My child did this too around that age. At the time I thought it was a horrific cycle that would never end. It ended. I did not come up with a better solution to get him to stop pooping at that hour. I tried fiber heavy foods earlier in the day, but it seemed like then he would just poop then and in the early dawn. Eventually he stopped doing that, but the early wake ups continued for a long time.

I remember being in the pediatrician's office for the 2 year check up and the dr. asked how sleeping was going. I said DS wakes up really early. He laughed said he had heard that before and asked how early. I said 4:30am and even he agreed that was really damn early.

Once the poop at 4am thing stopped we just called to him to go back to sleep. This extreme early wake up persisted until about three months after his second birthday. Then we got the OK to Wake clock. I programmed it to 6am. the clock glows yellow at night and when it is time to wake up it glows green. Now he happily shouts that the clock is green at 6am. Some people think that's early too but by comparison it is a dream.

OP again. I am having trouble moving bakc the bedtime due to the early nap. He also dropped the 2nd nap at 8 months so there really is no chance in reintroducing the 2nd nap. I can keep trying to work on that though. Maybe a later dinner will help. Another thing -- when I try to push back, he is so tired at dinner that he just doesn't eat much.

530 pm bedtime might be a bit early. Id try pushing to 630-7 to get a later wakeup.

Ding ding ding!!! You win! This is a stumper OP. I have no idea and can't imagine what one would do to change the bowel movement timing of a toddler.

All I can say is for you to post your address so I and others can drop off scones and coffee for you.

My 13 month old wakes up 6/7 days per week at 4AM to poop (and on the day he doesn't, he still wakes up at the 4:15 time, likely b/c he is used to getting up them). The thing is, he is totally awake after this. He stands up to work on it, and it takes a little bit, and when he is done, he is really to get up for the day. He isn't pooping in his sleep.

I have tried everything to get him to go back to sleep -- CIO, nurse back to sleep, rock for a long time, and nothing works. He usually just takes an early nap (8-10) and then he is good for the day, until he goes back to sleep at 5:30 pm.

Thoughts? To be honest he isn't too tired/grumpy but I am having issues with the 4am wakeup.