Now that your once-perfect sleeper is 18 months old, bedtime is becoming a struggle. Or, your already difficult night waking child is now two years old, naps are suddenly non-existent, and nights are a lot harder. Mama, prepare yourself: Probably just now has your child experienced the “18-month sleep regression.”
Why are there quotes there? Because this sleep regression doesn’t necessarily occur in the exact months that the books said it would, it’s similar to other sleep regressions. As opposed to this, sleep regression is more likely to occur when your child is going through her first and most important phase of acquiring control and independence.
Other sleep regressions, such the one that frequently happens between 8 and 10 months, were frequently related to physical development (crawling, pushing oneself to a standing position, cruising), but this one was about emotional development.Many parents will believe that their child should stay up later because they are a little older now. This is not always the case, so the first thing to consider when trying to resolve your child’s bedtime issues is the time they go to bed to make sure they are not overtired. The majority of toddlers who wake up for the day around 6 or 7 am and take a short nap at midday every day should go to bed by 7 pm in order to avoid becoming overtired.
When toddlers don’t have enough awake time before bed in some (rarer) cases, it may mean that they aren’t quite ready
for sleep when their parents put them to bed.
Toddler bedtime difficulties can be significantly impacted by distractions in your child’s bedroom surroundings. To avoid distractions and early morning Lego parties, don’t pile tons of things in your child’s room.
Make sure the room is completely dark to prevent problems with falling asleep or having trouble napping due to sunshine.
If your toddler has shown a fear of the dark (this is a learned behavior, so some toddlers express this fear while others do not), you might want to think about getting them a small nightlight to ease their anxiety. Just make sure the light is very dim so it won’t be distracting, and I suggest going with an LED option so it won’t get too hot and cause a safety hazard.
