I know you’re exhausted, and you probably feel like you’ve tried everything, but don’t give up Mama! From books and strategies to supplements and magnesium for toddler sleep, try these these 11 natural ways to help toddlers sleep through the night, at last!
If you’ve greeted my husband or I with a polite, “How are you?” anytime within the last two and a half years, I can almost guarantee the one word answer we gave.
It wasn’t a generic “fine,” or “good,” but something much more specific: “TIRED.”
From the time we had our son in 2011, we’ve been absolutely exhausted.
It’s been a while since I’ve written anything about the ongoing saga of sleep issues we’ve had with our oldest. Quite frankly, it’s because I had pretty much given up. I started telling myself, surely he’ll sleep through the night by the time he’s 5. (Depressing I know.)
But every once in a while I would hear of some natural remedy or gentle sleep strategy that would give me a hope.
The lack of sleep wasn’t just hard on us. Our poor boy was chronically overtired. He wanted to sleep. He tried to sleep.
He’d happily stay in bed, but falling asleep frequently took two hours. Then he’d be up several times a night, sometimes for an hour or more, unable to sleep or keep still.
Finally, he’d be up for the day at 4:30 or 5 am!
I am happy to say that he finally started sleeping through the night on a fairly consistent basis starting at about 30 months, sooner than I ever thought possible.
This has been a long journey, and this post is going to get quite long. If you’re struggling with total exhaustion, desperate to help your toddler sleep, I don’t want to leave any details out that might help you on your own quest to help your toddler sleep through the night.
So without further ado, here’s what finally worked (along with some things that didn’t) to help my toddler sleep through the night…
Ways to Help Toddlers Sleep Through the Night
The Baby Days
At first, it was the expected newborn stage. Babies need to be fed a couple times in the middle of the night. It’s totally normal up to a year or more.
Sometimes, they have gas or are teething. But this went way beyond that.
At about four months, I finally had the light bulb go on: he exhibited all the characteristics of a high need baby: nursing constantly, almost never napping, up every two hours or more at night, needing to be held all. the.time.
I love my high need baby of course. I was thankful to be his mommy and to be willing and able to provide him the comfort he clearly needed. Still, a person can only go without sleep for so long.
By the time he was seven months old, (I thought) I was at my breaking point. I could do little more than sit and stare into space while holding the baby during the day after being up all night. You can see from my thin blogging archives that any personal time or hobbies was just about zero in those months.
No Cry Sleep Solution
My baby’s doctor loaned me a copy of the No Cry Sleep Solution by Elizabeth Pantley at his 9 month check up. It sounded like the promised land.
It’s a book by a mom of four that helps teach baby to sleep using gentle methods. You can still co-sleep, and you don’t have to let them cry!
Thus, we embarked on Operation Mama Needs Sleep. I thoroughly documented everything about my baby’s sleep as Pantely suggests, even jotting down notes in the dark at 2 am.
I created a detailed bedtime plan. I tried the famous Pantely-pull-off. I made him a lovely and wore it around in my blouse to get my smell on it.
And we did have some success. At about 9-months of age, he went from waking up more than six times a night to about five.
The biggest improvement was in naps. Instead of taking several 20-40 minute naps a day on me, I was able to get him to sleep in bed for up to an hour at a time without having to hold him the whole time.
Dr. Sears Weighs In
I also read Dr. Sear’s The Baby Book and The Baby Sleep Book around that time and tried out his suggestions.
I made my baby an organic cotton sleep sack and avoided synthetic fabrics that might cause allergies or irritation.
I put a thermometer in the bedroom to make sure it was the ideal 70 degrees.
I attempted to do a breastfeeding elimination diet to rule out food allergies and sensitivities, specifically dairy. However, I was so exhausted at that time that I kept forgetting and eating dairy! I suspect that this is a strategy that would have worked for us if I would have had the capacity at that time.
If you have a fussy baby who has frequent and severe spit up and explosive diapers or who is sick frequently, you might consider trying an elimination diet if you’re feeling up to it. (Don’t let these symptoms be overlooked like I did.)
This is a diet in which you as the breastfeeding mom eliminate foods from your diet that may be causing your baby digestive issues through your milk. Dr. Sears has a thorough list of foods that could cause irritation in The Baby Book with instructions on how to do the diet. The New Childhood Epidemics book also has a great list.
A new doctor, a boatload of supplements
By his 18 month check up we had moved to eastern Washington, and I had sought out a naturally-minded pediatrician who had done a lot of research into natural supplements and homeopathic remedies.
