2yr old & 4am waking

[willowonyx]

My DD has now formed a habit of waking at 4:20am, 2 hours before her normal wake time.  This habit has formed from us working on OT and a cold.

My DD is very smart and can be a bit *smart* so talking to her and telling her that she is to stay in bed until daddy (whom she "hates" right now) comes to get her in the morning, she has no time for. If I go in and try to settle her, she gets all excited and just plays until it is time to get ready 2 hours later, although she is very very grumpy. If daddy goes in, she freaks out and just screams for me. If we ignore her, she just sits there at her door and calls "mommmmmmmy" with a bit of a whinning cry. If we let her out of her room, she crawls into bed, and will just sit there and pull my hair and kick me until it is time to get up for the day, only twice has she fallen asleep in the bed with us, but I have no desire to make that a habit!!

What can we do, please help!!! 

[Melsy]

Can't help you as my DS (who is 4) is waking at 5am....and has done for a while.  But just wanted to send you some hugs.  I hear alot about kids this age with EW.  Can you try W2S or Wi/Wo??

Sending you some ~~~~~sleepy vibes~~~~~ (and keeping a few for myself!!)

Mel

[Lissybits]

Hi!
If you have NWs - what do you do then? If I were you, I would treat the EW as a NW and tuck DD back in and tell her it's still night time and everyone is still asleep. And from then on WI/WO until DD gets the message
Do you have black out blinds - is the room still dark at this time?

Lots of other BWs have had great success with a bunny alarm clock - you set the alarm and LOs know they can't get up until the alarm goes off. I will see if I can find the thread!

Lis

[willowonyx]

Thanks Mel!   

Lis,

When she wakes at 11pm or 2am she usually just gets back in bed (we have a converted crib with a safety rail) and goes back to sleep within 5 minutes. At the 4am or even 5:30 waking, I do actually what you just said, and she cries out for me everytime I try to leave, and I could do that for the whole 2 hours and she would not even get tired.

Oh, we have double layer black out curtain and blinds, but it is still dark at that point where we are.

I just bought an alarm that plays CDs. I was thinking of playing a CD they use at daycare during naptime that all the kids love to see if that would help her stay down, currently and since her birth she has had wave sounds and a fan blowing for white noise. But now I am wondering if I should tell her that when the music starts playing, it is time to get up, but if it is not playing, then it is sleepy time. But, I am not sure she is going to "get it". She is just too smart for her own good. 

Last night she woke at 11:30, she fell back asleep 2 times, the 3rd time she woke she crawled into bed with me and slept until 5:15 this morning.  But, I do not want this to become a habit.

[Melsy]

Is she cutting her two year old molars??

Mel

[Lissybits]

Hi!

In my experience EWs in our house have always been due to 2 things - OT and teething.

In the case of OT, we would do maybe a week of early naps and early nights to combat the OT and allow DS to catch up and then slowly push bedtime back to the original time.

In the case of teething I would give med for the pain. As the morning hours are a lighter sleep anything niggling our LOs will wake them - especially pain.

But the real key lies with consistency. When she wakes, at whatever time, you do exactly the same thing - no conversation, just a repeated phrase, such as, "It's still night time - time to go back to sleep sweetie." Tuck her in, leave and repeat as many time as necessary -  WI/WO. She has to know that she has to stay in her bed and not come in with you.

Give it a week or so - I normally find a week is all it take awith my DS when we are sleep training after a blip

HTH a little - let us know how you get on!
Lis

[Isabella's Mummy (Lilab4)]

Very interested in ths thread! My DD is almost 2.5 years and has been waking between 5 and 6 for about a month now. Her usual wake up is between 8 and 9.

She is cutting all 4 2 yr molars and has started nursery. I think both are playng a part. My 5am, she has had enough sleep that nothing we try will make her go back to sleep. She then gets tired about 3 hrs later! She doesn't come out of her room until 7am (we have a bunny clock), but DH is in and out of there the whole time (more in than out), or she cries so much I worry about the neighbours. Poor DH is having to deal with it as I am suffering with morning sickness at the moment. I am hoping that once the teeth are through she will be better, but any other suggestions in the meantime would be great!!!

[willowonyx]

Is she cutting her two year old molars??

Mel

We are not sure. There are no visible signs on them coming through or even starting to. Every day or so, she may say her teeth hurt, but he also has her top canines coming in. But she also LOVES medicine....the flavor.

[willowonyx]

Hi!

In my experience EWs in our house have always been due to 2 things - OT and teething.

In the case of OT, we would do maybe a week of early naps and early nights to combat the OT and allow DS to catch up and then slowly push bedtime back to the original time.

In the case of teething I would give med for the pain. As the morning hours are a lighter sleep anything niggling our LOs will wake them - especially pain.

But the real key lies with consistency. When she wakes, at whatever time, you do exactly the same thing - no conversation, just a repeated phrase, such as, "It's still night time - time to go back to sleep sweetie." Tuck her in, leave and repeat as many time as necessary -  WI/WO. She has to know that she has to stay in her bed and not come in with you.

Give it a week or so - I normally find a week is all it take awith my DS when we are sleep training after a blip

HTH a little - let us know how you get on!
Lis

Last night was a really bad night, multiple night wakings and very emotional. She only wants me, and almost acts like she hates daddy. I have to go out of town tomorrow, but when I return, I will go further with more WI/WO as you discussed. Thanks.

[Lissybits]

Oh hun - that sounded like a tough night
I've had plenty of those - DS wasn't properly sleep trained until just before his 2nd birthday - so I know just how you feel -{{hugs}}

Yeh, it's best to start serious sleep training when you're really mentally prepared for it - I waited until the Christmas hols to do mine

Actually, I'll have to start WI/WO with Nicholas tomorrow He's just (Tuesday) gone into a BBB from his cot and although he goes straight to sleep for Daddy at night (I'm at work), he plays me up something chronic at nap time - getting up and coming out of his room all the time

Today I lost it (I was late and trying to get him to sleep before the sitter arrived) and I really shouted at him I cried later at work
So tomorrow, I'm starting with WI/WO How many days will that take
*Sigh* - if it's not one thing, it's another

Anyway - good luck for when you start........ I'm sending lots of patience - I just stocked up at the supermarket!!!

Lis