EARLY WIDE AWAKE CLUB!! WANT SUPPORT? JOIN US!

[OliverRowland]

HI Brooke, I am sorry that things are not working.  What I am finding after much trial and error is not to do too much tweeking at once.  My ds is so into his routine that change really makes a difference so I am finding I have to change one small thing at a time and stick with it for quite a while.  Also I think my dude totally senses my tension...so I am making a point to just chill, stick to my plan and let him know that I know what I am doing and that I am the Mummy! (even though I don't really feel that confident!).  Last night was a change for us: bedtime was 6:45pm but he woke at 10pm (was able to shh him back to sleep), and 4am.  I left him at 4am and he fell asleep on his own...I have no idea what time because I fell asleep almost right away because I was SOOOOOOO tired (he couldn't have been too vocal).  But he later woke up at 6:05.........even though he woke a couple of times, he slept t'ill 6am!  I hope we are going into the right direction? 

[LyndaManus]

I totally agree with the pp.  Consistency is key.  Whatever you do I would stick with it for at least 3 or 4 days before making any changes.  Also, like pp said, keep your cool.  If that means that you have to let him cry for a few minutes while you walk out of the room and take a few deep breaths then do that - ds can completely tell when I am frustrated.  I know that relaxing is easier said than done.  Good luck!

[LyndaManus]

Brooke, I was just noticing your lo's age.  I am sure that your lo is learning and passing a lot of milestones and this can cause wakings at night to be difficult too. 

Just a few recommendations of what has worked for us:
I find it very helpful to keep the room pitch black to get rid of distractions.  Also, it was around this time that pu/pd started to not work as well for us.  I pu once until ds calms down and then it is back in the crib.  Rubbing and scratching lightly seem to work better for us than patting sometimes and then we also sing (this helps with the relaxation).  Also, it was around this time that ds really started to self sooth.  Sometimes, if I go into the nursery and start patting/rubbing/etc, ds will arch his back and look at me with this horrible face that I can tell means - "get out of here!  Leave me alone! I am trying to get to sleep!"  Within a few minutes of either sitting quietly in or right outside of the room he was asleep.  I was talking to a number of mom's on my birth board and this is not unBW - it is following your lo's cues and being there when they need/want you - I would certainly never leave him in there for more than a couple of minutes and I always listen for the type of cry.

[jvc]

Hi,

I am glad i have finally found a website that deals with these kind of issues.  My little man has been sleeping all night for a while and waking around 6-6.30am which suits me as i have to get ready for work and him into nursery, but lately i am not sure what has happened but he has been waking at anything between 4 and 5.15am and not settling back to sleep.  I really could do with some help as that 1 hour earlier is nearly killing me, it feels as if it is the middle of the night.  I have tried going to bed later, giving him more milk but nothing seems to work and don't know what to do for the best.  Any advise would be gratefully received.

[LyndaManus]

jvc, welcome to the boards!!!  how old is your lo?  Also, what time do you lay him down initially for the night? 

[texasmom]

Hi guys.  REALLY appreciate your posts.  Will try to write today - but I am going out of town for a week.  Talk soon!  Gotta pack!

[jvc]

Hi, my lo is 11 1/2 mths old he is a cheeky little boy.  I but him down anytime between 6 and 7pm but i have taken some of the advise from the chat room and what i have been doing is when he wakes up to early lying him back down without anyfuss and leaving him until we are ready to get up and then going into him and opening the curtains and saying goodmorning lo it is time to get up.  I have been trying to teach him the difference between day and night.  The first morning he woke at 5am the next he woke at 6.15 am.  Cross fingers it will work.
I will keep everyone updated.  Thanks for the welcome .

Jo 

[LyndaManus]

Good luck jvc!

[OliverRowland]

oh my goodness...it's gone from bad to worse!   I really hope I can blame this on christmas activites and visitors (for the week), and /or teething (which has never been this bad with the 1st 4!).  Ds  is waking once in the evening b/w 9-10pm but is easily settle back down.  But this morning it was 3am.  Left him alone t'ill 4am.  He slept in arms but would not go back into his crib.  pu/pd is a complete waste of time for this kiddo!  We both got a bit of sleep 5:30-6:30am in the rocker. 
Please, please tell me this will all go away once the holiday week is over!  Is anyone else having similar problems??

[andibig]

oliverrowland
yep!! i think most LOs regardless of their ages have had their sleep knocked off track due to holidays.you are not alone!!!

[rinajack]

yep, we have xmas, a trip away, teething and learning to crawl all in one.  Sleep is awful.

Hope we all get this fixed up soon.

[texasmom]

Us too, if it makes you feel any better.  Collin and I drove to my parents, 8 hours, from 6pm till 3ish, and the whole time we were there, sleep was awful.  My sister arrived with twins right when things started to get better, and one of her LO's was crying at 11pm.  Woke Collin and after that he woke every hour screaming.  Finally just got him up and let him play at 3am!!  Just so the rest of the house wasn't woken.  Came home early b/c I didn't sleep much at all for 3 nights.  Drove again 7pm till 2ish.  Last night he was crying at 2.  Don't even know why.  So I hope that makes you feel not so alone!    Hope things are better.  Our New Year's Resolution is to sleep!!!   

[jmosery]

Ladies

can I ask you a question

my son used to wake up between 6 and 7 but this week(no holiday festivities to ruin any schedules) this week he's taken to waking up at 5:30 and this morning at 5am

so its 7:20 here and he's back in bed for a nap

so do I do 4 naps today to keep him up till 6:30-7 when he normally goes to bed, or try 3 longer naps

if I put him to bed an hour early at 5:30-6, i'm afraid he'll be up at 4 am for the day

jaime

[LyndaManus]

When this happens to me, I just try to keep his eating times consistent with what I normally do and follow his cues for sleep.  Normally he will just take the same amount of naps but longer than usual.  Sometimes it means a bit more napping, but as long as I keep the eating times consistent I still find it easy to follow his lead.

[jmosery]

LYNDA- thanks. yeah, thats what we do too. we did feed him earlier for his first feed this morning, but we do solids an hour later and that holds him off a little longer so he can go for 5 hours and have his next feed at 11am. we like to keep to 7am, 11, 3, and 6:30-7 for his feedings. at least when we keep the feedings on schedule and everything else is off, when he cries, i know its not hunger. one less thing to worry about.

thanks