Early riser at 21 months--help!

[fujbeck]

My DS has often gone through phases of being an early riser, but I would like to nip this one in the bud soon because I am due to have baby #2 really soon.

DS is almost 21 months. Here is his daily routine:

~5:10 am Wakes but puts himself back to sleep
5:50-6:15 Wakes up sometime in that time frame, talks to himself
6:30-45 Out of crib, diaper and dress
7:45 Breakfast
9:30 Snack
~11:45 Lunch
~1-3 or 3:30 pm Nap
3:30 Snack
5:30 Dinner
7:15 Begin bedtime routine
8:00 Asleep for the night

We have tried wake to sleep, but we can never figure out the right time to do it because he tends to get up already about an hour before but puts himself back to sleep. Sometimes w2s seems to have helped, other times it seems to make no difference.

I read the other post where someone moved her toddler's nap back to later, but I don't think I can possibly move it any later than I already have it without him becoming majorly overtired.

Anyone have any suggestions/ideas for what I can do to get him to sleep in a bit later? 7 am would be ideal, but I would take at least 6:30/45am!!

[Layla]

I would actually suggest an earlier nap and bedtime. If he's up at 6 (or before 6) then his nap should really be no later than 12pm. The av awake hrs for toddler this age is 5.5 hrs. I honestly think that he is overtired and that can cause early wakeups. Also bedtime should be in bed by 7-7.30pm. Once he is better rested, you might find him sleeping later in the morning. If you still want to push the morning wake up time, then you can push the nap & bedtime in 15min increments until you come to a desired wake-up.

This is my daughter's schedule
6.30am - wake
12-12.30 - nap (1.5-2hrs)
7pm - bedtime (asleep by 7.30)

hth
Layla

[fujbeck]

Thanks...

I should have mentioned this, but the thing is, I already did the routine of having his nap earlier and slowly pushing it back. Things were going well for a while and then he just started waking early again. Before I did that, I did put him down for a nap earlier and put him to bed earlier and he was also waking early. When I got his schedule later, he was sleeping later for a little while, but now he is back to waking early.

I don't want to keep going through this cycle over and over again. Any suggestions?

[imsmum]

I agree that if you move both nap and bedtime you won't change the wakeup--you'll just get an earlier schedule.  I would wake him by 3 from his nap and  try getting him into bed even 20-30 minutes earlier--sometimes just a small change like that can make a big difference.