https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sun, 05 Apr 2026 17:30:39 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-sleep-hell#post-2601398 Tue, 09 Aug 2016 19:32:34 +0000 erinbaderin 2601398@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We've been dealing with this too. I blamed it on the new baby but it's been almost five months now - he won't go to sleep on his own, we have to stay with him, and it usually takes him 60-90 minutes to settle down and go to sleep. I've been wondering if he needs to stop his nap because on the days where he has a short 45 minute nap he goes to sleep easily (although we still have to stay with him) but he's pretty grumpy/weepy by dinner. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-sleep-hell#post-2601371 Tue, 09 Aug 2016 18:47:53 +0000 gilmoregirl 2601371@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Switching him out of the crib helped for us. He still stalls, but there is usually no screaming. He will sometimes get out of bed and play wth books or toys, but I've never discouraged that since it cuts down on nearly all bedtime antics for us. He doesn't actually sleep in his bed though - he prefers to sleep on this giant floor pillow in his room and I've decided to just let it all go. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-sleep-hell#post-2601290 Tue, 09 Aug 2016 16:31:41 +0000 fussygal 2601290@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs D: Lavender is a good idea! I actually just threw away an old rollerball I found the other day...should have kept it!</p> <p>@avivoca: We're hopefully moving in the next 6 months and want to wait until then to get her a big girl bed, but we might have to do it a bit earlier! I think she'd be really into the idea of picking out her bedding, but I don't trust her to stay in bed quite yet haha.</p> <p>@gotkimchi: Sorry you're dealing, too! DD takes forever to fall asleep lately so I usually bring my Kindle in there and wait for 30 minutes for her to pass out - I wish it was 10 mins! The fairy idea is cute! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-sleep-hell#post-2601241 Tue, 09 Aug 2016 15:10:21 +0000 Modern Daisy 2601241@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>DS doesn't really do this but when he tries to stall bedtime we typically threaten to leave without books if he doesn't stop. That usually does the trick but we have let him cio when he is overtired and tantrumming about going to bed. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-sleep-hell#post-2601238 Tue, 09 Aug 2016 15:01:16 +0000 gotkimchi 2601238@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We are dealing with this as well including increased night wake ups. I've been sitting with her for her to fall asleep but basically I tell her if she wants me to stay she has to sleep. This has reduced the time to about 10 min for me. So no funny business if she wants me in there. Much faster then the 45 min with the stalling. We also have started telling her a sleep fairy will leave something under her pillow but she has to go to sleep and stay in bed. That has been helping and I've been shoving something cheap under her pillow - sticker or eraser etc </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-sleep-hell#post-2601235 Tue, 09 Aug 2016 14:59:36 +0000 avivoca 2601235@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It's actually gotten better for us now that we transitioned to a big girl bed! So there's that. She does stay in her bed, but she likes it much more than the crib. The mattress is much nicer lol and she got to pick out her sheets/bedding. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-sleep-hell#post-2601234 Tue, 09 Aug 2016 14:58:33 +0000 Mrs D 2601234@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We went through this right around 2.5-2.75 years old...we just had to ride it out...</p> <p>We tried the sympathy route (while not letting her play us)...then we went to cry it out (awful for 2-3 nights) and then it just went away,,,</p> <p>We did have some triggers we had to get rid of (a lamp that projected a "creepy" shape on the wall) and we had to let her touch the fan a few times so she knew it was a "funny fan" not a "scary fan"...plus I started using a rollerball of lavender oil on her spine too...</p> <p>Good luck! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-sleep-hell#post-2601232 Tue, 09 Aug 2016 14:51:15 +0000 fussygal 2601232@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>What. Is. Happening?</p> <p>I know it's common for kids to ramp up the bedtime antics as they get older, but our 2.5 year old setting a whole new standard for herself. She has been a great sleeper since we did sleep training at 8 months old; minimal wake ups, happily went to bed without a peep, etc. But for the past six weeks she's been slowly trying to stall bedtime. Usually we were able to nip it in the bud quickly and get her down, but for the past 5-6 days she's also started screaming and yelling at the TOP of her lungs as soon as we go to place her in her crib. She wants us to hold her as she falls asleep or sit in her chair while she sleeps in her crib. We've indulged this a few times for our sanity, but I know it can't go on like that. </p> <p>I assume it's some sort of separation anxiety, and I want to be sensitive to her while also making sure she knows she can't play us to get her way. I've tried incentivizing bedtime with a sticker chart (that wasn't appealing to her) and I've told her that she doesn't have to sleep, but needs to read quietly in her crib (also didn't work).</p> <p>Is this one of those situations that you just had to ride out or did you find a trick that helped ease the bedtime crazies? :bummed: </p>