Why? Why? Why? 18 month old DD has suddenly become an early waker, just now it's time for me to give birth <wimper>

[norktasticninja]

DD's always woken at about 7, but over the last two weeks she's decided to gently phase in early waking and is now up at 5:30 every day...

We put up black out blinds when she started waking earlier, in case it was the lighter mornings, but TBH it hasn't made the slightest bit of difference.

What I find particularly strange is her behavior when she wakes now. Usually (7am waking) she'd be cheerful and chatty, standing in her cot waiting to come and drink her milk in bed with us. Now she's waking grumpy. She throws herself down when I go to pick her as if she wants to stay in bed, but if I tuck her in and go out again she cries as if her heart is breaking.

She seems to need to go back to sleep, but she wont even try. She's always settled herself to sleep (not through CIO / CC) so I don't really know how to help her.

What can I do to help her sleep more in the mornings? Should I try putting her to bed later (now 7pm)? I'm at my whits end, DP and his annoyance at DD's early waking really isn't helping either.

I'm 37 weeks pregnant and have am sleeping badly myself. DP snores like a train. This is the last thing I need

she might be sensing that there is going to be a momentous event in her life very soon.

My dd1 (22mo) did this about a month before dd2 was born. She either woke early or at around 3am crying and breaking her heart.

When I came home with dd2 I slept in the spare room (luckily downstairs) and dd1 was still waking in the night - but dh dealt with her and I got on with feeding dd2.

It settled down when she got used to dd2 being around and she is back to sleeping through the night again.

They are like sponges and absorb everything, so she might just be feeling unsettled?

It's good to hear she's not the only one who's done this - your story gives me some hope She certainly could be feeling unsettled. Poor wee thing. She's very sensitive and there have been a lot of changes recently, I've been really busy too which probably isn't helpful for her...

I'd so hoped to have some nice times with her before DC2 comes but I'm finding it really hard just to get through the day, what with the early mornings and mountains of jobs

I can't see DP looking after her in the mornings much past the first week after the birth, but I live in hope.

nork it does settle down. My dd1 is also very sensitive and because I was on maternity leave I became the centre of her world so she wanted me ALL the time - including during the night - 'twas exhausting when hugely pregnant!

I had a c-section so was in hospital for 4 nights so dh had to deal. Then I had a wound infection so was confined to bed - then dh got mumps so he wanted to steer clear of newborn dd2. I think he ended up dealing with dd1 for around 4 weeks post-birth and by the time I moved back to the marital bed dd1 had settled down - result!

Maybe you could use some of these tricks on your dp !

I know what you mean about wanting to spend quality time with your dd before the baby arrives. I was so big and so tired that although I spent time with dd1 it didn't feel much like quality time . Am making up for it now though - when the baby sleeps me and dd1 do stuff together and it is lovely!

Good luck - 2 under 2 is an experience!

Thanks meep! It's good to hear this isn't too unusual.

I think this is much more to do with coming out of Winter and hibernation period. My DD is doing this 18mnths and her brother did it at the same age during the summer months waking earlier, but slept longer during winter months. DS 5 now knows what we mean when we say 'lie in'.