Meet Louise, a first-time mother who thought her baby girl Isobel was a decent sleeper
But as Isobel reached the 24-month mark, everything changed. Those once-easy nights of waking up once or twice and drifting back to sleep became a distant memory.
Louise shared that "the program suited our spirited baby. The strategies not only worked for our daughter but also fit our parenting style. It was so super gentle and so effective!"
Isobel would stay awake for what felt like eons—2-3 hours at a time. Louise and her husband found themselves having massive sleep issues with multiple wakes, co-sleeping and Isobel protesting bedtime every single night!
After seeking guidance from generic sleep guides in the past without much success, Louise turned to The Sleeping Co. She decided to sign up for a sleep program they could implement at their own pace. Louise quickly discovered that Isobel’s sleep struggles were likely due to the notorious 18-24 month sleep regression.
This regression often rears its head during a period of developmental changes in toddlers and rapid growth. They become more mobile, more communicative, and oh-so-independent. They test boundaries and explore limits.
During this regression phase, separation anxiety can peak, making toddlers clingier than ever during naps and bedtime. Falling asleep becomes a mighty challenge. And guess what? Many toddlers at this age also need to gradually reduce their daytime sleep to ensure they’re tired enough to drift off peacefully at night.
With all these changes in play, it’s no wonder toddlers start to resist the settling methods that once worked like a charm—feeding or rocking to sleep? Not anymore, say the little rebels. This resistance signifies their growing independence and readiness to learn the art of self-settling.
During this regression phase, separation anxiety can peak, making toddlers clingier than ever during naps and bedtime. Falling asleep becomes a mighty challenge. And guess what? Many toddlers at this age also need to gradually reduce their daytime sleep to ensure they’re tired enough to drift off peacefully at night.
With all these changes in play, it’s no wonder toddlers start to resist the settling methods that once worked like a charm—feeding or rocking to sleep? Not anymore, say the little rebels. This resistance signifies their growing independence and readiness to learn the art of self-settling.
Time to take action
Ready for more sleep and parent downtime, Louise started on their two-week journey to help Isobel adjust to the new sleep schedule and settling method outlined in the sleep program.
The results of working together
After just two weeks of working on self-settling, Isobel achieved a night of uninterrupted sleep—for the first time in a staggering 24 months! (and there was no crying it out involved).
“By day 19, she was singing herself to sleep, settling herself without our help, down to 0-1 short night wake (which she was self-settling) and actually happy to go to bed!” Isobel was now happy at bedtimes rather than the toddler meltdowns it had once been. It was a total game-changer.
Establishing good sleep habits from an early age can help prevent many sleep challenges down the road. But it’s never too late to start the journey towards better sleep. Louise can attest to that, “The program suited our individual baby, something I wish I knew was so vital 2 years ago! I can not thank Kat enough for giving us our sleep back!”
You can’t be the cOoL pArEnTs if you’re constantly feeling burnt out & asleep on your feet
With the right steps, education and gentle methods to get your baby to sleep, a set of realistic expectations, and the support (and pep talks) you need to actually trust your parenting-gut, you’ll finally get the sleep you and your baby deserve, and feel like a fully-functioning human-snack maker again (#goals).