With this perfect cocktail, she had taken her son from frequent hospital stays for his asthma, to not even needing meds.
She recommended a similar regimen for my son, including a multivitamin (we used Kids Liquid Calm), fish oil, and vitamin D among other things.
For the first time ever, he started sleeping through the night about two out of every seven nights. Progress!
Night Weaning
When he was 20 months old (and I was pregnant with my baby girl) we decided to start potty training.
Because getting breastmilk right before bed and throughout the night was going to make nighttime potty training difficult, we also decided to night wean.
My husband started putting him to bed and getting up with him throughout the night. There were some tears, but after about a week they had their own bedtime routine worked out without Mama’s help.
If you’ve spent much time searching for sleep solutions for your little ones, it’s likely you’ve come across the advice that their constant waking is because they just want to nurse all night, and if you would only night wean them (or wean them completely), they would sleep through.
It seems to me that breastfeeding is blamed all too often for any number of childhood issues.
Night weaning worked splendidly for potty training. However, night weaning did not improve BabyE’s sleep.
It did however improve my sleep, as his daddy got up with him in the middle of the night, and I got to stay in bed. It was perfect timing, as I was so exhausted at the beginning of my pregnancy.
Dietary Changes
My son had been gluten free and mostly dairy free for quite some time. However, I was (and still am) concerned about him getting enough Calcium, so I continued to give him yogurt. Plus he loved it.
When he was about 28 months old, I finally cut dairy completely out of his diet.
Some of his chronic tummy issues subsided immediately.
He began sleeping through about three times a week and went back to sleep more easily when he did wake up.
He went from getting sick every two weeks (pretty much constantly) to once every couple of months.
Bedtime Routine
At around 30 months, we sat down one night and developed this rigorous bedtime routine to help our “baby” (now a toddler quickly growing into a preschooler) wind down and get ready to sleep.
Here are complete details of our bedtime routine, with information about a few different supplements we use.
1. Get Ready.
Be sure to put PJs and potty in the bathroom ahead of time so he didn’t get wound up running around the house while we were trying to find these items later.
2. Offer 1 tsp of coconut oil on a spoon.
This idea came from Bulletproof Executive that recommends eating protein and fat such as coconut oil at dinner or before bed to improve sleep. (Alternatively they suggest honey and krill oil. We tried the honey without the krill oil, but didn’t have any luck.)
We started by offering a mix of peanut butter and coconut oil, but E found he preferred just the coconut oil alone, and it worked just as well. We always have protein with dinner, so that part of the equation was already taken care of.
It makes sense to me why this works. Over the past year or so, when E would take a long time to fall asleep or would wake up in the middle of the night, he would communicate to us that he was hungry.
And most of the time, he convinced us that this (which many would deem toddler manipulation) was authentic by eating a full meal in the middle of the night, even if he’d eaten plenty at every meal during the day. He was like the Very Hungry Caterpillar! It was almost shocking to see how much he put away.
The protein and coconut oil provided fuel to last him through the night and helped to stabilize blood sugar, so he didn’t feel hungry anymore.
3. Make time for bath time.
I add about 1/2 cup epsom salt in a warm bath and let him soak and play in it for at least 20 minutes before bed. Much thanks to Angela at Grassfed Mama for her series on sleep that mentioned this trick.
4. More Magnesium.
Get out of the bath and rub about 1/2 teaspoon magnesium oil lotion on his belly before putting on pajamas, going potty, and brushing teeth.
I started doing this back when I did my review of magnesium lotion for Creative Christian Mama, but I was sporadic about remembering. Now it is a regular part of our routine because it works.
There’s magnesium in both the Epsom salt and magnesium lotion which helps the muscles relax and the body get restful sleep, among many other benefits. You can take a magnesium supplement orally, but it is generally thought to be absorbed best through the skin.
These two sleep strategies work for moms too!
When I was experiencing pregnancy induced insomnia with my second pregnancy, I would get up and rub magnesium lotion all over my belly. I’d get back in bed and almost immediately fall deeply asleep.
Then the other night, I decided to try an Epsom salt bath for myself to help with achy muscles. Oh me oh my! Shortly afterward, I was knitting and having a conversation with my husband, and I was literally falling asleep mid-stitch and mid-sentence!
5. Lights out.
Then E goes and gets in bed (usually jumps thanks to taking our suggestion to “jump in bed” literally). We turn on a loud box fan for white noise.
