As your baby grows into a toddler, they still need a lot of sleep and many toddlers take long and luxurious naps. This post shares sample toddler sleep schedules by month. If your toddler is having trouble napping, you may be interested in my toddler nap tips.
You can peruse all the schedules by scrolling down or use the quick links below. You may also want to bookmark this page for future use.
Toddler Schedule: Can Toddlers Sleep Through the Night?
Most toddlers should be able to sleep through the night, with no night feedings unless there is a medical problem or some other extenuating circumstance. But, if your toddler is not sleeping through the night, it does NOT mean he or she HAS a medical problem. There are many reasons why children wake at night. A good sleep schedule is a great first step to helping your toddler sleep through the night.
Sample Toddler Schedules
Here are sample toddler sleep and feeding schedules but always remember that your child is unique. You know your child best and should adjust the schedule accordingly. If you need help with a proper schedule, we are happy to help!
12-Month Old Toddler Sleep Schedule
Most 12-month-olds are still taking two naps, though occasionally, toddlers transition to one nap younger. Their wake windows are usually 3-4 hours throughout the day. For a 1-nap schedule, use the below 15-month-old schedule. 12-month-olds still taking two naps typically sleep 10-12 hours at night and 2-3 hours during the day. For a 10-hour night, see the below 14-month-old schedule. For an 11-hour night, see the below 13-month-old schedule. Since most 12-month-olds still sleep a lot, here is a 12-hour night schedule. Please note that we typically start to transition to milk as a beverage with a meal rather than a separate event. We still see a bedtime milk bottle for many toddlers this age.
| 12 Month Old Schedule | |
|---|---|
| Time | Activity |
| 7:00 AM | Wake |
| 7:30 AM | Breakfast + Milk |
| 9:30 AM | Snack |
| 10:00 AM | Nap (3-Hour Nap Gap) |
| 12:00 PM | Lunch + Milk |
| 2:00 PM | Nap (3-Hour Nap Gap) |
| 3:30 PM | Snack (if needed) |
| 5:30 PM | Dinner + Milk |
| 6:45 PM | Milk |
| 7:00 PM | Bedtime (3 to 4-Hour Nap Gap) |
13-Month Old Toddler Sleep Schedule
Many 13-month-olds are still taking two naps though quite a few will transition to one nap around 13-14 months old. For a 1-nap schedule, use the below 15-month-old schedule. 13-month-olds still taking two naps typically sleep 10-12 hours at night and 2-3 hours during the day. For a 10-hour night, see the below 14-month-old schedule. Note that we typically start to transition to milk as a beverage with a meal rather than a separate event after a toddler turns one. We still see a bedtime bottle around this age for many toddlers though if your toddler isn’t very interested, that would be normal, too.
| 13 Month Old Schedule | |
|---|---|
| Time | Activity |
| 7:00 AM | Wake |
| 7:30 AM | Breakfast + Milk |
| 9:30 AM | Snack |
| 10:30 AM | Nap (3 to 3 1/2-Hour Nap Gap) |
| 12:30 PM | Lunch + Milk |
| 3:00 PM | Nap (3 1/2 to 4-Hour Nap Gap) |
| 4:30 PM | Snack (if needed) |
| 6:30 PM | Dinner + Milk |
| 7:45 PM | Milk |
| 8:00 PM | Bedtime (3 1/2 to 4-Hour Nap Gap) |
14-Month Old Toddler Sleep Schedule
Some 14-month-olds are still taking two naps though many will transition to one nap around this age. For a 1-nap schedule, use the below 15-month-old schedule. 14-month-olds still taking two naps typically sleep 10-12 hours at night and 2-3 hours during the day. For an 11-12 hour night, please use one of the above 12-13-month-old schedules. Note that we typically start to transition to milk as a beverage with a meal rather than a separate event after a toddler turns one. We still see a bedtime bottle around this age for many toddlers though if your toddler isn’t very interested, that would be normal, too.
