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Here’s a myth that needs to be debunked: sleep problems go away when babies grow into toddlers. After working with over 40,000 families we’ve learned that’s simply not true! Yes, some babies will outgrow their sleep problems, but far more babies who take short naps and wake often at night simply grow into toddlers who take short naps and wake often at night.
Here’s something else: while some sleep problems are universal, regardless of your baby’s age, other sleep problems are unique to toddlerhood. That’s why it’s key to know what kinds of sleep issues you may be facing as your baby enters the toddler years. Keep reading to learn the top 9 toddler sleep problems, and how to cope.
9 Common Toddler Sleep Problems (And How To Cope With Them)
- Jack-in-the-box behavior
Once your toddler is out of his crib and into a big-kid bed, you’ll most likely have at least a little bit of what we call jack-in-the-box behavior. Your toddler will spring out of bed, and you’ll have to tuck him back in. For some toddlers, though, this problem is incredibly persistent! To deal with this, simply out-persistent your persistent child. Do what we call the “silent return to bed.” EVERY time your child gets up, calmly and quietly return him to bed. Don’t engage, or let your child see you upset. If your toddler can get a reaction out of you, he’s more likely to repeat the behavior. - Short (or missed) naps
There are several big nap transitions during toddlerhood! Your toddler will transition from two naps to one nap at around 15-18 months, and then your toddler will be done napping somewhere between 3 and 4 years of age. These nap transitions can take quite a toll; many toddlers will have short, late, or skipped naps during the transition phase, which can lead to overtired crankiness and bedtime drama. To deal with this, you can use the tips in our nap transition article, available to our Baby Sleep Site® VIP Members Area subscribers. (Not a VIP member? Become one today!) - Bedtime (and nap time) stalling
Some toddlers are practically professional bedtime stallers. Just one more drink, just one more book, just one more kiss for all 50 of her stuffed animal friends….you get the idea! Take heart, though – while this is a very frustrating problem, it’s also incredibly common. To deal with bedtime stalling, check out the tips and techniques in our article, 5 Gentle Techniques for Managing Toddler Bedtime Stalling. - Separation anxiety
Separation anxiety first surfaces during babyhood, around 8-9 months. However, many parents see a resurgence around 18 months and then again around 2 years of age. Separation anxiety on its own is bad enough (because it is just plain heartbreaking to have to leave a sobbing baby at daycare drop-off!). But it can be a real problem at bedtime and nap time. For help with separation anxiety, take a look at this article on How To Handle Separation Anxiety and Sleep. - Bedtime anxiety and fear
Your toddler has a budding imagination, which is great! But that budding imagination can create bedtime fears, which in turn can make bedtime an anxious time. For more insights into why your child has nighttime fears, as well as how you can help alleviate those fears, check out this helpful article about nighttime phobias. - Wide-awake bedtime
Oh, man – I think all of us have dealt with this one! The clock says bedtime, you’ve gone through the bedtime routine….but your toddler is showing NO signs of being ready to sleep! This is a very common problem during toddlerhood, and it has to do with your toddler’s schedule. If your toddler still naps, then you may actually need a later bedtime, as opposed to an earlier bedtime. Toddlers who still take one afternoon nap, for example, need a full 5 hours of wake time between the end of the nap and bedtime. So if your toddler’s nap ends at 3:30, you’re looking at an 8:30 bedtime. For help with finding the ideal bedtime for your toddler, check out our free custom schedule maker. - Nightmares and/or night terrors
Remember that budding imagination I mentioned earlier, that causes nighttime fear and anxiety? Well, it also causes nightmares (and, for some toddlers, night terrors). Nightmares and night terrors are very, very common during the toddler years. However, they can be really tough on sleep (your toddler’s AND yours!). Fortunately, we have tips! Check out our nightmare and night terror series. - Middle-of-the-night munchies
This won’t affect every toddler, but it affects some. Many parents find, as their toddlers grow, that middle-of-the-night hunger becomes increasingly problematic. The reason? Simple – your toddler is growing and burning a lot of calories! This problem is usually fixed by a healthy bedtime snack – just be sure it is low in sugar, and be sure your toddler brushes his teeth afterward. You can see more tips for helping your toddler sleep through the night in this toddler sleep training article. - Early-morning waking
Again, this won’t be a problem for every toddler, but for some families, their toddler’s early waking becomes a huge problem. The causes behind toddler early waking are varied: some toddlers simply need less nap sleep (which translates into more nighttime sleep and a later wake-up time), while others wake early because their rooms are too bright (a problem which can be solved by black-out curtains). Still, other toddlers wake early because they are just excited to start the day! One thing that can really help in general with early waking is a toddler clock. These clocks display lights or symbols that let your toddler know when she should stay in bed, and when she should get up. We like the Okay to Wake clock, but there are many you could try.
