https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sun, 12 Apr 2026 10:47:20 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-sleep-and-diaper-issues#post-2805766 Fri, 23 Feb 2018 10:19:59 +0000 snowjewelz 2805766@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Hmm for us it was the nap. She stopped napping a few months before she turned 3 and ever since she passes out within 5-10 minutes at 8pm. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-sleep-and-diaper-issues#post-2805760 Fri, 23 Feb 2018 10:00:05 +0000 Mrs. Goose 2805760@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My first dropped the nap at 2.5 and it cut the bedtime awake time from 30-60 minutes down to 5-15 and moved bedtime an hour earlier. Downside....no more naps. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-sleep-and-diaper-issues#post-2805752 Fri, 23 Feb 2018 09:30:15 +0000 kce56 2805752@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Thank you all so much for the thoughtful and helpful advice. We will certainly be implementing some of these strategies in the days to come!! Actually had a better night last night, so here's hoping things are on the up...</p> <p>Thanks again, mamas! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-sleep-and-diaper-issues#post-2805707 Thu, 22 Feb 2018 21:01:01 +0000 misolee 2805707@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Have you tried moving her bedtime later? </p> <p>Is she still napping? My daughter dropped her nap at 3.5 and it helped sleep at night much better </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-sleep-and-diaper-issues#post-2805699 Thu, 22 Feb 2018 20:11:04 +0000 SweetCaroline 2805699@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Oh mama. Toddler bedtime battles might be one of the most frustrating.</p> <p>Here's what has worked with us in the past (we've had several different phases of bedtime battles):</p> <p>-We leave the door open at bedtime otherwise she freaks the hell out. She knows that if she leaves her bedroom, she will get her binky taken away. You can use any lovey, stuffy, etc. With DD the first time was hell, but after that she knew we meant it.</p> <p>-We break out the magnesium oil and spray it on her feet. We call it "magic sleep spray". Magnesium is essential to healthy sleep.</p> <p>-Diffuse lavender oil, sprinkle it on a corner of the sheets, or toss a few drops into the humidifier.</p> <p>-Make a big "nest" out of several blankets piled up on top of DD. I make a big show out of it, tuck them in underneath her body and call her my baby bird. She loves the nest and doesn't want to leave it or ruin it by moving. I also think the weight of the blankets helps calm her down. I peel a couple blankets off her when I go to bed.</p> <p>-Warm Epsom salt bath before bed time. Heating their little bodies up a little and then cooling them down makes them sleepy. Epsom salts are a good way to get some magnesium into their systems.</p> <p>-Do a general review of what is going on the hour or so before bedtime. What is the lighting like? Is it dim and relaxing or bright and stimulating? What is the noise level like? What is being eaten and drank? Is the TV on? I like to review all these things and try to figure out what habits and routines I can tweak.</p> <p>Good luck mama! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-sleep-and-diaper-issues#post-2805692 Thu, 22 Feb 2018 19:01:56 +0000 wrkbrk 2805692@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@peachykeen: This blanket trick is also a great idea! I’m saving these tips! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-sleep-and-diaper-issues#post-2805691 Thu, 22 Feb 2018 19:00:44 +0000 wrkbrk 2805691@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@kce56: Not sure about the diaper thing but sixes are tight on my two year old so maybe your dd thinks they’re too small? Maybe pull-ups are bigger? We haven’t gotten to that stage yet ...</p> <p>Regarding the sleep issues my friend swears by essential oils on the bottom of her kids’ feet. Maybe that and sticking to a very predictable routine will help her wind down. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-sleep-and-diaper-issues#post-2805690 Thu, 22 Feb 2018 18:59:11 +0000 wrkbrk 2805690@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs.Someone: Ooo good idea! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-sleep-and-diaper-issues#post-2805689 Thu, 22 Feb 2018 18:58:55 +0000 wrkbrk 2805689@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@gingerbebe: I think I said this before but I love your pop up tent idea so much I’ve recommended it to three other people! And we will be getting one when it’s time for a toddler bed. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-sleep-and-diaper-issues#post-2805645 Thu, 22 Feb 2018 15:02:07 +0000 Mrs.Someone 2805645@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>When bedtime gets out of control, we try a “reset” with 3ish days of melatonin. I get the Ozzzz brand on Amazon. They usually help my son fall asleep in 10-15 minutes. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-sleep-and-diaper-issues#post-2805643 Thu, 22 Feb 2018 14:58:50 +0000 peachykeen 2805643@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Is she in a crib or bed? We went through this with DD1 (just turned 3.5) and it's only finally starting to get better. She was still in a crib until mid-October when we transitioned her to a toddler bed. </p> <p>While in the crib, we made sure we asked her about each thing - potty, water, blankets, kiss, etc - and then told her we weren't coming back and she needed to go to sleep. If we needed to, we just ignored her after 1-2 reminders. </p> <p>She did well in the toddler bed for the first few weeks and then realized she could get up and come out to the landing. So we had an issue again with her staying in her bed and the thing that has worked best has been getting her a big twin-sized comforter for her toddler bed (I tuck the extra under the mattress). She feels more "tucked in" this way than she did with her removable blankets and I think she also feels more grown-up since it's like our bed or a hotel. </p> <p>We also switched DD to pull-ups to try to encourage her to help her feel more grown-up, but she's been out of diapers during the day for 1.5 years now so that may have been part of the problem for us. </p> <p>I think they partly just need to grow out of it, but it sure is frustrating! Hope </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-sleep-and-diaper-issues#post-2805640 Thu, 22 Feb 2018 14:52:16 +0000 gingerbebe 2805640@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>So this is a long response because we just went through this. DS1 is 3.5 years old and my more high strung child. His room is directly across from our 21 month old, who just passes out at bedtime.