When Robyn’s mum first reached out, she was exhausted.

Robyn had never been a consistently good sleeper. She regularly woke overnight for a bottle and relied heavily on her mum's presence to fall asleep at both nap time and bedtime.

Her mum would stay beside her until she fell asleep, and when Robyn woke during the night, she often ended up sleeping in bed with her so everyone could get some rest. By this stage, everyone was exhausted.

Like many toddlers, Robyn had developed strong sleep associations and expected the same support each time she woke.

Her parents wanted support to help Robyn settle more independently, sleep for longer stretches overnight and develop healthier, more sustainable sleep habits.

The Sleep Transformation

Just two weeks later, Robyn had made fantastic progress.

She is now:

• Settling much more easily in her own cot at nap time
• Falling asleep more independently at bedtime
• Sleeping for up to 12 hours overnight
• No longer relying on her mum sleeping beside her
• Following a more age-appropriate sleep routine
• Developing greater confidence around sleep

 

The Main Toddler Sleep Challenges

When we looked at Robyn’s sleep as a whole, a few key issues were contributing to the difficulties.

Late Bedtime and Overtiredness

Robyn's bedtime was often later than was ideal for her age. This was contributing to bedtime battles, difficulty falling asleep, frequent night wakings, early morning waking, and increased emotions and frustration. An overtired toddler may appear energetic  or resistant to sleep, but their body is often struggling to settle.

Bottle-to-Sleep Association

Robyn had previously relied on a bottle at bedtime and overnight. At her age, she no longer required night feeds for nutritional reasons. However, the bottle had become a familiar source of comfort and part of how she expected to fall asleep or return to sleep.

Feeding to sleep is incredibly common. However, when a child begins to believe that a bottle is the only way they can settle, they may look for the same support every time they wake during the night.

This can lead to more complete wake-ups and make independent resettling much more difficult.

Parental Presence and Night Wakings

Robyn had a long history of relying on her mum to remain in the room until she fell asleep at nap time and bedtime. When she woke during the night, she also expected her mum to lie beside her or bring her into bed. While this is completely understandable, especially when everyone is exhausted, it had become a strong sleep association.

Robyn had learned that:

• Mum stayed until she fell asleep

• Waking and fussing brought Mum back

• She could return to sleep with cuddles or by sharing the bed

We needed to gently help her understand that she was safe and supported while also giving her the opportunity to fall asleep and resettle more independently.

The 2 year Old Sleep Plan

The family chose my two-week sleep support package, where we worked together step by step to improve Robyn’s schedule, bedtime routine and independent sleep skills.

Establishing an Age-Appropriate Schedule

We introduced a more consistent morning wake-up time . Supporting a Restorative Nap. We aimed for Robyn's nap to align with her natural sleep rhythm while always watching for her sleepy cues.

Earlier Bedtime and a Consistent Routine

We introduced an earlier bedtime based on the timing and quality of her daytime nap. Her bedtime was also guided by the amount of time she had been awake after her nap. We introduced a predictable bedtime routine lasting no more than 20–30 minutes and carried it out in her bedroom. The routine helped signal that sleep was approaching while ensuring all of Robyn’s needs were met before she went into her cot. We also used clear, consistent boundaries while remaining responsive and reassuring. Offering simple choices within limits helped Robyn feel involved without allowing bedtime to become prolonged.

Eliminating Overnight Feeds

As Robyn’s nutritional needs were being met during the day, she no longer required a bottle overnight. Her night feed had become more about comfort and habit than hunger. We continued removing the overnight bottle and replaced it with calm, consistent reassurance where needed.

Encouraging Independent Sleep

We gently worked on helping Robyn fall asleep without relying on her mum staying beside her until she was fully asleep, giving her the opportunity to develop independent sleep skills.

The Results 

In just two weeks, the change has been wonderful.

Robyn is now:

• Settling more easily in her own cot
• Falling asleep with far less parental support
• Sleeping up to 12 hours overnight
• Following a more predictable routine
• No longer relying on a bottle overnight
• Developing healthy, independent sleep skills

Most importantly, her parents are feeling more rested, confident and reassured that Robyn is capable of sleeping well in her own space.

A Note From Me

Toddler sleep can feel incredibly challenging. At this age, children are developing their independence, testing boundaries and becoming much more vocal about what they do and do not want. Bedtime resistance does not mean a sleep plan is failing. It often means your toddler is checking whether the boundary has changed. Remaining calm, consistent and predictable helps your child feel safe.

Late bedtimes, overtiredness and strong sleep associations can all contribute to bedtime battles and night wakings. But with the right schedule, clear boundaries and a consistent response, toddlers can learn to fall asleep and return to sleep with much less support.

Sometimes small, steady changes can transform sleep for the entire family.

Need Help With Your Toddler's Sleep?

If you're struggling with:

•  Bedtime battles
• Frequent night wakings
• Early rising
• Needing to lie beside your toddler to sleep
•  Bottle-to-sleep associations
• Nap resistance
•  Building independent sleep skills

I've created a comprehensive Toddler Sleep Guide to help you understand why these sleep challenges happen and, more importantly, exactly how to improve them.

Inside you'll discover:

• Toddler Sleep Basics
• Creating the Ideal Sleep Environment
• Building a Calm, Consistent Bedtime Routine
•  Common Toddler Sleep Challenges (and how to overcome them)
• Age-appropriate schedules
•  Nap timing
•  Bedtime battles
• Night wakings
•  Early rising
• ...and so much more.

👉 Shop the Toddler Sleep Guide here.

 

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Still need more personalised support?

Every child is different.

If you'd like a tailored sleep plan and daily guidance specific to your family, I'd love to help.

👉 Book a free 15-minute Sleep Assessment Call, and together we'll create a personalised plan that works for your child—and your family.