By: Sarah Collins
Updated: Dec. 2, 2020
Originally Published: Sep. 15, 2015
As a devoted parent, I adore my little one! He truly embodies the notion of being “practically perfect in every way.” He’s affectionate, bright, inquisitive, and certainly brings joy with his infectious laughter. However, there is one significant challenge—his sleeping habits leave much to be desired.
The issue may stem from his inability to self-soothe, as he seems to rely heavily on me for comfort. When he wakes in the night, he often cries out for me, leading to sleepless nights for both of us. As he approaches 19 months, and considering my own lack of sleep for almost 28 months, it’s time to implement a structured sleep training plan. Here’s my 30-step approach to sleep training my toddler:
- Follow our usual bedtime routine, which includes rocking and nursing him to sleep.
- Resume my nightly routine, which typically has me in bed by around 2:00 a.m.
- Get comfortable in bed, adjusting until I find the perfect position.
- Begin to drift into a light sleep.
- Is that a baby crying? Yes, indeed.
- My partner nudges me, stating, “The baby is crying.”
- I reluctantly peel myself away from the warmth of the blankets, while my partner suggests, “Just let him cry.”
- I cover back up, listening to the cries echoing through the house.
- After twenty minutes, I’m fuming as my partner snores, while my toddler yells, “Mommy! Moooooommmmmmy!”
- I throw the covers off, exit the bedroom, and quietly close the door to avoid waking my partner.
- I make sure all other doors are shut to prevent any siblings from waking up.
- I stand outside my toddler’s door, hoping he’ll settle down.
- Almost falling asleep while standing, I choose to lie down on the floor in the hallway, thinking I can absorb the noise.
- Just as I start to drift off, I feel a sharp pain in my hip from the hard floor.
- Realizing my toddler has escalated to full sobbing, I decide to act.
- I enter his room with the intention of merely calming him down.
- However, when he smiles and reaches for me, I can’t resist picking him up.
- I savor his little hug, feeling a wave of affection.
- I sway back and forth with him until he finally relaxes against my shoulder.
- Convinced he’s asleep, I gently place him back in his crib.
- “CRAP!” I exclaim as he immediately pops back up.
- I return to bed, attempting to cover my head with blankets to block out the noise.
- Yet, I can still hear him shouting, “MOMMY!!”
- Suddenly, my older child appears in the hallway, and I realize my toddler might wake everyone.
- With a resigned sigh, I throw off the covers again.
- I meet my older child, who states, “Mom, the baby wants you.”
- I silently curse my fertile uterus.
- Finally, I fully give in, scoop up my toddler, and settle into the rocking chair to nurse him back to sleep, feeling a cramp in my leg.
- I resign myself to this routine, knowing it might continue until he’s in kindergarten or until I can afford a professional sleep consultant.
- As I lay him down sound asleep and quietly exit the room at dawn, I remind myself that these moments are fleeting and truly cherish the time we have together.
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Summary:
Sleep training a toddler can be a challenging yet rewarding endeavor. This guide provides a humorous and relatable look at the ups and downs of establishing a bedtime routine, highlighting the importance of patience and persistence in achieving better sleep for both parent and child.