post #1 of 1
12/23/05 at 4:37pm
Thread Starter 
It was my understanding that babies/toddlers don't really sleep "though the night" until they are more like 2.5-3 yrs old... Of course, everyone is different, but I had the impression this was a developmental thing. Does anyone have any articles on natural toddler sleep patterns? My friend and her husband feel its time for their 2 year old son to transition to his own bed, which he seems ready for (he goes to sleep happily in his own bed, he is safe and comfortable and bedtime is an easy, peaceful occasion), except that he wakes at night and wants to join them in theirs and he is a "big sleeper" and "all over the place" and then they get very little sleep when he is with them. They are not oppsed or resentful of this (they like the closeness of the snuggles and night time comfort- she describes it very tenderly, just not the toddler kicks and elbows the rest of the time!), so they are not sure what is the best way to handle it. I think if they knew more about the natural tendancies of toddlers, they wouldn't feel so conflicted- that soon he probably stop waking so often and they don't need to "correct" it (ie- running back and forth from rooms in the middle of the night to comfort him in his own bed). Any proof out there?