Blissed Out BabiesBlissed Out Babies
You finally settle your toddler to bed. The lights are low, the stories are read, the goodnight kisses are done. For a moment, it feels like you can breathe.
Then, at 2 a.m., you hear it: cheerful chatter, little feet wandering around, the glow of a night-light… and you realise your toddler is wide awake and staying that way.
If your toddler is waking up at night and not going back to sleep, you’re far from alone.
And while it might look like a mystery, it usually starts with something small happening much earlier in the day.
This long, happy night-time wake-up is what we call a split night. Your toddler isn’t upset, they’re truly awake. Often, they’ll happily play, sing, or talk for around two hours.
The surprising cause? It often comes down to sleep pressure: your toddler’s natural drive to sleep right through the night.
If that pressure gets “released” too early, usually because of a nap that’s too long or too late, it resets their body clock. And that’s when your toddler starts waking up at night and not going back to sleep.
When your toddler has done this for a while, their body clock starts expecting to be awake at 2 a.m.
And here’s the part many parents find hardest (and I remember it myself with my own daughter):
It’s rarely fixed by one quick change.
Instead, it usually takes:
✅ Tiny, detailed tweaks, capping the nap just enough, but not too much
✅ Moving nap times gradually, so you don’t end up with an overtired toddler
✅ Adjusting bedtime and wake up times by small increments, sometimes earlier, sometimes a touch later
✅ Holding that new routine consistently, even on days when your toddler resists
That consistency matters, but it’s exhausting to figure out alone, especially when you’re already sleep-deprived.
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).
🧠 Big developmental changes: language leaps, potty training, or starting nursery
⚡ Overtiredness: if your toddler skips a nap but bedtime stays late, cortisol keeps them in lighter sleep
🌱 Life transitions: illness, holidays, new siblings, or moving house
Often, it’s not just one cause, it’s a mix. And teasing that out is where many families need a second pair of eyes.
If your toddler is waking at night and staying awake, you can start by trying:
✅ Tracking patterns in a simple sleep log for a week
✅ Capping the nap
✅ Ensuring the last wake window is appropriate
✅ Adjusting bedtime slightly (earlier or, rarely, a touch later) based on day-time sleep
✅ Staying calm, quiet, and boring during the wake-up
It is possible to reset your toddler’s body clock on your own, but it usually takes:
And when you’re living on broken sleep, it’s hard to see those patterns yourself.
That’s why many families choose a gentle, outside perspective, not to “sleep train,” but to understand what your toddler’s sleep needs are now, and how to meet them without battles.
When my daughter started waking at night and not going back to sleep, I thought the fix was simple: shorten the nap.
But she still woke up, because what she really needed was an earlier nap and a slightly later bedtime. It was only by tracking her patterns carefully, then adjusting in tiny steps, that we finally got peaceful nights back.
A toddler waking up at night and not going back to sleep doesn’t mean you’ve “done something wrong.”
It usually means: your toddler’s sleep needs have changed, and they need your help to adapt.
If you’d love some friendly, expert support to figure out your toddler’s night-wakings,
explore my Taming Toddler Sleep programme or book a relaxed, no-pressure chat.
Because even the tiniest tweaks made at the right time can help everyone sleep better again.
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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