2 year old consistently wakes at 5am

[Charlielj]

My ds is 2 weeks shy of his 2 nd birthday and has been waking at 5am (sometimes earlier) for at least the last year. We have tried later bedtime, earlier bedtime, cutting daytime sleep short, cutting it altogether-nothing works! I'm knack erred-does anyone have any advice?!

[mumtolilh]

Hi

Not really advice but this is my life too! lol
My 18 month old goes to bed at 7 & wakes at 5am.
We have also tried later bedtime/earlier bedtime to no avail.
I will say that from speaking to friends this sounds like this is just how it is :(
It may go on for a while longer & then change unexpectedly!...hopefully by winter!!!

[Peetle]

My DTs do this and they're nearly 6. We don't have an answer either - they can go to bed at 18:15 or 21:30 and they're still up with the lark.

Not the answer you wanted but we have got used to 7am being a lie-in (and that's rare, usually happening only on days when we need to get up early).

[megandraper]

DS1 did this when he was 2. He is 5.5 and still does. We go to bed very early...

[GoofyIsACow]

Subbing as my DT's do this and are a couple of weeks from their second birthday... It's painful :(

[firstpost]

I feel your pain :) 5am is a regular wake up for almost 2yr old DS.

I have a stairgate to stop him going downstairs, and the bathroom door has a lock on the outside. This limits him from running between my bedroom and his - both rooms are "baby proofed" to the extreme. I refuse to get up until 7am, even if he is up at 5am ! I can't say it has dramatically increased the amount of sleep I am getting, but I am getting more rest and can occassionally drift off with him skittering about. The other think I have done is adjusted my bedtime, its annoying but in bed by 9pm lights out by 10pm has really helped me cope.

[Charlielj]

Thanks for all your replies, even though there doesn't seem to be a solution at least I know that there is nothing I should be doing and aren't and also that I'm not alone! I feel your pain guys :(

[mumtolilh]

Yes it does feel better knowing its not just me either!!! Snap to what Peetle said...7am is an amazing lie in :(
I think I need to start going to bed earlier too!!!

[omama]

Op what time does he nap & how long for? Ime cutting the nap back rarely helps, BUT what can often help is pushing the nap a bit later.

[AndMiffyWentToSleep]

I'm sorry but you are all WRONG!
My 16mo has been waking at 5am (sometimes earlier, sometimes as late as 5:30) for a while now.
It IS a phase, it too shall pass, I refuse to accept that 2yr olds wake up at 5am!!

Seriously though, I'm trying wake to sleep. It is petrifying but he slept til 5:45am today! I can't believe that that feels like an amazing lie-in!
Anyone else tried or trying it?

[nellyjelly]

3 yr old up at 4.50 today. ........zzzzzzzzzzz

[BrianButterfield]

Have you tried REALLY blacking out his room? DS's room had blackout curtains but it wasn't until DH went in with bulldog clips and literally clipped them together to block out any chink of light that we got slightly later wakings. He pushed them right into the windows with stuff on the mantelpiece so it's as dark as possible.