</p> <p>One thing that has really helped DS1 is sensory deprivation. Always has. He has always had white noise and blackout curtains and slept in a pitch black room. And prior to the bed conversion, he actually slept in a Privacy Pop tent as a floor bed. He really loved it. But DS2 will need it soon and we knew he needed to move to a real bed at some point, so we bit the bullet recently.</p> <p>When we transitioned to a big boy bed, it was like, everything was too open, everything was accessible and he couldn't shut his brain off to just lay there and go to sleep. He wanted to switch the lights on and off, get in and out of bed, turn OFF his white noise machine, look out the window, etc.</p> <p>Our solution has been an Ikea Kura bed with the house bed tent that goes on top of it. Its like a covered wagon over his bedframe. Don't as me WHY making a tent/cave thing helps, but its been enormously helpful. He used to mess around requiring us to go back in there multiple times until like 1030pm like you, but now he's usually asleep by about 830pm, 9 on a bad night. Our monitor has a speaker function where we can talk to him through the camera, so we just bark at him to go to sleep and he complies. </p> <p>As to the diaper thing, our son is day trained but sleeps in a pull-up because that night-wetting enzyme hasn't kicked in for him yet so he wakes up wet about half the time. The problem for us was that he REALLY disliked pooping in his pull-up and as soon as he did (usually mid-nap or early in the morning), he would start freaking out. At the very least he was up for good. At the very worst, he was pulling off his pull-up and making a HUGE mess. But he for sure cannot handle the freedom to roam to the bathroom by himself at night or otherwise.</p> <p>So we installed what we jokingly call the "prison toilet" in his room. Our son does not like little kid potties and prefers the adult toilets, so we got this potty that looks like a real toilet for his bedroom. It even makes a flushing noise.</p> <p> <a href="http://a.co/7U7QOY7" rel="nofollow">http://a.co/7U7QOY7</a></p> <p>We put it on top of a puppy pad and told him if he needs to use the potty when he's in his room, he can go ahead and try. If he needs help or needs us to wipe him, he can yell help and we'll hear him (either over the monitor or just in general we can always hear him because he's loud AF). After a few days of being intrigued, but unsure, he was totally on board. Now if he needs to poop, he just goes and then either goes back to sleep or he just quietly plays in his room. He's recently also started to try wiping himself (we keep wipes next to the potty), so that's pretty neat. We just kept repeating that we had to leave our pull-up on and that we don't touch the poop and yell for mommy and daddy to come help. (Except he doesn't - he just poops and carries on with his life). </p> <p>We tried installing a touch light on to his wall for him to use to see the toilet by but he was just turning it on and off all night so we got rid of it and installed this projector nightlight:</p> <p><a href="http://a.co/h4pcVMq" rel="nofollow">http://a.co/h4pcVMq</a></p> <p>It makes a very clear, fun image on the wall or ceiling, but its actually not very bright of a light. It creates just enough of a glow to see to his potty, but especially with his tent, it doesn't keep him awake. He likes to lay in his bed and open his tent and peek at his Paw Patrol friends and then go back to sleep.</p> <p>We childproofed and removed everything in his room aside from some mentally stimulating toys/games. He has a few books to choose from, a small set of Paw Patrol figurines he can make believe with, and like one puzzle or memory card matching game. If he wakes early he just gets up and starts playing one of those things and we don't really hear a peep out of him until we get him. </p> <p>We do have a doorknob cover on his knob so he doesn't wander around the house bugging his brother or getting into trouble. He hasn't really fought that with us.</p> <p>[attach=1472/18/p4khv4.500x500.kura-bed-tent-with-curtain-white__0514067_PE639321_S4.JPG] </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-sleep-and-diaper-issues#post-2805636 Thu, 22 Feb 2018 14:37:32 +0000 jennlin821 2805636@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I don't have any help with the 'sleep training' just sending you good luck. </p> <p>For the diaper, have you thought about trying cloth diapers? We use the Grovia O.N.E.S. for overnight (DD is 14mo) and they are soft fleece-like material inside. </p> <p>Good luck and keep us posted! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-sleep-and-diaper-issues#post-2805628 Thu, 22 Feb 2018 13:59:44 +0000 kce56 2805628@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We’ve having issues with our almost three-year-old DD and am looking for some advice. She has always been my more difficult child and was never a great sleeper, but things have taken a turn for the worse. </p> <p>After we put her down at bedtime (around 7:30), she plays quietly for about an hour in her room and then things start ramping up. She cries, carries on, makes requests (diaper change, more milk, a tissue, etc.) and generally does not want to go to sleep. If we go upstairs to attend to her, she screams bloody murder when we leave her room and will. Not. Stop. We sleep trained her as a baby, but it seems to have “worn off” if that’s a thing. We’ve tried ignoring her, but she cries and screams for what feels like forever—and I’m trying not to disturb my older child in the process. Last night, after “putting her to bed” at 7:30, she didn’t actually fall asleep until 10:30. We’ve tried encouraging naps, removing naps, punishment—even staying in her room with her, which doesn’t work because she gets excited and just wants to play. </p> <p>Another issue—related or not. She’s constantly complaining about her diaper, that it’s not comfortable. She pulls at it, sticks her hand “down there,” doesn’t want to wear pants, etc. There’s no redness or urination pain—just discomfort. We have been trying to potty train her, but she hasn’t quite gotten the hang of it yet. I spoke to the ped and they seemed to be at a loss, too. </p> <p>I’ve been a lurker on these boards forever, and now I’m exhausted and in desperate need of help. Any advice or thoughts would be appreciated! </p>