Hi,
My LO is 19.5 months old and has generally been a v good sleeper, so from about 7 weeks old slept through. I therefore cannot complain i know, but am stuck and have found these forums really useful before when he has experienced sleep regressions/changes in the past. I have read on here about the 18 month sleep regression so I think he might be experiencing this, or another developmental leap/growth spurt, but for the last 4 weeks or so he has been waking consistently at 5.45am (he usually sleeps until 6.45 / 7). Regardless of naps and time he goes to bed at night this wake up time has been consistent. I know toddlers can wake early but this seems way too early to me, and means he is unable to learn/enjoy things in the way he usually would. Two questions: why might this be happening (regression? something else?), and what is the best approach to take to manage it, aside from lots of caffeine?!! i am currently going in when he is crying (Which can be when he wakes or 15-20 mins after as he sometimes chats to himself for a while so i don't rush in). Usually I end up taking him out of the cot and holding him because he fidgets in the cot, grabs my hand and fidgets with this, stands up etc, so whilst i lay him back down the whole process at this time of day tends to wake him up even more...so i take him out of the cot with the aim of trying to get him back to sleep - i don't turn any lights on and he doesn't come into our room, as I want him to know it is sleep time and I continue this until 7am. Sometimes he does go back to sleep and sometimes he is wide awake. His typical day looks like this:
WU 7 (or 5.45 for the last 4 weeks)
12.30-2 lunchtime nap (sometimes less than this at nursery, but i have found if he has 2 hours it started to affect his night sleep...or thats what i thought?)
6.45 bath, story, milk
7.30 asleep
he has had this asleep time since 7 weeks and whilst it seems a bit late, seems to work, and on the occasions i try to bring it forward it can come earlier by 15 mins but not much more than that (and sometimes he resists this so we end up having the 7.30 sleep time anyway),
Any advice very welcome,
Thanks