Tackling Toddler Sleep Challenges: Proven Strategies for Restful Nights
44% of my insta followers voted in a poll and the results were alarming!
44% of the votes, the vast majority, voted that their toddlers are still waking multiple times a night & need help getting back to sleep. Most are coming into their parent’s bed at night time.
I am all for co-sleeping in the early days. However, co-sleeping with a toddler is not my jam. They move around a lot! I am not a fan of rib kicks. Read on if you feel the same as me.
A few of The Sleep Goddess’s tips on how to combat Toddler’s nighttime waking;
A Stringent Bedtime Routine
If you buy my two-week package I can write a specific bedtime routine that suits your family, that you can follow, religiously. The bedtime routine needs to be done in the same order, every night. For example; Bath, PJ’s, Read a book, Bed.
NO Screen time 2 hours before bed
Non-negotiable. Research shows that screen time before bed impacts sleep. Full Stop. It is not ‘wind down’ time, if anything, it does the opposite to your toddler's brain. So if TV or screen time is part of the bedtime routine, CUT IT OUT!
BALANCED Dinner
NO FORMULA after the age of 1, please. This hampers sleep big time. It DOES NOT replace a healthy diet. A cup of cow's milk 30 minutes before bed is fine. ( Just make sure you brush their teeth afterward). A balanced dinner is important. Children need a variety of foods to thrive. Protein, carbs, and veg is ideal. Try small portions first, and let your kid ask for more. They need to feel like they are in control of their eating.
If not wearing nappies at night wake your toddler up to use the toilet before you go to bed
If your toddler is no longer in nappies at night, needing to wee can lead to night wake-ups. My advice is to wake your toddler to use the toilet before you go to bed. This has helped us. We wake our two-year-old son before we sleep, to use the toilet. Else he wakes at 5 am needing to wee.
Rough and tumble play before bed
Studies show that rough and tumble play, (we call it SB’s.. Silly Buggers) before bedtime, fills up your toddler’s love cup, the contact with their parents, the undivided attention, and the silliness, all help your toddler settle at night.
BOUNDARIES outside of sleep time
‘One more story please mummy’ … the answer is no darling. It is bedtime. If your toddler can push boundaries outside of bedtime, they will push the boundaries AT bedtime and will not take no for an answer when they wake in the night and want to come into bed with you. One of my favorite sayings when it comes to boundaries is “Make your word as good as gold.” Trust me, it will help with your child’s sleep. Remember children LIKE and feel SAFE when their parents confidently tell them NO.
Love,
Tammy