Then we read him three stories. He gets up to potty one last time and turns out the lights.
Finally, we sing 3 songs (Twinkle, twinkle, little star seems to do the trick the best) and then we sit by his bed and sneak out once he’s asleep.
We’ve been doing this for long enough now that we occasionally leave before he’s fully asleep and he actually stays in there, yawns and talks to himself, and FALLS ASLEEP. BY. HIM. SELF! I seriously never dreamed this day would come!
Sleeping through the Night!
For so many months we had prayed (along with our friends and family) for the wisdom to help our boy sleep through the night. I am so thankful that this prayer has been answered!
I don’t believe it was just a matter of age, him growing up, that made this drastic improvement. This change happened over night as soon as we implemented the last of these gentle sleep strategies.
As you can tell by the length of this post, baby and toddler sleep problems are a really complex issue. If you and your toddler are struggling with sleep issues, I want to encourage you to hang in there.
Every kid is different, and what works for one will certainly be different than what works for another. If these ideas don’t work for you, keep searching.
11 Ways to Help Toddlers Sleep Through the Night
So, assuming you’re an exhausted sleep deprived mama like I was, here’s a recap of the 11 gentle sleep techniques I mentioned in the ridiculously long post above:
- No Cry Sleep Solution
- The Baby Book and The Baby Sleep Book
- Organic cotton sleepwear
- Breastfeeding Elimination Diet (See Dr. Sears’ Baby Book)
- Support a healthy immune system: multivitamin, fish oil, and vitamin D
- Take care of food allergies and sensitivities
- Protein and coconut oil
- Epsom salt baths
- Magnesium oil lotion
- White Noise (box fan)
- Predictable bedtime routine
Doing my research while I was so exhausted was tough. And the prolonged sleeplessness led to severe adrenal burnout for me that I am still trying to fight my way out of.
If you try out the tips above and aren’t seeing results, please get help for the health of you and your baby.
I pray you too will find a restful night’s sleep soon!
Oh wow, I remember reading all those books too! No matter what we tried, it seemed Sofie didn’t start to sleep in longer spurts until we night-weaned (at 26 months). She’s been a great sleeper since about 36 months or so.
This is a great post for new moms!
My daughter is 32 months, and I am going to try these tips thank you. I am also tired of people blaming breastfeeding, as it is more complicated than that. I think being mostly vegetarian has burned us both out, because that is not how my ancestors ate. She does get some meat and plenty of eggs. She does not have a vitamin, and I plan to get her fish oil. I am also taking a ton of supplements for other health issues, and I already don’t sleep myself because of it. We did not dairy for 5 months, and did not notice a difference. She never drinks cow milk.
I am so sorry to hear you and your toddler are struggling to sleep and health issues. My heart goes out to you. Keep trying things and looking for answers. You will get there. You’re in my prayers.
We tried everything – including melatonin- to get my daughter with autism to sleep through the night rather than 4 hour shifts, like an infant. Finally when all 4 family members were at their wit’s end, I tried the autism diet. We took out caseins first. I had NO idea that was all it would take to get her to sleep through the night! We’ve had our ups and downs with it the 3 years but mostly she goes right to sleep and through the night – with a nighttime routine, solid tucking, and enough activity to make her sleepy!
Wow, this gave me a lot to think. My youngest is giving us all sorts of issues now (my husband’s up there with him now). Will have to try some of these. Like immediately. Thanks for the great post!
The No Cry Sleep Solution worked really well for us. It isn’t a solution that will work super fast but in the end it had lasting effects. Bedtime was super easy afterwards.
Wow, this is a great resource! We have many of the same books. We are really struggling with transitioning our 2yo out of our bed into her siblings.
These are great solutions for teens and adults. I am going to try the magneisum lotion. I have a teen who has trouble sleeping.
We found he had a lot of ear issue which kept him up. Have you had E’s ear’s checked. When we put in tubes (2X) he started sleeping better.
I’m so happy that you are now getting some sleep. I never really had any issues with our babies not sleeping. We were Co sleepers and it worked wonders for us.
I am so glad you are getting sleep now! That can be rough on a mama.
Oh my gosh, that is SO HARD. I teared up reading your post. You sure had a hard road with your little one. I had a lot of days like that with my premature twins, but even though they were very high-needs we were able to sleep train them at 8 months. (We had to cry it out for our survival. We were very, very, very desperate at that point.) So you did an amazing job!! Way to go staying in there.
