How to Get a Toddler to Stop Waking Up in the Night

You expect to get up several times a night with a newborn. By the time your child becomes a toddler, however, you probably hoped that she would sleep through the night. Unfortunately, many parents find that they cannot rely on their child to learn how to sleep through the night on her own. Parents use many sleep training techniques to stop their toddlers from waking up in the middle of the night, from letting them "cry it out" to creating a family bed. Kim West's technique is less drastic than crying it out, but still teaches the child how to put herself back to sleep.

Instructions

    • 1

      Wait a minute or two when your toddler wakes up to see whether she will go back to sleep on her own. If not, go to your toddler's crib.

    • 2

      Calm your child verbally, rather than physically. If necessary, you can pat your toddler, but do not take him out of the crib.

    • 3

      Sit on a chair by your toddler's crib until she falls asleep, calming her as necessary, but not taking her out of the crib. Repeat this process for three nights before moving on to the next step.

    • 4

      Move the chair a few feet away from the crib and repeat the process. If your toddler cries, calm him verbally - or with soothing pats, if necessary - without taking him out of the crib, then return to the chair. Repeat this process for three nights before moving on to the next step.

    • 5

      Move the chair until it is right by the door and repeat the process for three nights before moving on to the next step.

    • 6

      Move the chair until it is right outside the door and repeat the process for three nights. Try to respond only verbally at this point as much as possible.

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