BabyWhispererForums.com
SLEEP => Sleeping For Toddlers => Topic started by: cata on September 18, 2006, 18:01:58 pm
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Hi,
I'm starting to worry about the early wakings at other places than home...
We travel a lot with our lo (almost 22 months), and the only problem is that he wakes terribly early at other places because the room is not as dark as at home. At home it is pitch black even at noon! I started to block every sign of sunlight since he was very young due to his very early wakings. He overcame the early wakings and was/is waking after 7am EVERY day :)(Except when we are traveling ???).
Last night I tried to leave his shades a little open, I mean it was still dark, but when it reached 6am he woke up. I tried everything until 7am when I decided to close the blinds, give him juice (I had given his bottle at 6:15am), and he finally slept until 9am.
Has anyone gone through something similar? What can I do??? I'm clueless! ???
I'm starting to worry about the Christmas holidays: we will be staying at grandparent's place, where the room is NOT pitch black after 6am.
Thanks!
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I've found that Henry wakes early when we're somewhere different. I think it has to do with the fact that in the early morning they sleep very light. When he stirs and wakes at home, he knows where he is and what's going on so he just rolls over and goes back to sleep. When he stirs and wakes when we're somewhere different, he realizes he's somewhere different and wakes completely. Then he won't go back to sleep. I'm fairly well resigned to the fact that if we're not at home, he's going to wake early.
You could always put aluminum foil on the windows of his room when you're visiting. It cuts out a lot of light and may make things a little better.
HTH!
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We have hung a blanket over the curtains when we've stayed other places--it seems to help some, although I agree with Sarah that some of it may just be because its a new place and even if its dark he may keep waking early. But I would try to make the room as dark as possible. Big towels also work really well (dd currently has beach towels and a quilt hanging over her windows because we moved and I haven't figured out a permanent solution yet.)
~Kim
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There's a thread on the FAQ board of General Sleep with some suggestions for darkening rooms although I have to agree that aluminium foil and scotch tape are portable for every outing, although you might have to face slightly early days when traveling because of the reasons Sarah explained...and vacations are suposed to get us some rest ::) >:(
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Thank you all so much!
I decided to start a process of brightening just a little bit my lo's room. My plan is to open the blind just a bit every week, and see if he starts to get used to having some light after 6am, BUT hopefuly CONTINUE to sleep until 7:30-7:45am (his usual wake up time)... ::)
I'll keep updating on our success :)