly 6 so thay can entertain each other in the wee small hours (haven't tried it yet though - its just a dream)

Original poster

WilfSell · 08/07/2008 23:06

I know, I'm beginning to think a playpen in the corner of the bedroom, with a cup of milk and a biscuit and a WHOLE STACK of toys is the only answer...

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TooTicky · 08/07/2008 23:10

Co-sleep?

OverMyDeadBody · 08/07/2008 23:10

I'll tell you what solved the problem for me - time.

I realise this is not what you where looking for but it is the best solution!

bluewolf · 08/07/2008 23:19

No it isn't cos ds is 5 and he still gets up at stupid o clock. Or he did until I wrapped his head in black out curtains. Now he 'sleeps' like a dream

OverMyDeadBody · 08/07/2008 23:30

bluewolf, I am right, I assure you.

By the time he's 15 he'll be sleeping till midday if he can, mark my words!

Original poster

WilfSell · 09/07/2008 20:14

we pretty much do co-sleep: he goes in his cot but then when he wakes for a feed I take him into bed with me. He still wakes at 5 and won't, WILL NOT go back to sleep...

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gingerninja · 09/07/2008 20:18

DD 22 months will only sleep past 5 if she has been awake lots in the night so we have a choice. She'll sleep through until 5 (on the dot, how does she know) or multiple wakings and a 6 oclock start. Oddly I prefer the latter! on those occasions I co sleep so a hand on her leg / tummy settles her. I'd love a miracle cure but I don't think there is one. It was the same in the winter months too so light has nothing to do with it.

ApuskiDusky · 09/07/2008 20:19

Have you seen Tutter's thread on this - next one down the sleep topic list, sorry I can't do thread links - a technique that involves waking them at around 4am, so that they resettle - more explained on the thread. It seems like it might be working.

I have an early riser as well, so am watching both with interest...

Swedes · 09/07/2008 20:21

My 11 month old sleeps from 8 to 7.30am. I put him in his own nice quiet room with interlined curtains (so v dark) at about 7 months and he's slept through the night since then (but not before that). I suspect he is smelling milk snd/or you are all disturbing one another.

It sounds like co-sleeping without the sleep.

chocolateshoes · 09/07/2008 20:22

blackout curtains?

Original poster

WilfSell · 09/07/2008 20:23

no, he is in a totally blacked out room - we take him into bed now because he wakes early... i'd quite happily have left him where he was but he'd scream the house down and wake up the other two.

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HeadFairy · 09/07/2008 20:26

maybe co-sleeping is the problem. I love co-sleeping and normally I would say go right ahead, but I discovered when our ds was waking up really early that he would play happily in his cot for an hour if he was sleeping in his own room. He usually wakes at about 5.30 but we don't hear a peek out of him until about 6.30-7am. How do I know? We just had to stay in a hotel room with him for several nights in a row and he woke us up every morning at 5.30 and because he could see us the little terror wanted to play!

HeadFairy · 09/07/2008 20:27

oh, sorry, x post. Sounds like the bunch of toys in the cot routine has failed already

MegBusset · 09/07/2008 20:28

What time does he go to bed? DS was going through a hellish early-waking period until we put his bedtime back to 8pm. That made his wake-up time normally after 6am -- much more civilised.

Original poster

WilfSell · 09/07/2008 20:29

yeah, might try giving it a go again... I've just got used to taking him into bed because trying to put him back and his cot involved hours of wrestling and screaming night after night. But maybe we need to change things again.

Blighters keep you guessing don't they?

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babytime · 09/07/2008 20:30

My little girl this - 5am is a killer.

I stopped letting her have any breast at all and only offered water and eventually by 14mths she gave in and slept until 8am and does still now - touch wood.

Original poster

WilfSell · 09/07/2008 20:30

He does go to bed early MB, but TBH that's because (after nursery) he just crashes out and we can do very little about it... Must think of ways to keep him awake...

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justkeepswimming · 09/07/2008 20:34

my ds1 (2) did this and the bunny clock sorted it.
ds2 (5.5mo) is doing it and nothing seems to help (well ok we haven't tried the bunny clock ).
most mornings i bring him downstairs, put him on the floor to play (he's not rolling or crawling yet) and i doze on the sofa (or MN!)

but yes it is a killer, starting your day at 5, dealing with other kids and then trying to get jobs done in the evening, i'm knackered!

don't want to put his bedtime back later then 7 (7.30) cos then my evening would be shrunk.
waiting for TIME to do it's trick.....

(god am i going to go in there when they're 15 and shout 'uptime' soooo loudly! )

Original poster

WilfSell · 09/07/2008 20:42

yes: I've programme the date DS1 and 2 (who were also like this) will be 16 in my electronic organiser, just so I can play Abba or somesuch at 150 decibels at 6am.

We'll never get it back though will we: the ability to sleep longer than 6?

OP posts:

littleducks · 09/07/2008 20:45

Just to get this clear is your room blacked out?

Original poster

WilfSell · 09/07/2008 20:48

baby's room is; our room is pretty dark but not as dark. Hmm i'm beginning to see a pattern here. I still am not convinced the light is the issue but will think more.

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littleducks · 09/07/2008 21:00

ok do your room, dont splash out if your not convinced, we have a mahoosive window in ours (one whole wall length) and i have blackout material for the centre section and thick (not cheap) binliners gaffer taped together for the two end panels

so baby wakes at 5am, is bored in dark of his room goes to your room and into bed with you but realises it is till night time there too so goes to sleep in your bed, over time he will stay asleep longer as his body clock realises it is still sleeping time at 5am!

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