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Putting toddler to sleep

5 replies

Nikamon · 10/01/2026 20:17

My Toddler is 18 months old. I still can't put him to sleep before 21 and still not in under 1 hour. Is this normal. It takes ages to make him sleep. We tried starting earlier, later.. when my partner carries him, it takes 10 minutes, when he lies down with him it takes 20 minutes.. unfortunately I can't carry him so with me we're lying down for 1, 1 and half hours while he bites me, tries to make me get up, escapes the bed, starts pulling out the toys, and once he actually is getting sleepy he starts flat out crying as if he was burnt alive.. same story with day nap, but in daycare they say he lies down on his own and sleeps. Don't tell me it's a phase since it's been going for all his life that there's no reliable sleep .. will there be a day we will have an evening to ourselves without sacrificing sleep.. I mean I really don't know what I'm doing wrong. I don't want to be selfish and make my partner put him to sleep always but it's literally taking me 4 times longer. Sometimes I just have to stop and go to the toilet, and then we're back at the start. I'm exhausted and extremely frustrated. Often I get sleepy before my toddler and actually wait for him to sleep so that I can sleep too. But then I need to pee, brush my teeth, clean.. And what, he gets up at 6:30-7:30, full of energy, wakes me up..

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Peonies12 · 10/01/2026 20:26

What time does he wake up and what nap does he have?

Nikamon · 11/01/2026 00:02

Peonies12 · 10/01/2026 20:26

What time does he wake up and what nap does he have?

Wakes up 7:00-7:30, sometimes 6:30, naps from 12:30 till 14:00 usually, occasionally till 15:00..

OP posts:
Peonies12 · 11/01/2026 09:20

Some toddlers only need 10 hours sleep over night, so 9pm-7am could be that’s all the sleep he needs to have. If you want an earlier bedtime, you need to wake him earlier and always be awake by the same time in the morning. Cut the nap to maximum 90 mins, 2.5 hours is far too long.

SleafordSods · 11/01/2026 22:39

Totally agree with cutting the naps to 1.5 hours. Will his Childcare do this?

Also agree that, if you want a later bedtime you might need to start waking him earlier, say 6? You can do it in increments of 15 minutes. So wake him at 6.45 for a few days, then move it to 6.30 and see if he goes to bed a little earlier.

Is your DP his DF? If so, just let him crack on with the bedtimes of it only takes 10 minutes for him.

SleafordSods · 12/01/2026 06:49

Also could you try cleaning your teeth them clean his? And have a wee before you start the bedtime routine? I think sometimes getting yourself prepared can be hard when you’re already tired but can be the key to things running more smoothly.

If he’s always had problems with sleep, are you due a two year check soon with the HV? Has she asked you to fill in the 24 month Social & Emotional Ages & Stages abd how does he score?

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