Need Help With Toddler Sleep Problems? Look No Further!
Toddler sleep problems and toddler sleep training can be tough – but we can help! Connect with one of our expert consultants today! She’ll craft a Personalized Sleep Plan™ just for your toddler, walk you through every step of sleep coaching and schedule-making, and provide detailed answers to your most pressing sleep training questions.
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If you are tired of wading through stacks of baby sleep books that just aren't working, if you are beyond exhausted and just can't solve your child's sleep problems on your own...then personalized sleep consulting is for you. We have been around since 2008 and invite you to tap into our MANY years of experience. Our team of expert consultants will create a Personalized Sleep Plan® just for your family and then support you through every step of implementing your plan. We encourage you to consider our personalized, one-on-one baby and toddler sleep consultation packages if you want to see real, meaningful results now. Your consultation package also includes ample follow-up help, designed to help you troubleshoot problems and tweak your plan as needed.Learn More About Services
For those persistent nighttime struggles, check out The 3 Step System to Help Your Baby Sleep. Using the same unique approach and practical tools for success, this e-book helps you and your baby sleep through the night.
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If you’re looking for ways to get your baby or toddler into a healthy sleeping routine during the day, explore Mastering Naps and Schedules, a comprehensive guide to napping routines, nap transitions, and all the other important “how-tos” of good baby sleep. With over 45 sample sleep schedules and worksheets, Mastering Naps and Schedules is a hands-on tool ideal for any parenting style.
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For those persistent toddler sleep struggles, check out The 5 Step System to Help Your Toddler Sleep. Using the same unique approach and practical tools for success, this e-book helps you and your toddler sleep through the night and enjoy a better daytime schedule.
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Casey brown says
I NEED HELP! my 3 year old doesn’t really nap n stays up all hours of the morning as right now it 2:30am n he’s wide awake he won’t go to sleep until close to 5-6am he goes to sleep he’ll wake up around 10-11am. I’m so tried beyond tried and lose my mind of lack of sleep I have a 16 month old also a she wakes up also more then twice every night like last night woke up at 1:30am want to sleep after 5am this has been going on over a week plz plz plz help me
Debbye @ The Baby Sleep Site says
Hi @Casey – I am so sorry to hear that you are struggling with both of your toddlers!! Yikes! it sounds like you need some schedule help, and we understand how exhausting this must be for you, especially with two little ones waking!! Please consider signing up to be a subscriber of our Members Area, which gives you access to all of our e-Books as well as tele-seminar recordings, case studies, and do-it-yourself tutorials, and more! My favorite feature is the access to “members only” expert chat sessions, where one of our sleep consultants will answer your specific questions live via chatroom! The Members Area subscription is very affordable, and available in sizes to fit all budgets. This should give you some good insight on how you can help get your toddlers on a better schedule! Members also receive 20% off of ALL personalized sleep consultation services, should you find that you would like more personalized assistance. You can read more about our Members Area here: https://www.babysleepsite.com/diy/
Hang in there Casey, and please contact us if you need any assistance!
