How to Get Your Toddler to Sleep Through the Night
New mothers tend to go through the day with one eye open and one eye shut. Sleep can become a distant memory. Your newborn started out sleeping in spurts throughout the night and as baby grew, her sleeping spurts grew longer and longer until finally she slept through one whole night.
As infants grow into toddlers, sleeping through the night becomes a habit, one that mothers welcome wholeheartedly. The question is: Will he keep sleeping through the night?
Here are some tips to help you ensure your toddler sleeps through the night, so you can get your much-needed rest as well!
* Try to make sure that your evening is spent winding down from the day’s activities. Toddlers spend their day running, jumping and playing, so their energy level is high. If you can gradually bring her down to a more relaxed mode by bedtime, sleep will come much easier to her.
* If your child is too energetic at bedtime, then he may wake up several times in the night. Don’t go rushing to his side right away. Give him a chance to go back to sleep on his own. If it does become hard for him to go back to sleep, then step in and try to help him with some soft lullaby music or just talk to him in a soft voice to let him know you’re still there. It’s always better for children to go back to sleep on their own if they can, but be sure to step in if your child needs reassurance.
* Limit sugary foods or drinks. We all know that sugary foods provide short-term energy, so why would we want to give our kids more energy around bedtime? Choose healthier snacks such as fruit, toast, or yogurt with no added sugar. Some experts even advise to limit fluids after 7 p.m. Again, too much energy at bedtime doesn’t help children get a full night’s sleep.
* Try softness. Read bedtime stories with a soft voice, play soft music and let your child cuddle with a soft teddy bear or blanket. Softness can bring relaxation, which enables her to fall asleep easier and helps her stay asleep throughout the night.
* Keep bedtime routines consistent. Any change in your child’s routine can cause confusion which can lessen your ability to help him relax at bedtime. A warm evening bath followed by a bottle or nursing (if your baby is still nursing), then a short story, would be a simple, relaxing routine.
