Help with 16 Month Old Early Waking!!!

He's probably ready to transition to one nap a day. The nap may be a little longer than the the others, but he'll really only "rest up" once a day...and probably sleep better at night. I've had three kids, and they usually transitioned to one nap after lunch at about this time. You'll find that bed time and sleeping through the night will go easier, too.

Hope that helps. :)
S.

I would suggest moving up bed time. There may be a phase in his sleeping that you cold avoid true waking if it happened at a different/darker time of the night. Making sure it's dark in his room could help.

You might also listen to what's going on around you outstide. Someone may be letting their animal out, starting their truck for work or slamming a door as they deliver the newspaper.

He could have hit a growth spurt and is hungry. Try a cup of milk or formula and see if he will drink it and go back to bed.

D.,the best thing I can tell you is keep doing what your doing,let him tough it out in his crib it will be hard as you know but it will work out and he'll get used to it mine did.I would keep the nap routine going it will become routine for him.Hope this will help.
J.

I agree with getting him out of a crib. I know lots of people wait until later. But cribs are restrictive and all it takes is hitting the sides a few times to get them fully awake.

Also, what type of diaper are you using? If you are not using a better diaper for overnight it could be wetness waking him up.

The teething suggestion may be part of it too.

Try keeping him up later and also limiting the nap times too.

I almost forgot to say that he may just be a morning person. I know you don't want to hear this. All my babies were up and ready for the day at 5AM.

Suzi

If he hasn't done it already, I would say he's on the verge of switching to one long post-lunch nap. It's a very hard transition for kids to make.

Overtiredness is a big cause of early wakings, and early wakings often lead to overtiredness. So I'd get him on a consistent nap schedule and his mornings will sort themselves out.

Here's a board I frequent with tons of info and advice on kids and sleep: http://www.babywhisperer.com/smf/

HTH, it's extremely hard to be a parent at 4:30 in the morning.

Hi D.,

My daughter did that for some time, it is really bad cause you are exhausted! The best that works for me is feeding her something warm and back to sleep, I nurse her until almost 2 so I had to nurse her and sometimes let her sleep wherever she fell asleep because I couldn't move her or she would wake up again.
I think that you have to train him, give him a bath with camomile or lavender oil before bedtime and a huge cereal or milk warm and see if he last longer, otherwise, try feeding him when he wakes up and try to get him back to sleep, he has to get use to. He is not the boss and he doesn't know unless you teach him.
Babies don't know hours, you have to tell them when to do what. It takes like a week but it works, be consistent.
You can also try with camomile tea, it is good for them and sometimes help them to sleep better.
Avoid long naps, let him crush at night really exhausted, at least until he gets it.
And for you...well....go to sleep when he goes, so you can catch some sleep too.

The best of luck and let us know how it goes!

Mariana Abadie
www.MyKidsFirst.com

My 17 month old went through this not to long ago as well. Try giving a snack or cup of milk before bedtime to keep him from getting hungry in the middle of the night and then when mine woke up early I just left him in the crib and he would talk for a little bit and then back to sleep he went. We also cut down to one nap a day after lunch and he usually sleeps for two hours. By doing that he usually sleeps a good ten hours at night if not more.

J.

Hi D.,
My daughter used to do the same thing but it was at 2:30 am. It was really rough and got really old...fast! It took me a few nights to figure out what to do but once I did it works great. She still wakes up from time to time but it isn't every night. Usually once a week.
When he wakes up pick him up to comfort him, take him in the kitchen and fix him a cup of warm milk. I put my daughters cup in the microwave for 45 seconds and then shake it good to get the milk stirred up. Hold him close to you and let him drink the milk. Once he is finished put him as close as you can a pau his back as if you were trying to burp him....usually my daughter does. Once he gets to the point where he is almost asleep lay him back in bed turn some soft music on and let him fall fast asleep. My daughter sleeps to Andrea Bochelli or Van Morrison. I let it play once through and usually by the 3 sond she is out!
This has always worked for my daughter. I hope it works for you! Good luck.
B.

Hi D.,
well here is a cuople suggestions I have...
* is he cutting more teeth ? he may be waking up because his gums hurt.
* try increasing his food intake maybe a snack before bedtime.
* it is normal for a child to wake up during the middle of the night and then go back to sleep but you have to train them to go back to sleep.
*have you checked his crib maybe he is too small for it and he needs to graduate to a twin size bed. If the crib is to small for him now a toddler bed isn't going to be any bigger, so it would be a good idea to go to a twin size bed. In my opinion this is probably your sons' whole problem and if you get him a bigger bed it will solve his sleep inssues
I watch a little girl that just turned 2, we cut out her morning nap around this same age but she sometimes still takes one now and then she takes an afternoon nap and then goes to bed at 8:30 pm. She was also doing the samething your son is and now that she is in a twin size bed she no longer wakes up during the night or early in the morning. I would try a twin bed first this will help everthing.
W. hope this helps.