Author Topic: My SUCCESS story with those PESKY 5am Toddler wakes. Update 1st post 4-19-07  (Read 37559 times)

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Offline Gippie

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DISCLAIMER :   ;D BEFORE YOU READ THIS - THIS IS MY OPINION on what seems to be a VERY CHRONIC 5am wake time among toddlers on these boards.   What I did was very child centered and used sound BW tactics.     I am in no way saying others are right or wrong - just posting what I have discovered after 2 months of dealing with the EXACT same problem that I have seen over and over here - those pesky toddler 5am wakes.  

OK - to all the ladies AND myself I have one question - well maybe a few...

1.  Do you notice HOW many kids in this age bracket seem to be having "sudden" sleep issues?  TONS and TONS
2.   Do yo see how many of us spend a LOT (too many for myself) hours on here trying to figure these problems out?  same answer as #1

Do we have answers.....ARE there answers?

HISTORY:   We had a FABULOUS sleeper.   At 13 months, she started having "issues" (NW's, hard to fall asleep, habitual wakes), we needed the 2-1 nap switch and we did it.    That was a transition as the name suggests and it worked itself out.  We STUCK with it...and some days it seemed as if we might need to "go back".   This has been at least 6 weeks - I have notes from January 11th that note our nap THEN was the SAME as it is today.    Now with that set in place, we started to look ONE AT A TIME at other things.

1.  Wake time.  Is, always has been and happily is 6am - no changes needed.
2.   Bedtime.   A little late.   We moved it to 7:30 (from 8pm) and still had NW's and EW's.    We finally moved it to 7pm  (it took 2 weeks to get there.    It is still there.  The earlier bedtime helped with the TRUE NW's (happening at 1 or 2am)

We had this schedule - it was sound, just needed to fix the NW's (and I know Tracy says fix day sleep before night.....I get that....and I dont think she mean splitting hairs over 10 minutes, rather make a good routine and go from there)
6am wake (give or take 15-20 mins)
11:30-2 nap
7 bedtime

I SCOURED the boards and if I did everything I read, I would have made her nap later, earlier, bed later, bed earlier, back to 2 naps, catnap and a long nap.......ARGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!



Instead of going nuts- I laid down some constants and started with the other stuff - that I needed to change.

1.   Any AP that was going on.  I stopped all AP and did some Gradual Withdrawal to ease off of my intervention in her getting to sleep.  I sat by her bed (used to get IN her crib and snuggle with her  :o :o)....Trust me - bad I know :-[.   I gradually withdrew the climbing in her crib - some nights I fell asleep in there!   I withdrew by going in for a 2 minutes, 1 minute and then sitting by her bed and holding her hand, then no hand......you get the picture.
2.  Per some posts, I initiated some reassuring statements "Shhhhh, It's night night, you have your binky, your teddy and your blanky....go night night, I will see you when you wake up".   I had stuff like this, but none that I would use when she DID have a NW.   THIS was a GREAT tool in the end!!!!
3.   I watched and waited...and took notes.  Mind you this all started somewhere about Chrstmas, I took notes starting Jan 11th and have them till now.

I noticed that we had some Early AM wakes, 4-5am and she wasnt resettling.    The fiirst few times I thought she might be hungry...and it was at the start of the "issues" so I fed her.  I figured it was an "odd wake" and whatever excuse I painted to maintain my "perfect sleeper"....when this became a pattern - sensibility checked in with me.   I thought she couldn't be hungry, but boy oh boy she seemed to be when she woke, so I tested out a few things - note....NO CHANGES.   I tanked her up with food - still woke.  I gave her a DF (YES- a DF  -and I saw what people said......) at varying times from 10-11 - still woke.  I tried to catch her before she woke, I tried my "reassuring statements", I tried PD - she was NOT having it.   I was feeding her back to sleep as a LAST resort at those wakes.   

