Blissed Out BabiesBlissed Out Babies
Even the most loving, thoughtful parents can find themselves stuck in bedtime battles, early wake-ups, or long night wakings, and often, it’s because of things we’ve been told are “must-dos” for good sleep.
Here are four surprisingly common toddler sleep mistakes, and why gently rethinking them can make nights calmer for everyone.
We often hear that young children “should” sleep 12 hours overnight, and take a 2hour lunchtime nap, so it’s easy feel frustrated when you’re trying to hit these targets and the nights go pear-shaped.
But here’s the truth:
👉 Most toddlers between 1–3 years need around 12–13 hours total in 24 hours – not 12 hours at night plus a long nap.
👉 Many well-rested toddlers naturally sleep about 10–11 hours overnight, with the rest as a nap.
If your child has:
…it often backfires as:
🪄 Instead:
Remember: more sleep isn’t always better, the right amount of sleep is what truly helps your toddler thrive.
We’re told “stick to the same bedtime routine every night” , so it’s easy to hold onto the exact same sequence of bath, lotion, song, bottle, story (often the same story) from baby days right through toddlerhood.
I often hear from parents:
“There’s nothing wrong with our routine – it’s been exactly the same since he was a newborn!”
But here’s the catch:
👉 Toddlers grow, their brains mature, and what was soothing as a baby can become boring, too passive, or even stressful if it no longer fits their age and temperament.
👉 A rigid routine can start to feel controlling to a toddler who’s wired for independence – leading to pushback, protests, or bedtime resistance.
🪄 Instead:
Bedtime routines work best when they stay meaningful and age-appropriate, not when they stay exactly the same forever.
Parenting a toddler can feel relentless – especially when every nap, bedtime or boundary turns into a battle. Maybe you’ve read all the blogs, tried every tip, but nothing seems to stick. You’re tired, frustrated, and just want someone to tell you what will actually work for your child.
That’s where my Troubleshooting Call comes in. What’s included:
By the end of the call, you’ll walk away with:
💡 Fresh insight into why things aren’t working right now.
💡 Confidence in your plan and the reassurance that it aligns with your gentle parenting values.
💡Reassurance that you’re not doing anything “wrong”, and clear steps you can implement straight away.
💡 Realistic, achievable strategies you can start using tonight.
You don’t need to feel stuck in survival mode.
Book your troubleshooting call today, and let’s find a calmer, more settled rhythm for your toddler (and for you).
It sounds logical: if bedtime is calm, surely the whole evening should be calm?
But toddlers are wired to regulate stress and process big feelings through movement and play, especially play that’s warm and connected with you.
If the entire evening is hushed and low-energy:
Think about it like shaking up a fizzy drink bottle all day, then trying to quietly open it, it still fizzes over!
🪄 Instead:
It’s the balance that matters: movement and laughter help toddlers feel safe, loved and relaxed before the wind-down, making sleep easier.
Many families use bath → PJs → stories → bed as the “classic” bedtime routine, believing the bath is calming.
But for most toddlers, bath time looks more like:
Far from relaxing, this can actually fire toddlers up and trigger second winds right before sleep.
🪄 Instead:
If your child loves a bath before bed, keep it short, quiet and dimly lit, and skip the toys – but don’t feel you must include it for sleep to work.
Toddler sleep is often messier than books and reels suggest.
Rather than chasing “perfect” routines or fixed times, notice your child’s changing needs:
✅ Total daily sleep
✅ Flexibility as they grow
✅ Connection and movement alongside calm
Small tweaks, like adjusting bedtime, moving bath time, or playing after tea can unlock much calmer nights.
If bedtime feels like a nightly battle, or you’re unsure what your toddler really needs, I can help.
I have always been interested in gentle parenting techniques, and as a self confessed ‘geek’ I spent many a sleepless night reading. I became so interested in infant brain development and the science of sleep that I completed my Holistic Sleep Coaching qualification, mentored by the wonderful Lyndsey Hookway. I have been working as a toddler sleep consultant since 2018, I am based in Manchester but I can work with you from anywhere in the world online!
This coupled with my experience in settling techniques, toddler negotiation strategies and analysis of naps and sleep needs gives me a wealth of knowledge to be able help you.
If you’re looking for help with making changes to your family’s sleeping habits and would like to speak to a toddler sleep consultant who is down to earth and sympathetic and will focus on you and your family with empathy and understanding then please get in touch.
I would love to hear from you!
Jem x
Click here to book a free chat with Jem to discuss sleep packages and ensure we are a good fit. There is no obligation and I will only take clients where I genuinely feel I can change their lives.
I have three simple toddler sleep support packages, Read more about them here.
Yes! You can check out my free sleep resources here.
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