Blessing says
this reply isn’t helpful as you haven’t mentioned any solution asides signing up buying ebooks and all,I have similar problem with my 3 & 16 month olds..so how am I supposed to read the ebooks and attend classes when I can’t sleep and my head spins and aches from sleep deprivation due to my toddlers… how can I get my 3 year old especially to sleep through the night without keeping awake for hours
Janelle Reid says
Hi @Blessing, thank you for visiting the Baby Sleep Site. I’m so sorry to hear you are struggling with your 3 year old and 16 month old. I have two babies with a similar gap and I know it can be a struggle. We are a business so we do have lots of paid resources that go in-depth available for purchase on our site, but we also try to provide a lot of free resources which we know and hear help tons of families! Some just need a little more detail and one-on-one help which is how the Baby Sleep Site came to be in the first place (it was born out of sleep deprivation like you described yourself). If you’d like, please feel free to contact us directly via email at [email protected] and let us know what specific things you are needing help with and we will gladly point you in the direction of free articles, as well as paid resources if you need more details. I know how hard it can be to read a book when you are beyond exhausted, which is why we have many tele-seminars that you can listen to and also offer one-on-one consulting (we even do phone consults if you don’t want to type it all out). So please email us and we’ll be happy to explain our more options in detail to help you get the sleep you need and see what the best fit is. Hang in there!!
Shane williams says
your post is very helpful for me.. recently i married. thanks!
Debbye @ The Baby Sleep Site says
Hi @Shane – Thank you for visiting us! Congrats on your marriage! We hope that you can find our information helpful and informative! Thanks for reading!
Morgan Pugh says
My 2 yr old wakes about 3 hours after going to bed then wants to stay up.half the.night then up by 6 or 7 for the day what can I do so he will sleep all night.
Janelle Reid says
@Morgan Pugh – Thank you for writing to us. I am so sorry you have been struggling with your toddler’s sleeping schedule. We have a free guide with tips for toddler sleep because they can be so tricky! To access the free guide you can sign up to receive it here: https://www.babysleepsite.com/toddler-sleep-tips
If you need more detailed information and help, you may find our ebook all about toddler sleep provides a solution for you. You can view the different packages we offer the ebook in and purchase directly through our website here: https://www.babysleepsite.com/5-step-system-toddler/
I hope this helps get him back on track!
Susan Williams says
I recently got married. Your post will really help me.
I am afraid :/
Neosha says
@Susan – Thank you for stopping by our sleepy little village and congratulations on your recent marriage! We wish you all the best! Don’t be afraid – babies and toddlers may not be easy to figure out but they sure are cute, which makes up for it (mostly!) ! 🙂 We’re here to help with any sleep issues you encounter so please stop back in to see us if ever you need us!
Dafhne says
Hello, my 2 year old has developed a very bad sleeping routine. It started a year ago where he starting staying up late. He would sleep through no problem. But waking up late in the morning. Slowly this habit became normal for him. Now if he goes to sleep earlier then 10pm he wakes up a couple of hours later thinking it’s a nap and is up til early hours of the morning. Once back to sleep he wakes up later in the morning almost to lunch time. If he has a sleep in the afternoon he can stay up til midnight most nights then sleeps through til mid morning. I have tried waking him up early so that his nap is earlier in the day so by night time he’s worn out and goes down early but then he’s up again a couple of hours later thinking it’s play time and doesn’t go back to sleep til 2-4am. He’s at home with me so he’s not in childcare but I am running out of steam. I have 3 other children so I’m am having broken sleep every night all I want is to have sleep a normal night and get him into a good routine. But no matter what I do it doesn’t work. Any thought?
Janelle Reid says
@Dafhne, I am so sorry to hear you are struggling with your son’s sleep routine. Now that he is getting a little bit older and is able to understand more, it will be important as you try to make schedule changes to set limits with him so he knows night night is time for sleeping. Here is a link to an article with some tips for setting limits for toddler sleep:https://www.babysleepsite.com/toddlers/limit-setting-toddler/
You also may want to check out this article: https://www.babysleepsite.com/baby-sleep-patterns/4-times-wake-your-baby-sleep/
It sounds like you have tried the bulk of this article, but do remember that it takes time to reset our internal clocks, so whatever you try, I’d encourage you to be consistent at it for a while.
Lastly, I think you would really benefit from working with one of our sleep consultants on this. We have helped families in similar situations as you and would love to help get your son on a schedule that will work well with your life and your other children’s routines. You can view the packages we offer online here: https://www.babysleepsite.com/baby-toddler-sleep-consulting-services/
And you can always email us with more questions to select a package at [email protected]. Thanks for stopping by and using the Baby Sleep Site as a resource for sleep!
