TODDLER
How to Deal With Toddler Sleep Regressions
Get to the bottom of your toddler’s seemingly out-of-the-blue sleep setbacks.
Escrito por
Dr. Harvey Karp
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TODDLER
Escrito por
Dr. Harvey Karp
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Does this sound familiar: Your tot’s a gold-star sleeper, and then—bam!—all of a sudden starts resisting bedtime, waking in the middle of night, or rising before the sun. These seemingly out-of-the-blue setbacks in sleep are known as sleep regressions.
Sleep regressions often go hand-in-hand with physical or developmental milestones (think: teething or learning a big new skill like walking or talking). For example, early on, it might be a 3-month-old who goes from waking once a night to crying for help every hour (aka the dreaded 3 to 4 month sleep regression)! Or, a 9-month-old who abruptly starts waking several times to practise crawling...and gets stuck in an uncomfortable position (the so-called 9-month sleep regression). Of course, toddler sleep can regress, too—like a tot who suddenly wakes twice a night asking for water or for your presence to calm their fears. Parents often report toddler regressions around 18 months and 2 years…though regressions could happen later, too.
Toddlers have twice as many buzzing brain connections as we do. This enormous burst of activity enables your curious kiddo to sharpen their skills, quickly going from walking to running to speaking, playing games, and using manners. Many energetic toddlers resist bedtime because they hate leaving the thrill of these experiences. They get so jazzed by moving, learning, and exploring, the last thing they want to do is settle down and fall asleep—they would much rather stay up to see what everyone else is up to.
Plus, tots are just learning how to get along in our world of clocks and rules. No wonder they keep bumping up against our boundaries and pushing to get their way! With certain tenacious kids, this drive to independence can lead to very stubborn behaviour (“No!” is a favourite word among toddlers)! And, what makes for even more sleep troubles is another universal toddler trait: The more tired they get, the crankier and more defiant they become.
Besides normal toddler defiance, there are a few other toddler sleep regression causes:
It depends. If you address the cause of your child’s regression right away, it can be short-lived, lasting just few days to a couple of weeks. But, handled incorrectly (with shaming, impatience, mixed messages, etc.) bothersome sleep behaviours can turn into months-long ordeals.
I often teach parents that bedtime starts…right after breakfast! By that, I mean that kids sleep better when they have a day filled with daylight, fresh air, exercise, good food, play, a little breathing or mindfulness practise, and avoiding stimulants (iced tea, cola, sugar, chocolate, decongestants, etc.). During the day, it is also nice to practise reading your beddy-bye book: a homemade book with photos to illustrate all the steps of the bedtime routine. Reading this together helps your child know what is expected when it is time to hit the hay.
And then—of course—a good bedtime routine will go a long way to helping avoid sleep issues. Start the routine about an hour before bedtime. Dim the lights, turn on some low, rumbly white noise in the background, stop roughhousing, and turn off screens. Reading together, a warm bath, or perhaps a massage can be relaxing cues that bedtime is drawing near.
Then, after putting on pyjamas, washing up, and brushing teeth, it is helpful to organise the last 15 minutes into a very predictable routine: snuggle together in bed (white noise on), read a few stories, do some bedtime sweet talk (a review of some things the child is grateful for from the day just passed and what they are looking forward to the next day). Finally, a little lullaby and then 'good night, my sweet little sleepy head.'
For toddlers who fight sleep or who rely on your presence to nod off, a little technique I call Twinkle Interruptus can improve sleep, without having to go through crying it out. First, start using white noise every evening and night and encourage your child to start a friendship with a lovey (like a teddy or blanket). Next, practise patience stretching several times a day for a week.
Lastly, at bedtime, after going through your routine of stories and lullabies, suddenly say “Oh gosh! Wait! Wait! Just one second! I need to check on Mum! I will be right back!”. Leave the room for just a few seconds and come back. When you return, praise your tot for waiting. Next, read or sing a bit more and once again make an excuse for why you have to go out for a little longer period, again (“Uh, oh! Daddy has to go potty really, really fast! Here you hold Mr. Teddy. Give him a super big hug and Daddy will be right back.”). When you repeat this a few times, gradually increasing the waiting interval, over several nights your toddler is likely to fall asleep while waiting a minute or two for your return.
Need an all-in-one tool to aid toddler sleep? Consider SNOObie! SNOObie is a white noise machine, nightlight, and OK-to-wake sleep trainer...and the sidekick every parent needs! SNOObie's ready to help out, whether you need a hand winding your tot down, keeping them in bed longer, or helping them learn to self-soothe. Learn more about the many ways to use SNOObie!
Descargo de responsabilidad: La información en nuestro sitio NO es un consejo médico para ninguna persona o condición específica. Solo se proporciona como información general. Si tiene alguna pregunta o preocupación médica sobre su hijo o sobre usted mismo, por favor contacte a su proveedor de salud. La leche materna es la mejor fuente de nutrición para los bebés. Es importante que, en preparación para la lactancia y durante la misma, las madres lleven una dieta saludable y equilibrada. La combinación de lactancia materna y alimentación con biberón en las primeras semanas de vida puede reducir la producción de leche materna y es difícil revertir la decisión de no amamantar. Si decide utilizar fórmula infantil, debe seguir las instrucciones cuidadosamente.
