Monday, May 10, 2010

Advice Please: Sleep.

As I write this, it is 6:00am and Finn is playing with a rubber duckie in his swing. I am here, my stinging eyes half open waiting for the coffee.

A week ago, Finn came down with the flu, with the follow up act of a stuffy-nose cold. Previous to this he was waking up at about 6:30am. Sometimes even 7:00! I was fine with this. It was do-able. Then suddenly, when he was sick, he got up at 5:45. Then 5:30. Then 5:00. I hear him stirring before 5 sometimes. Rrr!

WHY. WHY. WHY. I want to know: is that normal? Why would he be doing that? Is it possible for him to go back to waking up at 6:30? (I would even take 6!) Having him wake up that early now just seems like a step back. I feed him but he doesn't go back to sleep.

So, my question is: what do you suggest? Or am I being whiny? Do you have any experience with this?

9 comments:

  1. It is very normal B. It will all work itself out eventually. And it probably wont be the last time. Yor doing a great job and it shows in that precious little boy of yours!

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  2. My friend Amanda wakes up with her kids every morning at 5:30.
    You sure you can't just let him stay in his crib, until you're ready to get him? Hey, at least you can watch the Relate Show...

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  3. That's from Destiny. Oops.

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  4. I agree - this is totally normal. Kids get in cycles with sleep and hopefully it will sort it's self out and they will sleep longer. It will most likely happen more times in Finns time. I used to just lay beside them on the couch as they played and did my resting that way if they woke me up at an ungodly hour.

    Just hang in there till you can do what I do - have the milk in cups in the fridge and the tv set for them to turn on and go in the morning and then let them know they can not wake up up till after franny's feet (7 am). Ha

    Ash

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  5. It is totally normal. The amount of sleep they need changes as they grow and every kid changes AND don't forget the time change thing...he's actually waking up at 6amish...hang in there, just when you figure it out his sleep will change again.

    I started putting Jenna to bed later, working backwards from when I wanted her to wake up. It took about 3 weeks, but it did reset her sleep pattern...until the next developmental milestone :D Anna

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  6. Thanks ladies...he WAS sleeping longer though. He goes to bed at about 7pm and was waking up at around 6:30am like I said. Do you think he might be needing more food? I had a feeling it was too good to be true...

    Also I would totally let him lay there, except my head is literally right next to him since we all share the room like the big happy family we are - ha ha! Kudos to your friend Des - it's just not my bag. :)

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  7. Something I do with Malachi when he wakes up way to early for me to even comprehend is some good old fashioned bed sharing! When Malachi comes to bed with me at that time, he usually will sleep another 1 to 2 hours, maybe more. Worth a try! :) Good luck! Soon enough he should hopefully straighten things out.. or so they say! :)

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  8. Feel for you Brandi...I read somewhere that if you want your kids to sleep later to be sure not to let them nap to early in the morning? When owen would start waking up early he'd try to nap at 8. I'd try to keep him up till 10. Seemed to reset his clock. Good luck! (there's always ear plugs, just kidding, sort of) Daniela

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  9. If Finn is anything like his cousins, I would suggest going to bed early and getting used to the early rising. Jesse has been waking up at the crack of dawn since day one. Not matter how late he goes to bed, he is up super early. Finally now that he is almost 5 he gets up between six and seven, but that is heaven now - usual waking time was more like 5. But that said, I have also found that just when you get used to their routine (be it bedtime, naptime, whatever) and think all is well, kids will change it up. Maybe it will just be a phase. Good luck to you and hang in there - 4 more years and Finn will be almost 5 too! xoxo Kristy

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