toddler in a bed, now up 2 hrs early!

[Rkayne]

We're expecting a baby in June, so we've just put our 2 year old in a bed to give her plenty of time to get used to it before the new baby needs the cot. It took her a couple of nights to get used to it but now she seems to really like it. Only problem is, she used to stay in bed until almost 8 and now she's getting up at 6! It's no good for me because I don't need to be up until 7, but worse, it's bad for her because by 9 she's so tired and grumpy my normally darling toddler is having temper tantrums constantly.

My husband gets up at 6 and I think she hears him and thinks she can get up too. In her cot she used to hear him but because she physically couldn't get out by herself she would just settle back down for another hour or two. The first couple of mornings in her bed she got up and came into her room by herself. So we tried letting her come into bed with me for another hour's sleep but she won't go back to sleep (she's never been able to sleep in bed with us, not since she was tiny). We've tried telling her she's not to get out of bed until mummy or daddy come to get her, which she understands. So now she sits in her bed and screams until we come for her and let her get up.

Any tips on how to get her to stay in bed for that extra hour???? She's always been such a good sleeper and this is the first time we've really had any trouble and I just don't know what to do.

I knew I'd seen it somewhere - the Blooming Marvellous catalogue!

He did have "new" (ie Mum's old!) bed linen - but I don't think that's the issue. It's more the newfound freedom! We've got his sleeping bag laid out in his cot, so if he wants to go back in, it's there ready for him.

This morning it was 3.29! Seems to be a trend there! Dh didn't believe me when I said I HAD put the stretchies on - but I think that because I'd done it in a way that allowed a wee bit more slack, ds managed to dislodge them somehow!

Anyway, he stayed for about an hour, "pretending" to sleep - especially every time we said, "That's enough, you're going back to your own bed" - before we did eventually decide enough was enough and put him back in his own room - this time with the stretchies on tight!

When we went through at 7, he was fast asleep on his bed - so maybe we ARE making progress!

Janz ... we got our bunny clock from the 'Great Little Trading Company' ... you can buy them online.
It does work ... BUT ... for our DS it didn't stop him waking up, only taught him (and it took a VERY long time) that he couldn't GET up before the bunny woke up....

We have had a true nightmare with out DS' sleep since putting him in a bed at 2 years and 1 month. Like you we didn't want to but he learned how to climb out of his cot so there was no choice.

Now at 3 and a half things have improved a bit ... the latest thing that I have worked out is that he is waking at 5am with a full bladder. He was potty trained about 7 months ago and I was in no real hurry to get him out of nappies at night. But it occurred to me the other day that he is waking at 5.30am with a dry nappy and needing the loo. So last night we changed the bedtime routine a bit ... early bath and earlier milk ... longer (quiet) playtime before bed ... wee before lights out ... 'lifting' at 10.30pm (ie. waking him up to do a wee) ... he then slept through till 6.45am ... the latest he has done for months and months ....
Could any of the above apply to your DS????

Thanks Ghosty. I'll try GLTC.

I'm not too worried about what time he wakes up - he's always woken up early and then just played with the toys in his cot. I just don't want him to come through too early! So that's why I like the idea of the rabbit - if we can train him to wait until the rabbit wakes up.

I think I have to accept he's going to be a lark like his dad - but I'll do what I can to encourage him to occupy himself until a "decent" hour!

I've not started potty training him yet - he's showing absolutely no awareness, so I don't see the point. Once the weather is warmer, I might try him out side with nothing on at the weekends, to see if that helps encourage awareness.

My next baby ... if I ever have one (but that is another thread ...) is going to be in a cot until the age of 10!!!!!!!!!!!!
My DS is like his dad too ... why can't he be like me and want to sleep all the time????

Ghosty

I think our ds used to wake up early for the same reason but he wasn't night trained until his 4th b'day when he decided that he would be dry at night - did your ds wake up with the need to wee at 6.45 ? Personally I think it is only when they start to reduce/drop the night time milk that it becomes easier for them to last the night but once ds had mastered it (we've only ever had 2 night accidents) he then took a cup of water to bed and hasn't looked back. Ironically he decided to night train just after we had raised his bed to mid-height with a ladder but the anticipated difficulties of the extra obstacles never caused him a problem.

Yep LizS ... he did need to have a wee at 6.45am ... it was the first thing he asked to do. I heard a little voice say, "Sorry mummy but I need a wee wee!" Bless ... felt guilty that he had been lying there and was apologising for needing a wee!
I don't want to cut out the milk at bedtime just yet as he loves it so much and he doesn't drink milk at any other time during the day ....

Success of sorts - although some people might report us to the NSPCC!

The stretchies keeping the door shut is working, both evening and morning. He's not at all bothered by it - makes one attempt to open the door and then (as far as we can make out) either goes back to bed or starts playing.

HOWEVER, I am going to have to hide/put out of reach is washable (fortunately) felt tip pens - as these appear to be his toy of choice! Saturday night wwhen I went to check on him after half an hour, he proudly presented his hands to me - the palms black and red from the pens. Off we went to wash them, and as I was putting him (back) in to bed, he points out his ankles and feet to me - same colours! I told him they'd have to wait until the morning.

In the morning, we went to get him and there he was, covered again in felt tip pen - this time on his face and pyjamas, as well as his hands and feet.

Lesson No. 1 for mummy - put the pens out of reach!

Sunday nights we have dinner at my parents, so he is asleep when we bring him back, but this morning, when dh went to get him - there was, covered again in felt tip pen.

Lesson No 2 for mummy - do what you meant to do yesterday! (and I've still not done it - must remember to do it tonight!)