My SUCCESS story with those PESKY 5am Toddler wakes. Update 1st post 4-19-07

[rinajack]

Wow, Efka, you and Keir are going great guns.  Are you feeling better today?

[¤ Efka ¤]

Yeah, loads better, cant afford to be sick now

[Gippie]

Sounds like all is GOOD Efka - congrats!   

[KellyC]

Hi Stacey

I've only read the first post and just wanted to say good for you!

I completely agree btw, that even if the routine isn't 'spot on' (which is so easy to obsess over!), the most important thing is that your LO is able to amuse themselves and/or put themselves back to sleep when they wake and it makes complete sense that the ability to do this as a toddler will be more complicated than the ability to do it as a baby, as there's so much more going on for them mentally and physically.  We often hear Zander having conversations with himself or playing with his aquarium during the night but I don't care that he's not asleep because if he's tired he'll go back by himself!

This looks to be a very long post so you've clearly been an inspiration to others 

Kelly x

[Gippie]

Writing it all out has really helped me reflect on what did work and gives me the confidence to say to others that (most)anything can work if you are willing to put aside the excuses and dig your heels in.   A lot of people  - including me at the start - were looking for it to "just pass" and be a fix that could come with a schedule tweak here and there.  After trying that for a few weeks - we were already in deep and needed the next 60 days to teach her how to put her "new" self back to sleep.

I read post after post on the toddler thread about this SAAAAAMMMMMEEEE problem and I can bet a lot of money that we all have the same situation - I DO think thre is a solution, I jst dont think it was fast OR easy.  I am super happy to say that a month later we are still on track, sleeping through and continuing to evaluate what affects what.

Be well !!!  Stacey

[becky1969]

Hey Stacey, I wanted to let you know we are prop free! No more bottles or swaddles! The key was giving him 2 naps again so that he wasn't so OT at bedtime. Once we did that, we easily ditched all props. It's still touch and go - getting in both naps on some days is hard, depending on our activities - but, if we plan it right he sleeps thru the night, or is able to put himself back to sleep when he wakes up. Very proud of him! And I'm also proud of DH - he was good about not resorting to the props even when he worried LO wouldn't go back to sleep (DH kindly is on baby duty until 3 am so that I can get some uninterupted sleep each night).

Just wanted to thank you for all your help. We knew the props were a problem, but it's so hard to let go of those crutches! Even when we KNEW they weren't working, the unknown was so scary. We are now on the other side, and happily making progress. We now use his swaddle blanket as a lovey. He rubs his face in it when he's sleepy, and puts it over his eyes as he's trying to fall asleep. VERY cute!  I call it my "sleep-detector" b/c the length of time he rubs his face in it tells me how tired he is! 

I'm so very glad you and the others here are having success beating those early morning wakeups. It sure is easier to be a toddler mommy when everyone is well rested! 

[rinajack]

This morning at 5:40 I went in and told Zara to go back to sleep.  And I think she did she was mostly quiet except for the odd moan until 6:30, and didn't yell out mumumum until 6:40.  So, back to making progress, but at daycare today, so bad naps here we come.

I will persevere, only 11 more weeks of work, then this should all fall into place.....a lovely home routine to help get it properly sorted before the baby come

[aisling]

Ahhh.... 4 nice posts in a row!  Hooray!   

Z-z-z-z-z-z-z's to everyone,

Aisling x

[Gippie]

Becky - isnt that awesome - what great news!   You are now the Prop board expert!  I bet you will read a million posts about prop use and share your success - cause it all really boils down to OUR comfort over the change, the possibilitites for failure and the work involved with initiating change!    great to hear - post back as you have more great success!

Efka - love the new picture!

Rina - good to hear progress is still on the radar screen - over here too.   I notice that over the course of the week we are able to extend some bedtimes to 7:30 and 8, but then the next few have to be 7's.....I notice that if her nights are long over a few days, we get the 5:30am wakes and NO back to sleep.  Tonight we were at a 7:45  - so tomorrow we will be back to 7pm.

Aisling - Did I mention that I LOOOOVE your avitar - were those professionally done - they couldnt be more beautiful!   Sorry if I said that in another post - who can remember.

OK - off to exercse - I have avoided it long enough.

Stacey

[rinajack]

Yeah, we seem to hit trouble if we have to make bedtime early due to nap problems. 

For now, I am going to accept 6:30 as OK.  May try to push it later after I am home, and we can get our days to be a little bit routine. 

At least the 4am thing is gone, and at NW she is doing a great job of self settling!

Glad we are all making progress, even if it is slowly!

[¤ Efka ¤]

I am making progress myself Lying very still in the morning so he wont see me move.  He is just playing with no noise from other than toys until he sees me moving, then he starts to moan for me to get him out. Its almost he really dont want to wake me(I can dream right?)but once I am up, he wants out

[rinajack]

LOL Efka.   What time was that?

Zara only had 40 min nap today.  Probably will have to put her to bed a little earlier...but we'll see.....don't want to, i think it messes the mornings up

[¤ Efka ¤]

When I was finally able to see the lock it was about 6.10 or something so thats when I got him up, I moved

[Gippie]

Efka - Congratulations - it sounds like your biggest problem is your/his location.  I agree - if Quinn hears me - she is so quick to get up - we are really quiet at 5am - and on the weekends., I am ALWAYS in bed till she calls me. 

What would you say has been the thing that made it work for you?

[rinajack]

5:40 again today (poopy nappy which I DIDN"T change, I would have never managed to get her back in the cot ).  Darn teething.

Managed to get her to stay there dozing until right on 6:30.