Sleep regressions are nothing to joke about! And by 24 months, you, errr I mean your baby, has had more than their fair share of them.
I have two pieces of good news for you:
- The 24 month sleep regression signifies the end of the “common” sleep regressions. That’s right! It’s the last of the official sleep regressions!! There is light at the end of the tunnel my friend!
- My second piece of good news is that in this post, I have everything you need to know about the 24 month sleep regression, what causes it, how long it lasts, and how to survive it while getting the most amount of sleep possible, and keeping your sanity intact.
What is the 24 month sleep regression?
What causes the 24 month sleep regression and how long does it last?
How to survive the 24 month sleep regression
So grab yourself a cup of coffee and let’s get you through the last official sleep regression, so you have more time to focus on all the other stresses. Such as the first day of kindergarten. Or going off to college. Or maybe just what you’re going to make them for dinner tonight that won’t end up all over the floor.
What is the 24 month sleep regression?
The 24 month sleep regression is when, around 2 years old, your toddler’s sleep starts to fall apart.
This usually looks like fighting, or refusing naps, however it can also be a time when nighttime sleep is impacted. By this I mean…
- Fighting bedtime (How many glasses of water could their tiny body possibly need in order to sleep??)
- Middle of the night wakings (Was it really a bad dream or was it a “bad dream”?)
- Early morning wakings (How young is too young to be allowed to make their own breakfast? Asking for a friend….)
I know, fun, right?!
Not really.
Like I said though, this is the last “common” sleep regression, so hang in there and read on to find out what you can do to get through it in the shortest amount of time possible.
What causes the 24 month sleep regression and how long does it last?
As with most sleep regressions, the 24 month sleep regression is caused by your toddler going through big developmental changes. This is a time in their life when their imaginations are beginning to develop, they are learning to assert their independence even more, and their FOMO starts to skyrocket!
They pretty firmly decide that they don’t want to sleep and there are 1000 other things they would rather be doing. They also become the CEO of stalling bedtime and the master at convincing you they don’t need to nap. They can also be EXTREMELY persuasive at 2 am….
The 24 month sleep regression should only last a few weeks, however the timeline can largely dependent on your ability to set clear boundaries, and maintain a consistent sleep routine.
How to survive the 24 month sleep regression
Naps
Your first instinct may be to drop your toddler’s nap. This is a very common assumption, however don’t do it!! I highly recommend not dropping the nap until your child is two-and-a-half to three years old. When that time comes, you can read all about how to drop that nap and turn it into a “quiet time”, on my blog post “When Do Toddler’s Stop Napping?”.
The best thing you can do to survive the 24 month sleep regression is to continue to provide the time and space for your little one to take their nap. I suggest setting and maintaining clear expectations around what nap time looks like. It also helps if you can come to terms with the fact that you cannot MAKE your toddler take a nap. however, you can set boundaries around what nap time looks like.
For example, your expectations could be that they stay in their room, with the door closed, for 1 hour. It’s okay if they don’t go to sleep as this time still gives them a relaxing environment where their brain can rest and reset. If you continue to provide this time and space, then more often than not, they start napping again after a few weeks.
Early Morning Wakings
Another strategy I have for surviving the 24 month sleep regression, is to introduce an “okay to wake” clock. This is such a great tool that can help with both early morning waking and nap issues. The way these clocks work is to teach your little one that it is not time to get up yet until the light turns on.
I really love the Hatch because you can control the light from your phone. Another good option is this “ok to wake” clock. It generally takes a week or so for your toddler to learn that it’s not time to wake up until the light comes on. So when they wake up early and see that the light is not on yet, they learn to go back to sleep.
Some toddlers just chill happily in the crib until the light comes on (and over time start going back to sleep) and for others there may be some protesting during this learning. The way you handle this protesting totally depends on you and your baby. Some toddlers do best with being given some time and space to figure it out, whereas others do better with check-ins from you to reassure them that you are there and love them, and to remind them of the expectation and that the light is not on yet.
Night Wakings
If your toddler is waking up in the middle of the night, and suddenly not able to go back to sleep, it likely has to do with separation anxiety and/or nighttime fears. As we mentioned above, this is the time in your little one’s life where their imaginations are beginning to develop, and with this comes the development of fears.
I suggest doing your best to handle these by being responsive and also maintaining boundaries so you do not accidentally start an undesirable sleep habit, such as them suddenly needing to sleep with you in your bed.
For more tips and tricks on how to handle your toddler’s middle of the night wakings, check out my blog post, “Help! My Toddler Is Waking Up at Night!”.
Recap The 24 month sleep regression
The 24 month sleep regression can definitely be a tricky one since your toddler knows what they want, and can be quite determined and strong-willed to exert their preferences. As with most sleep regressions, the best thing you can do is try to stay calm, remain positive, and confident in knowing that if your baby has solid sleep skills, then they WILL bounce back from this!
If your little one is really struggling during this time, we can help! Whether you are looking for more individualized strategies for middle of the night wakings, or support for setting nap time boundaries, I highly recommend checking out my toddler guide pack, or scheduling a phone consultation.
Our sleep consultants have so much experience dealing with toddler sleep struggles, and would love to work with you to figure out how to best get sleep back on track for your little one! Sometimes, just having an expert in your corner who is there to empower and support you, can make all the difference.
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