Just when you thought it was over; we have another round of teething and not sleeping through the night with our 2 to 3-year-olds. And it's completely normal.
Let's start with the teething.
These kiddos are getting their very back molars... in order to grind up that delicious food, smile, and talk. Imagine the whole "saying CHEEEESE" thing without setting your molars on each other. It may be why some toddlers have that goofy grin at times.... they have a hollow space in their back gums.
All teething, especially this kind where the teeth are large but their mouths are small, can be painful. Sleeping is probably not on the agenda if they are in pain. Something to chew on (like a toothbrush or a long teether), pain reliever, and a great deal of snuggles help.
In addition... there is a 2.5-year-old sleep regression.
Why?
Well, they are growing, becoming more independent, realizing a little more how the world works.
And that can lead to such things as separation anxiety, fear of the dark, and even bad dreams. For some it can be a new baby in the home. Perhaps you see your toddler putting off bedtime as long as possible - "another story", "change my diaper", "I don't like these pajamas", "lay down next to me".
When they finally do fall asleep, they wake up at 3am. Ugh.
What can we do?
1. Be patient. Realized this is just a phase like the last sleep regression and they will grow out of it.
2. Do some research on how much sleep your child actually needs. Perhaps it's time to change the time they go to bed.
3. Be consistent with routines. Even if you decide to push your child's bedtime back by 30 minutes, you still want to keep the routine. Bath, brush teeth, 2 stories, etc.
4. At this age, children still do need naps. In fact, they probably need a nap more than they used to with the amount of information connecting in their brains. However, perhaps a 90-minute daily nap is all they need. Again, make it consistent, same time every day. (Easier said than done on the weekends!) Our naptime at school is generally 1-2:30.
I hope this helps! I know it can be very frustrating, but you parents are rock stars! You are all doing amazing with your littles.
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