subject: How to Get Your Toddler Sleeping Through the Night [print this page] How to Get Your Toddler Sleeping Through the Night
On a typical night, Charlie's mom would sit with him while he went off to sleep-or would leave the room when he was very sleepy-and Charlie would wake between four-five times a night. Often times Charlie would needs assistance going back to sleep, either by being led back into his bed or having Mom stay in his room again until he was asleep. As you can imagine this put a great stress on Charlie's parents, with the lack of sleep and no time for each other.
The Problem
Charlie had been sleeping through the night since he was 12 weeks old until moving into a big bed at the age of 2yrs and 6 months old. Periods of night waking began and grew progressively worse with time.
Diagnosis
Moving into a big bed had created sleep issues for Charlie and his parents, which many of you can identify with. Charlie needed a parent with him to settle at bedtime, otherwise, he would get out of bed. This learned association also affected his ability to go back to sleep during the night without assistance from his mom. Charlie also wanted to get into his parents bed and woke frequently hoping to join them.
The Plan
Charlie's parents need to teach him how to go to sleep alone at bedtime and to go back to sleep when he woke during the night. He also needs to recognize wake up time and when it was acceptable to go into his parents' bedroom.
Steps to achieve a good night's rest.
Step 1
Establish a regular bedtime and a bedtime routine for your child and avoid stimulating activities for one hour before bedtime.
Step 2
Try a gradual retreat program to teach your child to settle by himself at bedtime and to go back to sleep during the night. If your child is old enough like Charlie is use a reward system.
The gradual retreat program is as follows:
The aim of the gradual retreat program is to move to the next degree of physical separation. For example if you have been lying next to your child for him to go to sleep, sit on the bed next to him. Then you can take the next step which is sitting on a chair next to his bed, and then gradually move the chair closer to the bedroom door each night. Repeat each step for three nights before moving on to the next stage.
Step 3
If your child has difficulty knowing when it is time to wake up in the morning, I suggest you get a Children's Sleep Clock. I like the one fromwww.leapsandbounds.com
Step 4
Despite making good progress with my suggestions, your child may still be waking at night. If this is the case, you may be inadvertently rewarding your child with too much stimulation when he wakes during the night. Make sure all contact is minimal and that you are using clear but simple directions to your child. Finally it may be that your child will only sleep through the night once the program is finished and you are completely out of his room.