Soooo...I started sleeping in her room.  I did the normal night routine and went in there at MY bedtime and slept with the cell phone to see the EXACT TIMES.  In that time,when she did wake, I noted the times and  I used the reassuring statements, I shhhhed her and at the end of my efforts(nothing worked), YES, I did feed her - I had to properly FINISH what I had started.  I needed to wean the feeds.  I went back to a DF and lessened the "am feed".  This convinced me that she could NOT be hungry.  Finally as I dropped the DF - over the course of a few days - I saw a pattern in her wakes and did W2S for what I discovered had become a VERY HABITUAL 4:20 am wake.    It is AMAZING what you learn on the floor versus guessing from your bedroom....when you are warm and comfy (note floor sleeps suck).   Did I mention I work full time and have a DH who is a policeman and works he overnight? ;). - in other words, I was on my own for this one.

Finally I had a problem, a pattern and a SOLUTION - and I did w2s - it worked.    It was a 3:20 w2s, and she wasn't so close to her morning (6am)wake time that it would be to jolting....so that was a success.  After that, I noticed she started to wake anywhere  from 5-5:15(it was almost one cycle after w2s.   At this point, I thought "YES - this is the last 45 minutes - I can DO IT".  I think I licked the 4:20 wake about Feb 14th for good.

Now I went back to my room and started  think about this NEW wake - and I spent a lot of my life OBSESSING Over it, rereading BW books, scouring posts, making charts, graphs, lists....talking about it to anyone who would listen.....sound familiar to any of you? :P

When she woke at the 5ish wake, I would feed her - YES - I went back to it (I know, I know...).   And of COURSE it worked!!!!!!    She went back to sleep and woke happy as a lark at 6am.  There were a few times when I tried a 4:15 w2s - but her sleep was so light, I really just made it worse. 

Then

I went to a friends this past Tuesday and she said her daughter (16 mo) had JUST gone through this (see #1 from the START of this post) and they talked to the DR - they didn't need to feed her, so one night they buckled down and let her sort it out...NO  - not cry - SORT it out.... she stopped the wakes and went back to her good sleeps.  Well...ironically that night, I forgot her bottle as I left my friends house and did not give her her bedtime milk before the 2 hour drive home.  I decided that I would give it as I took her from the car to the house and help her transition to bed.   SOOOOOO...this was another sort of DF test - I fed her (out of necessity) at 10:30 pm and guess what folks - she still woke at 5:15!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

and from my bed I made a horizontal decision ;)

I went in to see if she was OK, not wet, doggie was not overboard and she was fine.  I said my "reassuring statement" to her and shut her door, told her I'd see her when she woke up.   I went to MY room, and MY bed and turned off the monitor and laid like a statue in my bed, listening, wondering and waiting....YOU KNOW WHAT......she yelled for a few minutes, I called my "reassuring statements" to her (my room isn't far) heard her mantra cries and the was quiet enough for me to go back to sleep....at 6 I heard her and I walked in and said a BIG HUGE "good morning"  ;D to her.  Now I DID worry and wonder if she'd be tired...did she sleep.......so I did (another) test.    I gave her her AM bottle and tried to put her back to sleep - NO GO - she was awake!!!!   

That day, she was Super happy, had her SAME nap and same bedtime.   

Wednesday - same 5am wakes - same procedure as above....same results
Thursday - same as above, less fussing and same results.
Friday (today) - all on track so far


My call - it just takes time
.   My head spins when I read so many posts - like used to write - they are filled with SOOOOOOOOOO many variables, so many adjustments  which is so funny cause Tracy's big thing is routine.      I understand that we DO need to make changes, but when  GOOD stuff is in place.....tweaking this and that to the point of insanity seems to wear moms out more than have success.

I firmly believe that this process was/is all about her getting USED to resettling herself as a TODDLER, who has a WHOLE new resume of abilities, when she woke up in the wee hours - it is the SAME THEME As all of the other posts...so we have to conclude that this IS somewhat developmental.

