NEW BABY... TODDLER NOW WAKING AT 5AM?!?!

[Rach03]

We just welcomed a new baby girl 4 weeks ago . DS loved the baby (2years, 3 months). He is so good with her and so excited to be a big bro.

Prior to her coming home, he slept from 7:30-7:00 consistently. The odd morning, he'd be up early, but he knew I would come and get him when it was wake-up time. We put him in a big boy bed about 8 -10 weeks before baby came. He was great at first, he wouldn't get out of bed until I came to get him. No change in sleep patterns at all!

HOWEVER, LITERALLY about 4 days before she was born, he not only learned he could get out bed, but learned to open his door. AND WHEN SHE CAME HOME, 5 AM WAKE-UPS STARTED!

To be honest, with a newborn, we AP'ed all the place! We not only let him get up (well DH did so I could sleep.. I do all the nightwaking with babes) but it became a special time for him where he and  daddy cuddled and watched TV on the couch just the two of them. DS won't cuddle and sleep with us in bed... we tried. He wants his daddy time! Or at least... time with no baby I guess.

Here's my plan: a reverse alarm clock. Start it off at like 5:15 then gradually move it later in the am. I found one that is a sun and moon night light alarm clock. so nightlight is moon during "nightime" and then you set it for "day" and it becomes a sun. We also have the time change coming too

ANY ADVICE...ANYONE BEEN THROUGH THIS? THANKS

[yaya]

Hi there! Congrats on the new LO!!
What's your toddler's routine like?

[Rach03]

Prior to baby:

Up around 7am and Eat
Activity
E 10am
Activity
E 11:45/12:00
Nap 12:15or12:30-2:00or2:30 (Sometimes would go to 3pm... never let him sleep later than 3pm)
Activity
Bedtime rountine 6:30ish
Bed 7:30

Now...

Everything similar... with wake-ups at 5am
Naps no longer than 1.5 hour
Bedtime 7pm (figured if he was getting up early, I might as well give him a bit more night sleep and with time change coming....)

Sometimes shorter nap (1hour) have resulted in a bit better am... 6am ish. However, nothing consistently. When he sleeps over at gma's, who lets him stay up til 8pm, he sleeps til 6am too. However, at home, it doesn't seem to work as well. Obviously his routine, while I am trying to keep it consistent, it a bit irregular due to baby. It is as consistent as possible:)

When DS is overtired he doesn't sleep well and does tend to sleep less. Every 1.5+ hour nap has resulted in an early wake-up, however.

[Rach03]

So... here's what we've done so far...

Put a gate outside DS room. Explained to him that Mommy would come and get him in the morning and that if gate was up... it was still nighttime. Not sure how much he understood...

Day 1: at 5:15ish... DS opened and closed door 3 times... then went back to bed... after about 10 minutes started to wine.. got him around 5:45... didn't want to push my luck

Day 2: At 5 am woke up... didn't hear him opening door.. he fussed for about 10-15 min. then went back to sleep until 7am!!!!!!!!!!!!! And, he didn't get out of bed... waited for me to come get him. Made a big deal out of the whole thing!

I also realized we had made one major change to his routine... It was alway me who got up with him in the am... once DD arrived, DH started to do morning routine. This was a MAJOR change.. didn't realize it until yesterday am when I got up with him.

Anyway, any ideas/thoughts appreciated. Hopefully we keep making progress!!

[yaya]

I would be tempted to reduce that nap to max 1.5 hrs if it were me, to see if it makes a diff. hmm sounds as though you are onto a winner with the gate thing...def keep that up

[Rach03]

Thanks Michelle... Today was okay too.. He was up at 6 am but stayed in bed til we got him at 6:30.  Yes, I have reduced naps to 1.5... Hopefully this keeps working!!! So nice not getting up at 5am!!!! Well... at least not with him anyway...lol!