Flashback Friday to last summer when all five of us (8-week-old, 2-year-old and 4.5 year-old) slept in a tiny hotel room in the states. We brought along our sleep essentials (white noise, teddies, familiar books, pack & plays, etc.) and prioritized sleep as much as possible.
Was it perfect? Nope! My toddler woke with the birds and enjoyed waking the rest of us up. We had a ton of sleep on the go and came back home to our regular sleep routines.
Shout out to all of the Dads who have contacted me in the last few weeks! They are concerned about their wives sleep & wellbeing - rarely saying “I'm not getting enough sleep” but instead are finding out how how they can get more sleep for their partners and children.
Is your toddler ready to drop their nap?
Look for these signs to determine if now is the time:
-staying awake (can be playing, singing, being silly etc.) in their room for an extended time in the evening
-Increased stamina during awake periods
-will often still nap easily
I have seen children as young as 2.5 up to nearly 4-years-old be ready to drop their nap. I encourage parents to monitor this change in sleep behaviour for a good couple of weeks before implementing any changes. If 4/5 nights a week include a lengthy bedtime party, it may be time to drop the nap!
Where should your baby sleep?
This is a hot topic in the sleep world. Here are my thoughts: Have your baby sleep in a safe place (no bedding or soft materials around them) wherever you feel most comfortable. If you prefer to have them in your room on a separate surface, perfect! If you want them in their own room, that's good too.
It is important to have a safe, comfortable place for baby and you to sleep. Just remember that what works for one person, may not work for someone else. Do what works for your own family.
I love this idea! In May I worked with a family because their 2-year-old was waking several times a night and resisting sleep in the evening. We decided to pull the bottle (this can often be linked to sleep troubles for toddlers) and Mom had a great idea.
She went around and packed up all of the bottles and explained to the toddler that they were going to help another baby (she used her nephew's name) so the bottles were going to his house. She even packed them up and took them away. This was a clear and simple way to show the toddler that the bottles were gone for good.
