I absolutely cherish my little boy! He is, as the world’s most famous super nanny might say, “almost perfect in every way.” He’s affectionate, inquisitive, cheerful, and gives the best hugs. However, he does have one major drawback… he’s an awful sleeper.
It could be because he hasn’t yet learned how to self-soothe, or maybe it’s because he treats my presence as his personal comfort blanket. When he wakes up and I’m not there, he doesn’t know what to do except cry. (Sorry, gentlemen, but doesn’t this sound like a familiar scenario?) Now that he’s nearly 19 months old, and after 28 months of disrupted sleep, I’ve decided it’s time to take charge and implement some sleep training. So, here’s my 30-step strategy for sleep training my toddler:
- Start his bedtime routine at the usual hour, incorporating rocking and nursing—hopefully, he’ll feel cozy and stay asleep all night.
- Stick to my own usual night routine, which often means hitting the hay around 2:00 a.m.
- Get comfortable in bed, wriggling around until I find the perfect spot.
- Drift off into a light sleep.
- Wait, is that a baby crying? Yes, indeed, a baby is crying.
- Receive a gentle nudge from my partner, “The baby is crying.”
- Unravel from my warm cocoon and get ready to leave bed as he insists, “Just let him cry.”
- Climb back under the covers, staring at the ceiling while listening to the baby wail.
- After twenty minutes of this, I’m fuming while my partner is snoring, and the baby is now yelling, “Mommy! Mooooommmmmy!”
- Finally, I get out of bed, closing the bedroom door to keep my partner from waking up.
- Ensure all other bedroom doors are closed so no other little ones wake up.
- Stand at the door of the baby’s room, silently willing him to stop crying.
- After nearly dozing off while standing, I decide it’s best to lay in the hallway and listen to him cry, thinking maybe I’ll absorb the noise.
- Start to drift off, only to be jolted awake by a sharp pain in my hip from lying on the floor.
- Realize the baby is now sobbing uncontrollably.
- Decide enough is enough and head into his room.
- Plan to just shush him and give a quick pat, but when he smiles and reaches for me, I’m a goner.
- Scoop him up and melt into his sweet little hug.
- Sway back and forth until his head falls onto my shoulder.
- Convinced he’s asleep, I gently lay him back in his crib.
- Yell, “CRAP!” and dash out of the room as he springs back up.
- Head back down the hall, close the door, and crawl back into bed, covering my head with pillows.
- Realize I can still hear him calling, “MOMMY!!”
- Hear my 9-year-old in the hall and know the baby is on the verge of waking everyone.
- Throw off the covers with an exasperated sigh.
- Encounter my 9-year-old, who says, “Mom, the baby wants you.”
- Curse my overly fertile uterus.
- Totally give in by picking up my toddler, settling into the rocking chair, and nursing him until he’s sound asleep. Ouch, cramp in my butt!
- Acknowledge this might be my routine until he’s in kindergarten or until I can afford a baby whisperer.
- Lay him down, sound asleep, and tiptoe out of the room as dawn breaks, reminding myself that he’s only little for a short while. Who cares? Not me. Not really.
If you’re looking for additional tips on parenting, check out this post on intracervicalinsemination.org for more insights. For those exploring at-home options, consider visiting Make A Mom for reputable at-home insemination syringe kits. Additionally, if you’re navigating the journey of pregnancy, WomensHealth.gov offers fantastic resources.
In summary, sleep training a toddler can be a challenging but rewarding journey. Each step involves patience, persistence, and sometimes, embracing the chaos of parenthood. Remember, they grow up fast, and soon this phase will be just a memory.
Leave a Reply