Is your toddler having trouble sleeping through the night on their own? Do you feel like it’s too late to get them on a proper sleep schedule? Well, the good news is it’s never too late! Maybe you had a working sleep method and now your toddler is throwing you for a loop. Or maybe sleep training didn’t feel comfortable for you and your baby until now. Sleep training can be introduced or re-introduced at any stage of early childhood! So, don’t beat yourself up if you are currently on the struggle bus. In this article, we are going to talk about ways to properly introduce sleep training to your little one so that you can get your life back on track!
The SleepShop offers expert toddler sleep consulting in New York City for moms who want to start sleep habits that last for a lifetime.
Understanding why your toddler can’t sleep
The first step on the path to proper sleep training is to understand why your toddler is having a hard time sleeping. Luckily they are at the age where they should be able to just communicate with you exactly what the problem is. Most toddlers will surely let you know when something is wrong. Once they have told you what’s interfering with their rest, it is your job to see what you can do to eliminate the issue.
Some common reasons for toddlers not being able to sleep include:
● Going through a fearful stage (scared of the dark etc.)
● Not being happy with the room temperature
● Separation Anxiety
● Being overstimulated too close to bedtime
● Lack of a consistent bedtime routine
● They are curious and don’t want to miss out on anything going on while they are asleep
A lot of the common reasons for lack of sleep are actually an easy fix. However, if your kid is struggling with something like separation anxiety, it’s going to take more time and specific techniques to try and combat that concern. Overall, you want to start off with having a more gentle approach with sleep training so that a strong foundation can be built as you tackle the bigger issues.
Setting a Routine
The number 1 way to help with your toddler’s lack of sleep is having a set routine that you stick to every night! Children respond very well to consistency so that is the key. Also, make sure that both you and your toddler find a bedtime routine that allows you to both get rest. You can take this time as a bonding moment between you guys and make it fun to plan out your routine together. You have to build trust between the two of you so that they know that no matter where they sleep, you will always be here to support them and be there for them when they need you. Once you have established that level of trust with your child during bedtime hours, getting them to sleep will become so much easier!
Here are some suggestions of great activities you can add to your bedtime routine right now:
- Read them a bedtime story
- Have them tell you one thing they enjoyed about their day and one thing they are looking forward to tomorrow
- Give them a warm bath
- Make sure everything in the room is organized just the way they like it before bed
- In the beginning, you can try waiting with them until they fall asleep (eventually reduce the time you stay in the room as needed.
If your child wakes up in the middle of the night even after doing your usual routine, don’t be too alarmed. This can be very normal especially in the beginning stages of sleep training. They might just need some milk, water, or even a potty break. If they have trouble getting back to bed comfortably, do your normal routine again until they fall asleep. This can require a lot of patience in the beginning, but over time sleeping through the night will become easier for them and the extra step will most likely no longer be required.
About The Sleep Shop
The Sleep Shop is led by Melissa, a mother of four, and is a member of the International Association of Professional Sleep Consultants.
We offer one-one-one unlimited consulting, sleep classes with our founder, phone consultations, 1-week jumpstarts, infant sleep guides, 2 weeks of consulting, toddler nap guides, toddler sleep guides, toddler total resets, and “the toddler tune-up”.
We offer sleep consulting services in all of New York City including Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Flat Iron District, Turtle Bay, Tribeca, Upper East Side, Soho, Staten Island, and the greater NYC area.
Contact us today to learn more.
