Waking BEFORE Baby - Advice Request

[bwdiaz]

I have a challenge. My baby is 14 months old and she, hubby, and I cosleep. How do I get up before she does without waking her up (without some sort of noisemaking device)?

Before baby, my days functioned well when I could get up a little earlier than hubby, get my shower in, get breakfast started, and take a look at my planner. I went through all the usual post baby adjustments - days without showers, days without breakfasts, etc. All that gradually got better, I went through the getting a shower or breakfast but not both phase. Finally now, I'm getting showers and breakfasts, and getting the daughter going pretty well.

I would like to get back to getting up a little earlier now. I think it would help me mentally and emotionally to have that half an hour or so before the baby gets up to do those things and then be ready to get her up and started in the day. However, in the mornings she is a super light sleeper and already wakes me up most days around 6 AM. I won't wake to my cell phone buzzing on silence. An alarm just wakes her up with me (and then she is not happy). I know it's 5:45 when I get a little shake and hear, "Mommy? Mommy?"

Any tricks, random thoughts, ideas or suggestions? Thanks for the help.

[Katie T]

My kids sleep threw the alarm as long as it doesn't go off for a really long time. I also have been known to set my cell phone alarm, set it to a song and turn down the volume. It is loud enough that I wake up but not enough to wake the kids (ususally).

[karika]

I would like that too. Well, I do get it some of the time. I always lie down when the baby (16 mo) lays down (and always have), so I am in bed at night for 10-12 hrs. I get time either at night after she falls asleep, or if I wake first (if you get adequate sleep on a regular basis and do not ingest caffeine ever, your internal clock will wake you after adequate sleep). The trick is, I have to stay in the bed. If I get up, she wakes. So I just know if I get up, she will be awake within 10 minutes. If I want to meditate, I just stay in bed beside her and do it. I also bring the computer to bed so I can get on the laptop anytime I wake up. I have puzzle magazines, books, remotes to the tv all right beside me. I could not consider taking a shower because if she wakes up I would not be there. Nor could I hear her over the water. I have to wait to take a shower with her or when my parenting partner is watching her for me. When the child is a little bit older, they will not be so attuned and you will have more time to be up and about. It does not last long. dd1 was less this way, but I remember when she was 4 looking back and wondering when it happened... she still sleeps with one of us every night at 6, but doesn't stir at all when we get up.

[Thalia]

How about a vibrating wrist alarm? I'm thinking of getting one myself for the same reason. Just Google "vibrating wrist alarm" and you'll find lots of options.

[texmati]

If you are a light sleeper-- my cell phone has a setting called 'one beep'. It's enough to wake me up.

[crunchy_mommy]

I'm not much help but maybe you could compromise -- maybe not get up & shower etc. but just wake up early & read, go on the laptop, etc. while still lying next to baby? I have the same issue with my 14mo, he is such a light sleeper that he would wake if I got out of bed, but I work (on my laptop, beside him) for a couple hours before he wakes up. As far as YOU actually waking up though, I'm not sure what to say, my DS wakes so often that I don't need an alarm clock . Could your DH wake you?

[bwdiaz]

Just an update.

Tried a few mornings of low volume cell phone alarm and it woke the baby. I gues she is just in a really light sleep phase at the times I set it. One morning hubby got me up - I was able to leave the bed and shower with no problems. Unfortunately that isn't always an option. So now I am experimenting. It seems to be sound that determines her wake up, not movement (I guess because the three of us toss and turn all night) so I'm considering the wrist vibrator and I'm experimenting with times, because I suspect that if I could avoid the light stages of sleep it would be ok. Still open to advice and suggestions. Thanks.

[crunchy_mommy]

I don't know if you said you already tried this... but DH puts his cell phone alarm on vibrate, and then he puts it in his pillowcase. It wakes up him (and often me) but never wakes up my DS (the regular alarm always did).