4:50 a.m. for a week straight!! 23 month old

[Alison_3]

Please, please help!!  My 23 month old son has been getting up at 4:50 a.m. every morning for the last week.  It started when he was sick and now he's feeling better but still waking at 4:50 a.m. screaming daddy.  He is absolutely miserable because he hasn't slept enough. 

Will wake to sleep work at this age?  I am so afraid of waking him up!! 

He goes to bed around 7:15-7:30.  I have tried later/earlier bedtimes, but he's exhausted by this time in the evening!  He naps around noon for 1- 1.5 hours. 

thanks!
Alison

[imsmum]

Maybe give the earlier bedtime another go.  He may be more willing and ready now that he has had a week of shorter sleeps.

[Florencia]

Also wait a couple of weeks after he's totally cleared from being sick. Sometimes they take a little while to recover and body catching up even when they seem to be fine. If, after those 2 weeks he continues to wake early, we can design a plan for wake to sleep, but im thinking he'll be fine by then if you keep consistant with your schedule and an early bedtime to help him catch up on lost sleep.
HTH and that he gets back to his old self soon!

[Alison_3]

Thanks for the advice.  I think he's trying to catch up on his sleep already!  He took a two hour nap today which is something that hasn't happened in months.  I did put him to bed early tonight so hopefully he will sleep past 4:50 tomorrow!

Thanks again.

[Florencia]

Fingers crossed for you! i hope he gets backt o his real self soon!

[Alison_3]

He did sleep until 5:20 yesterday morning which was better, but today was 5:00 a.m.  I am completely exhausted!  I am 5 months pregnant and just starting working three weeks ago.   I am teacher so I am going constantly all day and it's tough to survive on such little sleep being pregnant!  I am so excited though because after baby boy #2 arrives in Jan. I am going to stay home with both of my boys!!  Currently my mom watches ds.  She is great with him, but I can't wait until I am home.  It was so difficult coming back to work!

I know Ben will start sleeping later again, but I am sure it will be when we need to change the clocks here!

[imsmum]

What about pushing his nap back in increments?  My 2 year old has had quite a bit of variability in her sleep lately but she seems to typically nap 1-2:30 with a 10 hour night between 8 and 6.  It sounds like Ben has a similar schedule but 1 hour earlier.  If the early bedtimes don't extend the length of time he sleeps at night you might be stuck at the 10 hour mark and all you can do is try to shift his sleep to a time that works better for you and your family.