My advice.   Pick a schedule, make sure it is reasonable and STICK WITH IT(make sure it is age appropriate and sound).   Address the issues that the parents can withdraw on and do that(honest look at AP).      Then address the wakes, by dealing with your own fears (hunger, teeth, wet ??? ??? ????) and then make a plan to deal with what you WILL do.     That was the turning point for me...stepping back and seeing if I could put it all together and let her take over.  The plan was what what I would do....NOT what I would change!!!!   There was a list in my mind that went from thing to thing that I would DO....and when w2s failed at 5:15, I did the next thing...it was a process of elimination, but you really cannot get there is you are continually changing the objects you are juggling.     When I did something, it was like adding another ball to my routine.....less of a disruption, more of an addition.

I hope this makes sense.......it was 2 LONG months...as I said, I work full time....and she still wakes at 5 BUT needs no intervention...and I hope that will fade out (I get up at 5 to get ready for work), but if it does not, she has no bad habits and I have reduced stress since the ownership is on her after 2 months of good teaching.  She is a toddler, learning to talk and do a world of other things.....I swear it is developmental

Hope it helps...if it doesn't - go back to BWSAYP and read page 390 "Alignment of the Planets". ;D


Sleepy nights, happy mommies and toddlers to all of you.....if this all backfires on me....I will post that too.  It is a work in progress....but aren't we all.

Stacey   :-*

UPDATE on MARCH 3rd - so you do not have to read in deep to see if this worked - it is still a success from February 20th (I think ).  We have actually had a few nights where she does not even stir at 5am!!!!   In this time, we have had a cold and shots - so I had two good excuses to do AP and DID NOT!!!!!!!!!    I have shared my story with a few local friends who ALL have the same early wake issue (my SIL is one of them) and they ALLLLLLLLL have a reason cold, shots, trip or a bird outside the window - you get the picture.   My SIL also told me that her email from Baby Center said that LO's get nightmares at this age....so guess what she will be telling me causes her LO's up and coming NW's........sigh.

Update on MArch 8th - In discussion, realized that PuPD and WiWo are great tools, but are not super effective at this early wake AFTER sleep.  The LO's are being told to lie down  - and in thier minds they ave already slept and now are awake.....there is a disconnect.    Those 2 techniques seem great when the LO wont sleep or lie down.   Just something to consider.    I think whatever you have been doing for AP is your meal ticket out, wean the AP and replace it with something the LO can do on thier own.    We are 2 weeks and 2 days in and have had great success.  NOt one feed since we said no more.  We have had some 5am wakes and she settles most of the time, sometimes talks through the hour......4-5 times she slept PAST the wake :o and woke at 6 - PRAISE THE LORD!!!!!!     Yesdterday am I was SOOOOO tempted to do the botte - it is SOOOOOOO hard, I stood there and the damned thought entered my mind, the doubt....maybe THIS time she really is hungry, Tracy said a hungry cry has a "cough" to it - did she just cough????    YOu get it - BTDT....uh huh.    Tomorrow is another day.    We have had some night where she has slept through that I had also been in her room at 4am and done a w2s of sorts and on those nights she also slept past the 5......I have never been consistant with the w2s for three nights, but I may try tonight....now that we have really gotten to a good place.   

Update on April 19th - We are experiencing some SA and the "calming and reassutring phreases" have been VERY helpful.   LAst night I laid on her floor and repeated them with the addition of "mommy's here" and we got throught the NW that makes her wake up and SIT UP....and she is generally sad....a new kind of wake - yet still a wake.   I am not minimizing her need, going in to her but approaching the wake with a focus of what I want it to end like...and NOT get caught up in AP as I did before.

