My 20 Month Old Is Getting up at 5 Am - Headed for Sleep Issues

As she gets older she will require less sleep. You need to adjust her bedtime accordingly. Try putting her to bed an hour later. My kids gave up napping all together around the age of two and settled into a 10 hour a night sleep pattern that they still have today at ages 7 and 10. Some kids will continue napping until they are older, and some kids do need more sleep, but if she isn't tired and cranky with less sleep, than she is getting what she needs.

My kids never went to bed that early. We started bedtime at 8pm, and when they started sleeping through the night they slept in until 7 or 8am. I can't imagine leaving a crying baby in a room by herself at 3am. That's why we co-slept. I'm not suggesting that for you, but if your child is crying at 3am, sit with her until she goes to sleep, don't leave her by herself. You don't create a bad habit by attending to your child's needs, and at 20months she is crying because she needs you, not because she wants to ruin your sleep schedule.

It does sound like she simply might not need as much sleep as she used to. Does she show signs of being over tired? Is she waking up happy, or is she awake but cranky? Is she a fairly happy kid throughout the day, or does she get upset easily. Is she easy to get to bed at night, or is it a power struggle?

If she's not showing signs of being overtired, then she's probably getting enough sleep. Some kids don't need as much sleep as others. I know mine didn't need 12 to 13 hours of sleep at her age, no matter what the books said.

You might have to choose between a 7:30 bedtime and a 6:30 wake up time, because it sounds like you're not going to get both. If you do want her to sleep a bit later, I think you're going to have to keep her up a bit longer.

I hate to say it, but you're probably going to have to let her take the lead on this one. You can't make her sleep if she's not tired.

I agree that you don't need to worry about going to her and comforting her in the middle of the night. Ever had trouble sleeping at night? It happens to all of us. Sometimes I pick up my Nook and just read a bit. My husband will go to the living room and play his guitar. Maybe your daughter was just having trouble relaxing and going to sleep.

I truly believe that when child cries in the middle of the night and there doesn't appear to be a problem (sick, teething, hungry, etc) that they are really just saying, "Mommy, I need you. Don't leave me." Logically we know that they are fine and should just go to sleep, but when they are that little they don't see it that way. They really, really need Mommy.

Push bedtime back to 8 or 8:30.

She's growing up. She is going to bed way too early now. She needs about 12 hours per day to sleep. Take out the nap time and she only needs about 9-9.5 at night. So if she's going to sleep by 8 then she's going to be up by 5 or 6 every morning.

If you want her to sleep in in the morning then you need to keep her up at night a bit later. I made the kids bedtime 9pm and it has worked all the time because I want them up around 7am for school.

Ah, my daughter does that (2 yrs 8 mos), and she's a fiesty one. So obviously you need to know her personality and what'll work with her. With mine, i just have to be firm and let her cry. Sometimes it takes 1 night, sometimes 3 nights (we travel often from Eastern to Central time zones).

I think you're doing absolutely right by checking on her to ensure everything is okay, and not getting her out of bed. I think keep that up and stick to your guns! She'll finally "get the message" and "give up".

My girls (4 1/2 and 2 1/2) get in bed by 7:30pm with lights out by 7:45 or 8pm. The older one generally gets up about 7am or slightly later (thou I need to wake her for school if still sleeping), and the younger one sometimes is up at 6:15am (I think she hears Dad?) and other times sleeps until 7am. She naps in afternoon usually 1.5 - 2 hours.

not sure what your schedule is with her but here is a sample of what ours was like when the kids were that age

7am get up might be a little before or a little after.
change diaper get dressed for the day and then downstairs for breakfast
930 or so snack
1130 lunch
12:00 or so down for nap about 2 hours long
after noon snack
5 dinner
630 bath, play time, story
8 bedtime snack (big bowl of oatmeal or cereal of some sort)
clean diaper and into bed for the night

my kids would wake up when they were hungry. she may be hungry.