Sleep Training a Toddler: Is it Even Possible?!

Families are often surprised that I offer my sleep training services for children 14 weeks old all the way up to 24 months of age. That’s because many people believe the older a child is, the less likely it is that sleep training will actually work.

Often, families who are struggling with their baby’s sleep past the first year begin to lose hope that things will ever improve.

Yes, it’s true that a two-year-old is a very different creature than a 14-week-old.

By two years old, a child is much more self-sufficient. They are exploring the world with more agency, talking and interacting at an ever-increasing rate. New and wonderful aspects of their personality emerge each day.

At the same time, they are becoming increasingly determined. They are more apt to push back and test boundaries. They are beginning to show that they too, have an opinion. In no uncertain terms, this time is both crazy and magical.

After hearing this, it’s easy to assume that sleep training would be too difficult to attempt with a two-year-old.

Thankfully, sleep training not only works for older children, but if you choose the right method and you are consistent, it can work quickly!

This past spring, I worked with an amazing family with a 22-month-old son who still wasn’t sleeping through the night. Naps were consistently inconsistent, and he was chronically overtired.

Bedtime and naptime consisted of up to three hours a day of rocking him to get him to fall asleep. This daily routine was accompanied by frequent screaming, tears, and frustration.

They ended up co-sleeping out of pure exhaustion and desperation. Unfortunately, sharing a bed with their son created a host of new problems. Now both parents were unable to sleep well at night and Dad ended up moving permanently onto the couch.

Four months into their new sleeping arrangement, they were all unhappy, but unsure how to move forward.

A friend of theirs ended up hearing about Slumberly on a Boston radio program and told them to check us out. Mom reached out, explaining she was skeptical we could help, but that she was still clinging to hope.

She told me, “One night with him in our bed ended up every night in our bed! Then the cycle was impossible to break. He would cry so hard he would vomit. Nothing would soothe him but holding him or letting him sleep next to us.”

She and her husband decided on my In-Home Sleep Training service. Over the next few weeks, we got to know each other better over multiple phone calls and prep sessions.

When I arrived for the first night of sleep training, I could tell they were both anxious about the process. I spent my time preparing them for the night ahead. I reassured them they were doing the right thing, reminded them why they needed to change things, and emphasized how important sleep was for their whole family.

Night 1 and 2 were difficult for them (even Mom shed a few tears).

However, this strong-willed child clearly understood he needed more sleep. He was ready to sleep in his own crib. He quickly learned that HE had all the skills he needed to fall asleep.

This is what sleep training is, it’s the process of empowering a child to access their innate ability to fall asleep independently.

His parents were truly shocked when he slept through the night on Night 3, with only two 30-second wake ups. Since then, he has been consistently sleeping through the night.

After the process was over, Mom told me, “I feel like I am falling in love with my baby all over again.”

That right there is why I am so passionate about the work I do.

Sleep training enables family to establish boundaries around sleep that in turn give them freedom!

It not only increases everyone’s quality of life, but it also enhances the love between parents and the bond between parent and child.

If you have a child who is struggling to sleep, this story is for you. Please don’t lose hope and definitely don’t struggle alone. Reach out to family and friends for support.

And if you want to work with a professional sleep trainer who can guide you through the process from start to finish, contact me. It’s my passion to help families navigate the process of sleep training with clarity and confidence so that they can get the rest they need to flourish.