Author Topic: Early waking - Help I have tried everything and will try anything  (Read 2358 times)

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Offline sammy3115

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Morning ladies

As the title states I have a 10 month old early waker, every morning at 5am, I have tried literally everything in the baby whisper book and other forums, early bedtimes, late bedtimes, extra food, lots of activity, less activity, baths, changing naps to more and less sleep, teething meds, tried to put him back down but he refuses.

I have even tried wake to sleep, one hour before wake up time for 5 days and it does really work, he started waking up at 7;15-7:30, but as soon as I stop he goes back to 5am ish.

This has been going on for the last couple of months, before he was sleeping until 7:30am.

I have two other children and he wakes them up, and as I’m working at night I can’t get a early night, I’m determined to master this, as my older two were 8am wakers, but this may be him? I’m hoping that’s not the case.

 Maybe he is trying to transition into 2-1 nap?
 
Here is his routine:

5:45 ish Wake up
Playing in his cot until 6:30 ( sometime he screams so I need to get him earlier)
7am Breakfast
10am bottle
11am Nap 1.5hrs ( odd occasions 2hrs)
1pm Lunch
3:30 second Nap 1hr usually
6pm Dinner
7am take up for bath and bottle
7:30 dozing off

If anyone has any suggestions ideas I am willing to try and grateful for any support

Thanks in advance
Sam x
« Last Edit: May 17, 2018, 09:43:47 am by sammy3115 »

Offline creations

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Without looking at routine I'm just thinking of other possibilities as it does sound like he is tired if he can sleep to 7.30 after a W2S. SO I'd check:
- black out, even a tiny bit of sun light coming in can wake LOs (still does my 7yo)
- external noise, any traffic or a neighbour leaving for work? white noise may help?
- possibly think of a way to do a W2S without you being needed, I've never tried this but perhaps some kind of alarm which goes off for a very short period at the W2S time, just enough to disturb and then he can resettle?? risks him waking fully though
- try a W2S at your BT, although this is not at the "right" time for the usual method many of us have found it can be helpful to start a new sleep cycle at that time in the evening which just moves all the following cycles to a different transition time and in some cases it can get LO through that awkward wake up time.

Otherwise, yes it could be the beginning of the 2-1, he's the right age.


Offline sammy3115

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Great minds think alike!  ;) these are some of the things I have been thinking about too

We have plantation shutters so they completely block out the light, but on one side there is a tiny bit of light, I will use a sheet to cover it and see if that makes a difference.

I have tried the white noise option and it didn’t work.

That’s a great idea of using a alarm for W2S just need to figure out how I will do this, but definitely a option, very clever I must say!

I have tried waking him when I go to bed at midnight and no such luck, the little munchkin still wakes early.

I did try today giving him one nap from 12:30-2:30 we shall see how it goes, praying really hard right now.... feel like the lack of sleep is aging me  :(





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It's a big step to go directly to one nap at 10 months, how did he take it?  How was the night following, lots of OT NWs or a good tired out sleep through the night?


Offline sammy3115

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Ok so it has been 3 nights, I used my iPad and downloaded a app, which lets me set a Alaram and switches itself off after a certain amount of rings ( as normal clocks don’t let you do that)

Unfortunately it didn’t work and he was awake again normal early time, I changed the alarm so it was a little louder and for 60 seconds, but it didn’t work either, when I did Wake to sleep I twitched his nose as he doesn’t like it and that stirred him maybe the alarm isn’t enough?? Not sure?

I have ordered baa baa blinds, but I don’t think it’s the light as it wasn’t effecting him before m, and it is quite dark.

Might fiddle with the alarm again, not sure what else I can do? it’s a lovely Sunday and both me and this little man have been downstairs since 5:45am  :'(

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How did the one nap go?  Did you continue or just do it the one day?
Maybe try a W2S a bit earlier than you go to bed and see if that has any effect, I know you tried at your BT and it didn't help but you might try 30 min earlier and see if the timing helps?

Is he hungry?
I noticed in your EASY there isn't an afternoon snack or milk?


Offline sammy3115

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Didn’t realise your in the U.K. too :)

The one nap option didn’t have any effect, he was tired towards the end of the night but pings up at the same time lol. It was just one day I tried it, as want to leave him on two naps as long as possible.

I can try that’s too and stirr him, sorry I didn’t list it, he does have a full 9oz bottle at 4pm ( he has 3*9oz bottles in a day), he doesn’t wake up hungry, I even tried DF again but it didn’t make a difference.

I will try the complete blackout blinds and set the alarm louder on the iPad at about 4:45am... he is a strong willed little boy I tell you!

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Yeah, thinking about it the alarm may never have any effect. My DS slept right through the loudest fire alarm in a hotel once.

Definitely I have found that as the earliest part of Spring comes my DS will wake early with even the faintest chink of light coming into his room (and long before it is really spring).  Blinds might be the answer. aluminium foil (kitchen foil) can be a temporary fix as it moulds well the the window frame etc and can be taped into position.