Aww thank you! No matter the situation, every mama’s job is so hard, but so blessed! Thanks for taking the time to leave such a sweet, encouraging comment! :)
Thanks for this post – I have a 24 mon old that sleeps 3-4 hrs tops (on a good night). She too wants to sleep but something is getting in her way. Maybe diet is a contributor – you definitely gave me some ideas! Thank you
I really feel for you both! Praying some of this helps!
My kids have always been great sleepers, but I’m on a very strict diet because of my own needs so they were too because it was,easier. No dairy ever, low sugar, no caffeine ever, no nitrates ever, low refined grains. I hadn’t had a migraine since I started.
Now my sister in law was going crazy with her two year old. He’s was having tantrums, refusing to sleep, acting out uncontrollably. She asked what I do different assuming it was a difference in dicipline. Nope, I said cut out his dairy and reduce the sugar drastically. Not only was she shocked at how things marketed as healthy had so much sugar, but he was a totally different kid in less than 2 weeks.
Diet really affects everything.
That is fantastic! Thank you SO much for sharing!! Diet really does make a huge difference. It’s just a matter of finding out exactly what the intolerance is for that specific person.
Wow! My daughter is having the same problem!! Maybe removing dairy and sugars is the key . Problem is that he is a very picky eater. He loves yogurt. Any suggestions?
Hi Marsha, I’m so sorry to hear your daughter is having trouble sleeping. There are wonderful dietitians and feeding therapists that can help in the case of picky eating. Check out the resources on the SOS Feeding Therapy site. I have found their techniques so helpful for my picky eater. Also, maybe she would accept a non-dairy yogurt like coconut yogurt? Best wishes to you for a good night’s sleep!
Thank you so much for this post. There is so much out there for helping very little ones to sleep, but not as much for the you babies that aren’t babies, but are not yet toddlers. There are so many things here I’m excited to try. Baby boy isn’t a great eater, so I think I might start with the coconut oil first.
Thank you for this article. My 15 month old is not sleeping and I’m exhausted. I noticed on the supplements they say 4 and older…. Did you give a lower lose?
I would ask your doctor to make sure for your specific child. I asked my child’s doctor about it when he was about 18 mo and she said it was ok. He was also very big for his age. I pray you get some sleep soon!! Hang in there! :)
Hi Shannon,
Oh. My. Word. I am seriously in awe!! If my husband was reading this, he’d swear I’d written it…except for the solution part! Even the book recommendations – I am a huge Dr. Sears fan and the New Childhood Epidemics book changed our lives (we have 2 boys on the spectrum…one of them nearly off…1 boy with hyperactivity and sensory symptoms and then our sweet little miss who is 20 months and still not sleeping through the night!)
Thank you so much for writing this!!! Thank you for putting the code word “gentle” in the title – I cringe anytime I see something on sleep on Pinterest because I just wait for the cry-it-out mention. Your post was such a relief to see and read.
I will certainly be putting some of these things into practice and I’ll be looking into the No cry solution book, as well.
Oh I just want to send you a big virtual hug! It is so hard to go without sleep for so long, and so hard to keep everyone telling you to cry it out. I will really be praying that some of the ideas here will help you and your little one! :)
Hi Shannon
I read this post with tears and laughter, we thought we were the only ones experiencing the extreme lack of sleep after 21 months. So glad to hear that there is hope for us.
It really does feel better just to know you’re not alone. I’ve been thinking lately about how much our culture identifies a parent’s success by how well their child is able to sleep. That’s just dumb! Sometimes you can do your very best, and nothing clicks. It’s not your fault! And the good news is, it won’t last forever! Hang in there Cheronne. :)
Wow, thank you so much for writing this post. Cheronne said exactly what I was thinking. We felt like we are the only one who has a 22 month who still wakes up multiple times a night. We really want a 2nd child but it is so scary to us when we are still sleep deprived from our 1st. This gives us hope! We eliminated dairy completely recently and that has helped a lot. He still wakes up a few times but he usually falls right back to sleep verses tossing & turning for an hour or two. Can’t wait to try some of your suggestions.
also, tongue tie can be the culprit in a lot of high needs fussy babies with tummy problems… etc. come to find out about 6 years too late for my son, but even finding out for my girl didnt mean it got treated because its highly underdiagnosed, and misunderstood. so many thing its not an issue. im sorry. its an issue! a life long one! i cant tell you the adult issues that can be linked to tongue tie. look it up, theres a lot of stuff out there. its amazing and mind blowing. :(
My wee man had bad reflux so he didnt sleep more than twenty mins at night for the first 14 months nightmare. now almost 18 months im still not getting him to sleep through but the reflux isnt causing as much trouble only when teething strikes. Luckily his Reflux was picked up on very early in the hospital by one of the nurses so I knew what I was dealing with. Which made a huge difference.