Lacy Bilardello says
Hi!
My daughter is currently 19 months and has never slept through the night. The sad part is that is not the reason we are having issues.
At about 13 months she would only take about 3 times a night, have a small bottle, and go right back to sleep, drinking it dry each time. Now, she is waking up at least 5 times a night, usually from about 1am-7am.
On top of this, just recently when it was time for bed she will (usually) fall asleep just fine, but then about 20 minutes later start screaming bloody murder and acting as though she is in pain, writhing or itching but it’s all over her body so she will tear up her neck itching and then move to her arm and chest and then act like when she passed gas it’s going to kill her and then move to grabbing at her vaginal area. It takes about an hour to get her fully back to sleep even though in that time she will be asleep and wake up multiple times within the hour.
I have taken her to the doctor and they don’t seem concerned. I have never in my life seen this from my other daughter or anyone else’s. I know she is currently getting a couple more teeth in but she has never acted this way with teething before.
Adrienne Lorence says
For the past month my 19 month old has been waking almost exactly 1 hour after falling asleep. It takes about 5 minutes to call her down. It doesn’t seem like night terrors because she cries out for me. We aren’t sure as to the cause though.
Danielle says
Hi Adrienne,
Thank you for your comment! I’m sorry to hear that you’re dealing with these night wakings. Often, a baby who is waking that soon after bedtime is dealing with a larger scheduling issue. It might be that she’s napping too much, or that nap is ending too close to bedtime, or alternatively, it’s possible she’s waking due to overtiredness if she’s been up too long. We have a sample toddler schedule here: https://www.babysleepsite.com/schedules/toddler-schedule/
You want the one nap version.
The other possibility is that there is some disturbance in your house that is waking her at a specific time every night. You could try going into her room ten minutes or so before you expect her to wake – does the furnace kick on? Does a neighbor’s alarm go off? It may be something you wouldn’t notice from outside the room.
I hope this helps, but please let us know if we can help further! Thanks for using The Baby Sleep Site as a resource.
Stacy says
Hi my 14 month old son. Has not slept through the night since birth. Some nights he only wakes once but other nights it might be 4 or 5 times a night. Or when he wakes he never fully goes back to sleep. His bedtime is 7 and he takes a 2 hour nap around 10 or 11 n wakes at 12 or 1. Then he goes to bed at 7. He is up n down all night then up between 3 and 5 am for the day.
I need help I am so exhausted. What do I do? Also he was just diagnosed with autism.
Emily DeJeu says
@ Stacy – I’m so sorry you’re going through this! This sounds tough indeed 🙁 For starters, I’d say that, given that he hasn’t slept through the night since birth, he likely has some sleep associations. Can you tell me how your son falls asleep? Does he need help from you in some way to get to sleep? It may be that some sleep coaching is in order.
If you do decide to sleep coach, this free toddler guide may help: https://www.babysleepsite.com/toddler-sleep-training-secrets-free-ebook/
That said, the autism diagnosis is a factor, too. ASD does impact sleep. These resources may be a good starting place for you:
https://www.babysleepsite.com/sleep-disorders-2/autism-sleep-interview/
https://www.babysleepsite.com/sleep-training/how-autism-spectrum-disorders-affect-sleep/
We do have a sleep consultant who is also a former behavioral specialist who worked with children with ASD. So if you did decide you wanted personalized help, you could request her help and know you were getting sleep coaching help that would work with your son’s diagnosis.
Hope this helps, Stacy! Good luck to you.
Emily DeJeu says
Hi, Stacy – Just got an email from our CSR team that your son isn’t falling asleep alone at bedtime, but is instead falling asleep with you lying next to him. This is no doubt a root cause of the sleeping problems. The primary goal of sleep coaching would be to help your son learn how to fall asleep without you lying next to him. However, the way you approach sleep coaching will be influenced considerably by his diagnosis. This said, I’d strongly suggest you consider a personalized sleep consulting package with Sarah. She has experience in working with families whose children are on the ASD spectrum, and she’d be able to tailor your Personalized Sleep Plan to meet your son’s unique needs. Hope this info helps, Stacy!