| 14 Month Old Schedule | |
|---|---|
| Time | Activity |
| 6:30 AM | Wake |
| 7:00 AM | Breakfast + Milk |
| 9:30 AM | Snack |
| 10:00/10:30 AM | Nap (3 1/2 to 4-Hour Nap Gap) |
| 11:30 AM | Snack |
| 1:00/1:30 PM | Lunch + Milk |
| 3:00/3:30 PM | Nap (3 1/2 to 4-Hour Nap Gap) |
| 4:30 PM | Snack (if needed) |
| 6:30/7:00 PM | Dinner + Milk |
| 8:15 PM | Milk |
| 8:30 PM | Bedtime (4-Hour Nap Gap) |
15-Month Old Toddler Sleep Schedule
Many 15-month-olds are beginning to transition to one nap, however, the average age is 15-18 months old. So, if your toddler is still comfortably taking two naps, use one of the above schedules. 15-month-olds typically need 11-12 hours of sleep at night and 2-3 hours during the day. Note that we typically start to transition to milk as a beverage with a meal rather than a separate event after a toddler turns one. At this age, we are starting to move away from a bedtime bottle and bottle-weaning completely in many cases.
| 15 Month Old Schedule | |
|---|---|
| Time | Activity |
| 7:00 AM | Wake |
| 7:30 AM | Breakfast + Milk |
| 9:30 AM | Snack |
| 11:00/11:30 AM | Lunch + Milk |
| 12:00 PM | Nap (5-Hour Nap Gap) |
| 2:30 PM | Snack + Milk |
| 4:30 PM | Small Snack (if needed) |
| 5:30/6:00 PM | Dinner + Milk |
| 7:00 PM | Bedtime (5-Hour Nap Gap) |
16-Month Old Toddler Sleep Schedule
Many 16-month-olds are beginning to transition to one nap or have already done so. The average age to transition to one nap is 15-18 months old. So, if your toddler is still comfortably taking two naps, use one of the above schedules. 16-month-olds taking one nap typically need 11-12 hours of sleep at night and 2-3 hours during the day. At this age, we are typically moving away from a bedtime bottle and bottle-weaning completely in many cases. This 16-month schedule is identical to the 15-month old schedule above except illustrating a toddler waking earlier.
| 16 Month Old Schedule | |
|---|---|
| Time | Activity |
| 6:00 AM | Wake |
| 6:30 AM | Breakfast + Milk |
| 8:30 AM | Snack |
| 10:00/10:30 AM | Snack + Milk |
| 11:00 AM | Nap (5-Hour Nap Gap) |
| 1:00/1:30 PM | Lunch + Milk |
| 3:30 PM | Snack (if needed) |
| 5:00 PM | Dinner + Milk |
| 6:00 PM | Bedtime (5-Hour Nap Gap) |
17-Month Old Toddler Sleep Schedule
Most 17-month-olds have transitioned to one nap though there are a few who are still taking two naps. The average age to transition to one nap is 15-18 months old. So, if your toddler is still comfortably taking two naps, use one of the above schedules. 17-month-olds taking one nap typically need 11-12 hours of sleep at night and 2-3 hours during the day. At this age, we are typically moving away from a bedtime bottle and bottle-weaning completely in many cases. This 17-month schedule is similar to the 15-month old and 16-month old schedules above except illustrating a toddler who is taking a longer nap and sleeping less at night.
| 17 Month Old Schedule | |
|---|---|
| Time | Activity |
| 6:30 AM | Wake |
| 7:00 AM | Breakfast + Milk |
| 9:00 AM | Snack |
| 11:00 AM | Lunch + Milk |
| 11:30 AM | Nap (5-Hour Nap Gap) |
| 2:00 PM | Snack + Milk |
| 4:00 PM | Snack (if needed) |
| 6:00 PM | Dinner + Milk |
| 7:00/7:30 PM | Bedtime (5-Hour Nap Gap) |
18-Month Old Toddler Sleep Schedule
Almost all 18-month-olds have transitioned to one nap and need 10-12 hours of sleep at night and 2-3 hours during the day. A few 18-month olds will be able to stay awake longer than 5 hours but most are still staying awake just 5 hours maximum. If your toddler is staying awake 5 hours and sleeping 11-12 hours at night, use one of the one-nap schedules above for 15-17-month-olds. This schedule illustrates a common schedule if your toddler stays awake 5 1/2 hours before bedtime and takes a 2-hour nap.