Have a sleepy night!!!!
This can work.   Determine what you want to get out of it and what you are willing to invest..........PM me....it's GO TIME!
« Last Edit: July 11, 2007, 02:25:12 am by Gippie »

Offline ¤ Efka ¤

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Re: My SUCCESS story (so far) with those PESKY 5am Toddler wakes (long)
« Reply #1 on: February 23, 2007, 18:39:30 pm »
This is very interesting.I guess our babies are smarter than we sometimes let them be.
Good it worked for you
~Efka~


Offline mumofoscar

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Re: My SUCCESS story (so far) with those PESKY 5am Toddler wakes (long)
« Reply #2 on: February 24, 2007, 03:04:09 am »
ha ha ... had to lol at getting in the cot...I have resorted to this one in the past! didnt work though...
Jokes aside I have to agree with you. I found when my attitude to ds sleeping problems changed, so did he. He used to go straight to sleep with dh and mil but not with me. It drove me nuts. When he woke in the night he would go straight back to sleep with dh but not with me. It all changed when how I felt about it changed. One day I just thought enough is enough, I am not going to help you go to sleep any more you will have to do it by your self (i will be there for reassurance though). I had been doing very gradual withdrawl for two months. I put him in his cot, said good night and left. He cried for about 30 seconds and then...silence. He went to sleep. The next night the same and the next. In fact he began to push off me to put him in the cot before I had finished the good night cuddle! He was happy to go to bed! Where I failed with the early wakings though I feel, is by not being consistant as with getting him to sleep in the first place. Ds had a bad cold at the moment, so am giving him a bit of help, so as soon as he is ok, I will try your approach, (and indeed the one I used to get him to sleep through the night).
good on you, I think we mums do get carried away with all the fine details (me included).
Vesna
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Offline aisling

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Re: My SUCCESS story (so far) with those PESKY 5am Toddler wakes (long)
« Reply #3 on: February 24, 2007, 03:24:43 am »
Thx Stacey. will re-read tomorrow, very tired right now!

Aisling x

Offline Lana

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Re: My SUCCESS story (so far) with those PESKY 5am Toddler wakes (long)
« Reply #4 on: February 24, 2007, 16:03:22 pm »
Well done.  ;D

I find that I would always step in too soon with B because I didnt want him to wake E but once i let him get on with it he would really only shout out once or twice and then settle himself.  Its always nice to read a success story ;D


Offline Gippie

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Re: My SUCCESS story (so far) with those PESKY 5am Toddler wakes (long)
« Reply #5 on: February 24, 2007, 16:41:20 pm »
And posting continued success.   

Today - Saturday, we had another great night.  YES  -(of course) I did hear her at 5:20 and I went in, aid the same "reassuring statements" and she was RIGHT back out until EXACTLY 6am on the dot.     A typical AM, no overtiredness, and she is down like clockwork at 11:30.

Offline Gippie

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Re: My SUCCESS story (so far) with those PESKY 5am Toddler wakes (long)
« Reply #6 on: February 25, 2007, 02:01:44 am »
Aisling - Looking to hear how you are doing.   I swear - this looooonnnnnnggggg post was a culmination of TWO months of feeling so tired, that now I need early bedtimes just to catch up!!!!!

Offline rinajack

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Re: My SUCCESS story (so far) with those PESKY 5am Toddler wakes (long)
« Reply #7 on: February 25, 2007, 10:40:48 am »
Great to read this.  To sum up, it reassured me that I am doing OK. I go in when she wakes at 5 something, make sure she has her lovie and dummy, I don't usually say anything, but if I do need to speak, all I say is "its time to go to sleep now Zara" and walk out again.  The only catch we have with pushing teh sleep in is we have  a TV on timer just outside her room, and we have to have that come on at 5am.  She wakes early and stays awake if there is total silence.  If there is noise, she will go back to sleep without to many problems ::)

I think it is because she wakes up when DH is getting ready for work (he leaves at 5:30am 4 days per week) and then hears him leave, house goes back to quiet and she perhaps wonders if I am till here ???.

