Tips to break the 5am wake up cycle

For some time now, my (currently) DS of 14 months wakes up at approximately 5am (on a bad morning) - 5.30am crying. He sleeps in the same room as his toddler brother.

At first I thought it was because the toddler was getting up (his wake up time is 5:30 am):o, and the sound of him shuffling about to get out of bed was waking him. And, to a certain degree this is the case, as the nights the toddler sleeps out of the room, our baby will sleep through.

But, otherwise, all other nights, he wakes up, sits up and just cries. The only thing that will settle him is a bottle of milk. Ive tried patting him back to sleep, but he only wakes up 15 minutes later.

As mentioned, its been going on for some time now, and, now, Im a bit worn out and would like to sleep until 5:30 myself. Can anyone suggest how I can break the cycle

BTW - the baby's sleep routine is a bottle at bed time, but usually puts himself to sleep after that. He does sometimes wake up and cry in the night, but he is getting better at putting himself back to sleep in a short time frame (5ish minutes).

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Both my kids are 5am eskers too. It's so hard, isn't it!
Unfortunately I don't have any answers but is anyone else does I'd be very appreciative!

I've just learnt to go to bed early, not much fun, but it's the only thing that keeps me sane!

Good luck.

My ds used to get up at 5am every day - except when he slept at his aunties or grandparents house - then he would sleep till atleast 7!!
We tried everything from blockout blinds to make the room pitch black, going to be later, offering breastfeeds/water to fall back asleep, getting into bed with him, getting him into our bed and nothing worked! Sorry :hide:

Just in this last fortnight though (and he is 26 months now), he has started sleeping till around 6:30-7am and its been great, especially cause i'm up still at night feeding dd.
I've just put it down to that he is an early riser and obviously nothing i have tried has worked. I used to joke that he was born at 5:15am so wanted to be up at the same time each day to be with me!

Hope something works for you x

I've got an early riser here too and sorry to be a pessimist, but I've found nothing I've tried has worked... Daylight savings always helps for a couple of days though (not too far away now, gee I'm looking forward to those sleep in's LOL). GL

My ds has been doing this for the last few days. Looking forward to the end of daylight savings

I have *heard* that putting them to bed about 1/2 hour EARLIER can work. Something about the sleep cycles and that with an earlier bed time they stir at 3:30/4 and so go back to sleep until 6:30/7.... Dunno? Worth a try? Good luck!


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In the last few days...finally my DS2 (turned he'll be 13 months next week) has started to sleep right through (has never really done this...not 2 days in a row...so I've probably jinxed it now :rolleyes::lol:)...but only til 5-5.30am :o - where he'll wake up crying...so I'll give him a little bf and he'll go back til 7am'ish. I remember DS1 did this too..around a similar age...it went through phases actually cause I remember it happening a few times. I do however remember it being better in winter...as it was darker outside and therefore he slept longer....but not always :shakehead:. He ended up going into a big boys bed by that following summer (18months - cause his brother was on the way)...so when the sun came up...so did he - but with access to all his 'quiet' toys was able to amuse himself so I could slowly wake up. I have couple of toys and a book in DS2's cot now and I also had done the same with DS1 - sometimes they play with them...sometimes they don't....to me its worth a try.

I think its just phases they go through...:hide:sorry...but at least you know you are not alone...and it won't always be like this (I hope :pray:for oursake too :crossfingers:).

I have no answers either sorry. But I think a LOT of kids wake up at that time. I think it's just what they do unfortunately so I've just given up trying to change it and adjusted myself instead and go to bed earlier.

what is it with the 5am thing! what country time line are they all on lol same happenes here

We (THANKFULLY!) have a little girl who loves a lie in BUT if she does wake early, she gets a quick nappy change and her morning bottle then goes straight back to bed. No fuss, no playing - bum, bottle, bed.

Our DD is almost 18 months and we've done this for several months now when she chooses to rise early and it works a treat. She's only on two bottles a day so it means that she doesn't get her other bottle until bedtime that night but it doesn't bother her at all.

I hope that helps. Good luck!

Our 2yr old DD would wake up at 530am for months and it was really tiring as sometimes her bed time was a bit late-ish also..... and I don't always go to bed early enough! BUT we rode it out, like all things in parenting "this too shall pass" :rolleyes: and now she sleeps until at least 645am/7am sometimes 730am!!!! We did nothing to change her.....

Good luck!

Ah well looks like Im going to be stuck with 2 early risers. Thanks to all for your replies and support. Ive been sleeping in their room to listen to the activity, and it certainly does appear that the toddler moves about a lot at that time, but I wouldn't call it noisy, but I suspect its enough to wake the baby. That said, I think you are all right, and that he just naturally wakes at that hour. The toddler used to sleep in, now he's an early riser at 5:30. I wouldn't mind so much that they both get up at 5:30, I just thought that a 5am start is a bit much for the little one, especially that he's getting down to one sleep, and he copes with that - as long as he gets to sleep in until about 6:30, which the bottle will do for him. Ho hum. :D

FWIW I think it's just pure bliss when my little one sleeps til 5!!!!