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Sleep

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Original poster

Tips for dealing with early waking?

24 replies

Stefka · 04/10/2008 07:59

DS was a rubbish sleeper but I sorted it out at ten months and he was sleeping until around seven in the morning. If he wakes up then he sits in his cot and plays and chats when he wakes up. He has recently started waking up at half five crying. I feed him and he tends to doze on my boob (this morning he did this for almost an hour). If he drops off he wakes up as soon as I put him down and I end up just having to start the day. He is then pretty grumpy all morning so I don't think he is getting all the sleep he needs. Any tips for dealing with this?

OP posts:

Original poster

Stefka · 04/10/2008 08:01

He is nearly one now by the way and I already tried bringing him into the bed with me but he doesn't like it for some reason.

OP posts:

pinata · 04/10/2008 10:46

no ideas, but i have the same problem with 10mo DD so will be watching this thread

geordieminx · 04/10/2008 10:49

Ds is still like this at 18 months.

He wakes around 5.30-6.00 then goes back to bed at 9

zookeeper · 04/10/2008 10:52

I am afraid I got so fed of being woken up I would get up, put ds in playpen in front of the tv with his blanket and go back to bed.

No parenting prizes here I know but I needed the sleep

Original poster

Stefka · 05/10/2008 14:58

It was 4:30 this morning - even worse!

OP posts:

Original poster

Stefka · 05/10/2008 14:58

It was 4:30 this morning - even worse!

OP posts:

snickersnack · 05/10/2008 22:16

Half five is a lie in our house. ds would happily start the day at that time (or earlier) but I cannot get up until there's a six at the front, so we've got into the habit of going in and giving him a bottle of milk then putting him back to bed when he'll (usually) go back to sleep. I do not for a minute believe that at 16 months he's actually starving when he wakes up at 5am, but we are going with it for now.

I've heard good reports of waking them up an hour or so before they'd normally wake and settling them back - you do it for a few nights to break the habit - but I'm convinced I'd then be starting my day at 4am, so not going to risk that.

Broms · 06/10/2008 07:08

We have tried everything to get ds to sleep beyond 5/5.30 and nothing seems to work with him but you could try - either putting them to bed earlier or later and see if that makes any difference - with their milk at bedtime give them a yoghurt or some weetabix as well just in case its hunger that is waking them - feeding them with no talking etc as soon as they wake at 5am and then putting straight back to bed - again that didn't work for us! Again I have heard of wake to sleep but like snickersnack didn't dare try that. We live over flight path so I think planes wake him up. Good luck and if anything else works for you please pass it on!

BadgerQueen · 06/10/2008 12:07

If its started recently is there any chance he is cold? Our house is freezing by that time of the morning and my eldest definitely wakes earlier and earlier as it gets colder - then we remember and put another blanket on for her (this happens every year - Doh!. Our younger one has been waking like this and staying awake this week, but did better last night as i think it was milder here. Or maybe not.

Original poster

Stefka · 06/10/2008 16:40

Ah could be the cold! I will try that. I would be too scared to wake him earlier too.

Last couple of nights he came into bed with us and fell asleep on his dad until 8am!! Trouble is dad does night work so isn't always there. Still I can't complain - he used to be up every couple of hours so this is much better!

OP posts:

ches · 07/10/2008 03:15

Molars...

NatLex · 07/10/2008 07:15

Hello
Try cutting a morning nap out or/and shortening lunchtime nap and see if that helps. Also, putting them to bed later only makes them manic and makes them wake up early, so putting them to bed a bit earlier is actually better.
Let me know if anyone tried any of these?

BadgerQueen · 07/10/2008 13:56

Earlier definitely better - we even are about to start putting our 5yr old to bed a bit earlier as she is shattered from school but finding it really hard to sleep longer in the morning. I would be really careful about cutting naps, as I am increasingly convinced these days, that more sleep means more sleep.

OlderNotWiser · 07/10/2008 14:02

'Wake to sleep' worked like a miracle for us. DS2 was waking at 4 and then was up for the day..it was soooo horible! So, in desperation, DH bravely volunteered to sneak in and give DS a shake at 3 am. DS immediately shifted to a 6.15 waking. We did the 3 nights waking as recommended, and that was it. Sorted. One small disclaimer tho...apparently its not uncommon to relapse and he has in fact moved over time back to 5.30 so we are thinking of giving it another go if he gets any worse. Key is not to over wake them if you know what I mean, else you will indeed have a very early start!

Im sure there was a big thread on this a while back if you wanted to know more...

snickersnack · 07/10/2008 14:34

Interesting to hear that, OldernotWiser. I assumed it would only work if they were waking then going back to sleep - i.e. if it was just a case of habitual waking at a certain time rather than actually wanting to get up for the day. Hard to see why it would make them sleep for longer, but I'll give it a go. Am going to set an alarm tonight and give it a go.

OonaghBhuna · 07/10/2008 15:42

Strong coffee

OlderNotWiser · 07/10/2008 15:55

Good luck snickersnack! I guess it just somehow shakes up the sleep pattern they are in, sounds totally counter-intuitive as a method to gain extra sleep I know, but worked for us. Let us know how you get on!

SazzlesA · 07/10/2008 16:00

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

snickersnack · 08/10/2008 09:55

Well, it was mixed but not a disaster. He stirred about 3.30 and settled himself, but I think because of that when I went to wake him at 4 he was in a light sleep, so there was a bit of wailing (dh was lying there muttering "wtf did we wake him for, he doesn't need any help with that..."). Then he woke as usual at 5 and had some milk but...he went back to sleep, without any assistance from us, until 6.40!!!! Amazing. I'll take that over the kind of mornings we have been having. So we continue, and I'll report back in a few days.

snickersnack · 10/10/2008 10:12

Update - unmitigated disaster for the last two nights . His eyes ping open as soon as I enter the room and he sits up and shrieks for half an hour. And still wakes at 5 for a bottle of milk. And then up for the day at 6. So all that's happened is that I'm now awake for an extra half hour earlier in the night than I was before. It's been 3 nights, I'm calling it off...I am very very tired and very very disappointed....

crybabybunting · 11/10/2008 08:50

Hi there, with DS we used to rush into his room and give him milk at 5 and 50% of the time he would go back to sleep for at least 90 mins. Eventually we stopped giving him the milk and he slowly learned to settle himself back to sleep, but it took months and we did have to get him up and start the day sometimes. He now sleeps through til seven most mornings so they do get there in the end, but he is two now and the problem started when he was 5 months!

I now have the same problem with DD (10 months) and am considering doing cc with her when she wakes at 5. Just wondered has anybody has tried it at this time of the morning? Do you think it would work or is it unlikely when they are not so tired?

Might seem a bit harsh but we are getting desperate!

macaco · 11/10/2008 16:24

is he cold?

snickersnack · 12/10/2008 16:50

No, don't think so. In pjs and a sleeping bag. Plus our house really isn't cold. But might try a vest tonight as well. Mind you, it's like July outside right now - he's in the garden in a nappy and t-shirt!!!

Broms · 23/10/2008 07:15

Hi Crybabyhunting - i have tried cc at 4.30/5am for a few weeks now - not working for us - I have also tried feeding him as soon as he wakes and then back to bed - that does not work either - I am at my wits end and its makes the day so long. Its now 7.10am and DS already tired and probably needs a nap - anyone have any other ideas? - going slowly mad as days are getting earlier and earlier and longer and longer....any advice greatly appreciated - thanks

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