I read what that you removed all AP - is having the TV come on AP?  Am I maybe setting up a new problem?
Rina - Mum to Zara 29/3/06
                     Hugh 26/8/07
                     Bree 31/5/10

Offline Gippie

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Re: My SUCCESS story (so far) with those PESKY 5am Toddler wakes (long)
« Reply #8 on: February 25, 2007, 14:11:27 pm »
No, I dont think THAT type of help is AP - IMHO.   In my mile long post above  ::)  I didn't metion that I did the same thing, when I would go in to do w2s to try and break the 5:15 wake, I would also put her music back on.....and I agree.   Our success this week has been with me on vacation for the week.   On a typical work week, I am up at % and I am going to make sure that I keep ALLLLLLLLL doors closed so she cannot hear me.

Rinajack  - I see that you have a LO on the way - congrats - getting those pesky wakes out of the way NOW can only be a HELP! 

Update to the above.   Another night of Success.    Saturday night.....she even had a little stuffy nose and we made it AGAIN!      She definitly rustled through the night....and my WORDS were enough....I was a little anxious, the bottle in the back of my mind....and we made it!




Offline aisling

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Re: My SUCCESS story (so far) with those PESKY 5am Toddler wakes (long)
« Reply #9 on: February 25, 2007, 18:22:30 pm »
Hi Stacey, thanks for asking.  :)  It has been a very weird week.  We have had night wakings!  :P :o Very consistant times: 11:30, 2:30, 5:30 and up at 7:10am on the nose!  Then last night he went to sleep at 7:15 and woke at 6:00 on the nose, no wakings.  So back to the consistent 11 hour nights after a 1.5 nap.  I am not going to bother posting my routine, it does not matter or need any further tweaking as you say, for goodness sake! (approx. 5.5 to nap and 5.5 to sleep FWIIW!)  He seems to have adjusted to the 2-1 nap now, it only took 8 weeks. ::)  Just like some children teethe gradually, learn to walk gradually, learn to talk gradually with just a weeks worth of adjustments or disruptions... Nello takes 2 months to adjust/deal with everything yet hits all his milestomes in a mad rush almost overnight! Does that make any sense!?  :-[

SO, my problems at the moment:

1)  If he does sleep in until 7am or past and naps until 2:30-45 he goes down lovely to sleep at 7:30-45pm BUT wakes the next day at 6!  If he is up at 6 and naps earlier and is asleep by 7:15 he wakes up at 6am as well! ::) I just want the later day with the same total sleep hours, nope won't do it!

2) He will always sleep 1.5 at his nap now, no more 40-50 min wake ups.  He will sometimes do 1:40 or 2hrs, but very few and far between, it has worked sometimes when I do W2S at 1hr and 10 he will sleep more than 2 hrs, but that is no good any way, it is good when he needs it and is overtired. 

3)  I still feel he is missing 30-45 min somewhere and it really is coming from that 6am wake up.  If he would do 7:15pm-6:45am instead of 6am he would be much happier and not keep building that overtired cycle as the week goes on.  He wakes at 6am crying by the way, but last week with all the night wakings and then waking up at 7:10am he was happy as can be in the morn!  So, I know he needs that extra 30-45 min in the a.m as we can't seem to get it in the nap with out it effecting the night sleep.  When he was on 2 naps, he had that 30 min catnap in the a.m, (and a 1.5 in the p.m) and it has never been replaced or tacked on to the night.

4) Last but not least, you guessed it, it is what I have been suspecting and have been in denial about, my Mum and DH keep saying it......yup, he is teething the 2nd yr molars!  >:( >:( >:( >:( >:(   I didn't want to admit it, but he has had all the classic symptoms that I know all to well and the sleep problems are always the same, I recognise them:
*6 am wakes
*Night wakings
*Sep anxiety by fighting falling to sleep independently, wanting me to stay in the room.  -Not int he day at all.  he could care less if I existed, well that is harsh,m but he plays very independently alone or in group settings IYKWIM!?
*Coming at me with viper mouth and trying to bite me or my Mum especially, he always gets her for some reason.
*Drooling
*Feel the hard bumps at the back and the long pitted lines on the gum.  (man are they waaaay back there!) I check in his sleep.