| 18 Month Old Schedule | |
|---|---|
| Time | Activity |
| 7:00 AM | Wake |
| 7:30 AM | Breakfast + Milk |
| 9:30 AM | Snack |
| 11:30 AM | Lunch + Milk |
| 12:00 PM | Nap (5-Hour Nap Gap) |
| 3:00 PM | Snack + Milk |
| 5:00 PM | Snack (if needed) |
| 6:00 PM | Dinner + Milk |
| 7:30 PM | Bedtime (5 1/2-Hour Nap Gap) |
19-Month Old Toddler Sleep Schedule
19-month-olds take one nap a day and need 10-12 hours of sleep at night and 2-3 hours during the day, on average. A few 19-month olds will be able to stay awake longer than 5 hours but most are still staying awake just 5 hours maximum. If your toddler is staying awake 5 hours and sleeping 11-12 hours at night, use one of the one-nap schedules above for 15-17-month-olds. This schedule illustrates a common schedule if your toddler stays awake 5 1/2 hours before bedtime and takes a 2 1/2-hour nap.
| 19 Month Old Schedule | |
|---|---|
| Time | Activity |
| 7:00 AM | Wake |
| 7:30 AM | Breakfast + Milk |
| 9:30 AM | Snack |
| 11:30 AM | Lunch + Milk |
| 12:00 PM | Nap (5-Hour Nap Gap) |
| 3:00 PM | Snack + Milk |
| 5:00 PM | Snack (if needed) |
| 6:30 PM | Dinner + Milk |
| 8:00 PM | Bedtime (5 1/2-Hour Nap Gap) |
20-Month Old Toddler Sleep Schedule
20-month-olds take one nap a day and need 10-12 hours of sleep at night and 2-3 hours during the day, on average. A few 20-month olds will be able to stay awake longer than 5 hours but most are still staying awake just 5 hours maximum. If your toddler is staying awake 5 hours and sleeping 11-12 hours at night, use one of the one-nap schedules above for 15-17-month-olds. This schedule illustrates a common schedule if your toddler stays awake 5 1/2 hours before bedtime and takes a 1 1/2-hour nap.
| 20 Month Old Schedule | |
|---|---|
| Time | Activity |
| 7:00 AM | Wake |
| 7:30 AM | Breakfast + Milk |
| 9:30 AM | Snack |
| 11:30 AM | Lunch + Milk |
| 12:00 PM | Nap (5-Hour Nap Gap; 1 1/2 hours long) |
| 3:00 PM | Snack + Milk (if needed) |
| 5:30 PM | Dinner + Milk |
| 7:00 PM | Bedtime (5 1/2-Hour Nap Gap) |
21-Month Old Toddler Sleep Schedule
21-month-olds take one nap a day and need 10-12 hours of sleep at night and 2-3 hours during the day, on average. Some 21-month olds will be able to stay awake longer than 5 hours but most are still staying awake just 5 hours maximum. If your toddler is staying awake 5 hours and sleeping 11-12 hours at night, use one of the one-nap schedules above for 15-17-month-olds. This schedule illustrates a common schedule if your toddler wakes up earlier, stays awake 5 1/2 hours before bedtime and takes a 2-hour nap.
| 21 Month Old Schedule | |
|---|---|
| Time | Activity |
| 6:30 AM | Wake |
| 7:00 AM | Breakfast + Milk |
| 9:00 AM | Snack |
| 10:45/11:00 AM | Lunch + Milk |
| 11:30 AM | Nap (5-Hour Nap Gap; 2 hours long) |
| 1:30 PM | Snack + Milk |
| 3:30 PM | Snack + Milk (if needed) |
| 5:30 PM | Dinner + Milk |
| 7:00 PM | Bedtime (5 1/2-Hour Nap Gap) |
22-Month Old Toddler Sleep Schedule
22-month-olds take one nap a day and need 10-12 hours of sleep at night and 2-3 hours during the day, on average. Quite a few 22-month olds will be able to stay awake longer than 5 hours but if your 22-month-old still needs to sleep after just 5 hours, this is absolutely normal and common. If your toddler is staying awake 5 hours and sleeping 11-12 hours at night, use one of the one-nap schedules above for 15-17-month-olds. This schedule illustrates a common schedule if your toddler wakes up earlier, stays awake 5 1/2 hours both before and after their nap, and takes a 2-hour nap.
