I absolutely cherish my little boy! He’s, as a renowned super nanny once said, “practically perfect in every way.” He’s affectionate, kind, bright, inquisitive, joyful, and gives the best hugs. However, he does have one significant issue… he’s an awful sleeper.
This might be due to his inability to self-soothe and his belief that I’m his personal comfort object. When he wakes up and finds that I’m not immediately available, he doesn’t know what to do but scream. (Sorry to say, but doesn’t this sound just like a typical guy?)
Now that he’s nearly 19 months old and my own sleep has been lacking for what feels like an eternity, it’s high time I set some boundaries and dive into sleep training. So here’s my 30-step plan to get my toddler sleeping through the night:
- Put him down at his usual bedtime, following our regular routine (rocking and nursing—if he’s cozy and content, perhaps he will stay asleep this time).
- Proceed with my nightly rituals, which usually means crawling into bed around 2:00 a.m.
- Snuggle up in bed, twisting and turning until I find that perfect spot.
- Begin to drift off, just as I enter the bliss of REM sleep.
- What’s that? A baby crying? Yes, there’s definitely a baby crying.
- Husband nudges me, “The baby is crying.”
- Unwrap myself from the warm covers and prepare to get out of bed, while he insists, “Just let him cry.”
- Cover back up and stare at the ceiling, listening to my little one wail.
- Twenty minutes later, fuming while my husband snores peacefully and the baby is now yelling, “Mommy! Moooooommmmmmy!”
- Get out of bed, shutting the bedroom door behind me to keep my husband from waking up.
- Ensure all other bedroom doors are closed to avoid waking anyone else.
- Stand at the door of the baby’s room, willing him to stop crying.
- After nearly dozing off while standing, I decide to lay on the hallway floor and listen to the cries. Maybe the closeness will absorb the sound.
- Start to drift off, only to be jolted awake by a sharp pain in my hip.
- Realize the baby is now crying even harder.
- Think, “Forget it,” and head into his room.
- I plan only to shush him and give a gentle pat, but I can’t resist when he smiles and reaches for me, saying, “Mommy!”
- Scoop him up and sink into his sweet embrace.
- Rock him gently until his little head drops onto my shoulder.
- Confident he’s asleep, I lay him back in his crib.
- “CRAP!” I shout, running out when he immediately pops back up.
- Dash back down the hall, close the door, and cover myself with blankets and pillows.
- Realize I can still hear him yelling, “MOMMY!!”
- Hear my 9-year-old in the hallway and realize the baby might wake everyone.
- Throw off the covers with an exaggerated sigh.
- Meet my 9-year-old, who says, “Mom, the baby wants you.”
- Curse my fertile uterus silently.
- Completely give in by picking up my toddler, settling into the rocking chair, and nursing him to sleep, despite the cramp forming in my leg.
- Accept that this will be my nightly routine until he’s in kindergarten or I can afford the baby whisperer!
- Finally, lay him down, sound asleep, and tiptoe out of the room just as dawn breaks, reminding myself that he’s only little for a short time. Who cares? Not me!
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In summary, sleep training a toddler can be a challenging yet rewarding endeavor. It’s all about finding the right balance between comforting your child and teaching them to sleep independently. Remember, it’s a phase that will pass, and every little moment counts, even the sleepless ones.
Keyphrase: sleep training a toddler
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