5 weeks of early wakings - Any advice welcome

[Sydney]

Hi everyone

Sydney just turned 2 and we have had approximatley 5 weeks of early wakings.  She has always been a decent sleeper and there have been blips along the way due to teething, sickness, etc. but nothing that has lasted this long at all. She does cry out at night sometimes, but usually will put herself back to sleep. Her normal waketime is between 6:30 and 7:00 am but with the early wakings it is anywhere between 4 and 6:00 am.

She goes to daycare 4 days a week and I follow the same schedule with her at home which is:

11:30 lunch
12:00 - 2:00 nap
Bedtime 7:30 (falls asleep by 7:45/8:00)

She always takes a great nap at daycare, but at home I struggle to get 1 1/2 hours, usually an hour. We have issues with naps as well (waking, etc. at home only, not daycare ) but for now I just want to try and tackle the early wakings. 

I must admit that I have rocked her -  not to sleep -  but just to calm her down at times and I have also taken her to bed with me.  I know I shouldn't do this but it was my way of getting some sleep before having to go to work.

I know that I need to fix this and that rocking/having her sleep with me just isn't the long-term answer but I am not sure how to start.  I feel a little overwhelmed right now and mad at myself for letting it get this bad.  I don't even know if wi/wo would work on her at this age?? as she just works herself up so much.  I also must admit that I have thought of trying CIO, but would really like other alternatives.

What sort of technique(s) are recommended at the age for early wakings/sleep issues?

TIA, ladies.

[andibig]

Sydney
Firstly  ((((((((hugs)))))))))))) !Don't be so hard on yourself honey,its tough when our LOs sleep goes a bit "off" and as a working mum myself i understand we do things just so we can get some sleep (AP queen -thats me).

Something I would do if she wakes at 5am is bring her naptime forward.you'll have to do some serious rejigging of mealtimes but hopefully this will prevent her from becoming OT.Also an early bedtime would help too.

WI/WO would still work at her age.is going to be hard work so possibly starting at the w/end would be a good time to start.
i'll just get the link for you

https://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=80750.msg696517#msg696517
Andrea

[Sydney]

Hi Andrea

Thank you very much.  I will read the information and take the quiz and figure out how to approach this.  One question though...do you think there is anything else I could be doing to help the early wakings?  How early should I move her nap up if she wakes around and doesn't go back to sleep using one of these methods?  How early do you recommend putting her to bed?

Yes, end of the week

[mumofoscar]

Hi
I had lots of problems with OT and early wakings, and managed to get ds back on track with earlier bed times, however since he turned two I couldnt get him to sleep any later. I realised though that he was waking quite happy not grumpy like before so concluded that his needs had changed. I very slowly moved his bedtime to 8pm  from 7pm so now we get 10 to 10.5 overnight and 2 during the day. Not sure is this is what is happening with your lo- is she grumpy with this much sleep or is she happy? might help you work it out. I also kept a diary of wake ups/ naps etc so could see no mater what I did- early nap, early bed time nothing changed with the amount of night sleep.

[Two mummies]

We have a chronic early awakener who got gradually worse and went from 6.00am wake-ups to 5.00am wake-ups. Sorry to say we are waiting for day light savings to cure her!!!

Had to comment about the daycare sleep thing. OUr lo will sometimes sleep much longer on daycare days at daycare. We put it down to having a much busier time of it at daycare than at home so she sleeps more. Also at play is peer-group pressure and not being able to manipulate the carers as well as she can manipulate Mummies!!!!

Soph

[Sydney]

Thanks, everyone. 

I figure she probably does sleep longer at daycare as they are so active there - much more than when she is hanging out with Mom at home You are also correct re: manipulation!

I put her to bed last night at 6:50 and she fell asleep around 7:15.  She woke this morning at 6:00, which is much better than she has been doing, so that is good progress.  I didn't have to use any of the wi/wo or gradual withdrawal methods last night as she didn't wake.  So, I am hoping that the earlier bedtime will cure all??  She didn't wake up "happy", but it was much happier than she has been waking, just a couple of cries for me instead of screaming so I know she is getting the rest she needs.

I still would like her to sleep until 6:30 - 7:00, which she used to do. Since her sleep is normally 11 hours at night, do you think I should eventually try and move bedtime to 7:30 for a 6:30 wakeup or am I pushing my luck?  I am being somewhat selfish on the bedtime thing as we don't get home during the week from daycare until 5:30 - 6:00 and the 7:00 bedtime makes it hard with dinner/bath/etc.

[andibig]

i'd say once shes caught up with her sleep with the earlier bedtimes then you should be safe enough to move bedtime later.
HTH

[Sydney]

Ok.  Sounds good.  I will be posting my progress. Thanks again to everyone for their help.

[Sydney]

Update - last night wasn't as great   DH was reading to her before bed and put her down at 7:10 pm.  We have a video monitor (which I am obsessed with, BTW) and it took her 1 HR to fall asleep.  She read books for a while, which she always does.  She then tossed and turned and finally fell asleep by 8:10 pm.  She then woke at 5:20 this morning.   I went into her room and laid next to her crib and it took me about 15 minutes to convince her to lay back down and that I would stay with her.  She finally did but tossed and turned until 7:00 am, never falling back to sleep.  I find that when she wakes early in the morning, she RARELY falls back asleep regardless of AP.

I guess I missed her window last night as it took her so long to fall asleep?  Being my first night using gradual withdrawal, did I do something wrong?

She slept at daycare yesterday for 2 hour - 12 -2, which is her normal sleep. 

I am thinking of putting her down for her nap at 11:00 (5.5 hours since she woke).  Should I give her a 2nd nap today or put her down to bed early (around 6:30)?  Any thoughts?

Thanks everyone.

[Sydney]

Bumping  - put down for her nap at 11:00 and asleep by 11:20. Stupid lawnmower guy woke her at 12:45   What is the earliest for bed?  Don't want to do too early, but don't want to miss her window either.

[Sydney]

Okay - put to bed at 6:35 and she fell asleep at 6:50.  I did hear a couple of cries from her but she put herself back to sleep.  She then woke AGAIN at 5:20, just like yesterday. 

How do I get past this 5:20 wakeup...I must not be doing something right?

I went into her room at 5:20 and told her she had to lay back down and I would stay with her. She did but didn't go back to sleep so we finally got up at 6:45.

Since she woke from her nap yesterday at 12:45, I put her to bed at 6:30 with the fear of her being overtired.  You think I should have done earlier as the 5:20 wake is from OT or later as the 5:20 wake is because she has had enough sleep?

I am so confused, OT not tired enough...how do you tell?

[andibig]

sorry for late reply.
when she wakes in the morning does she stay happily in her room?thats what i would encourage.sasha had a spate of early wakings so we encouraged her to stay in her room.
you may not be able to get her to sleep later but at least she'll stay in her room.

[Sydney]

She cries out for me and I go in her room and lay on the floor as part of gradual withdrawal.  She will then lay back down, but toss and turn and never go back to sleep. 

5:20 is way to early as she used to wake between 6:30 and 7:00 before this all started.  It just can't be enough sleep for her.

[Colin Macs Mom]

Have you considered trying wake to sleep?

[Sydney]

Hmmm....I hadn't thought of that as I guess I only thought it was used for infants.  I guess it could work? Definately worth a shot.  How does that work again...I can't remember how close I go in to her awake time and rouse??