How do I get my toddler to go to sleep?!?

Question

And he is a breastfed toddler between meals.

Answer 1

try some teething tablets. a toddler may be going through teething, growing pains, becoming aware of needing to urinate, aware of darkness/light. many things...

make a regular routine each night beginning at least an hour prior to the time you'd like your child to be ASLEEP.

night snack, pick up toys, brush teeth, wash up, use toilet, put on night clothes and pullups. read stories together, put on soft music and sit close and pet his forehead while he/she falls asleep. no magic to it. this is all loving and practical for bonding and feeling secure each night. :)

Answer 2

Kids are routine junkies. I wonder how old your toddler is, but in any case, he's probably a routine junkie at heart!
I would first ask, if he doesn't have a nap during the day, does he get crabby? If not, he probably doesn't need a day sleep.
In that case having an afternoon routine is vital. You must be consistent at all times and remember that solving a sleep problem will take time.
Try http://www.parenthelpnet.com

and send me an email with some more info if you like. I'd love to help. My email address is on the page.

Cheers

Catherine
@
http://www.parenthelpnet.com/

Answer 3

This is what I found online for you:
It can be difficult getting an active toddler to go to sleep, but most children will respond to a comforting, consistent routine designed to help get them to sleep.
-"Tell the house goodnight - Find a good routine and stick to it. Tell all the things you see on the way to bed goodnight. Goodnight table, goodnight chairs, goodnight rug, etc. Finish by having the toddler instruct dolly to go to sleep - they love being in charge."
-"book worm - a great way to get them to fall asleep is give them books in their crib/bed to look at the pictures and soon they will drift to sleep., about 15 minutes after he/she falls asleep turn lights out. Make sure no earlier because babies can quickly sense change even during sleep."
-"How to get a toddler to sleep - I have had numerous problems due to my 15 month old son sleeping with me when he was an infant. So here is my routine we go through to keep problems away:

1. Joshua gets a bath.
2. I put his clothes and diaper on him. He is an allergy sensitive baby, so cotton sleepwear works best.
3. I heat up his bottle of milk.
4. I carry Joshua into the nursery and we sit down in the rocking chair and I feed him his bottle,while rocking him.
5. Joshua is almost asleep, so I gently ease the bottle out of his mouth. He whimpers a little, but stops. I lay him down in his crib on his back.
6. I make sure to put his pacifier, giraffe and blanket in the crib with him because he wakes up in the middle of the night wanting his pacifier.

This routine works best for me. I hope it helps you, too."

Answer 4

Keep him busy and active for a whole day. Don't let him take a nap, then put him to bed at his regular time. If he cries go in and stand in the doorway and look at him to make sure he is OK and then close the door and leave. Do not go in and pick him up, hug him, or make cute baby sounds to him. Don't reward him for staying awake. If he continues to cry just look at him and make sure he is OK but continue to not pick him up. When he goes to sleep you can check on him to make sure he is OK but be careful to not wake him up. Keep this up every night until he learns to fall asleep on his own when you put him to bed.
If he doesn't break you then you should have a child who will go to sleep when you put him to bed with a minimum of fussing.

Answer 5

Well if you are at home, what works for mine is a warm bath and then immediately after I put his pj's on I give him a bottle and he usually falls sleep in 45 minutes. And of course don't let them take naps after 4pm.

Answer 6

do not worry I have one of my own i have four kids so i been thru this before just try to make him/her do a lot of activities before bedtime things that involve exercising a little and about 30 mins. before give your baby a warm shower this will relax him and make it easier on you ;now the breastfeeding part will be a little harder but start by introducing a sippy cup and give him a little breastmilk in it....

Answer 7

1. Create a nighttime routine....ours is: bath, then lotion, nighttime diaper, 100% cotton pajamas. carried to the couch. cuddle with mom and have her snack: fruit/animal cookies/something like that and milk in sippy cup. to the kitchen. daddy holds her while I brush her teeth. kiss daddy goodnight. carry her up the steps. cuddle with her and hug/kiss her. lay her gently in the crib.......and RUN. if I stay in the room she freaks. If I leave, she is fine.

2. a "friend"......my daughter has this stuffed bunny that she LOVES. she only gets him at night and in the morning we say bye bye to bunny and leave him there. she literally sleeps with this bunny in a death grip. she does not feel alone in the crib when she has bunny and she is content to leave mommy and go cuddle with bunny. helps with transition.

3. Sleeping environment. cool room. soft cotton sheets. pillow (she is 15 months). nightlight so it is not pitch black. Fisher Price Aquarium plays soft music with the soft lights (no swimming fish). She cuddles up with her bunny to the soft glow/music of the aquarium and passes out on her own every night.

4. Consistency. she gets her bath every night at 7:15. her snack comes right after the bath, and she is in bed every night at 8pm sharp. weekdays she gets up at 6:30am and weekends she is up at 7am. she is very much on a good schedule with helps her little body shut down at night and she goes right to sleep.

good luck!!!

Answer 8

try a bottle of water. it wont rot his teeth and its comforting like your breast. Plus if you want to extract and have some free time then hes used to a bottle.

Answer 9

First of all, you breastfeed BETWEEN meals? Hopefully your child is not obese. Secondly, if you want your kid to go to sleep, put them in their crib and turn off the light.

Answer 10

lullaby???