But he is far off still.  :( >:( He needs the gums to be puffy soft for them to be near. I figure we are still 6 weeks away. S*I*G*H*  He still eating very well.  Meds don't work at this stage as it is not pain yet, just itchy, wanting to gnaw feeling for him, so we just wait.  Once he goes off food and gets his snotty nose and is miserable, I know we are a week to 10 days away.  I actually don't mind that stage, it is easy to take care of!  It is this damn build up before!   ::)

I thought he would get the 2nd year molars by 18 months, I knew I wouldn't get a break!  :P :(  Once I saw Sasha's Mummy say Sasha got hers recently!  She seems to be similar in her temperament and growth and development as Nello.  If you are reading this Sasha's Mum, any advice!?  Thx!

To finish off my long post and to continue to feel sorry for myself for no good reason really, I will sum up our sleep probs to date.

Birth-awesome sleeper, angel/a bit touchy baby
4 months-1st tooth arrives and the beginning of the 45 min nap monster.  Always a great night sleeper though.
6 months-all good except a bit of the teeth disruption.
9 months-growth spurt, learning to walk and tooth number 7 and 8 disrupt our lives. (they were really bad)
1 yr (after 3 amazingly good months) we suffer well into month 14.5 with the last of the 8 teeth all arriving within days of each other. (molars and eye teeth)
14.5 months-we being the 2-1 nap process- see above
16 months/almost 17 months- waiting for the 2nd year molars to arrive by 18 months :P ::) :'(

Please feel free to comment anyone!  Thanks again.

Aisling x

andibig

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Re: My SUCCESS story (so far) with those PESKY 5am Toddler wakes (long)
« Reply #10 on: February 25, 2007, 19:47:47 pm »
Aisling
i've just pm'd you ;D
sounds pretty much like when sasha cut her 2nd year molars.they take forever.hers cut through the side of the gum first and then we didn't have anything for weeks.then a few weeks ago we had crappy naps and nights and her tooth finally cut through the top of the gum.

sasha is very similar to nello in that her teeth don't bother her during the day but do at night (when they are nice and relaxed!!).we found teething granules good for her as i don't like constantly giving her meds.

however she is still an early riser (no lie-ins till 7am for me or DH ::)) and i've learnt to accept that.moving her routine doesn't work for her so me and dh look at the positives-
1)she takes a good 2hr nap
2)she is in bed by 7pm and asleep (so we get our nights free!!)
3)she is able to settle her self at night-again (she wasn't doing this for a few months-i think she forgot!!)
4)shes only got 2 more teeth to come then we have a nice long break from teething (WOO-HOO)

anyways rambled enough now!!!
HTH
Andrea

Offline rinajack

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Re: My SUCCESS story (so far) with those PESKY 5am Toddler wakes (long)
« Reply #11 on: February 25, 2007, 23:26:07 pm »
Gippie - we just had our system work on a day where DH gets up early for work 8).  We had the TV outside her room come on before we got up, and I left it on until she woke!  She does wake a bit earlier than 6:30, and I know she woke earlier but must have went back to sleep, but she doesn't call for me until 6:30 each day now.  It is bliss (it has been less than a week, I shouldn't get too excited!).

Interesting that the people on here with chronic EW have babies who teeth slowly etc.  Zara is one of those also.  She too has all the classic symptoms, but I can tell the teeth are still weeks away.  She only has 6 now, and I believe at least 4 are starting to move, but they will take ages, all of her teeth have, and she grows them in groups, she got two, then got 4 within days of each other. ::)
Rina - Mum to Zara 29/3/06
                     Hugh 26/8/07
                     Bree 31/5/10

Offline Gippie

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Re: My SUCCESS story (so far) with those PESKY 5am Toddler wakes (long)
« Reply #12 on: February 26, 2007, 00:48:21 am »
Rina - Yippie for the success.    I will have to debunk the slow teethers and EW.    My DD got her first tooth at 4 months and had all 16 at one year...maybe sooner, I'd have to look!   She went so fast, it never had a chance to bother her....but it still could be a plausable theory for sure!   Keep up with the radio......as I will be shutting all doors to aleviate potential noise to rouse her from an already light sleep.

