My 3 year old daughter has ALWAYS been an early riser - 5 am, usually, sometimes earlier sometimes later. More recently, she has been sleeping to close to 6, but very rarely ( once in 2-3 months) will she sleep to 6:30 Or 7. She has always been a good sleeper; I have tried everything - later bedtime - she now goes to sleep around 7:30, but keeping her up to 8 doesnt mean she will sleep later. She naps great - 1.5 to 3 hours in the afternoon, so I know she needs more sleep than what she is getting at night. I have tried the Baby whisper technique of waking her up an hour or so before her regular wake up time, and sometimes that works for that day, but wont stay consistent after doing that for a few nights. Any suggestions??? SHe is still in a crib ( mostly for this reason) and is really good about entertaining herself in her bed for 20 - 30 minutes.
A.,
It sounds like you tried all the tricks. There isn't much else you can do. It is time to accept that she is just an early riser and there won't be anything you'll be able to change about it. Personally I like it better when they wake up earlier so I can start my day. This way when they go to bed a little earlier I can have time for myself and with my husband.
Maybe she is just an early riser! How is her physical/mental development? Her day to day temperament? If all of these are acceptable, my suggestion would be to just accept what is and teach her to honor the right of others to sleep later.
I know this is not what you want to hear, but it may just be her. My son is also 3 and an "early riser." You can almost set your watch to him- 5:30-5:40 every day. I have tried everything- putting him to bed later, putting him to bed earlier, room darkening shades, etc. Nothing works! My pediatrician said that it is just him. I am exhausted but just plan my day to start my day early! Good luck to you.
You need to go to bed/sleep earlier and learn to like getting up early! Try to wake up around 4:30. Get some alone time before she wakes up. This will help.
Hang in there mommy. Keep waking her up after 1 1/2, to 2 hours. She's getting plenty of sleep at night. Little ones are like us mommy. If we nap during the day, we don't sleep as long during the night. Some young ones sleep only 9-10 hours day and night combined. You're really pretty lucky though I understand all too well why you don't feel so.
I've read and I've been told that at her age, the number of hours of sleep she's getting is normal. I also agree with the poster that said earlier bedtimes will help her sleep later, not later bedtimes. It sounds crazy, but it works. Also, if you want her to get her sleep in the morning, maybe it's time to try giving up the nap? Good luck and don't resign yourself to getting up at 4:30! That is just way too early.
hi A.. we actually found that putting our son to bed EARLIER helped him to sleep a little later. he always had the same problem...would wake up at 5-5:30a...i read somewhere that the more they sleep, the more they sleep, so to get them to sleep later, try to put them to sleep earlier..it seems counterintuitive, but it worked for us. his bedtime was 6:30 until about age 3 1/2, when we moved it to 7, where it has stayed...he's now 5. he usually wakes up around 6ish, sometimes as late as 6:30a, but almost never 7. i feel your pain! and same for us, goign to bed later does not mean sleepign later, just less sleep. good luck. ____@____.com
We put a digital clock in our daughter's room. She is allowed to get up when she sees its past 6:00am. If we're not up, she will come get us to start our day.
We've tried putting her down later, but she still wakes up early. I've found putting her down earlier actually helps the most. Her bedtime is 6:30pm, and she normally sleeps til about 5:45 or 6:00am. She does not nap at all during the day.
