Exhausted by seriously early mornings

[Emmagee]

Help, am at wits end. Our daughter 2 and a half, had taken to waking at 5, regularly and that's it, she rarely goes back to sleep and won't stay in her room. We bought the bunny alarm clock but although she understands the concept will not actually stay put until he 'wakes up'. In addition, because of light evenings, although bedtime routine starts at 7-7.30 she isn't asleep until 9, so she's not really getting enough sleep and is fairly grumpy by 9am. The icing on the cake is that our second baby is due in three weeks so even more broken nights are coming. 'Controlled crying' isn't going to work as she can't be forced to stay in her room and I am getting really bored of being 'fierce' so early in the morning. All advice gratefully received!!

Bugsy, yes, we already had blackout blinds with ours. She was no 2 so we'd already been through the early morning thing. Also, she started her early waking about October, when it was pitch black at that time of the morning - believe me I know. She was just awake, and at 3 months old (which was when she started this) there really isn't a lot you can do. She wouldn't go back to sleep til about 11:00, when she had a half hour nap. Anyway, she's now nearly 4, and its started to be a bit of a distant memory. I really just wanted people to know that sometimes you can be following all the suggestions and the baby just doesn't comply. Had she been my first I would have been convinced I was doing it all wrong, as it was, I still had well meaning friends suggesting this, that and the other, and looking very sceptical when I said I had tried them. Getting older appears to be the only thing which will work with some kids.

Bloss, hurrah!!! He slept until from 7.15 to 6.45!I cannot believe it. I realise it may not happen again tonight but am prepared to continue with the cc. A good nights sleep makes such a difference! Bugsby, the blackouts do sound like a good idea... I will certainly keep it in mind. Debsb, thanks for your thoughts and I do agree, if all else fails we will have to simply accept that five a.m is the time we have to get up. Today, however, I am feeling optimistic...

Sorry Bugsy for the extra 'b'!

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Bloss, thanks for the post. He slept until six thirty, which was our aim as we all need to be up and about at that time. Like you I am truly amazed that a baby who seemed to be doing well enough with so little sleep suddenly wants to sleep for longer periods of time. Like you say it does make one wonder how many children/babies may simply need to learn to sleep. However, it is early days with us so I won't count my chickens just yet. It is not until now that I realise quite how exhausted both my partner and I have been and what a positive effect dealing with the sleeping has had on the entire household after only a few days. Fingers crossed that it continues.

Need to resurrect this thread to ask advice about the best black-out blinds in all your opinions. DS is waking very early at the mo (5 am this morning) and baby No.2 is due in 3-4 weeks. We had blackout curtain linings in his room, but too much light creeps around them and at the top of the curtain pole, so I think a roller blind inside the window frame (+ the curtains on top) may be the answer?
John Lewis on line have some blinds called 'Lightstop' which I assume are blackout - anyone got these, or got any other recommendations? Ideally we'd quite like to get coloured ones rather than plain cream/light.

Uh-oh - just found the whole thread on this subject of Blackout Blinds, so will go away and read this and promise not to be offended if no-one answers!

MotherofOne, we had John Lewis black out blinds for ds1 with curtains over the top. The blinds had a nice animal print on.

For ds2, I think we got the black out blind (plain navy colour) from Homebase.