How do I get my toddler to fall asleep faster?

FancyFrenchie

DS is almost 19 months and it takes foreverrrrrr to get him to fall asleep! We're talking 1 hour on average, 45 mins if he's super tired, and sometimes up to 1h30. He lies down, rolls over, crawls over (toddler bed) to the other side, lays down on his pillow, hugs his pillow, throws his pillow on the floor, plays with his zipper, claps his hands, babbles, does a version of downward dog, etc..

It's frustrating because I feel like he needs more sleep. As soon as I get home with him, it's dinner, bath, pjs, books, milk and bed. We dim the lights, play quiet music, etc, so he shouldn't be riled up. He has to get up at 7am for me to get to work, but the earliest I can lay him down based on the time I get home from work is 7pm or 7:30pm sometimes. So he's falling asleep anywhere between 8pm and 9pm and this is too late.

Any tips?!

SpiderSpray

I'm trying to figure out, too, how much sleep ds should be getting. He seems to suddenly (even aside from our other sleep issues) require less sleep all of a sudden. He loves to talk to himself forever - the other day was an hour of chatting himself up, alone, in his crib before a nap. A whole hour!

Guess our kids are just enjoying the quiet alone time right now? lol

drewiekc

Why do you feel like 8 or 9pm is too late?  Are you playing with him when you get home at all, or immediately starting a bedtime routine?  Will he play by himself in his bed once you put him in it, or are you staying in there with him?  Is he cranky when you get him up at 7 if he gets less than 12 hours of sleep?

He may just need a later bedtime.  We had been starting DD's bedtime routine around 7:30 with her being in bed by 8, but within the last month she's just naturally bumped it back on her own by about half an hour.  I also get her up at 7am so that we can take her to DC.  I feel like she's the best authority on how much sleep she needs at night, so I dont mind a slightly later bedtime.

You might try playing with him for a half hour or so when you get home or after dinner to tire him out before you start the bedtime routine.  After we eat we play with DD until it's bathtime, and she's always plenty ready to go to bed by then.

*Mindy*Marie79

I think it's something with the age and year. My other kids went to bed fine but my DS who is 1 1/2 will not go to bed easily. I'm lucky if he sleeps through the night, and usually don't go to bed until about 9:30 or 10p.... UGH!!! Good Luck!

cndmexbaby

Sounds like you're expecting him to sleep before his natural bedtime. Put him to bed later. He might get less sleep at night but if he gets a long nap then it's fine. 

hmp1

DS goes to bed between 8-8:30 and falls right asleep while I'm reading one story.  He wakes up anytime between 7 and 8. He takes a 2-3 hour nap everyday. I'm not concerned.

bride2be79

LOL!  I am laughing with you because I know exactly what you mean.  My DD taught herself to do a somersault in her crib during what was supposed to be bedtime.  She is also great at the downward dog move. 

I wish I had a solution for you but I don't.  My DD has always been like this.  It's gotten better as she has gotten older but it still takes her about 30 min to fall asleep on a good night.  Moving up her bedtime has never helped nor has moving it back.  Plus, like you DH and I both work so getting her into bed any early than about 7:30 is nearly impossible. 

Is your DS really smart and/or verbal?  My DD is super verbal and has been since a really early age and always was a super alert baby and toddler.  The best we have figured out is that it just takes her a long time to turn her little brain off and wind down because she is so turned on all day long.  The things that have helped some are having a very consistent routine and trying to be really calm during that routine.  I only turn on a small lamp in her room when we go up to do bath, books, etc and not the overhead lights.  The one thing that I have found that makes a big difference is how much she plays outside on a given day.  The more she plays outside (and I don't know why but outside is better than inside, I guess the sunlight or something) the more quickly she falls asleep.  Basically, exhaustion works best (but can make some things like dinnertime more difficult if she is too tired, it's a fine line.)   Good luck, I hope you find a solution!!

Quesera

hmp&mrj:

DS goes to bed between 8-8:30 and falls right asleep while I'm reading one story.  He wakes up anytime between 7 and 8. He takes a 2-3 hour nap everyday. I'm not concerned.

This is super helpful.

08summerbride

I have not advice, just writing to say I am in the same boat.  It takes DD anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour to fall asleep at night, and we are doing the same routine we have done since the beginning, bath, books, and bed. She does not fuss, just talks to herself non-stop. She talks about the most RANDOM stuff from the day or other days and sings to herself. We put her to bed at 7:30, and she usually gets up between 6:30 and 7:00 the next morning. I have tried putting her down around 8 once and it still took her just as long to fall asleep. I don't know if I should try a later bed time a few more times or just assume she takes a while to settle her self down.  

 It wasn't effecting her naps until last sunday when I put her down at 12:30 and she was still awake talking to herself at 2:00.  She has taken her normal naps every day since, so I am hoping it was just a fluke because I am not ready to give up the nap! 

 

AmericanInOz

i think the big question is - what time is he napping to?

my dd will play in bed for HOURS if she isn't awake for at least 5 hours between nap time and bed time - otherwise she's just not tired enough to go to sleep

so I don't let her nap past 2pm, then I know she'll go down at 7pm and get 12 hours sleep as we have to be up at 7am