waking up too early to play

[sarahr]

My 15 month old has begun waking up way, way too early. He'll nurse for a few minutes, but won't fall asleep -- and then he's up, crawling all over us, trying to climb off the bed, just up for the day. This morning it was 4:20. Not only is that too early for me, it's too early for him because then he naps too early in the morning and then is a mess by dinnertime (he refuses to take an afternoon nap).

How should I respond to him at that ungodly hour?

[LadyCatherine185]

is he cutting molars? my DS1 did this while cutting his molars. What we did was kept it dark/quiet and just kept repeating that it was time for sleep. I tried ignoring him as much as possible. If he got too upset I would bring some toys in the bed, or let him look at pictures on my phone. But we didn't get out of bed until 6 AM... FWIW he has always been an early riser.. he wakes up now around 6

[mamaforever]

It should be a phase and will pass.... I agree to make sure it is dark in the room.  My son would do this often during late spring when it was getting light so early, so we got some blackout shades and that really helped.  It also could be that he is working on a milestone...my son wouldn't sleep well because he was so active, wanting to practice his new skill all the time.  I hope things get better for you soon!

[ssh]

Maybe his sleep needs are changing and he needs to go to bed later at night.

[LiLStar]

What I'd do (and have done, when my lo has woken up way too alert way too early)  is not even humor the possibility that it might be "morning" It is the middle of the night, and we're going to act how we act in the middle of the night. so that means lights stay off, we stay in bed, if baby is trying to crawl off the bed, I'd, over and over, move them back to wherever on the bed they usually sleep and lay them down. No sitting up, no speaking. And if it takes 2 hours, it takes 2 hours. 

[maptome]

 My DD went through a similar phase at 15 months.  I agree with this completely:

Originally Posted by LiLStar 

What I'd do (and have done, when my lo has woken up way too alert way too early)  is not even humor the possibility that it might be "morning" It is the middle of the night, and we're going to act how we act in the middle of the night. so that means lights stay off, we stay in bed, if baby is trying to crawl off the bed, I'd, over and over, move them back to wherever on the bed they usually sleep and lay them down. No sitting up, no speaking. And if it takes 2 hours, it takes 2 hours. 

[expat-mama]

I have an early riser too. He has settled around a 5 am wakeup. We tried everything- putting him to sleep later, earlier, staying in bed and "ignoring" him, or telling him it's still night time etc. That didn't work. At. All. It just made for an upset baby who was STILL awake and two parents who were frustrated and STILL awake. I actually posted about this a while ago and was frustrated at all the "just keep him in bed and ignore him" replies. Not a solution. And it doesn't seem to AP friendly to me either.

What works for us is this: DH and I take turns being the one to take him out to the living room where DS plays quietly with his books and toys while we doze on the couch. He's perfectly content with this and now we are too. YES, it would be better for us if he slept till 6:30 when we get up, but he's a person too and we can't force him to sleep if he can't and that's just way his biological clock works.

[LadybugMamma]

this is a great solution.

since i get up 2 times at night to nurse, after nursing my daughter in the mornings before we are ready to get up, if i cant coax her back to sleep. my hubby sits up and plays with her quietly.
 

Originally Posted by expat-mama 

I have an early riser too. He has settled around a 5 am wakeup. We tried everything- putting him to sleep later, earlier, staying in bed and "ignoring" him, or telling him it's still night time etc. That didn't work. At. All. It just made for an upset baby who was STILL awake and two parents who were frustrated and STILL awake. I actually posted about this a while ago and was frustrated at all the "just keep him in bed and ignore him" replies. Not a solution. And it doesn't seem to AP friendly to me either.

What works for us is this: DH and I take turns being the one to take him out to the living room where DS plays quietly with his books and toys while we doze on the couch. He's perfectly content with this and now we are too. YES, it would be better for us if he slept till 6:30 when we get up, but he's a person too and we can't force him to sleep if he can't and that's just way his biological clock works.