Otherwise, I think you are likely hitting the 2-1 as you already mentioned.
You could try reducing nap 2 to 45 mins instead of an hour.


Offline sammy3115

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Yes your right about the alarm, I had it on even louder last night and he slept through, and as your little on slept through hotel alarm, I don’t think it’s going to work. He now sit still up in his cot which wakes him up even more.

Gosh I wish I knew about foil last night, if the blinds don’t arrive today I will use foil for sure!! and agreed with change the last nap to 45 mins like a catnap.

If he is hungry, how can I over come this? If I feed him too much he vomits and can’t hold it in, he is a vomity baby, especially before bed?

How long do you think I should hold back until  2-1 nap transition? Do you think it could effect early wake ups? If it is maybe I should just move him  think he can handle it? As his last nap he goes down at 3;45 and doesn’t fall asleep until 4pm sometimes even after 4pm, this time can’t be helped as I need to leave the house to get my girls from school at 3pm, so I’m thinking it’s too close to bed time as they say the last nap should end at 4pm?
« Last Edit: May 21, 2018, 06:53:51 am by sammy3115 »

Offline Serenede

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Hi,

Just reading your post and thought I would reply as we were going through this a couple of months ago and we also have to leave the house at 3pm for school pick up. What I have found the best solution for the 2-1 nap transition was this:

At 10 months:
6.30- WU
9.30- 1st nap in car after school run for 20/30 mins max
12.30/1- 2nd nap for 2/2.5 hours in cot
7/7.30-BT

Even when he was waking at 5.15am I oushed him through to 9.30 before the first nap.
At 12 months the first nap has now reduced to 10/15 mins to keep the second nap at the same time so we can do the school run at 3pm.

This did help with the early wake ups too but we did have to preserve and didn’t see the results for a good 10 days.

Hope that helps and good luck!


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Re: Early waking - Help I have tried everything and will try anything
« Reply #10 on: May 21, 2018, 18:11:06 pm »
Thanks for stopping by and paying it forwar5d Serenede :)  It looks like really helpful info especially with that school run in the there.

If he is hungry, how can I over come this? If I feed him too much he vomits and can’t hold it in, he is a vomity baby, especially before bed?
Hunger at night at this age isn't necessarily about how much they eat just before BT (no point trying to force a LO to eat more if they don't want it) but more to do with the overall calories taken in across the day.  You might find increasing dairy solid or milk feeds or protein and fats in the solids meals in the day (even breakfast) will help to reduce hunger at night.
If he's always been vommy, does he have reflux??  Is he medicated?  Have you considered seeing a doctor about it?  Have you thought about any solid foods which might be making him more vommy or more refluxy??

doesn’t fall asleep until 4pm sometimes even after 4pm, this time can’t be helped as I need to leave the house to get my girls from school at 3pm, so I’m thinking it’s too close to bed time as they say the last nap should end at 4pm?
The transition period doesn't go on for ever so if he does better with a CN at that time and it runs past 4pm I'd probably just move BT later until such a point where he can drop the CN.  (Although this might not be an issue at all if you like serenede's routine above.)  If he is currently happy to go to bed after 3hrs or so of A time then even waking at 5pm only shifts BT to 8pm.  Some LOs won't go to bed for the night sleep on such a short A time but some will, all depends on the individual. Mine always liked a short last A time.

We wouldn't usually just jump straight to one nap, I just wondered how he'd gone with it.  It is usually better to reduce the CN and move more slowly towards one nap.


Offline sammy3115

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Re: Early waking - Help I have tried everything and will try anything
« Reply #11 on: May 22, 2018, 07:35:33 am »
Thank you Serenede that makes allot of sense, fitting school time around naps and feed times isn’t easy.

I tried the complete blackout blinds and 45min nap and still he’s awake bright & early. 

I will try upping his calorie intake with more fatty foods throughout the day, all my kids were Vommy babies - lucky me!  ::)

I do think he is going through the 2-1 transition , I’m going to go with both your advice and let him have a catnap in the morning ( either in car on the way back from the school run or in his cot) then put him down after lunch for a longer nap. Seems like it’s going to take a few days for him to adjust, just praying this makes a difference and this isn’t a permanent wake up time for him.

I know it doesn’t last forever but it sure seems that way lol

Serenede : does your little one wake up later in the morning after the transition?



Offline sammy3115

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Re: Early waking - Help I have tried everything and will try anything
« Reply #12 on: May 25, 2018, 15:39:02 pm »
Just a quick update for everyone who might be going through the early wake ups

It works out the early wake ups in this case were due to the 2-1 transition. So I have been giving my LO a catnap in the morning and then a 2-2.5 hour nap in the afternoon and he has been waking up close to 7am instead of 5:30am, like mentioned above it does take a few days to take effect. Eventually will drop the morning catnap.

LO is still adjusting to the new routine and does get groggy it isn’t easy keeping him awake as he whines allot, I’m still trying to figure it out, quite a few early bedtimes last few daysbb

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Re: Early waking - Help I have tried everything and will try anything
« Reply #13 on: May 25, 2018, 17:59:44 pm »
great update :)