Toddler Waking up at 4:30Am. Someone Help Me!!!

Hi S. F a nice warm bath, reading and cuddling the child also some milk before bed normally helps a child with their sleep at night.

Mom,
I had this....It took a while but what I did was explain that Mommy would not be getting up when Jr. woke and cried. I would put toys and books in the corner of the crib for Jr. to play w/ until Mommy came in to get Jr. at "morning time". It took a bit, but worked. Eventually Jr. was able to fall back asleep on her own when waking soooo early, or would play until I came in. We have to teach them, not them teach us!! (well, it DOES go both ways, but remember that you are the parent!)

So sorry you are dealing with this... I agree with the other posts that say to put your son to bed earlier. He is probably over tired. He probably only needs one nap in the afternoon. Start the nap earlier...12:30..right after lunch then bedtime at 6:30 -7ish.

RE: your husband. There is nothing wrong with nudging him in the middle of the night and telling him you need your sleep tonight. I started doing that and my husband thanked me. He wants to help, but it's not his fault he's not programmed to hear the kids in the middle of the night. When we have issues, we take turns. One night it's him, the next night it's me. That way everyone gets a good night sleep every once in a while. Don't expect him to hear things or see things you don't point out...men just aren't made that way! It doesn't mean he doesn't care or doesn't want to help... Best of luck!

Hello, I feel for you, it's so hard to be sleep deprived and have to care for little ones! I have 22 mo. old twins and have used "Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child" as my reference book. The basic premise is that the more your baby/toddler sleeps, the better their quality and quantity of sleep. Sleep begets sleep. If a toddler is not sleeping at night, the advice is to move up their bedtime (even as early as 5:30pm). He is probably waking up crying because he is still tired. If my girls seems tired and cranky after their naps, I put them to bed 1/2 hr to an hr earlier. Their usual bedtime is 7:30pm. Hope this helps!

I feel your pain! My son is 14 months old and he has been doing the same thing for about 3 weeks now. I finally switched from 2 naps to 1 because of it and it hasn't helped. For a week I tried putting him to bed earlier and that didn't work. For a week I tried putting him to bed later and that didn't help. Now the last 2 nights he has woken up at 12 and 1. I have changed the temp in his room and adjusted all of his jammies. I have even put him to bed with a sippy cup and nothing has worked. So basically I have done everything that the other posters have suggested and none of it has worked!
I am sorry that I don't have any advice but I thought maybe you would find comfort in the fact that you are not the only one. I too have a home daycare and my husband is deaf so I felt like I was reading my own request. If you find a magic solution, please let me know!
Good Luck!
J.

I aggree with the previous posts as well. My daughter went through a similar stage. I told her we don't get up until the sun is up. That helped. IF the isue does not resolve though you also may want to make sure he is not having acid reflux that is causing him to wake up (see Pediatrician). As far as the husband goes try to have a schedule. My husband and I alternated nights. One night it is my duty to get up, the next night it is his duty. I usually have to nudge him to get up though too.

Hmmm. I haven't read the pp's but could it be he's getting his second molars? I've had trouble with my son's naps recently too and someone mentioned that to me. Lo and behold, both his bottom 2nd molars popped out!

Also, I've gotta think that the upcoming time change is an issue. I hate the time change.

Can you just lay down with him and go back to sleep? I doubt he'll come to rely on it. I'm sure it's just a phase and once he can work through it he'll get back on schedule and you won't have to do that anymore. Plus, he'll come to know that his mama will be there when he needs her!

p.s. O.k., just read the posts. I'm not sure if I buy the crying means they're overtired. Sometimes yes. However, my son cries because he's alone. There are different cries YKWIM? Also, is he waking wanting to stay up and play? If so, maybe the laying down with him bit won't work. I was thinking more like if he will fall back asleep if you lie down with him then it might be worth it for both of you.

Hi, S..

