Toddler Bedtime Tips
As your baby becomes a toddler with all the feelings and opinions that come along with toddlerhood, bedtime can quickly transform from what was once a simple 30 minute wind down to a battle of wills. As a child sleep consultant, this is one of the most popular topics of conversation I have with my clients who are carers to toddlers.
If you are finding that bedtime has become more struggle and less snuggle, try these tips to keep the peace at bedtime and keep that sleep train chugging along!
How to know when your child needs to sleep
“Sleepy cues” are how your baby communicates with you that they are tired and want to go to sleep. Paying attention to early sleepy cues can make a huge difference in a successful nap! As a child sleep consultant, this is often an area that I work with parents on the most. I often say that the equation of sleep is catching early stage sleepy cues + paying attention to the timing of sleep = sleep success.
Overcoming Sleep Training Fears
If you are feeling nervous about sleep training your child, I completely understand your fear and trepidation! I was in the exact same position a few years ago when I was considering sleep training my firstborn. I must have read hundreds of blog posts and articles on how to get my baby to sleep as well as at least 4 books. Sleep was all I could think about but I just wasn’t getting any. And of course the next thing I knew, the feeds on my socials were flooded with advice from both camps. Each sharing their emotionally driven feelings on the subject rather than sharing evidence based research. Here’s the thing, not everybody needs to sleep train! However, healthy sleep is so important for every member of the family. And I know that I am certainly a better mum when I am getting good sleep. Hopefully these points help you to decide if it’s right for you and your family.