Author Topic: EW's with BOTH toddlers!  (Read 1246 times)

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Offline lauradj

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EW's with BOTH toddlers!
« on: March 27, 2017, 17:52:02 pm »
I have not posted here in some time but ladies, I am just done!  We have been major BW supporters since we have our first 3.5 years ago and our boys have always been pretty good sleepers.  I think things went sideways about 1.5 months ago.  We have two sleep problems that are connected, so I'll separate them for clarity.
Our eldest is 3.5.  He usually has to pee around 5am and will come and get hubby or I and then go back to bed.  Sometimes he goes back to sleep, sometimes he doesn't.  DH usually gets up at 6am for work and if T hears him, he scampers out of bed and downstairs to join him for breakfast.  The result?  He is an utter train wreck within an hour.  Hysterical behaviour and saying he's tired.  We're recently turned up the noise on his white noise machine and started using the Groclock again but this morning he just ignored it and came out any way.  Grrrrrrrr.  He doesn't usually nap anymore and is in bed by 7pm.
Our baby is 2 years old and has developed the habit of calling out "Mommy Mommy Mommy" somewhere between 5:30/6am.  I go in, pick him up for a quick hug and then lay him back down telling him it's not time to wake up yet.  He will usually lay quietly for about 15mins and then start fiddling about and making noise.  We try to not go in again until 6:30am.  We're trying to break him of this habit so DH went in this morning.  End of the world.  Tears upon tears until I went in and held him.  We've cut his nap back to 1.5hrs in hopes of better night sleep, to no avail.  He is also in bed by 7pm.
The two problems are connected because usually it's T waking up to pee that wakes H who eventually calls out for me.  DH and I are exhausted and my temper is so short these days because I am so tired.  I hate it.  I am open to suggestions!


Offline jessmum46

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Re: EW's with BOTH toddlers!
« Reply #1 on: March 27, 2017, 19:06:44 pm »
Awww, ((hugs)) that sounds rough :(  (Nice to see you btw!)

With DS1 do you think there could be anything else waking him at 5am except the need to pee?  I've often wondered with mine whether it is really the need to pee that wakes them, or if it is more that they wake, then think they may as well go?  I'm sure you've thought about all the obvious things but just in case - light?  temperature?  other sounds?  Do you think if he's had quite a few early mornings that he could be a bit OT and need one or two early nights to sort things out?  How do you respond when he comes to get you after peeing?  Is he taken straight back to bed?  (Just thinking if there could be any 'reward' from the interaction that keeps him doing it if that makes sense?) 

I guess I would be inclined to be quite strict with the gro clock and perhaps consider some sort of reward for staying in his room until morning - sticker chart, marbles in a jar?  Know that people have mixed feelings on rewards but sometimes it can be a useful means to an end when the whole family are struggling...

The other option would be to push DS1s bedtime later, accept the shorter nights for now (though 8pm-6/7am wouldn't be bad), and then that would maybe make the morning a bit nicer?  I also wonder whether he could be in a bit of a developmental spell of waking early?  If that's the case you could always go later bedtime until he starts wanting to sleep in later in the mornings again, then gradually bring it back?  It can also be a good way to 'shock' their bodies out of a routine EW - push BT later by 1-2h and hold it until they stop waking at 5am, then slowly bring BT back to a reasonable hour.

It might also be worth considering a later BT for DS2....just thinking that 10.5-11h night is really quite reasonable for a 2yo who is still napping, I only get more than that with DS (2y9m) on days he doesn't nap. 

Sorry no magic plan there but maybe something might help?
« Last Edit: March 27, 2017, 19:08:15 pm by jessmum46 »

Offline lauradj

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Re: EW's with BOTH toddlers!
« Reply #2 on: March 27, 2017, 19:22:05 pm »
HI!! Ah the sticker charts!  Yes, I remember Tracey saying something about that, brilliant!  I will get on that right away!
Ok, so you think maybe 7:30pm bedtime for both boys would help?  So out of my comfort zone on this one!  We've had 7pm bedtimes since T entered this world!


Offline jessmum46

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Re: EW's with BOTH toddlers!
« Reply #3 on: March 27, 2017, 19:26:33 pm »
It's worth a shot, if nothing else 6am just feels so much nicer than 5.30!!

Offline lauradj

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Re: EW's with BOTH toddlers!
« Reply #4 on: March 27, 2017, 19:42:01 pm »
Yes, yes it would.  I believe ANYTHING would be better than 5:30!  I have been too spoiled for too long!