I love to read the suggestions here, even though my kids are 19 and 11. Well, all kids go through this fase. Two things I have learned are: growth spurs (they eat a lot, and sleep little), or growing pains (their little bodies "hurt" as they stretch, but they are too young to be able to explain). Also, they are very alert, and don't want to miss anything. It's hard, but I guarantee you that it will go away. I tried everything with my kids, and nothing worked. Just patience and time. Just don't forget to pay attention to every little detail, as they will ask you later how it was when they were babies. Try to remember all the funny stuffs.... you will have their attention for a very long time, when you start telling them their little stories. Good luck, and God bless you!

My son started waking in the night around 15 months of age, and we eventually went to a pediatric sleep specialist (Dr. Weissbluth, who wrote the book "Healthy sleep habits, happy child"). He said that our son was waking because he was overtired! He told us to wake him at 7am at the latest, nap from 12-2pm, and put him to bed at 5:30pm. We stuck to the schedule and it worked (it did take a few weeks before we saw results, but he soon stopped waking at night)!! He is now 23 months and still goes to bed at 5:30pm! Good luck.

Check out "Healthy Sleep habits Happy Child". It will help you understand his sleep needs at this age, so you can be confident in setting a schedule. Even if you don't follow it 'by the book' you can use the knowledge and modify it to meet you style and needs (i.e. crying it out vs not, etc.)

I am having the same issue. My son will be 2 in Feb and he wakes up at 4-5am. He just started this about 3 weeks ago. I think we just have to let them try to sooth themselves back to sleep. Crying will happen a lot and i know it is frustrating and we don't want to wake the others but i think that is what has to happen. I will try this as well and post how it is working.

I know where you are coming from. All my children (more the first two)have gone through this stage at about 2 y/o. The waking up screaming is frustrating because you know they want something but can't communicate it to us. I think I have figured out that they were thirsty. My daughter talked very well at 2 but still wouldn't tell me this. My son, on the other hand, didn't talk too well at 2 so I can see why he couldn't tell me this. Now that my 3rd is here, I don't have the problem as much because I always have a sippie cup of milk or water (depending on whether it is night or nap). I am a firm believer in not doing much for them at night because this is a time of sleep. I would just usually have the sippie cup of water by their bed and give it to them. As for the waking up in the middle of the night always around the same time, my second son still does that and he is 31/2. I shouldn't complain because he has gone down from 3-7 x's to 1-2x's but none the less, I am still annoyed. I work nights part-time so when I get to sleep at night, I want to sleep. I think he is just one of those kids. My daughter did grow out of it, I think with your son it is a phase. However, it could last longer if you play the game with him. I believe children are always testing you to see how much they can get. Go into his room lay him back down and sit there for a few minutes but that is it. That is the only thing I know to do.
Good luck!
I would also ask your husband for help, nudge him if it takes that! I had to with my second or I wouldn't have survived!

S.,
My youngest daughter was also an earlier riser so I know how detrimental the lack of sleep can be to your mindset and mood. Try moving your sons afternoon nap an hour later. If he now naps at 1pm move it to 2pm. I don't know why this works but it does for many children with this problem. Good luck. You may have to try if for a few day for it to kick in but I think it might work. Take care and hang in there.

S.,
I know your pain as well, my son(18 mos) wakes up 2 times in the night, each night. Doesn't matter what time he goes to bed, how many naps he takes, and if I give him a sippy cup. Last Saturday, we went to the zoo, and he missed his morning nap. I thought that he would nap in the stroller, but he did not. We left the zoo at 4 pm and he was asleep in the car within 7 minutes! I figured he would sleep until morning, but no, he woke at 2 am. I changed his diaper and gave him some milk, and he did go back to bed for a couple of hours, but even when he skipped a nap, he still woke up in the middle of the night! The only other thing that could be waking him is the fact that he is teething. Is yours? I think I am going to try some warm milk along with a warm bath.
I will let you know how it worked for us.
Good Luck!
K.
P.S. My husband also has that magical affliction of not hearing the baby when he is crying!!

