22 month old - sudden early waking

[SallyDom]

Hi everyone,

I wondered if I can pick your brains about Dominic's early wakings. He used to wake anywhere between 6.30-7am but for over a week he has been waking at 5am. I've got a 11 week old little boy and nightfeeds on top of Dom's early wakings are a killer!

I've been suspecting for a while he is teething, but the only symptom is that he is a bit dribbly, so wonder if I'm now clutching at straws for a reason as to why he's waking.

Dom was having a lunchtime nap for upto 2 hours, but I didn't let him sleep past 2pm, which left around 5 hours A time in the afternoon before his 7pm bedtime. My sister suggested cutting down his nap so for the last 3 days I've let him have an hour. On Monday morning he started to whine at 5.20am, I didn't go in until 5.40 when he started to properly cry. This morning he woke at 4.30am. He was wet though which can't have helped.

I would like to now what sort of nap time he should be having now, if you think he was napping for too long or if by cutting down his nap he's going to end up overtired.

Thanks in advance
Sally
x

[shanaz]

Hi Sally

My DD is of a similar age and we are going through the same thing.  I am definitely putting it down to teething, I think her 2 yr molars are coming through as she's very dribbly, off her food (which only really happens when she's teething) and chewing things LOADS.  We have cut her day nap from 2 hrs to 1 hr 45mins and now to 1.5 hrs.  I think the jump you made from 2 - 1hrs is possibly to abrupt and that he has become OT.  Obviously I'm not very experienced in this area so hopefully we'll both get some info advice!  My DD was waking every 45 mins throughout the night for the previous 3 nights and has had terrible nights for about a week.

Just to let you know you are not alone ((((HUGS))))

[SallyDom]

Thanks Shanaz, it does help to know others are going through the same thing doesn't it.

I forgot to mention that Dom had been off his food also, thanks for reminding me!

Finger's crossed our lo's start to sleep normally again soon, it;s so exhausting isn't it

x

[shanaz]

yep indeedy!  Just to say that we had changed DD from sleeping in a grobag to using a duvet but tonight we have changed back as everytime I went in to her she was in some crazy position and her feet were v cold, pj top riding up etc.  So far we haven't had a peep...but I have dosed her up with some medised as she's soooo congested at the mo it's just ridiculous.  I'm hoping it's just the culmination of many different things that have pushed her over edge LOL

[MommaHolmes]

I've got a 11 week old little boy

There's a clue right there!

We found that DS's sleep problems got worse in the few weeks after DD was born. Even though she rarely woke him when she cried in the early weeks, I think his sleep was still disrupted and he got OT very quickly. This manifested itself in him refusing naps if I missed his window - not what you want with a tiny baby around too! We've been gradually moving DS's bedtime later so that he is not getting too much nighttime sleep to take a nap and that has been working for us.

Does sound like cutting an hour from his daily sleep quota might have been too much in one go. It would also have been a whole extra hour A time to cope with so it's easy to see how he would get OT. I'd probably go back to your original routine and move bedtime a little earlier (e.g. 6:30pm) for a week or so to allow him to catch up with nighttime sleep. Alternatively you could let him sleep as long as he wants for naps and stick to original bedtime to let him catch up that way.

Oh yes, and cutting canine teeth also seems to be a biiig factor at the mo!

[SallyDom]

It was just before 6am when Dom woke up today, he'd been making noises for about 20 mins before that. Still early but much better than 5am!

I hadn't thought about Zac disturbing Dom's sleep, tho it has amazed me how he's slept through Zac's crying.

Do you think letting him sleep as long as he wants, then having normal bedtime would work? Sounds great to me, more time with just 1 baby (does that make me sound really awful!?!). I am lucky that Dom is so good at going to bed that we don't have the problem of missing his window. I worried that if his A time was less than 4.5 hours he would either not be tired at bedtime or would wake up early the next day. I''ll try it tomorrow.

How's it going for you Shanaz? What time did Seren get up today?

Thanks a lot for your help,
x

[MommaHolmes]

Do you think letting him sleep as long as he wants, then having normal bedtime would work? Sounds great to me, more time with just 1 baby (does that make me sound really awful!?!).

If I'm honest, I'm not sure! It depends on the child - on the occasions when Ollie has been tired enough to take a long nap (it's rare round here), he's usually still gone to bed at the same time without a problem. At the end of the day, you know your child best!

And no, it doesn't sound awful. It sounds sane  You're so aware that #2 doesn't get all of that 1-1 attention that #1 got and it's a treat to get that extra time with them.

[Layla]

I am sorry I don't have time to read all the posts but I don't think an hour at this age is enough. I wouldn't personally do anything less than 1.5hrs... you only really get into 1hr naps closer to age 2.5-3.

Could he be teething maybe?

[SallyDom]

Yeah I think he is teething, bit dribbly and off his food.

It was 5.30 this morning, and he didn't get to sleep until 1.30pm as we were out but I think I'll let him have a couple of hours and aim to have him asleep by 7pm. Only 3.5 A time but we'll see how it goes. Finger's crossed.

It is nice when I get time with just Zac, it is so rare it is ever just the 2 of us. I just sit and stare at him, maybe cos he'll probably be my last baby I just want to take in every little thing he does.

x

[M and N's Mom]

Can I join this ew club?  My DS is 23mos and started waking 1-1.5h earlier than normal    I don't really know how to fix it either.

He might be teething (it would be about time as he still only has 11)!

Nice to know we are not alone, although I wish we could all solve it!

[shanaz]

Hi

Sally, sorry I've been out of the loop for the past few days so i've only just seen your post.  Seren has still be waking early (around 5.45am) and has now dropped to 1 hr nap too.  I don't know how to extend this and due to such an early wake time + 1 hr nap = early bedtime so I'm struggling to extend her bedtime too.

AARRGGH!H!

[SallyDom]

Sari join the club by all means, the more the merrier (or not!)

Shanaz, that is hard work if Seren is waking after an hour. DOm doesn't he'd happily have 2 hours + if I let him but I had been waking him in case he was having too much during the day resulting in the early wakings. For the last couple of days I've let him sleep as much as he wants, yesterday I did have to wake him after 2 hours as we were going out and this morning he woke at 4.30am. Oh my god. When we got downstairs he asked for his favourite tv show to be put on. I practically growled at him "it is the middle of the night, the Tweenies are sleeping just like you should be"!!!

Sleepy vibes to all our lo's

x

[Layla]

Sally, try not to take him out of bed that early... if he's exposed to light then it could be also re enforcing the early waking

What time does he nap & what time is bedtime?

[SallyDom]

Hi,
Sorry I haven't been around for a while, with Zac having 2 hour nightfeeds then Dom getting up at 5am I've been trying to chill in the evenings.

Things are no better, if we are at home I let him sleep as long as he wants, he goes for his nap anytime between 11.30-12.15, and will sleep for upto 2.5 hours, tho probably 2 hours on average.

I aim to get him to bed at 7pm ish.

I can see part of his gum is really swollen at the back so he prob is teething, I was going to leave it till the weekend and then start wi/wo. Then it will have been 3 full weeks of ew. Should I wait until the tooth is through? He doesn't seem ill at all.

x

[Layla]

Well its up to you . If you aren't comfortable doing the wi/wo while he's teething then wait until its done.

Try not to take him out at 5am to start the day.