Nearly 2, won’t settle at bedtime - any tips?

[ncdoddy]

Hi,

Hoping someone can offer some advice on getting our toddler to sleep at nighttime please.

He’s never been a wonderful sleeper but for a few months this year we had him going to bed, waving us off and going to sleep himself.

Suddenly he’s now refusing to go down himself, gets upset if left and requires 30-60 mins of singing, comforting etc to fall asleep.

His bedtime routine is bath, couple of episodes of Peppa Pig, upstairs for a few books and brushing his teeth, then into bed. That has been the same all year. He’s 22 months old.

He is sometimes waking in the night although it’s a bit hit and miss.

Can anyone help, please?

Thanks

Neal

Have you tried swapping people my 2 year old has nights where he won't sleep for me but will for daddy. I have no answers just suggestions.

How is his nap?

Might a a nightlight work, does he have a Teddy etc?

Try telling him your just going loo (obv go back a few mins later, but make it longer each time see if he nods off)

Is he physically tired?

We had similar at that age and found no screen times after dinner really helped (I know a lot of people will eye roll at this). We do tv before dinner while I'm cooking, quiet play after dinner, bath, then jigsaws/orchard games, teeth, story, bed. He's nearly five now and this is still our routine.

Similar here, ours just turned 2. For us his mood as he goes into the cot makes a huge difference so we try to keep that interesting and exciting. Recently we switched to pillow and duvet for him which was exciting for a few nights and sometimes we’ll let him take a favourite toy or book in with him-keeping it varied and interesting.

He’s never had a dummy but does seem to be soothed by sucking so sometimes we give him a bottle with water in and that helps too.

Probably none of it is best practice but it seems to work for now and 95% of the time he settles well as a result.

It’s so hard when sleep suddenly goes downhill!

After the bedtime routine we used to sit outside the bedroom door so they could see us but had no interaction. That way they get themselves to sleep.

And is he ready for a bed instead of a cot ?
Mine were in a bed with roll out bar by 2.

I would say get him a bed, but also that there's a bit of a regression around two that can cause this. Mine did the same thing for a couple of months. Stopped when we capped her nap and moved bedtime back a smidge.

My DD is younger so I’ve never tried this but I’ve been told that pottering around so a toddler can hear you, and going in and out to check and reassure them (sort of in a nonchelant way) can really help. So, comforting and then ‘rememberIng’ to go and get some clothes to fold/ getting a drink/ oh I just need to put the dishwasher on I’ll be back in five minutes etc. Can be quite effective. I’ve always remembered this as it sounds like a good tip! But also having never tried anything like this, it could also be rubbish!

Thanks everyone for your ideas, will give them a go.

Same again this evening, wife currently sat on the landing reassuring him while he kicks and moves around his cot!

Don’t touch him, don’t talk to him.
Sit on the floor with your back to him but far enough away that he can’t touch you.
If he’s really, really upset you can lie him down and soothe him but no picking up or talking.
Sit on the floor and slowly move away from the cot.
Eventually you should be sitting just outside the bedroom so he can just see you, and wait until he’s asleep.
Every day sit further away from the cot until you are sitting in the door way. Eventually you should be able to go straight down stairs.

Cut out the screen time

Is he still napping? Might need to reduce that. DS was like this til we dropped the nap just after 2yo

And you never have to resort to sitting back to child ignoring them, not speaking or touching, unless they're upset if you don't want to.