| 22 Month Old Schedule | |
|---|---|
| Time | Activity |
| 6:30 AM | Wake |
| 7:00 AM | Breakfast + Milk |
| 9:00 AM | Snack |
| 11:00/11:30 AM | Lunch + Milk |
| 12:00 PM | Nap (5 1/2-Hour Nap Gap; 2 hours long) |
| 3:00 PM | Snack + Milk |
| 5:00 PM | Small Snack |
| 6:30 PM | Dinner + Milk |
| 7:30 PM | Bedtime (5 1/2-Hour Nap Gap) |
23-Month Old Toddler Sleep Schedule
23-month-olds take one nap a day and need 10-12 hours of sleep at night and 2-3 hours during the day, on average. Quite a few 23-month olds will be able to stay awake longer than 5 hours but if your 23-month-old still needs to sleep after just 5 hours, this is absolutely normal and common. If your toddler is staying awake 5 hours and sleeping 11-12 hours at night, use one of the one-nap schedules above for 15-17-month-olds. This schedule illustrates a common schedule if your toddler stays awake 5 1/2 hours both before and after their nap, and takes a 1 1/2-hour nap.
| 23 Month Old Schedule | |
|---|---|
| Time | Activity |
| 7:00 AM | Wake |
| 7:30 AM | Breakfast + Milk |
| 9:30 AM | Snack |
| 11:30 AM | Lunch + Milk |
| 12:30 PM | Nap (5 1/2-Hour Nap Gap; 1 1/2 hours long) |
| 3:00 PM | Snack + Milk |
| 5:00 PM | Small Snack |
| 6:30 PM | Dinner + Milk |
| 7:30 PM | Bedtime (5 1/2-Hour Nap Gap) |
24 to 30-Month Old / 2 Year Old Toddler Sleep Schedules
After you’re past the 2 Year Sleep Regression, 24 to 30-month-olds often begin moving to longer awake periods. If your toddler is staying awake 5 hours and sleeping 11-12 hours at night, use one of the one-nap schedules above for 15-17-month-olds. That is still very much normal for some 2-year-olds so don’t be concerned if your toddler is still a champion sleeper.
At this age, the big change is possibly moving to 6-hour awake periods and less nighttime sleep. Whether your toddler is 27 months old, 29 months old, or 30 months old, you can use the sample schedules on this page. All children are different as to how much sleep they need and how long they can comfortably stay awake. Some toddlers take very long afternoon naps while others sleep longer at night. You know your child best!
This sample schedule is illustrating 6-hour nap gaps before bedtime.
| 24 to 30 Month Old / 2 Year Old Schedule | |
|---|---|
| Time | Activity |
| 7:00 AM | Wake |
| 7:30 AM | Breakfast + Milk |
| 9:30 AM | Snack |
| 11:00/11:30 AM | Lunch + Milk |
| 12:00/12:30 PM | Nap (5 to 5 1/2-Hour Nap Gap; 2 hours long) |
| 3:00 PM | Snack + Milk |
| 5:00 PM | Small Snack |
| 6:30 PM | Dinner + Milk |
| 8:00 PM | Bedtime (6-Hour Nap Gap) |
31 to 35-Month Old Toddler Sleep Schedules
31 to 35-month old toddlers are beginning to stay awake for longer periods of time. Some toddlers are stopping their naps. The transition away from napping can take a very long time or be an abrupt change. Here is a sample schedule with 6-hour nap gaps and less nighttime sleep which we often see right before we drop the nap.
