sudden night wakings and getting up early

[kellie_w]

Luke since being a toddler has always been a great sleeper, went into a bed at 15 months with no problem, only illnesses disturb his nights. For the last week, he has suddenly decided to get up every night, sometimes once, sometimes 4 or more times. He doesnt cry, he just comes and stands beside our bed, I take him back but have to stay with him or else he gets straight back up. Some nights it taking 2 hours to get him back to sleep. I then have my 3 month old feeding round these wake ups. He also is waking early, used to be 7.30-8am, now is between 5.30-6. During the day, he has a nap some days but wakes up very upset as he is still tired. Some days he just refuses to sleep. He goes to bed 8.30-9, he always woke early if he went before these times. Is it time to maybe bring his bedtime forward at his age? Does over tiredness cause night wakings at this age? X

 

[kellie_w]

Just to add, he is hopefully just getting over a ear infection. He was sleeping fine whilst he had it x

 

[Itsychik]

I'm having a similar problem with my toddler! He was sick two weeks ago (also ear infection, cold/cough) and was taking longer to fall asleep and then waking up 1 - 4 times a night... and then again at 6am (normally he sleeps in till 8 - 9am!). Now he's not sick anymore but he's still taking 1 - 1.5 hours to fall asleep (he goes to bed at 7: 30 - 8pm) and still waking up at 6am!

I have no idea what's causing it... but it's really frustrating! He's always been a fantastic sleeper but now he's waking so much.

I'll be interested in whether anyone else has any suggestions/experience with this!

 

[Scoobys mummy]

Dd is a lot younger but I know overtiredness causes all these things for her. Also when she went from 2 naps to 1 she sometimes had 2 one day 1 the next. She woke up soooo grumpy from the 2nd nap it really wasn't worth having it! Could you try a few days in a row without it? You might well have to bring bedtime back to maybe 7/7:30? Emily still has days when tea time is a nightmare but she goes down at seven now and barely wakes till 7/8.

 

[kellie_w]

Well, after refusing to nap all day despite getting up at 4.45 and going mad at softplay for 2 hours he finally went to sleep at 8, so slightly earlier and was still up and wide awake by 12.10. Argggggg! He now back to sleep and the youngest now up, its starting to feel like im never going to get a full nights sleep again!

 

[snoopchick82]

Savannah is doing this she is 2 years old we put her to bed at 7:30 and didnt use to hear from her till 7:30am with no trouble... But recently we have been putting her to bed at 7:30 she staying awake till 8:30 waking 1-2 times a nite and getting up at 6 im knackered.... She been wanting to have naps again during the day for an hour im at a loss on whats wrong... Its alll gonna change again when her sister is born...

 

[melissasbump]

We are going through something similar, my little boy has always been fantastic at going to bed and sleeping right through from a very early age. For about 6 weeks now he has been waking in the night, up to 2-3 times, upset, not wanting to go back to sleep, waking really early and being fussy at bedtime. He has been doing better over last few nights so am hoping its coming to an end but i have had no idea whats been causing it and the worst part its the waking upset, im thinking in our case maybe nightmares/night terrors. Even daytime naps have become a bit of a battleground where he will cry for a bit before giving in and sleeping.
We too are expecting a 2nd baby in a few weeks and we are all exausted at the mo, hoping it all gets completly better very soon, like i say its improving so my only advice is to keep your routine the same and try and ride it out. goods luck!!

 

[polaris]

Overtiredness can definitely cause all those things for Thomas.

If he doesn't nap then I would definitely bring bedtime earlier.

However it could also be a bit of a delayed reaction to the new baby - I think a few months in it sort of dawns on them that baby is here to stay!

Thomas went through a phase of refusing to nap but I think it was related to adjusting to the new baby rather than actually being ready to drop the nap.

 

[kellie_w]

Overtiredness can definitely cause all those things for Thomas.

If he doesn't nap then I would definitely bring bedtime earlier.

However it could also be a bit of a delayed reaction to the new baby - I think a few months in it sort of dawns on them that baby is here to stay!

Thomas went through a phase of refusing to nap but I think it was related to adjusting to the new baby rather than actually being ready to drop the nap.

Thank you! A friend said that to me today, he could have just realised the baby is with us at night and he wants in too. How long was it before things went back to normal for you? He hasn't napped again today despite getting up at 5.15 and refused dinner. Guess its going to be another long night!

 

[polaris]

I think it took about a month before he settled down properly. Fingers crossed it's just a phase for your little boy too and things will go back to normal soon.