As my boys reached the age where it was time to transition from a crib to a big boy bed, I remember how the panic set in. I was nervous both times although for very different reasons. My oldest son is a regimented child and finds comfort in routine. I was worried a big change would lead to sleep regression and night awakenings. I had anxiety about transitioning my younger son, but for different reasons. I feared that removing his wooden prison bars would lead to him sauteing his toy cars on the stove at 1 a.m. and building a flying playground from his blankets and ceiling fan. He fears nothing and tries everything. Fortunately, with a few tools and key items, the transition was pretty smooth and the boys continued to sleep through the night.
Hatch It!
The most valuable item we have used for toddler sleep training is the Hatch. Toddlers escaping their room at night, Hatch It! Toddlers crying in their bed trying to get your attention, Hatch It! Hearing little feet pit pat across the floor towards your bedroom in the early morning hours, Hatch It! We have a Hatch in both our boy's rooms and it is a miracle worker. We taught them "Red means get in bed, green means you are good to go!". My oldest took to this immediately. He loved the independence it gave him to get up whenever it turned green. My younger son took a little more prompting and reminding, but within a week he was loving it too. He would run downstairs in the morning and say "My light turn green!" The second-generation model has several key upgrades. It is WiFi enabled instead of Bluetooth, has a digital clock, and more streamlined customization features on the app. Hatch can have set programs and schedules making it completely hands-off after the initial set-up. My husband and I can sleep in a little on the weekends and have the boys up on time and ready to go to daycare on the weekdays.
Tips for better sleep:
1. Pick comfy pajamas that are cotton and soft. My personal favorites are Burt's Bees.
2. Use sleep sacks, transition swaddles, and wearable blankets early in the process. I have used the Sleeping Baby Zipadee-Zip and Flying Squirrel with great success.
3. Use black-out curtains to keep the room dark.
4. Monitor the temperature to ensure a comfortable sleeping environment between 68-72 degrees. The Govee hydrometers are great to ensure each bedroom is kept at a comfortable temperature and it's Bluetooth making it easy to monitor throughout the night.
Sleep can be elusive in the early years of parenting, but it doesn't have to be. Sweet dreams.
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