Hey everyone! I've posted on here several times regarding sleep issues with my children. My newest endeavor is my daughter's decision to get up for the day between 430-530!!! Her bedtime ranges from 7-8 pm and she used to sleep until I woke her up for daycare between 6 and 630. But in the last week, she's decided that 430 or 5am is late enough!! I do not care about getting up this early - luckily my husband works 2nd shift so he's up and will take her so I can get a little more shut eye. I'm just wondering where this came from?
She is on her fourth round of antiobiotics for double ear infections (going to an ENT on Mon) so I'm wondering if she's waking up because of the pain? She doesn't seem in pain and wakes up in a great mood.
In the past three weeks, she's recently begun falling asleep on her own - we still have our normal night routine with the exception that I sit in her room for 5-10 minutes then tell her I'm leaving and going into the living room and leaving the door open and she falls asleep. As a result of this, she has been waking up less during the middle of the night.
I don't know if maybe she's more aware that daddy gets home late so when she wakes up she wants to play with him?
I do know that some kids are not great sleepers and do not require much sleep. She has never been a great sleeper or napper, but has never been okay running on 9 hours of sleep per night (she does nap for 1-2 hours at daycare). On the weekends, she will sometimes go 13 hours without a nap and sometimes she crashes and sleeps for 1-2 hours.
I'm just not sure what time to make her bedtime? If she does not require as much sleep as she used to or as other kids, do I continue to put her to bed at 7 and have her wake up at 430-5 am? Or do I push her bedtime back an hour or two? I've tried putting her to bed at 7, 730, 8, 830 and 9....it doesn't seem to matter what time she goes to bed.
Also, it doesn't work to just tell her that it's not time to get up. She'll then cry and throw a fit and end up waking up her baby brother then we're all up for the day.
I don't mind if she's up that early - in fact I'm used to starting my day early....I just want to ensure she's getting enough sleep for a 2.5 year old and I'm not sure she is? The recommeded amount is 10.5-12.5 per night and 1-2 during the day. She has been getting 8-10 at night and on average 1.5 hours at naptime.
I've heard of melatonin for kids but don't want to give her medications/drugs if they are not necessary? I've contacted our pediatrican to see what they think and am waiting on a phone call back but figured I'd see if anyone else is/has gone through this.
I do not think it's related to her new baby brother (he's 5 months old) as she sleeps through him crying and has not been affected by him sleep-wise yet.
I tell my daughter that if she wants to get up before mommy and daddy, she has to stay in her bed until we get her. Unless it's an emergency (like vomiting, or whatever) and she stays in bed and plays by herself if she gets up before us. Rewarding her by letting her get up and play is counterproductive and teaches her that she runs the show and the house gets up when she does. Good luck!
I recomend moving her bedtime back. I was never fortunate enough to have a kid who sleeps for hours and hours. My daughter will sleep for 8-9 hours and that's it. I moved her bedtime back to 9 p.m. when she was about 10 months old because, like you, I couldn't handle getting up at 4 or 5. Some folks gave me a hard time, but they don't live with her and they weren't the ones getting up at 4 in the morning with her. She's now almost 3 and goes to bed between 9:30 and 10. Her internal clock wakes her up at about 7 each morning. In fact you can almost set your clock by it. I would resist the urge to give your child a sleep aid even if it is "all natural." It might cause unintended consequences for her later. Try moving her bedtime back first. Nothing is more natural than finding one's natural sleep rythym. Hang in there, it will get better. Good luck.
Since you've already tried putting her to bed later, maybe try a little earlier if you can. I've read a lot of people who put their kids to bed at 6:30 or even 6, and putting them to bed earlier can actually make them sleep later in the morning, which doesn't seem to make sense but might be worth a try. But I know it might be difficult to impossible with your daily schedule. Good luck.
Wow Carla, information overload. I think you know that you should try having her go to bed at a later time. She may end up taking a small afternoon nap inorder to adjust to being up alittle later but nothing wrong with that. I wouldnt let her get up that early if I was not ready to get up, they (kids) only throw fits that we as parents allow them to throw, remember you are in charge not her.
forget the meds, supplements. She's getting a full night's sleep & she's ready to go. I would only be concerned if she was averaging 8 hours or less.
From 9-18 months, my son slept 9 hours at night...with a 45 minute nap. He went to bed at midnight, up at 9am....& that's how we lived for those nine months. The pediatrician told me to be thankful for that much sleep. When I countered with the recommended #s for sleep, his response was, "Yes, but this is Justin we are talking about. Not an averaged-out study. He is healthy, he is at peace, he is thriving. You may need more sleep, but he does not. He's not crabby unless you try to force the sleep issue, right?"
And the doctor was right....my son was content....so I learned to adjust my needs & we did much better then. As we progressed thru the years, I found that my son did require less sleep until the teen years...& then, boy, did he make up for it! There were nights when he slept 18-22 hours! OMGosh! Sooo, my advice is: if she's content...don't mess with a good thing. ........I wish you Peace.
Melatonin is all natural. You are exactly right that kids are different and what isn't enough for one may be too much for another. It may be the antibiotics. Sounds very frustrating, but maybe it will work itself out, or hopefully you will get a great idea. I don't think she is old enough to be up by herself. I have a 9 year old that requires much more sleep, but she is quite active when she is awake. Hopefully someone has something you haven't tried yet that will work. Otherwise, patience = ) This too will pass.
B.
We have had the same problem with our 3 year old and have tried getting up with her, getting dressed and starting our day. I have also tried curling up on the couch or in the recliner and leaving the lights and tv off. I've found that if I encourage her to snuggle with me for a little while she almost always goes back to sleep for a couple hours. This may not work for your situation - I'm a WAHM and can reach over from the recliner and start working if she doesn't wake in time - but it's a thought. I suspect that is the time when her bladder is full and it wakes her, but she still has not made that connection.
My daughter who is 3.5, was a terrible sleeper with no normal nap schedule and she usually wouldn't sleep more than 30-45 minutes if she did nap. She also never consistently slept through the night until last May when her tonsils were removed. The stuff going in on their little bodies definately makes a difference.
