How to teach 2 year old to self soothe?

[Mumtomymiracle]

My little one is just turning 2 and she still gets rocked, sang, held etc to she falls asleep. But obviously this means then when she wakes in the night she's not able to put herself back to sleep so normally I end up bringing her into my bed.

We've tried various ways to get her to self soothe in the past but nothing has worked. If I put her in the cot awake now she gets so hyper, stands up,jumps about etc. Then calls out for me constantly and will eventually cry for me.

Don't want to do any type of cry it out but at a bit of a loss at her to get her to actually calm down and try to sleep rather than leap about the cot.

Help please lol

Don't do cry it out, that's cruel and outdated. You could try something like the Ferber method, although 2 might be too old for this, you would need to do some research

Don't do cry it out, that's cruel and outdated. You could try something like the Ferber method, although 2 might be too old for this, you would need to do some research

You just got to keep trying things and be persistent. I gradually reduced my involvement in dc getting to sleep. Started by laying her down when she is tired but not actually asleep, then cut out the rocking and so on and so forth. Now she jumps into bed and goes to sleep.

I'm now getting her used to me going downstairs whilst she falls asleep. I have been upstairs (in another room) putting my washing away/ tidying whilst she falls to sleep so that she doesn't feel so alone and knows I'm there if she needs me.

Good luck!

Actually try the gradual chair method, I think that should work with a 2 yo

My toddler gets into my super king every single night once awake. Starts the night in their own room every night but doesn't want to sleep alone so we stay holding a hand after stories and lullabies until sleep comes. I think it's really odd to try to make infants sleep alone when adults like to room and even bed share.

You could also sidecar with a cotbed just saw off the side so toddler can be right next to you but in their own space. That's what I did until age 3.5 with one of mine.

I agree, mine always used to get in with me and my husband and it was no problem. It's cosy and it doesn't last forever.

Get her a toddler bed she's 2 ! Let her choose nice new quilt cover etc and make it exciting for her. First night in new bed new routine. Bath story in bed say goodnight walk out. When she gets out you go in say time for bed and put her back. Each time after this you repeat but without any words atall. Repeat repeat repeat. Could take a while but after that you would have cracked it. Look up the 3 day nanny back to bed routine on YouTube it what i just described. If you stick to it it will work.

Yes but adults can sleep alone if they need to, they just prefer not to. If you want to sing, cuddle, co-sleep fine it's the dependency on it that's an issue. I wouldn't want to still be waking up at night with a two year old.

But children aren't just small adults? It's like as adults we think we need them to behave like adults and make them into adults. We don't expect them to drive a car or get a job but we expect them to want to be alone which goes against their survival instincts.

Oh definitely won't do cry it out, totally against it. I'll have a look at ferber at see what it is, thanks

Ferber is basically cry it out with coming back in the room a bit. It's horrible. Don't do that.

We have been debating getting a bed and just changing the whole routine with it! Think that's what we might do...thanks

Oh I didn't realise it, won't be doing that then!

Yes it's more of the the fact she hasn't slept well her entire life and it's exhausting lol. She actually sleeps better when she is alone, once she is in our bed she is tossing and turning all night. Im just hoping for a peaceful nights sleep for both of us sometime soon lol.