Author Topic: Help with inconsistent EW for 2 year old!!!  (Read 1236 times)

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Offline eogan0622

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Help with inconsistent EW for 2 year old!!!
« on: April 12, 2017, 10:52:54 am »
Hi All,

A couple months ago, we were having pretty consistent EW of 5-515am- and with the suggestion of all the wonderful people here, we got a version of the gro clock and it has been really working well for us.  My daughter will be 2 next week (!) and we've had the clock set at 615.  Her set BT is 730 and her set naptime is 1- I cap her naps at 1.5/1.45 and she was doing really well for awhile- waking up between 615 and 645 which was SUCH a relief.  She was better rested, had a great attitude, and I got some rest! (also, pregnant and exhausted). However the past few days, she's up 515/530 and no turning back!  Previously, if she did wake up before her clock, she would cry for 5-7 mins and resettle, or we would go to the doorway and quietly say that it was nighttime and she had to wait for her clock to turn yellow, and she would resettle.  But lately, the pure sound of our voices enrages her and she's SCREAMING until her clock changes.  It's awful- I hate having her wake up this way and don't know what to do.  Is there a good method for this?  Or is it just a phase?  Do I need to cut her nap even further?  She's been realllllly sleeping at her naps- like I feel so bad waking her every time because she seems so tired.  But she's not making it up overnight!

I want to have a consistent approach for these times when she wakes up before her clock- my husband is so quick to want to go in and hold her and rock her but I think this makes it worse and reinforces those early wakings!

Advice and suggestions appreciated!!!!

Thank you!!!!

Offline ginger428

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Re: Help with inconsistent EW for 2 year old!!!
« Reply #1 on: April 12, 2017, 22:46:14 pm »
Hi!

Typically EWs at this age indicate too much day sleep. Is that what we determined before? Can you post her latest routine?

Not sure in your case, but my son cries upon waking when he wants to sleep but can't for whatever reason, so OT. Catch 22 with the short overnight sleep, and long nap. They're so tired they don't want to wake from nap, but unless something changes consistently, it'll be a cycle.

Turning 2 is a big birthday! There's certainly the developmental factor here. I think separation anxiety kicks in again for a little while.

I know you don't want to reinforce the early wakings by going in so quickly, but if she's screaming, something is off and she needs you.  I always go in and very quietly, sometimes without a word, just give him a quick back rub, and sometimes fall asleep on the floor next to him if needed to keep him in bed. (We kept pillows and a blanket near his bed for this!)  Then we make a huge deal when our wake up light (green) goes off. And slowly, give or take a few days we'll say, "ok, mommy will stay a little bit and then leave the door open for you." And make sure she says OK and if she screams again, come back. Give her a squeeze and kiss, then say I'll come right back if you need me, and leave again. You can adapt this to however you want but keep the mentality that whatever you do is to help support her. Honestly, for us, it lasts a couple days and then he's back to normal.

If she wants to be held, hold her, then gently hold her down onto her bed and snuggle with her.

More than likely it's a phase but I think we want to reassure Lo's that we'll be here and help them transition to more independence again. And wrt to the early wakings, we'll see what's going on with her routine. Thanks!