Sleep. It’s an emotive topic. Especially when you start talking about baby sleep, or lack thereof. Even more so when your baby isn’t actually a baby any more but a walking, talking, two (nearly three if I’m honest) little menace. When you’re wailing why won’t my two year old sleep, whilst scrolling through Facebook seeing people posting about their YOUNGER children “STTN” (sleeping through the night for anyone unfamiliar with baby forums).
When you’re struggling with your two year old sleep patterns it seems as though everyone you meet has something to say about it.
Everyone has a tip for you to try, or a training method, or the way they did things. You know the RIGHT way. People look at you aghast if you say your child isn’t sleeping once they’re past the baby stage, be them six months, a year, 18 months old. They look even more horrified when you say well, I’m not really interested in sleep training them either. Especially when it’s you two year old you’re talking about.
The thing with my littlest is that I knew he would get there eventually.
And he did.
This two year old sleeps!
For the past few months, since we returned home to Qatar, he’s been guaranteed to sleep through the night. Heck, when we were on the cruise he even slept until 9am. Though that was probably more to do with the inside cabin, no natural daylight, rocking of the ocean variety.
It’s not perfect
Now, don’t get me wrong. On paper it sounds pretty good, and it is. BUT it’s not perfect. Even though I no longer contend with the middle of the night wake ups, the sleeping on the cold tiled floor. I still have to stay with him until he falls asleep.
And I’m currently trying to persuade him that I do NOT need to sleep with him in his cot to do so. And neither does his brother…
If it’s not broke, don’t fix it
You’d think after so long on broken, limited sleep I would be rejoicing. Running round the town and telling everyone. Yet I’ve not been. No one knows that my two year old sleeps.
Firstly, you don’t want to jinx the sleeping through the night to multiple wake ups.
And secondly, we’re changing it up.
Yep, he finally sleeps through the night and being the geniuses that we are, we thought hang about, lets change this up a little.
Who needs sleep anyway right?!
We are transitioning to a bed.
A big boy bed.
Or if you ask my two year old, his “Boss Baby Bed”.
To be honest, it had to be done, the little menace can climb out of his cot anyway and that’s just an accident waiting to happen.
It’s going….. okay.
I mean I still lie with him on the floor to go to sleep, but at least my head can easily reach his pillow. We invested in an air mattress so I no longer sleep on the tiled floor. And he is very excited about his bed so he does like to go and jump into it.
And fall out of it
My little wriggle bum likes to contort himself into various positions through the night. Top to tail. Sideways. Upside down. Roundabout. He is the worlds best two year old contortion artist.
Except. That means he falls out.
Most nights. Thank God we have the air mattress now hey?! Wedged under his cot he tends to land on it.
Then it’s 50/50 whether he wakes up or sleeps.
Did I say 50/50?? More like once he slept through falling the rest of the time he wakes.
Today, to solve the issue, I’ve been to buy a bed rail. Though I’m not sure how that’s going to go down given that I may no longer be able to perch my head in the cot.
But you have to have hope right?!
Wish us luck…
I’m a sleep specialist. First off, sleep training a 2-year-old would be horrible, so you’ve done exactly the right thing.
One thing I would suggest is to spend some time, once or twice a day, in his room and bed, playing with him. Rough and tumble play, lots of laughter, tickling. Do this away from naps or bedtime, of course. The laughter will help him release endorphins, and he’ll truly associate his bed and room as a happy place to sleep, making it much easier to fall asleep. Working on toddler sleep is actually quite fun as it’s all about reducing the battle and the tears. Good luck!
I remember when my kids were that age. Thank goodness we’ve passed that time. I’m now reminded of what a blessing sleep can be when I think of those days.