Struggling to get your toddler to fall asleep at night? You’re not alone! A vast majority of parents struggle with this too. If you can’t remember the last time you slept through the night and have tried everything to help your toddler get a more restful night’s sleep, it’s time to try some new tactics. Here we’ll show you how to incorporate better sleeping habits with your baby and how to teach them to fall back asleep on their own.
Encourage Daytime Activity
Daytime stimulation can help to promote better sleep at night. To tire your toddler out during the day we suggest playing games with them, singing songs, and letting them run around. Just make sure to stop about an hour before sleep time so they can start to calm down and ease into a restful state.
Establish a Schedule
Toddlers who often wake up in the middle of the night get used to having a parent soothe them back to sleep. This pattern can quickly turn into a nightly occurrence if you don’t establish a regular bedtime by creating a permanent routine. We suggest reading them a book and then putting them to bed at the same time every night.
Wait a Few Minutes Before Entering
If your toddler wakes up suddenly in the middle of the night and starts calling your name, wait a few minutes to see if they will fall back asleep on their own before you rush to their bedside. Often kids are woken up because they hear a sound or had a bad dream, but they may quickly realize that they’re in the safety of their home and fall back asleep.
Be Brief
If you need to visit their bedroom, try to be as brief as possible. Give them a quick kiss, tell them to fall asleep and leave right after. Don’t linger or pick your child up. Continue to do this and increase the time between each visit.
Use White Noise
Often toddlers wake up when they hear the TV or people talking. If you need to do anything that causes noise during their sleep time, we recommend using white noise in their room to help block out any ambient sounds that can startle and waken your child.
When you and your toddler are losing sleep, try some of these tips to help get them back into healthy bedtime pattern.