| 31 to 35 Month Old Schedule | |
|---|---|
| Time | Activity |
| 7:00 AM | Wake |
| 7:30 AM | Breakfast + Milk |
| 9:30/10:00 AM | Snack |
| 12:00 PM | Lunch + Milk |
| 1:00 PM | Nap (6-Hour Nap Gap; 2 hours long) |
| 3:30 PM | Snack + Milk |
| 6:00 PM | Dinner + Milk |
| 7:30 PM | Snack |
| 9:00 PM | Bedtime (6-Hour Nap Gap) |
36-Month Old / 3 Year Old Toddler Sleep Schedule
36-month old toddlers, or 3-year-olds, are sometimes still taking great naps so I recommend that you don’t start skipping naps unless there is a good reason. Most toddlers will stop napping between 3 and 4-year-olds, on average, but some 5-year-olds are still napping. That’s not uncommon. When your child is ready to stop napping, sometimes they will stop abruptly, sometimes skip their nap just a few times a week, while others simply start taking a nap just once or twice a week. This sample schedule shows rest time instead of nap time. Children this age typically need approximately 11-12 hours of sleep in a 24-hour period.
| 36 Month Old / 3 Year Old Schedule | |
|---|---|
| Time | Activity |
| 7:00 AM | Wake |
| 7:30 AM | Breakfast + Milk |
| 9:30 AM | Snack |
| 12:00 PM | Lunch + Milk |
| 1:00 PM | Rest Time (1 hour) |
| 3:00/3:30 PM | Snack + Milk |
| 6:00 PM | Dinner + Milk |
| 7:00 PM | Bedtime |
If your toddler isn’t sleeping through the night yet, is waking too early or going to bed too late, you may be interested in shifting your schedule. And, again, if you aren’t sure what is the right schedule for your toddler, we are happy to help work with you one-on-one with our sleep consultant services.
Looking for more sample toddler sleep schedules?
We have over 40 sample schedules for all ages in our e-Book, Mastering Naps and Schedules. Banish naptime battles and regain control of your day (and your sanity) starting today!
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- Basics of Toddler Sleep (VIP Members Area audio course)
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Hi,
My son is 1y3m, and typically sleeps 9-10 hrs at night maximum. He has never slept more than that! He is on two naps a day of 1 hr at around 930 am and 1-1.5 hrs at 3 pm ( he was napping at 2 before, now he wants to nap at 3) and bedtime is typically 8/830 however now he is wanting to sleep at around 9 pm! Although i try to keep to his schedule he refuses to go down. I have carried out sleep training where he is put in his cot and I /hubby stay in his room until he sleeps ( this sometimes takes over 30 min)…. during the night he sleeps well, wakes up maybe once or twice crying mildly and then goes back to sleep ( not picking him up, jist giving him teddy)
He is usually in a good mood and doesnt seem overly tired except before nap time. He does fight sleep alot however!
Anything we can do to improve this? Are we perhaps doing something wrong? He starts day care soon and im expecting that to wreak havoc on his schedule which i worked so hard to keep!
Thanks!
Hi @Clara – Thanks for writing to us. There is a wide range of sleep needs for toddlers, and if he is very well rested and not tired or having a tough time making it to naps and bedtimes, it may be that his sleep needs are lower than average! However, if he’s acting/looking at all tired, he may need more help getting a little more sleep! Play around with his schedule and see if an earlier bedtime will help, and get a really soothing and relaxing sleep routine in place! We’d really need a sleep consultant to take an in depth look at his full sleep history to be able to really tell what is going on and how to help. If interested, please contact us for more info, or check out our one on one sleep consulting options here: https://www.babysleepsite.com/baby-toddler-sleep-consulting-services/
Good luck!!!
I have 2 toddlers 1 is 19 months, the other is 3+ years old. They are sleeping in the same room and are terrible sleepers, and end up going to bed late. Without going into too much personal stuff here, is there a way to get them to both sleep through the night (the 3 year old does, but gets jealous if she sees me holding her sister to sleep and will be difficult) a couple of questions:
1) do we do the sleep training thing with the 19 month old and it ends up being similar to cry it out, since she’s obviously older than a 6 month old, will it give her abandonment issues?
