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

[Tor]

Hi

What does AP mean?

Thanks
Tor

[texasmom]

Tor,
Tracy used the term "accidental parenting" in her book to describe things you do in desperation, but not as you mean to go on. 

But it's not accidental parenting if you do it on purpose!   

[jennyh]

well india now shouts wakey wakey .i cannot wait to repay her when she is a teenager ....jenny

[LisaM]

Jennyh - I am with you on that one - I can't quite decide whether I will play loud music to wake her up or play the sound of a baby crying!!  Probably I will just be glad of a lie-in myself finally.

Brooke - don't apologise for asking more questions - its so great that you are interested that much in trying to help us.  Anyway, things have moved on a bit for the last 2 days - I decided to try giving her her bottle a little earlier and see if she would go back off (this never used to work when I was still BF when we last tried ages ago).  Anyway so yesterday she woke 4.20am and was OK to leave her til about 5.15am but then got upset so I went in and fed her and popped her back in (she was probably wondering why she wasn't being taken downstairs to play).  She didn't cry and 20 mins later went to sleep for 50 mins!!  Wow - so then we had a 2 nap day and she had an hour and 20 mins - excellent and for her afternoon nap (which is early afternoon, think she went off about 1.20) she had an hour so that was better than normal and she woke up happy- Hurrah!!!  It still meant early bedtime etc but we can work on that with A times etc., she is only just managing about 2.75-3hrs and the pm one she struggles to make more even though I know they are supposed to be able to do longer in the pm.  So great, today was not as good but we followed the same she only slept 30 mins after her bottle and took a lot longer to go off but still, she did it, then had an hour for both naps - so OK ish.  Do you think this is OK - I know before I thought it best not to feed so early as they get used to that but it seems the only way we can get a bit of a routine to our day and get to a 2 nap day - maybe I am creating even more problems though - what do you think?

How is Collin now - any better?  How is the 2-1 thing going?

Tor - I am sorry that Alfie has been so sick - that must be rough for you all.  I think it is different when they are ill and I do whatever it takes to make them feel OK.  Hope he is back to normal soon.  Grace has 2 teeth and am sure that more are on the way but don't think I can blame any of this on that really.

PS - have been thinking about W2S recently as Grace has been waking 4.20am for days now - has anyone had any success with that?  I wonder whether it would work with her because when she wakes in the night and is up for a while that must alter her sleep pattern (?) but she will still almost always wake at the same time in the morning.

Anyway, wishing you all a lovely long lie-in......keep dreaming..............

[jennyd]

I was one of those mothers who thought 6:30 or 7 am was early until the sun starting to peek into our room (we share a big, divided room with our LO). We have black out shades and everything, but he is still waking now at 5:15 or 5:30 am! We were so happy to have him finally sleeping through the night and napping well during the day, until this new, early rising started.

I have begun to give him his morning milk in a sippy cup, supervised, then giving him a few books with a little light on (hey, it's not that bright out yet) and he'll sometimes entertain himself for another half hour.

I'm not breast feeding anymore, so now I drink about 5 cups of coffee a day. And need to go to bed at 9.

I feel the pain of all these posts. Now I'll think of all the moms and kids who are also awake! Good morning!

[jennyh]

good morning although it feels like noon

[Tor]

This sounds like a massive improvement for you, I would give her the feed at 5am or whatever wake time is if she will go back off.  My friend had the same problem as you, her lo is just over one now and she gives her the bottle at five and leaves her with it in the cot she drinks it and goes back to sleep, I am not sure if that is suggested at that early age but she can hear her if she is choking!

We have all gone to pot, I dropped the dream feed which coincided with him getting ill and getting first two teeth and so now he is waking up between 1-3 for a feed, because my other one is up so early, so far I have given in and just fed him, I did try pu/pd for an hour between 3-4am but then my other one was up at 5.15 so it was just too awful the next day for me.  I know I need to be strong and stop the feed but if I feed him he goes back to sleep and sleeps til 7 when I wake him!!! such a weird thing when I am desperate for my other one to sleep longer!!

