Early Waking?

LM

As a mother to two very active little boys myself might I give you this little piece of advice. If his naps are becoming less and less and he is waking earlier let him stay up a little later. That is what I had to start doing with my 2 1/2 year old. It has worked wonderfully, instead of waking up at 5:30 which is what he was doing for quite a while, he now wakes up somewhere between 6:30 and 7:00. I know it isn't much better. But hey, beggers can't be choosers.

S.
SAHM of 3 boys

Im lucky like you - mine wakes at 5am every morning (4months) but Im just glad I get to sleep from 11pm to 5 so Im not complaining. Ive never been a morning person, but it seems that Ive been getting so much more done in the am b/f we head out for the day. This morning I even got in a load of laundry!

It seems like youve tried everything I would of tried, so Im not sure what suggestions to give - I too have a 26 month old and he did change his nap routine awhile back, he went to napping an hour around 12-1 (as apposed to two small naps a day) and started going to bed a little later (7ish) and wakes up around 6:30am. Maybe just alter your bedtime routine and start it a little later? He may be super cranky the first couple times, but he may take well to it.

My 14 month old son tried the EXACT same thing, except his was at 6 am. I would go in to get him because it sounded like his "I'm ready to get up Mom" talking. It lasted for a week and he got crankier everyday and wasn't altering his nap times so one day I was so tired I just left him in his crib. He wasn't crying so I figured I would let him rest a bit more until he wanted out. He actually went back to sleep until 8 am!!!! He tried it the next morning and I did the same thing and he went back to sleep:) He will try it on me sometimes (completly random but usually when I go to bed late:) and I just do the exact same thing, I leave him unless he is crying. He did start crying once and I went in there and rocked him back to sleep and that worked too. But usually once he sees me he is up for the day.
I also found that when he skips naps, even if he doens't seem tired because he is having so much fun, he sleeps terribly! The better a nap he takes the better he sleeps at night. I would suggest that about 20 minutes before nap time to take him into his room and read a book and help him calm down and he will probably start getting tired and nep better.
PS,
I've found every child is different, I wish you luck!!!! 5:30 is really early:)

My son went through this spell.

They always sleep better on a full stomach so I would try feeding him a snack or Pedisure (the nutrients make them feel more full than regular milk) within an hour before bed ~ just watch the sugars!

My son has been all messed up lately also. He's 18 months. He was just weaned about a month ago, and he's getting his incisors. He doesn't want to go to bed until 10 or 11, and he's waking up at 7, early for him. He used to sleep from 8:30 to 8:30. And he's skipping naps, or taking short ones, when he used to nap for 2-3 hours. Basically he went from sleeping 13-15 hours a day, to only sleeping 9-11 hours. It goes without saying that he's been a cranky little punk. My nephew has been messed up lately and my best friends niece. All the babies are within 6 weeks of each other. I've heard that when they reach developmental milestones they sleep less, because their minds are racing. I know my son has become a total parrot lately. Every day we have at least 2 new words. So maybe your son is about to do something new? Or maybe he's getting his 2 year molars? Just know your not suffering alone :) Good luck!

i have to agree with the other mom about letting him talk to himself for a bit.
my son 13M, does the same thing.
he does not cry , he just sit up and chatters for a bit but then he does tend to go back to sleep for another hour or so.
good luck
D.

Dear L M,
I would suggest keeping your little one up a bit later but like you, I'm a stay at home mother but I have 3 children and I have tried to keep them up later and still they would get up early. I would suggest delaying his bedtime an hour or he could be getting up because he is hungry. It could also be a phase he is going through...all 3 of my children at one time or another went through the early rising phase. Try giving your baby something to eat at bedtime. Fruit, yogurt, or a little bit of farina or oatmeal. Sometimes I feed my youngest, who is 18 months, something to eat and that will delay him rising earlier than I want him to. Lately my little boy has been waking up screaming and crying when in the past he'd get up and play quietly in his crib. Babies go the darnest phases. Try giving him something to eat. If that works, then you can count on him sleeping a bit longer. My little one doesn't really nap either. He tries to nap around dinner time (6 P.M) but that is WAY too late for a nap. I wouldn't encourage you to let your boy nap too late either. It's all trial and error. Good luck!

He's starting early on the twos!I think you shouldn't let him skip a nap, even if it's only stopping everything for 1/2 an hour together.
I have to tell you, tho'...this is sooo funny. You've described my husband, i.e. gets up at 5:30, cranky during the day, bed at 7:30 after a little message...hahahhaah! (he's 59)

I understand this problem well. My own child started that at 24 months. So what I do is make sure she has down time, in her room, bed, or on the couch. For fourty five minutes to and hour. She has to do this quietly, she can read a book, have a doll or watch a movie. But it's quiet time. Try this. Or you can make sure he stays in his room with a child gate. I did this, but I prefer the other. Good luck! Jen