Aisling - Grrr on the molars.  I have tried to check for Quinns, but they just come and then I say "oh yeah" she was drooling.  She has been quite a bit drooly - but I have never claimed teething, so I dont now....it just all happened so fast......and iI hope these do too.

You mentioned a few things

1.   6am no matter what.  Us too, welcome to the club, call me at 6:01, I am awake  ::)  There are days when her sleep might have been a little restless and shell give me 6:30 (whoopie).  Anyway, I have accepted it.

2.  I agree - micromanaging schedules is not the answer IMHO, but you mentioned you feel he needs another 45.....and I see what you mean.    In the start of the whole 2-1, Quinn was taking a 2 hour nap and now it has stretched to 2.5 hours.    Could you put Nello down earlier?(schedules, I know).   We seem to have ALMOST the same schedule with a 6am wake and a 7 pm bed (you 7:30).     With a 6am wake, Quinn cannot go past 11:30 or noon for her nap.  We are down 11:30 - 2 and bed at 7.    I WISH and WISH her bed was 7:30, but it's not.   Since you feel he needs the 45 somewhere.....can you try either a 7pm bed and get it there or see if he wil go down earlier for nap and sleep later?   Odd thought, but who knows?   

I totally hate tweaking schedules, but you can't get blood from a stone, so if he needs more sleep - an earlier bed might be the way.   

I'd specualte that the recent erratic NW's might be overtired and the later wakes are cause he had an unsettled night, Quinn will do that (as I mentioned) if she has an off night.


So what do you think?    I say leave the 6am as is and try him in bed at 11:30am.  If he gets 2+, then great....if not......aim for an earlier bedtime to get him what you are sure (and I agree) - he might need.  People we always saying with the 2-1, kids shoulf have the PM nap closer to 12:30 and 1...which is great if they wake at a normal 7-7:30.  I read somewhere that 11:30 WAS good for those 6am wakers.   

Once we had a good napping routine in place, one that got us enough hours to feel OK and move on......we (I - who am I kidding here) started to address the other stuff, as you can see in the post above.   seriously though, not much REALLY changed until I had the COMFORT of knowing she was getting enough sleep then I felt CONFIDENT to encourage/push her to make the independant sleep step.  I think you need THAT and then you can deal with the other stuff.

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Offline aisling

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Re: My SUCCESS story (so far) with those PESKY 5am Toddler wakes (long)
« Reply #13 on: February 26, 2007, 01:09:45 am »
Thanks everyone!  Will post more tomorrow... am off to watch the Oscars.  ;D

 Just wanted to clarify 2 things:
1) Got all 16 teeth by 14 months, but maybe Rina is saying they take forever to come out and the symptoms stick around long, so long teethers?  I agree with that.
2) When he got up at 7am last week, I put him down for his nap at 12:30-12:45 and he would wake around 2-2:30.  Then his bed is more like 7:30-7:40.  When he gets up at 6 like today, his nap was at 12 and he slept until 2:10 today!  He was in bed asleep by 7:15 like last night as his nap the day before was short.

OK, got to run, will see how tonight goes, now that he had the longer nap today!  He was making his fish mouth all night tonight, another teething sign.  ::) 4 more to go and that is it!!!!

Aisling x

Offline Gippie

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Re: My SUCCESS story (so far) with those PESKY 5am Toddler wakes (long)
« Reply #14 on: February 26, 2007, 01:39:48 am »
MMMM.....interested to see.  Sounds like the earlier nap did get you a little monger on the nap.  Quinn can go anywhere from 2-2.5 hours......and it all seems good.   

Enjoy the Oscars!!!

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