Today Tile Triggered Content

There are national and international guidelines about how much sleep we all need, including how those needs change as we develop. We have probably all seen recommendations for daily or weekly physical activity, whether that’s described as 10,000 steps or active minutes – and there are guidelines for how active our children should be too. So, what does the guidance and research say and how might this help you think about your toddler’s daily routine? 

How much should my toddler sleep? 

Screams or cries in the middle of the night can be scary for everyone. We asked Lauren from Little Sleep Stars to tell us more about nightmares and night terrors.  

The terms ‘nightmare’ and ‘night-terror’ are often used interchangeably but they are actually very different occurrences. 

As your baby grows and is no longer a ‘newborn’ should their sleep be changing? When should they settle themselves, and how can you help them to sleep? We asked Lauren Peacock from Little Sleep Stars to tell us more. 

How sleep changes during infancy and beyond 

When is the right time to move to a new bed? The only people that know that answer is the family involved. There is no right or wrong age for a child to move into a big bed – it all depends on when you think your child is ready, or when you feel it is necessary. 

The first night in a big bed is a huge step for you all. Your toddler is growing up quickly and outgrowing things by the day. So, if you're about to transition from a cot to a bed, here are some pointers to guide you. 

Nap time might be your chance for a precious sit down, or you might be wondering if dropping a nap is the solution to night waking. Just like other aspects of development, the way your toddler’s sleep develops is unique to them – but what processes influence their sleep patterns? 

Sleep is developmental and your toddler’s pattern of rest has changed a lot already.  

To nap or not to nap? That is the question. Your toddler might just have dropped their nap, or you might be noticing changes in their sleep patterns. We asked Lauren from Little Sleep Stars to tell us more about how sleep changes during the toddler years, and this is what she shared: 

As babies move towards toddlerhood, it is likely that their daytime sleep will decrease in frequency and duration^[1], while the overall amount of sleep taken at night increases.^[2]  

Your toddler might have settled into a more predictable pattern of night time sleep now. But periods of interrupted sleep and night waking are not unusual. If you’re finding your toddler’s night waking difficult, Lauren from Little Sleep Stars shares some things to think about.  

Lauren says, for carers dealing with problematic night-waking, the first things to check are that: 

Have you been asked if your baby sleeps through? Seen the TikToks of parents telling everyone how their baby has slept through every night since a week old (or something like that)?

Sleep is one of the first aspects of a children’s development that tests our determination not to compare. If your baby wakes multiple times a night you might be desperate for the secret to uninterrupted sleep!  

What IS the secret?

Are you taking the sides off your child’s cot, or perhaps they’re moving from your bed into their own? Here are five of our favourite books that will set the scene for bedtime and support your child in settling into a new routine.