Waking up crying means not enough good sleep. These issues are hand in hand. Leave him to take the longer naps in the afternoon.
It sounds like you have tried a lot of different things in the past few weeks. Maybe none with enough consistancy for it to kick in. Moving up bed-time should take a week, maybe two, to kick in for an almost 2yr old.
Is he teething? My son was a really late teether and had 8 teeth total till 2yrs. try teething tablets before bed, also maybe a sippy cup with water next to bed may help. Does he have a favorite stuffed animal?(or ten like my son-they guard him from monsters he says).
If none of these are the case, I would put a baby gate up on his door or something to keep himin his room and leave him alone till an "acceptable wake up time". Don't go in till that time. LEt him know when putting him to bed that mommy an daddy have to sleep, so he has to stay in his room until mommy and daddy wake up. Assure him that he has everything he needs, and "pretend" to not hear him and let him figure out that it's bedtime and no one is coming. It will take a few nights for him to get it, but after that you'll all feel much better. Just leave a night light, and understand he may get up to "play", but as long as he's in his room,,,,what does it matter. right?
With regard to your husband "magically" not hearing him, I think its called testosterone. I know more men who develop this "baby deafness" than I know who don't. Actually the only Man I know who doesn't have this condition is my dad, and somehow my mom was able to train him this way(we only called for him). Not sure how it happened but she was really lucky. I really don't think its something they can help. A friend of mine recently was really upset about it because he really liked the midnight shift with his son. It was the only real alone time they had together

With the last couple of weeks and it being chilly we have had our heat on (until this weekend) I noticed my daughter was doing the same thing almost every night... and she always slept through the night(from 10pm-noon) I finally realized it was probably the same problem I am having sleeping right now... it is tooooooo dry in our house! I bought some baby nose drops- non medicated and have been using those on her before bedtime as well as a sippy cup in the crib. She is back to sleeping until noon again! YEAH! I sure hope it is something as simple as that for you!
Good luck and many blessings to you!

My guy just turned two in August and he has always had sleep issues...they are just now starting to resolve! What works for us is having bedtime start at 6pm...i know it sounds VERY early but this is when I get him in the bath...then it's up to bed for story time (usually about a half an hour) and then he is asleep by 7...since we started this bedtime he has been sleeping until at least 6 (or on VERY RARE occasions 7 like today!)...before this he was waking up at 5:30 at the latest and usually closer to 5am or earlier...the huge sleep disturbances usually seem to correspond with a growth spurt (he eats a ton and sometimes wakes up with "growing pains" in his legs during this time...) but is usually over in a week or so...at this age i think most kids need about 12 hrs of sleep total (that includes nap) but every kid is different, I'm sure you can tell when your little one is tired or not...
So my suggestion is to try to make bedtime even earlier...and i'm sure you have a consistent bedtime routine, but if not, get one :) How are you putting him down at night? Does he fall alseep on his own or do you stay with him? This was another big turning point for us...I definately spoiled my son and would cuddle him to sleep but as soon as I started letting him fall asleep on his own the sleep started getting better... Also, is his room a comfortable temp? With the changing weather I had to readjust all my son's blankets and pj's so he would be more comfortable at night...

As far as waking up crying, I don't know...my son used to always wake up crying too, but just seemed to grow out of it...is the crying new? Maybe he's just still tired since he's not getting much sleep? I'm sorry I don't have any magic answers...I hope this gets better...and pooh on your husband for trying to get out of middle of the night baby duty!!!

It sounds like he may be overtired. How long is his afternoon nap normally without the timecut? Check and see if teeth are coming in. My eldest did the same thing when he was younger. I put blackout curtains in his room which helped with the light and sound in his room. We lived in an apartment then and it mostly had to do with that. Good luck.

Sounds like your son is over tired.

Mine too wakes up crying after naps and in the morning. We had to keep her out late, recently. The next morning she was up at 3:30.

Look in the Library for The Baby Whisperer Solves all Your Problems. The author wrote more than one book so make sure you have the correct book. Then read, wake to sleep chapter or sectin.

It sounds daunting, but you wake your child at a certain point in the morning to reset their sleep cycle. I have done it a few times and it works. Might not work instantly, you will still be tired waking up to do so, but if you are desperate.....