Did you have to teach your toddler to stay in bed in the morning?

Question

ruby has always been an early riser. i am working really hard right now on getting her to stay in her crib until 6 am. she wakes every day between 4:45 and 5:10 am. i have already tried moving her bedtime later, shortening/eliminating naps, leaving books/toys/water in the crib, and nothing has worked. we are now leaving her in the crib until 5:45 and basically doing sleep training in the morning. it's hard. has anyone been successful with this? anyone have an early riser who just grew into sleeping later? ruby will be 13 months old on july 4.

Answer 1

Try playing with her in the crib when she wakes up in the mornings, eventually she will wake up and play by herself for awhile without having to wake you and your husband up until you can get her on a later sleeping schedule.

BTW I was reading an article on babycenter.com that states if your child is an early riser than he or she will also become an early riser later on and vise versa

Answer 2

The other posters have good suggestions, but I just have one thing to add.  If she's not afraid of the dark (don't do this if she is), make sure the room is as dark as possible.  If you live somewhere where the sun starts to rise that early, that little bit of light could be contributing to the problem.  Maybe try a blackout curtain in her room so that the sun doesn't get in.  And don't use a night-light if she's okay without one.  Good luck!

Answer 3

Boy, things have changed, or maybe my mom was odd... My younger sister and I both did everything early. I walked at 7 months, completely skipped crawling, and full speed ahead. When Mom figured out I could escape from my crib, she switched me to a bed, put baby locks on the cabinets, and trained me.

She took me around the entire house. Told me what I could touch and what I couldn't. Anything that was a "no, no" was given a reason. Pretty much, I couldn't do anything to hurt myself. I was taught how to turn on the TV, and how to get myself milk and/or water.

She says I was getting up and amusing myself by the time I was 12 months, and with no problems.

Answer 4

My kids always woke up early as toddlers and just gradually slept later as they grew older.  My current toddler wakes up between 5 and 5:30.  I just wake up with him.  That's a pretty normal toddler biological clock.  (My older kids now sleep till 6:30 or 7).

I just try to get to bed at a reasonable time!

Answer 5

My son used to go through phases where he was up at 5:00 am.  I made his bedtime later and that helped, but it took awhile for his body to adjust.  

Also, I made a rule that he can't get out of bed until 6am.  He can drink his bottle, play quietly, or wiggle and talk, but Mommy doesn't play until after 6am.  That way, there is no reward for getting up early.

This too shall pass.

Answer 6

My wee girl is going on 3 and she gets up at 5.30 in the morning and I have to work at night, so its a totally strain, I totally understand where u are coming from, the best thing you can do really is, what you are doing, You can tell yourself if she is tired or not when she wakes up in morning and work it by that, if she is tired just completly ignore her, if not give her a comfy whatever it is ie bottle, dummy or cover, if thats not successful then the only this for it is to get up with her and have a nap later on.  Thats what I have to do, that is if she goes for one , if not im exhausted for work.