Sorry, it's a long one. DS is 18mo and goes through phases - normally sleeps through ok but has a tendency to wake early.
From Christmas onwards he was waking between 7-7.30am but for the past fortnight he's been waking between 5-6am every morning (nearer 5 than 6). He used to wake around 6, we'd hear him grumble a bit, then probably find his dummy and go back for another hour or so.
This started when he stayed overnight with MIL who got him up at 6am when he grumbled rather than leaving him (I don't blame her though - he had been sick in the night 3 times )
This morning he woke at 4.50am, went back until 5.25, then again until 5.45 when he came in with us. He wriggled and grumbled and laughed and scratched for about an hour until 6.45 when DH dumped him back in his own cot with toys.
The three nights before last night I'd tried the WTS technique - rousing him around 4.15-4.30am - and he slept til 6.30, 5.55 and 5.55. But now I'm a mess and can't get back to sleep after rousing him!
I don't know what's worse - having a full night until 5ish and getting up early, or waking up at 4 and dozing until later
He goes down fine, sleeps in a room with a blackout blind, don't think the heating coming on is audible, we've been feeding him more at night to make sure he's not waking through hunger, tried acting like it's the middle of the night.
I just don't know what to do anymore! I've ordered NCSS for toddlers as I loved the baby version but am too cheap to pay for express delivery. I wouldn't mind if I thought he was well-rested, but he has huge bags under his eyes, is obviously knackered and is becoming bad-tempered!
Any tips from anyone?