5Am Wake up..do You Let Them Cry It Out or Start Your Day at 5Am?

Updated on November 19, 2008
K.M. asks from Encinitas, CA
7 answers

My 1 year old has just started waking at 5am (used to be 6:30 or 7) and loudly alerting us she wants out (crying). It's way earlier than I can function - on the last 2 evenings I've gone to bed at 8:45 exhausted. She takes 2 naps a day - but usually only sleeps 30 minutes. She's not cranky in-between, and we've tried everything to get her to sleep longer in the day (except cry it out).

She's been a great nite sleeper for the past 6 months - 7pm to 7am. Does she need less sleep in the nite now that she is 1? Should I let her cry it out in the morning? Today I rocked her back to sleep but she still only slept for 30 more minutes.

Thanks so much for your thoughts!

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J.M.

answers from Los Angeles on

Hi K.:
I agree with deanna,and If your taking a census of sorts about the crying it out method,I'm against it. It doesn't benifit you or baby. I wish you and your darlin daughter the best.

1 mom found this helpful
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R.L.

answers from San Diego on

Sounds crazy but I would try putting her down at 630pm.

Letting them cry at 5am? That's a tough call. You can give it a try and see if it works. You could also go in and try to breastfeed/bottle her back to sleep. Kind of like breakfast in bed. I did this with my son and he would go back to sleep until 730am. Don't get me wrong, sometimes he has phases where he wakes up at 5am and is just ready to go. They last a couple months and he goes back to normal. His normal now is 530 - 6am. Early riser :)

Good Luck!

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K.M.

answers from Los Angeles on

Hello! I am in a similar boat, but unfortunately, we are potty training and encouraging her to wake up and go, so she is waking up early because she is pooping. But ... for you I completely agree with a previous comment - toss some favorite toys or books into the crib and see if she will play and possibly go back to sleep. Even if she stays awake, she should be fine to hang out in her crib and play for a while in the morning - just as long as she isn't making the morning worse with screaming .... not a good way for you to start your day - probably frustrating. I hope she responds well to some toys letting you get that much needed sleep!

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D.M.

answers from Los Angeles on

Your little one is entering a new developmental phase, and with that a interuption of the 'normal' routine is occuring. My son is two and was sleeping until about 630am until a few days ago, and is now waking at 530am on the dot! Early for me too, but since I know this too shall pass...Eventually...I am riding it out. I know it's a new stage for him, he's going through growing pains and learning so much more everyday that his little mind can't wait to get started.

At that age, my son, started to move away from two naps and has been on one nap during the middle of the day from around 1230pm to 3pm, and his bedtime is around 8pm (we begin bedtime routine around 730pm).

I'm not a fan of CIO, only because it is found to create a disturbance in the connection between child and parent. Lots of research shows it's not healthy to development and bonding that has already taken place. What I do with my son, we are co-sleepers in a transition to big boy bed, is we get up and read a book or I walk and cuddle him and if he falls back to sleep then, awesome if not we don't go downstairs until 6am and that's when we start our morning routine. I try to keep things calm and quiet, as to not disrupt the usuall routine, and eventually he'll work it out and go back to what's 'normal'.

Trust me, it will get better and when you get used to the new routine, it will change again!! So, just be patient and try to do whatever you can to make this transition smooth for you and your little girl!

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S.G.

answers from Los Angeles on

Hi
Well, 5am is certainly to early for ME. My daughter used to do this too, but I left her in her crib and she almost always when back to sleep on her own. Another idea is to put a few cloth toys or books in her crib for her to look at when she wakes up. Also, she might be ready to transition to one (hopefully longer) nap during the day.

Good luck

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J.C.

answers from San Diego on

Go to wherever she sleeps, pick her up, change her if she is wet and then bring her with you to get a few extra zzz's.

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A.M.

answers from Los Angeles on

my daughter is this way! she goes to bed around 7 sometime earlier and wakes up at 5am! i let her play a little in her crib and then i go get her and we start our morning! It is nice actually, but this is coming from a morning person. It's up to you! but if she is not tired she isn;t going to cry it out or go back to sleep. just play around with different idea's!
good luck

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