I want to try this. But we co sleep and will be moving her to her own bed soon and I’m trying to wean her, she’s almost 22 months old. I’m exhausted all day and sore, as soon as I roll over and move she wakes up few minutes afterwards, so I have to stay sleeping on one side all night. Her bed will be next to ours. I will try multivitamin and coconut oil and magnesium oil lotion. I can’t try that cotton sleepwear as she doesn’t like her feet covered at all, most nights not even a blanket, so I can’t tuck her in or anything like that. Tonight she fell asleep after CIO, then cuddling, then crying then me turning off the closet light (door slightly open) and I repeatedly sang some songs then I just sat there in silence and she laid there till she fell asleep. Hopefully I can remember not to nurse her back to sleep, but it’ll be hard till I buy those products and can put her in her own bed.
First—Thank YOU for this post. There are some ideas in here I’d like to try for my son. Thank goodness he’s not in quite the same situation that yours was, but we are still tired. :-)
I just HAVE to tell you about something that I think every mom should know about BEFORE trying all of the dietary changes. It’s a very specific probiotic called Lactobacillus Reuteri. This is a natural probiotic that’s found in breastmilk. But if Mommy doesn’t produce it well, or if Mom’s on an antibiotic during delivery, etc., then there isn’t any for the baby. You see, baby’s are born sterile. They need this probiotic–this very specific strain–to help their bellies digest food properly. Without it, you have a miserable baby. I believe that all allergies start in the gut. Without a healthy gut, these little babies don’t stand a chance. It changed my last two children within 2 days. I’ve told a dozen mommies about it, all with kids that have TERRIBLE cholic, constipation, diarrhea–you name it. They all had new babies within 2 days. PLEASE try it.
The two companies that sell it are Biogaia and Gerber. Biogaia Protectis Probiotic Drop. Biogaia made it originally, then Gerber took over for a while, but Biogaia now has a “toddler” version that is the exact same thing with some added vitamin D. I still gave it to my infant because you get a lot more of it for your money. :-) Best thing since sliced bread!
Wow, so glad you found something that works for you guys. My toddler has always been a great sleeper till here recently. Tonight we tried oatmeal and chamomile tea for bed time snack, fingers crossed.
Wow your baby sounds like mine! My son is almost 10 months, do you know if epsom salt and magnesium is safe for him at 10 months? I assume coconut oil is safe. Thanks for sharing!!!
Thank you!!! I’m going to try these tonight!!
I hope it brings you and your little one a great night of sleep Jessica! :)
You just saved my life I think. This is exactly what I needed. Thank you so much.
Thank you for this post! I’m ready to try anything!
You’re so welcome! I hope it works for you, and soon! :)
Wow…everything you wrote is exactly how i feel. My little girl will be 2 this week and she has so much trouble making It to deep sleep. Some night she wakes up every 3-4 hours, some nights Its every 2 hours and on our terrible nights Its every hour. I’ve done It all and tried It all. I am at my wits end. She has zero “sleep associations”, falls asleep in her bed, and i haven’t breasted in 12 months. She’s never sick. I have switched her to soy milk the last 2 months and she is more regular now.
I picked up magnesium oil actually before i read your post. I have been using It on her this week.
How long does It take before you add a change in their sleep??
HELP! At this rate she is solidifying her only child status
Aww I’m so sorry you’re having so much trouble getting your toddler to sleep, Lacie! I know you must just be so exhausted. It sounds like you’re doing everything right. As for the magnesium lotion, I saw effects right away, but they weren’t enough to get him completely sleeping through the night until I cut the dairy. If you’ve really tried everything and it sounds like you have, I would enlist the help of your child’s doctor and if that doesn’t help get a sleep coach. Sleep is so incredibly important for both you and your daughter. Without sleep, I’m sure you know, behavior can become a real challenge. It’s great that she’s not getting sick often though. What is she doing when she wakes up? Is she just awake or crying? Is she in a crib or bed? Is she getting up and coming into your room? I’m just thinking through all the possibilities.
