Toddler Getting Enough Sleep?

All kids ae different, but I think you are right. It sounds like your son really may need a little more sleep and is fighting it. My daughter does the same and when I try to put her to bed later, she still wakes up early and is even crankier. Maybe you could give him a sippy cup with milk or water? It's not a bottle, but he may still sooth himself. My son who just turned 3 still gets a sippy cup of water at bedtime. There is just something about sucking for kids. I won't give him milk since he's in bed and I don't want to ruin his teeth, but he's happy with water.
It's worth a try...........good luck! I know a cranky toddler can be h*** o* mommy!!

I have 2 boys ages 6 and 3 and they are complete opposites too. My second son did the same thing around 2. He was already out of his crib though so he would come into our room and climb in bed. After a few minutes, he would ask for some milk or something to eat. I wasn't about to get up and get anything so I would tell him it was too early and still night time and that he had to go back to sleep. He has always been big for his age so I was pretty sure that he was actually hungry. I started giving him a snack before bed like peanut butter crackers, muffins, or applesauce and it seemed to help. He's 3 and a half now and sometimes will still ask for crackers or cheerios before he goes to bed. And he's ready for breakfast as soon as he wakes up every morning. On the other hand, my oldest eats like a bird some days, but always sleeps great night. We actually have to make him sit down to eat sometimes.

My younger daughter also was a restless sleeper and would wake in the wee hours of the morning absolutely ravenous. Since sleep is so critical to health, maybe he can have a very early something for breakfast, then go go back to sleep for an hour more?

It was interesting... with 5 children in the household, I saw 2 were early risers who were ravenous for breakfast, and 2 were late risers who really didn't want to eat much in the morning, and one was in-between.

But you are right to be concerned about whether he is sleeping enough.

Hi D.,

Have you tried to move his bedtime to earlier, not later? I have found with my daughter who is also a terrible sleeper that when she goes to bed earlier, she sleeps longer. We also put a sippy of water in her crib. I know that putting child to bed earlier sounds weird, but that is how a few mom's I know have worked out the issue.

I also agree with having a snack before going to bed. Waking up ravenous is not a lot of fun and if he is that hungry, then feeding him is your best option. It may also prevent eating issues down the road.

The book the Baby Whisperer has this strategy called 'Wake to Sleep' where you go in two hours before they usually wake up and just pat them until they barely wake up, then let them fall back asleep. Do this for 5 or 6 days and it should help move the time forward. We went through this with our son and her strategy worked for us.

If you're schedule allows, maybe you could break his nap into two one hour naps, even if you have to wake him after an hour.

sounds like he is just in a habit, kids tend to wake up once at a certain time...even in the middle of the night, then they continue. You have to figure out a way to get him to go back to sleep. Since he does not take a bottle anymore, does he take a paci? Maybe you can pick him up at 5am and rock him back to sleep or at least sleepiness. Worst case you can bring him to your bed to get him that last hour or two of sleep but then you are really setting yourself up for habit...he will enjoy that! I would try really hard to lay him down and rub his back and sing to him. shhh him and tell him it is time to go night night. Maybe put some blackout type curtains so his room is still dark at that time. Best case would be NOT to pick him up and lay him down and rub his back and sing him back to sleep. Anything you do will become a new habit so make sure it is something you want. Good luck

I have a toddler who is 21 months also and he seems to go through phases of not sleeping through the night or waking up extremely early and not going back to sleep. I would try making his bed time a little later if you can I know that cuts into time for just you believe I do I have 3 boys and one more on the way so I know that will be tough. But any way try a later bedtime for a while and see if that helps him any and if it does once he gets into the pattern of sleeping longer in the mornings maybe you can readajust things. Toddlers need schedules bad I'm not saying that you aren't doing that but maybe like a bath right before bed and then read to him and rock him or something so its just you and him for a few minutes might also help. Not sure if your son is going through this but mine is wanting me pretty much all this time and someone told me that it was a phase. I don't know if any of this will help but I hope it does and if you need to ask me any more questions please feel free. Good Luck!!