MJ says
Hi, my daughter is doing a lot of fussing and calling for Mommy at nap time and bedtime, and I would like to know if there is something I could be doing to improve the situation.
Starting about 21 months, my daughter began taking a long time to fall asleep at night (bedtime 7pm). Still falling asleep peacefully and not crying, just rolling around and talking for 30 minutes to an hour every night. We moved her bedtime to 7:30, and did not notice a big change. We then immediately moved bedtime to 8:00 (so my husband would have more time to see her at night), and she began briefly crying and waking at night (may have been 2 year sleep regression). So we moved bedtime back to 7:30, but she was still waking briefly at night (like 8 or so times). This may have been the 2-year sleep regression.
Right after we moved her back to 7:30 bedtime, family visited (right at 22 months), and the first night of their visit she fought bedtime HARD (crying and jumping in bed) and it took her 2 hours to finally konk out. (I went in and and briefly soothed her every 10 minutes or so and her crying would wax and wane, but she did not fall asleep for 2 hours.) This night also began a period of dramatic separation anxiety. Since then (two full months), she has fought at nap time and bedtime every time, screaming for Mommy and jumping like a monkey in her crib for typically 10 to 20 minutes. The waking at night continued for a few more weeks and then stopped, and now the daytime separation anxiety has eased noticeably. But the nap and sleep fighting really bothers me and I don’t want it to become a permanent problem.
So my question is, does this sound like sleep stalling, separation anxiety, or a scheduling problem? She wakes about 7, takes a 1.5 to 2 hour nap at 12:30 (waking 2:30-3:00), and bedtime is 7:30. She sleeps a solid 11ish hours at night. She is reasonably happy during the day, although she wakes up sobbing for Mommy more than half the time. I stay home with her full-time and she has no siblings. We have happy little days. I can handle the crying if I’m doing the right thing to help her sleep and be as happy as possible, but I’d like to know if I could be doing to help her drift to dreamland peacefully.
Thank you!
Emily DeJeu says
@ MJ – wow, it sounds like you have your hands full! I am so sorry you are dealing with this. It sounds like you have a great handle on exactly what challenges you are facing, which is a great start. In terms of what exactly is causing the bedtime and nap time fights — I can’t say that there is a really easy-to-spot scheduling issue. However, you can read our usual toddler scheduling wisdom here:https://www.babysleepsite.com/schedules/toddler-schedule/
I would also direct you to our free toddler guide, found here: https://www.babysleepsite.com/toddler-sleep-training-secrets-free-ebook/ While some of that info may not be new to you, it does lay out a pretty good step-by-step approach to curbing problems like this. It may be that you need to take a modified sleep coaching approach to solve this problem; this guide should help you start on that.
Best of luck to you, MJ! Hope these resources are a good start for you.
Heather says
What about a toddler who wakes at night just for fun (or so it seems)? My son will be 3 in March, and has been waking almost every night for a month. He always has some silly excuse, like “I want a different blanket”, and he’s usually quite cheerful. We’ve tried sticker charts, we’ve tried rewards in the morning if he sleeps all night, etc. We try to be boring, but I think he just likes the company, and short of ignoring him (which would backfire because he’d just come into our room instead), I don’t know what else to do.
Emily DeJeu says
@ Heather – That does sound tough; sorry you’re dealing with this! Here’s an initial thought: it sounds like he’s pretty mobile at night, if he’s able to come in and out of your bedroom. One strategy some parents try is gating off the toddler’s bedroom door. If you did that, you could allow him to wake at night and move around his own room, but you wouldn’t run the risk of him wandering around the house or into your room. Sometimes, this provides toddlers the measure of control they need (after all, he can get out of bed) but it also limits his movements enough to ensure he’s safe. If you did this, you could respond less and less often to his nighttime waking (think of it as fading out your intervention when he wakes). Once he knows that he’s not getting much interaction w/ you at night, that might be all he needs to stop this behavior. Something to think about, anyway 🙂 Just a note that if you do try this, you’ll want to be sure to toddler-proof his bedroom really well, since there will be opportunities for him to wander around it unsupervised.
Hope this helps, Heather! Best of luck to you 🙂