He still naps well during the day and goes down at 7pm fine so I know it could be a lot worse but once you have had them sleeping through it's depressing to go so backwards!

It will be nice to have a day without that groggy, hangover feeling in your head all day!

Tor

Jennyh - I am with you on that one - I can't quite decide whether I will play loud music to wake her up or play the sound of a baby crying!!  Probably I will just be glad of a lie-in myself finally.

Brooke - don't apologise for asking more questions - its so great that you are interested that much in trying to help us.  Anyway, things have moved on a bit for the last 2 days - I decided to try giving her her bottle a little earlier and see if she would go back off (this never used to work when I was still BF when we last tried ages ago).  Anyway so yesterday she woke 4.20am and was OK to leave her til about 5.15am but then got upset so I went in and fed her and popped her back in (she was probably wondering why she wasn't being taken downstairs to play).  She didn't cry and 20 mins later went to sleep for 50 mins!!  Wow - so then we had a 2 nap day and she had an hour and 20 mins - excellent and for her afternoon nap (which is early afternoon, think she went off about 1.20) she had an hour so that was better than normal and she woke up happy- Hurrah!!!  It still meant early bedtime etc but we can work on that with A times etc., she is only just managing about 2.75-3hrs and the pm one she struggles to make more even though I know they are supposed to be able to do longer in the pm.  So great, today was not as good but we followed the same she only slept 30 mins after her bottle and took a lot longer to go off but still, she did it, then had an hour for both naps - so OK ish.  Do you think this is OK - I know before I thought it best not to feed so early as they get used to that but it seems the only way we can get a bit of a routine to our day and get to a 2 nap day - maybe I am creating even more problems though - what do you think?

How is Collin now - any better?  How is the 2-1 thing going?

Tor - I am sorry that Alfie has been so sick - that must be rough for you all.  I think it is different when they are ill and I do whatever it takes to make them feel OK.  Hope he is back to normal soon.  Grace has 2 teeth and am sure that more are on the way but don't think I can blame any of this on that really.

PS - have been thinking about W2S recently as Grace has been waking 4.20am for days now - has anyone had any success with that?  I wonder whether it would work with her because when she wakes in the night and is up for a while that must alter her sleep pattern (?) but she will still almost always wake at the same time in the morning.

Anyway, wishing you all a lovely long lie-in......keep dreaming..............

[BBD]

Our 7mnth old daughter is suffering with 5/5.30 am wakes. I'm struggling @ what time to give her her fast nap? I've tried keeping her up until about 8.45am but she then only has a 30/45min nap. I'm thinking of doing W2S at 4.30am what happens if it doesn't work do I start the day then? Should I not feed until the time I want the day to start?

Were all very tired here, thanks

[bobblesmum]

Thanks for all your advice so far!

I have been allowing LO to sleep no more than 1 hour in the am and leaving a 3-3.5hr gap until next nap. As a result, he falls asleep a lot quicker and it seems to have impacted on his sleep patterns over the last 3 days. His sleep routine has been something like this:

Wake between 5.30 and 6 am  (this is fanatastic)
Hunger cry, so feed @ 6 am, put back in cot TO PLAY , but he always falls back asleep by 6.30am
Wake at 8 am!!!!
Nap @ 11am-11.45am
Nap @ 3pm-4.15pm
Bed @ 7.15-7.30pm

So I think I was right in thinking he need 12 hours @ night. But he just cant seem to go this long without food! Are your LOS starving huungry when they wake?

Gouri xx

[LisaM]

Tor - you poor thing, I don't blame you at all for giving the feed, at least that way you all get some longed for and much needed sleep.  I hope it gets better soon.  Most things are normally just small phases so hopefully it won't last too long - at least you know that he does know how to sleep through so he definitely can do it. 

Gouri - Its great that you have had some good improvements.  Grace didn't ever used to seem at all hungry in the mornings when she woke but lately she has been wolfing down her bottle - It might be because she recently dropped one so only has 3 a day now. 

BBD - sorry I'm not sure what you are supposed to do with W2S but would assume you wouldn't feed til normal feed time, I'm sure someone on here will have some good advice for you.