2) if I did end up purchasing a sleep consultation, will I get to discuss both kids?
I know I didnt provide too much, but any advice without needing to purchase a consultation would be appreciated.
Thanks!
Hey @Karen, thank you for visiting the Baby Sleep Site and for your questions. I will let you know that I work in our Client Relations department and am not a sleep consultant, so I’m not going to be able to do your questions justice but I’m happy to provide more information for you. 🙂
1. There are lots of different methods that include crying, but it does not have to be let her cry for hours and hours and hours without offering any consoling in between. I know that’s a hot debate about if it causes abandonment issues and I’m not going to pretend to know the answer to that one. My perspective on sleep training is that I am teaching my child a valuable skill they will absolutely thank me for later. I shower my kids with hugs and kisses and praises, but I am also firm with the things that come to health and safety, and sleeping falls into that category for me. (That’s my off the record mom-to-mom answer for ya!) I can also say I’m thankful my kids didn’t put up too much of a fight so I never had to have that internal struggle, but I will let you know our consultants try to give a more gentle approach first, they understand that there’s not a one size fits all answer to sleep training and it may need to be tweaked based on the temperament of the child.
2. If you purchase a consultation and want help with both kids, you can of course get it. We do require you pay a one time sibling add-on fee to get advise on both. If your 3 year old isn’t having any really big issues leaving you with specific questions that you need addressed, then you wouldn’t need the sibling fee.
You can also contact us directly at [email protected] and we can recommend a package, explain how to add the sibling, and answer any other questions you may have from there. I hope this helps!
My son will be 2 in May wakes up at 7 takes a nap for about 1.5 or 2 hours goes to bed at 7 and wakes up around 10 like it was a nap! If I don’t give him a nap he is cranky but I thought it would help him sleep better at night but it just makes our day horrible.
Hi @Elizabeth – Thanks for writing to us! I am sorry that your little guy’s schedule is “off” right now! Waking at 10pm ready to go is tough! I do think that you’re right that he still needs a nap to get through the day, and hopefully adding the daily nap back to his schedule will help, and help him sleep better at night too! Keep being consistent, and encouraging him to go back to sleep even if he does wake at night. For additional help, I would recommend that you consider our e-Book, The 5 Step System to Better Toddler Sleep. It is written specifically to help parents of toddlers with sleep issues. The book includes a number of detailed sample schedules, as well as an explanation of the various sleep coaching methods you can try at home, with your toddler. It also contains several sleep planning worksheets and sleep logs.
You can find out more about this ebook, and order the book directly online here: https://www.babysleepsite.com/5-step-system-toddler/
I hope that things smooth out soon! Good luck!!!
My toddler is 2.5, and was sleeping great until we transitioned him from a crib to a twin bed. Now he’s up several times at night, and often needs me there to go back to sleep – which can take 2-3 hours for him to fall back asleep, only for him to wake up 3 hours later. To add on he’s also decided to stop napping all together – regardless of how I try to encourage the nap. So we now have a super exhausted toddler that really fights sleep – not to mention an overtired mama. This has been going on for almost 2 months, any advice would be greatly appreciated!
@Lara, I’m so sorry you’re struggling with your son’s sleep since transitioning him to a big boy bed. That is so challenging! Here is a link to a free guide you can download with tips on toddler sleep (it’s so much more different than sleep training a young baby!!): https://www.babysleepsite.com/toddler-sleep-tips
Something that has been personally helpful to me was the OK to Wake clock which I purchased off Amazon. It lights up when they’re allowed to get out of bed. I got it when my son was your son’s age, and we still use it now and he’s almost 4.5.
I also know how challenging toddler hood can be (I also have a 2 year old so I’m with you in that aspect as well, but mine is still behind bars for naps/nights) and that sometimes a tip in a downloaded article may not be quite enough unfortunately. If you find you need more specific support, we have that here too and I’m confident it would be very beneficial to you and your family! If you’re interested in working with one of our sleep consultants here is a link to read about all of our options: https://www.babysleepsite.com/baby-toddler-sleep-consulting-services/
There are a lot of options on there so please email us at [email protected] if you have any questions! I hope this helps!
