Toddlers require 11 to 14 hours of sleep every day. Typically, this entails sleeping for 10 to 12 hours at night and taking a short nap during the day.
Toddlers modify their sleep patterns significantly at this age as they develop quickly. For instance, children may occasionally struggle to fall asleep, stay asleep, or sleep through the night. Additionally, toddlers enjoy exercising their independence, making it difficult to put them to bed in the first place.
Both you and your toddler’s day should include time for naps. If your youngster doesn’t rest and reset, everyone will be affected. Additionally, you depend on naptime to complete your to-do list. But why are naps so crucial for kids, and when do they stop needing them? How can you ensure that naps don’t prevent your child from enjoying a restful night’s sleep? The solutions in the following advice will assist you in enhancing not only your toddler’s naptime routine but, dare we say it, the general happiness of your family.
Table of Contents
Reasons for Toddler Not Sleeping
Sleep is the most critical aspect of a child for his health. But sometimes toddlers do not want to sleep. Some everyday things cause toddlers to sleep aggression. They don’t want to sleep or can’t sleep early.
Over-Tired Child
Kids frequently behave the opposite way from adults when overtired, who typically sink into bed gladly.
Your child may wind up as a result of being overtired when they start extending their bedtime later and later. When this occurs, it may be difficult for them to settle down sufficiently for sleep.
They’re Excited
Toddlers are prone to be agitated due to things they have taken, such as sugary juice, sweet snacks, artificial colors and tastes, cold medications, iced tea, or chocolate. They might also become agitated due to roughhousing or watching TV.
Insomnia
They are bothered by something. It can be discomfort, blaring noises, or bright lights. Your child may be going through teething, for instance. Maybe it’s too cold or too hot. Your child may have a runny nose or be upset because of itchy pajamas.
A Shift in the Home or Environment
If your toddler used to sleep well but isn’t doing so anymore for some reason, think about whether there has been a significant change in his circumstances. A young child may become agitated by the arrival of a new baby, a transfer to a new house, a shift in bed or bedroom, or the start of preschool.
Teething
Many kids are just beginning to erupt their 2-year molars, which could be painful or uncomfortable. It’s typical for a child’s teething pain or discomfort to interfere with their ability to sleep well during the night.
Fears
Many young children start to view the world in novel, sophisticated ways around 2. Increasing anxieties frequently accompany this new complexity. A dread of the dark or other imagined terrors may be the root of your child’s sudden inability to sleep effectively.
How to Nurse a Toddler to Sleep
Whatever the cause of your toddler’s insomnia, there are many strategies to assist them in getting the rest they require. Working on their nighttime abilities all day long is one of the best ways to resolve your 2- to 3-year-old toddler’s bedtime troubles.
Establish a Wake-up Time
Choose a wake-up time based on how much sleep your child requires and what time they go to bed. To reduce future stress for parents, Woods advises establishing a wake-up ritual as early as the preschool years. And keep in mind to adhere to the program consistently. Although it’s kind to let your kid sleep in on the weekends, it might not be the best idea in the long term.
Be Adamant about Sleeping in.
If your toddler is not in a crib but rather a bed, you could also have to deal with the issue of your child getting out of bed.
Make sure the policy of remaining in bed is understood. Experts advise avoiding making a scene and gently urging your toddler to go back to bed if she does manage to crawl out. If she doesn’t leave on her own, put her back to bed without saying anything else. After that, depart and shut the door.
Attire Temperature
A room that is chilly but not freezing helps everyone sleep better. Remembering that very young children frequently throw off the blankets at night and cannot cover themselves, a general rule of thumb is to wear your child the same way you dress.
Creating a conducive environment for sleep is something you can do. You can sing, be awake, or sleep, but you must stay put; you should tell your child, he advises. There are more distractions during the day, so don’t appear as you would at night.
Spend More Time Together During the Day
Your child may want to nurse more frequently at night once you start returning to work or beginning to leave the house more regularly; this is typically attributed to being away from you during the day and wanting to make up for not having that relaxing time together. This frequently occurs because there is so much to see, do, and explore at this age as your baby transforms into a toddler right before your own eyes
How to Establish a Wake-up and Sleep Routine for your Toddler
A bedtime routine for toddlers that works for your child and your family is ideal. However, the nightly chill-out should be calming, consistent, and lengthy enough to give your child time to change from whirling to wound-down. If you wish to:
Set a Fixed Beginning and Ending Time
The average length of a soothing nightly ritual is between 10 and 15 minutes, with a 20-minute maximum. Plan to start early enough so that when your sweetie goes to bed, she will be nestled in and prepared to drift off to sleep.
Maintain Low Lighting
Keep things dark from the beginning of your routine to assist your child’s body in preparing for sleep.
Take a Bath to Start
Baths and warm water have a calming impact, making them particularly effective at signaling that it’s time to start quieting down.
Put on your Pajamas
Another quick signal to your child that it’s time for bed is to put on pajamas. Allow her to choose her sleeping attire if she so desires!
Offer a Snack
You should offer your toddler a snack before brushing their teeth if they generally need one before bed. Simple, light snacks that balance protein and carbohydrates are the ideal options for toddler snacks: Consider toast with thinly spread peanut butter and sliced into squares, crackers with tiny cheese cubes, or a cup of milk with banana slices.
Advice to Consider While Training your Toddler
Even while having a healthy bedtime routine will make your family’s evening smoother, getting started might occasionally seem difficult. If the thought of switching feels daunting, keep this advice in mind.
Start by Slowing Down Gradually
After dinner, start to reduce the commotion and bustle. This will help your kid relax before the routine starts, preventing her from launching into it at full speed.
Be Tolerant
Your toddler might need time to adjust to the new routine if she is accustomed to playing or running around until bedtime. Just keep going!
For Naps, Follow a Condensed Schedule
Your toddler can be prepared for daytime sleep by incorporating the cues you use at bedtime, such as dimming the lights, reading a book, and saying “Sweet dreams!” in the same way.
Keep it Short and Sweet
A healthy night ritual should last between 10 and 15 minutes, or a bit longer if a bath is involved.
It should be age-appropriate. Over time, your child’s nighttime routine will evolve. For instance, while it is normal for a newborn or younger infant to fall asleep breastfeeding or sipping a bottle of formula after they are four or five months old, you can try to start putting your baby down while they are sleepy but still awake.
One Final Thing
A hug, a drink of water, a trip to the restroom, or just one more book are all things that children will constantly want. Try to avoid these requests by including them in the night ritual. Additionally, remind your youngster that while in bed, they must remain there.
What are the Safety Issues your Child’s faces?
Your toddler’s sleep disturbance cause may be some insecurity issue. Toddlers see the universe differently, and they can fear any objects. Here are some causes of their insecurity.
- Giant stuffed animals shouldn’t be left on the bumper since your child could use them as a ramp to get on the crib rail.
- Look for any items, such as wall hangings, curtains, window coverings, and dresser doilies that your youngster might grasp from the standing posture.
- It may be time to switch your toddler from a crib to a toddler bed for the safety of your toddler.
Conclusion
Learning how to put a toddler to sleep quickly might be challenging. There is no right or incorrect response while seeking remedies because every child is unique.
We’ve combined some of the techniques above with our children when necessary. After just a few weeks, your toddler will be back on track, enthusiastically take part in his bedtime ritual, and soundly drift off to sleep.
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