[texasmom]

Lisa,
I think that sounds GOOD.  Some need that early morning feed!  I think the good thing is the naps, and it sounds like she is getting more rested.  Don't worry about the shorter A times.  It may just be what she needs, and that is ok.  I think if you can get on a good routine, then you can move her routine later!  YAY!  And she may be able to have longer A times if she gets good and rested.  Collin had 2.5 A times lately b/c he got overtired.  As far as WTS, you could try it if she is waking at that same time and has been for a while now.  I tried it one time, and it did work, but it was so long ago, I don't remember the circumstances.  It works if the problem is body clock is stuck. 

One thing I've done is MAKE SURE he is good and full for the night before bed.  So at dinner lots of protein.  (5:30/6)  And I feed him things he really likes so he'll eat good.  Then a big bottle right before bed.  (7ish)

Collin is better, but still not QUITE himself.  That was quite a bug he had.  He threw up even today.  And it's been a week since he got sick.  Lots better, though.  I guess this virus just takes longer to get out of the system.  I have not been working on the 2-1 nap switch b/c of his illness.  But he's sleeping well.  Like he did before things got wacky...  Wake 6ish (I mean, I would love it to be later, but have accepted this), nap 9:30ish for 1.5, nap 2:30ish for 1.5 and asleep at 7:30. 

Tor,
I am sorry things have gone to pot.  Such a bummer with the illnesses and teeth!    Don't stress about the night feed.  What do you think of gradual weaning?  Like take away an ounce or two per night, and then maybe he won't wake for it.  As you decrease the formula, you could put a little more water in. 

BBD,
It sounds like your LO is overtired.  (I have said that word so many times in the past year, I just cannot stand it anymore!    But it does sound that way.  I wouldn't try keeping her up.  I'd put her down when she is sleepy.  That is a long A time for her in the morning.  So the first thing you have to eliminate is the overtiredness.  Could you post your routine?  If she doesn't wake at the same time every day, WTS would not work.  As far as feedings go, what time do you normally feed right now? 

Gouri,
That is fantastic!  Collin is not super hungry in the morning, but that is just him.  Some babies are! 

[BBD]

Hi, we haven't really had a rountine really. Just rying to sort it now as its obviously effecting her (and us)

I'll tell you about what happened yesterday though

6.30am bf
8.30am bf/solids
8.45-9.15 S
10.30 bf
11/11.45 S
bf back to S until 12.30pm
1pm E solids
4/4.30pm S
5.45pm E solids
6.45pm bf
7pm bed
9.30pm we woke her accidentally going to bed shs/pat
1am shs/pat
3am bf both side
5.30am shs/pat
6am A

Then so far today

6.30am bf
7.45 am E solids
9am Bed wouldn'tself settle so shs/pat
9.15-9.45 S woke so I bf her back to sleep

I knew I shouldn't feed her to sleep but I'm guessing its better than having her over tired? Also can you confirm that if she does go back to sleep after a bf mid nap then she is over tired? How much A time shall I try?

Thanks very much

[katemom]

I've been afraid to ask these questions for a very long time....but, here goes:

1. Does this ever get better?  Do lo's eventually outgrow this early waking stuff, or can they just be severely early risers for life?  Have any of your lo's successfully learned to wake up later?  At what age?

2.  Also, were your lo's always early wakers, or did they start doing it months after birth?  Mine started at 3+ months, and is now 7 months old.

Answer away! (I also posted this in the general sleep new topics too).

katemom

[rob]

I'm both reassured & feeling v anxious after reading this.  Reassured that I am not the only one up so early but we've only been having early mornings for a few wks and now v worried that this is goin to go on & on & on! Glad to hear my Hubie is not the only one who is incapable of being quiet!  I am now so obsessive about any noise in the morning that he is made get dressed for work downstairs and as he made such a racket one morning making a cup of tea (dropped tin canister on tiled floor!) I now put a tea bag in a cup the night b4!  But I keep telling our little boy "mummys so much more fun if she gets more sleep" so hopefully he'll start to listen soon!

[jennyh]

,i do the same.i have even shouted at DH for locking the door noisily ...jenny