I have a 15 month old who has always been a good sleeper and sleeps through the night pretty much 7-6 but is so miserable waking I don’t know where to turn for advice, he used to wake happy and now it’s just constant tears and nothing soothes him, I was hoping it was a phase but I see no light at the end of the tunnel and I’m getting so upset in the morning as I can’t smooth him even after he has milk…any advice would be great I’ll try anything
Hi @Nicola, thank you for writing to us. I’m so sorry to hear your son is waking up so cranky. I definitely understand how frustrating you can feel as a mother to have your child be cranky no matter what you try, I’m sure that is wearing on you. Without seeing a full schedule of his day, and a full sleep history, it would be difficult to identify the problem, so I am sorry I can’t give you a clear cut answer here! What I do suggest though, is to work with one of our sleep consultants who can do what I mentioned for you. It is hopefully just a small fix by tweaking the schedule but they’ll be able to answer for sure so you get your happy baby back! If you’re interested, you can read more about our options to work with our consultants and receive a Personalized Sleep Plan here: https://www.babysleepsite.com/baby-toddler-sleep-consulting-services/
Additionally, I’ll just add that around 15 months my son turned from the happiest baby ever, to quite a miserable piece of work (if I’m being kind). I felt like I was going crazy and I was so frustrated all the time, and then felt guilty for being mad at my baby. Turned out he was cutting 6 teeth at the same time! Yikes! We also had some big transitions happening at that time (we sold our house and were living with family) so I don’t know if any big things are changing for him, or if he’s cutting any teeth, but I know teething and big life changes really changed my toddler for a while. Thankfully he’s back to normal (well he’s cutting his 2 year old molars now, but we are so close to being done) now and is my sweet happy boy again.
I hope this helps, or at least provides some comfort to you that I totally understand how challenging it can be. You are not alone!
I’m new to this and don’t know if this is an open forum for the comments section, but I have a suggestion. My girl 15 months as well has slept through the night since she was born… she struggles when it comes to naps as in she refuses to nap. Anyway, my girl loves music, she even dances to commercials, that said I have a CD from one of the personalization companies (not an ad) but it says her name throughout the good morning song. I play it every morning and we dance or i hold her and we sing it. It makes her happy and it gives us a bonding moment at the start of her day.
Our little girl is turning 2 in a few days and we’ve been working on her sleep (going to sleep mostly) for 14 months!!!! We used the timed method successfully when she was around 10 months but at 11 months I ended up in a parent infant unit with bad PND and she completely regressed. We’ve been trying the in/out method (go in at peak distress, calm then leave) for months but our strong willed little girl is still trying to control the situation, eg. She throws her comforter out then cries for it or hides it under herself then cries for it. For some reason she’s great for her naps. She’ll sit in the cot and read or talk to herself for however long and then fall asleep on her own but nighttime is a whole different ball game! Do you know why this would be?
We used CIO last night for the first time and she was hysterical for 45 minutes then finally went to sleep. We’ve literally tried everything and feel this is the only way to ensure she has no control. We’re hoping it works!!!
Hi @Belinda, thanks for writing to us! I’m sorry you’ve been struggling so much but I’m glad you did see some success last night! I had to resort to CIO with my strong-willed child too for the same reasons you mentioned. Now he goes to sleep far easier than my other son (that is much easier in every aspect, haha). You are teaching her a valuable skill she will be glad she has later, for sure! I hope the good nights continue!
Hi. My nephew is over 3 years old and still struggles to sleep through the night. He would wake up at night and walk to his parents room and bed at any time of the night, sometimes he would fall asleep instantly some other times he would ask for being rocked or wouldn’t fall back asleep again. From what I know he had a sleep routine. My sister is desperate! Does the typical sleep training work at that age or not anymore.
