My Child Won't Sleep

My son is this way (bed by 8pm and up at 6am). My daughter is the night owl (not sleeping until 9:30-10:00pm and up at around 8am). I have a 9 week old who seems to be an early riser as well...we'll see how that ends up.

I tried adjusting my daughter's schedule for 6 months to get her to bed earlier and up earlier (I'm an early bird...but cannot stay up that late all the time). It didn't work and so I just accepted the fact that I have a late sleeper.

As the kids get older, they'll adjust their sleeping schedules as needed...but it'll be what their bodies need.

Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child was a good book.

Does she take 1 or 2? My daughter is 18 months and used to get up that early. She is now getting up more around 6am. She goes to bed around 7:30 and takes 1 nap in the middle of the day. I have heard great things about the Healthy Sleep Habits, Healthy Child book too. Also keeping her in her bed until a certain time worked for me.

Hi C.. Both my kids went through this extremely early rise time when they were babies. It's awful -- especially for those of us who are not naturally morning people!!

I recommend "Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Baby" by Dr. Marc Weissbluth to help your family establish good sleep routines. His book indicates that the rise time should not be earlier than 6am, and suggests that you simply leave the baby in the crib until 6am. With my first baby, I was a bit unsure that we should just leave her to cry, but I checked with my Pediatrician and she said the same thing. It worked extremely well with my daughter, and after just a couple days she wouldn't cry to get up until after 6am. It was tougher with my son, but we finally got him to a 5:45am time (which is better than 5!)

I also don't know if you are still on one naps or two...so maybe some sort of nap transition is also needed. I highly recommend the book to help with it all!

EDIT: This book is not just for infants -- he writes about the different sleep need through adolescence. It is organized by age, so you can simply look at the sections relevant for your toddler.

I would try earlier bedtime. I know it sounds weird, but my son would sleep later if he went to bed at 6-6:30 at that age. If I put him down later he would get up earlier in the morning. You probably won't like this answer, but some kids are just early risers. My son is one of them. He has been getting up at 5:30 at the latest for over 6 months now (he's almost 3). I tried everything. I even made the mistake of trying to eliminate his nap, but that just made him get up earlier! I gave up, and eventually something just kicked in & he's been sleeping until 6:30-7 for 2 weeks now. It's SO refreshing.

Someone said "8 or more hours is plenty of sleep for a child that age if she still takes a nap.", but it is NOT nearly enough sleep for that age.... unless the nap is 5 hours long.

For the people that recommended "Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child" by Dr. Marc Weissbluth, I totally agree. It's a great book.

Check out "Healthy Sleep Habits Happy Child" the second edition is better than the first.

Hi C.
My son is doing the exact same thing and has been for months!! He was 2 in April. I am at my wits end with this early rising thing...he also wakes during the night, too. He is in a big boy bed so it is hard to keep him in it. He just gets up and comes to get me and then insists that I at least stay in his room until he falls asleep. I am 22 weeks pregnant and this is totally taking a toll on me. I just wanted to let you know you are not the only one going through this awful stuff.
I am going to check out the book suggested earlier. I have check out the babywhisperer, but haven't found anything to work yet.

I would definitely recommend reading "Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child." You may find you actually need to be putting your daughter to bed earlier! Seems counterintuitive, but it worked wonders with our daughter. Good luck!

Is that the only time she gets up? If so, if at all possible, I'd be in bed by nine if I were you. My daughter got up several times a night until she was about 20 months old. She now goes to bed at 8p.m. and sleeps most nights through until 5:45 to 6:15. If your daughter is going to bed at 7 and sleeps until 5 that's 10 hours...that's great, and I'm assuming she is getting a nap for a couple of hours a day too, so she's geting all the rest she needs, she's just an early bird, my little one is too, and so was my older one until he was about three and it ended. Keep your chin up it gets better.

Another vote for "Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child" by Dr. Marc Weissbluth. He's a Chicago pediatrician (practicing downtown) who specializes in infant/child sleep issues with decades of research.

Does she wake up happy? If so, leave her in her bed 15 mins after she wakes up. Eventually she'll start waking up later. So, if she's up at 5, don't get her until 5:15 or 5:30 (if she can take it!). Once she's sleeping until 5:15 or 5:30, then make the rule 5:45, etc. We did this with our son who used to be an early riser. Our rule is 6:30, and it is very rare that he is up before that anymore. Sometimes, he'll even sleep until 8!

Ok, this might sound silly but it's the opposite of what everyone else is saying. How about you combine some of those ideas but you start waking her up before she gets up. Then she'll expect you to wake her up and continue to sleep. Of course then you will have to wake her up the rest of her life. Worked with me. I am still waking up my seventeen year old son. But at least he sleeps later. If that doesn't work then try the late nap thing. If you are able perhaps you could go to sleep earlier unless that is the only time for yourself and your husband. It is frustrating but doesn't last forever. Really. And I am trying to get you to laugh. Good luck!

C.
Try moving her afternoon nap an hour later. Example from 1pm to 2pm. This is the only thing that worked for my daughter. She used to wake up at 5:30am and now will sleep closer to 7am. It might take a few days but it should work. Good luck.

If she still takes a nap during the day try skipping it. or if she takes two naps just omit one.

Does she nap? My girls would get up very early at that age when they were still napping. Once they stopped napping they both started sleeping until between 7 and 8.

When they were waking that early, I would just go in and tell them it wasn't time to get up and they would have to go back to sleep. Sometimes I would put a couple of books in the crib and then leave. They knew they weren't getting out of that crib until mommy got up. Neither of them could get out of their crib until they were about 2 1/2 to 3 so it worked well for me.

8 or more hours is plenty of sleep for a child that age if she still takes a nap. I wouldn't worry at all. Adjust your sleep time to coincide a little more with her so you don't end up deprived and overtired. By the way, better cut out that drink before bed or you'll have trouble with potty training...she's age approiate for that. Good luck

between 5-530 wake for a child this age is fairly normal I think. Does she sleep straight through? My 15 month old goes to bed around 7 and gets up between 530 and 630 most mornings except he wakes up 1-2 times in the middle!!!! My 3 year old is a great sleeper and we are just starting to accept that our baby is just more difficult. I don't like it, but we have tried EVERYTHING!!!! If you get any great advice that really works for her let me know b/c I'll try anything!
One sleepy Mom to the next!

Has anyone mentioned room darkening? And I'm not just talking about dark shades. At this moment I have large cardboard taped to my son's windows. It is cut to fit exactly, which makes the room completely dark. With his nightlight, the room is the same day or night.

We don't need the cardboard as much in the winter because the sun doesn't come in as soon, but it's a must in summer. If I forget to put up the cardboard, he's up more than an hour early. When its dark, kids will get up when their body has had enough sleep....as long as nothing else wakes them up first.