I’m crying while reading this both happy I found it but so sad at the same time. My son is 20 knths old and since about 3 months hasn’t slept day or night for longer then an hr some nights waking every 20 min he still only sleeps on me. I have got a referral to a ENT specialist to eliminate sleep apnea. Iv eliminated dairy n gluten and can see they really upset his digestion. He is still nursing most days in to tired to knowwhst to do. I’m excited to follow your steps and truly am praying for some relief for us both
Bedtime can often be a battle between the parents and children. However, rather than adopting stern measures to make your little one sleep, you need to understand the root cause of this issue.
Two of my three children were not good sleepers. My youngest child is still not a great sleeper but is getting better. So far, a good camomile tea an hour before bed works best and some calm settling time with lights dimmed to look at books. I am still learning what makes her sleep better. She wakes up 3 or 4 nights a week now but often can’t go back to sleep for 3 to 5 hours later. She won’t go to sleep before 10:30 despite my efforts. That is better than her previous time of 12am or 1am. I am trying to work down to a normal 8pm bedtime. She had her days and nights mixed for about 4 months. All my kids have really set internal clocks so readjusting times is hard. My middle child was worst about waking up several times a night. At 18 months we moved his crib from the walls and he slept much better. Then we moved his older brother in his room but separate beds and he has slept most nights for about 3 yrs now. Every child is different and may take different methods. always a good consistant routine that works for that child is best. I will try the magnesium oil and fatty protein method for my youngest. Thank you for the tips.
I would like to buy the no cry sleep solution book but there are so many options.. I’m not sure if I should get the original no cry sleep solutions or get the no cry sleep solutions for toddlers and pre-schoolers since my daughter is 27 months. These are all by Elizabeth Pantley.
Hi Chantal, I’m guessing the No Cry Sleep Solution for Toddlers and Preschoolers would be best for you. I think the system is basically the same, but would give you some ideas specific to your daughter’s age right now. Praying you get some sleep soon!
Thank you for your post. A lot of beautiful ideas. I made a magnesium lotion but the shea butter isn’t plain and the smell bothers me as I’m 13 weeks pregnant with baby 2. We co-sleep, and our nights are a mess right now. Last night I don’t think i slept for more than 2 hours at a time. I’m so tired and nauseous right now I could cry. And I am beside myself of what to do for our daughter, 25 months. She just started having times of sleeping through the night a couple of months ago, 23 months?, when I night weaned for the sake of trying to give myself and my hormones help when we tried to get pregnant. I woke up this morning searching toddler sleep nests because she loves sleeping with pillows to cuddle her or for her to drape her body on or across. But she rolls around her entire bed (a single attached to our double) – she’s like an octopus at night! Will try salts in her bath tonight. will make sure my husband uses ample magnesium lotion- we diffuse lavendar, and do the entire routine you laid out. I’m terrible at sewing but am really tempted to botch together a sleep nest to see if that helps. Thank you for the post <3
I am also struggling with my 2 year old boy. He has never been a great sleeper. I figured something is bothering him. He suffered a lot from ear infections so that was my conclusion. He was always in pain and he would wake up during the night crying because he was in pain. When he wasn’t sick he would sleep throughout the night. But every other week he would start again crying and we co sleep so I was always there to soothe him back to sleep. We finally decided to see a specialist to treat his ear infections. After much treatment the dr decided he needed ear tubes. The first night after his surgery he slept like a dream! I was so happy to think that it was finally happening! He was going to sleep all night. But the night after the next night after that…complete nightmare. He wakes up after 2 hours of beeing asleep. He wines and moans and he will settle in for a while and 2 hour to 2 hours he will start all over again. And I am having trinkets putting him down for nap during the day. I don’t know what to do anymore. I am going crazy! I have anxiety just to think of how the night will go. Help!!! I will try some of the oils you suggested. I am willing to try anything!
Oh Fransicely, I’m so sorry you’re struggling with getting your toddler to sleep. I feel your pain. My first thought since he’s been waking up every two hours right after his surgery is to definitely check with his doctor to make sure everything is ok and that nothing is hurting him. The other thing you could consider is moving him to his own bed or bedroom. I am a big fan of attachment parenting and cosleeping, but sometimes toddlers can get too excited or distracted to settle down with mom right next to them. Just a thought. I’m praying you and your son some sleep soon!
Awesome tips and article! Looking forward to checking out the No Cry Sleep Solution and the Baby Sleep Book you recommended. Glad to hear you and your familys prayers worked in addition to the tips you shared and we are looking forward to testing them out as well.