Hi Anna,
Thank you for using The Baby Sleep Site as a resource! I’m so sorry to hear your sister has been struggling with sleep for so long. However, we do work with 3 year-olds (and on up to kids about age 6!) all the time, and would absolutely love to help. You can check out our sleep consultation packages here: https://www.babysleepsite.com/baby-toddler-sleep-consulting-services/
Or we do have a toddler sleep eBook if your sister is more DIY here: https://www.babysleepsite.com/5-step-system-toddler/
Hope this helps, and good luck to you both!
Hi there. My name is Mary and I have a 22-month old who managed to climb out of his crib at 16 months. Since then, it’s been a struggle to get him to sleep at night. He takes one nap right after lunch for about 1.5-2 hours, but can’t settle down for the night until 9pm, and then proceeds to wake up constantly from 1:00am onwards. He is waking up for the day anywhere from 5:00am to 6:30am. Not only are we stressed and exhausted, but I’m worried that the lack of consistent sleep at night is not good for his development and health! Not sure if your services can help with a situation like this. I tried a sleep trainer earlier this year but once he figured out how to get out of that crib it was game over. 🙁
Hi Mary,
Thank you for your comment on The Baby Sleep Site! I’m sorry to hear you’re having so much trouble with your toddler’s sleep, but being the parent of a now 3.5yo who climbed out of the crib at 19 months, I feel your pain! Our consultants can definitely help with this issue, and in fact, it’s a pretty common one, so you are not alone! If you need help figuring out which consultation package is the best fit for your family, please email us at [email protected] and we’d be very glad to help. Good luck!
Hi there,
My son is just about to turn 1 and has been a catnapper his whole life. He started sleeping through the night at about 5.5 months with the help of solids & some sleep training (11-12 hours, thank God) but his catnapping has continued (despite the same sleep training). He’s been on 2 naps for a while but still only for between 30-50min (the former when at daycare 2 days a week). He’s always been grumpy when he wakes & the days he naps at home we go into his room before he wakes from the 1st cycle & resettle him, which usually gets him through to the 1hr10-20 mark (this doesn’t work at daycare for the carers).
I’m writing to ask whether you think teaching him to sleep independently will help him sleep more during the day (we don’t care how much longer, as long as he’s able to sleep as much as he needs/wants), & whether he’ll naturally lengthen his nap once he drops down to one? My worry is that he’ll just do 1 x 30-60min nap all day when he gets to that & that bedtime will be way too early.
General sleeping schedule is
5:30/6am wake up
1st nap 3hrs after waking
2nd nap 4hrs after waking
Bedtime 3-4hrs after waking (usually at 6pm)
The sleep training we tried at 5.5months was CIO at the insistence of a nurse – results were: worse day naps (15min naps!) & better night sleep (sleeping through). We then just patted him to sleep in his cot which is what we still do until now, & is how we resettle him during his day naps. He does seem quite dependent on it for his sleep though.
@Michelle – Thank you for reading and for commenting. Managing a toddler’s schedule can sure be tricky – especially at this age – so we understand your pain. Generally, we find that sleep does consolidate and lengthen once kiddos learn to sleep independently though this can take a bit of time as you work consistently on his sleep. Please let us know if we can be of any help throughout this process as we regularly work with families of toddlers on improving day and night sleep and would love to work with your family as well. Hang in there, Michelle!
Hi. I have a 20 month old who sleeps 9:00-7:00 and usually takes 1 nap from 1:00-4:00. However on Monday and Wednesday, I have to take my 3 year old to school and pick her up at 11:15 and my 20 month old falls asleep in the car. He gets fussy off and on throughout the day and I was wondering if this schedule needs to be adjusted for his age. Any advise would be appreciated. Thanks!
Hi @Sarah, thanks for writing to us. I feel you on the struggle of car naps!!! They are such a disaster aren’t they? It is certainly a challenge and you may find as your baby gets a bit older he will adjust and be able to stay up a little longer and will make it for the drive. You may consider an earlier bedtime if your family’s schedule allows to get him some extra hours in the 24 hour period, which may help with his fussiness. If you need any extra help, let us know! We are happy to help.