Sleep Aids For Toddlers

Part of helping your toddler learn good sleep habits is teaching him to fall asleep on his own. But even the best sleepers sometimes need a little extra assistance — which is where sleep aids come in. These techniques and products run the gamut from a teddy bear to a glass of warm milk, but all share a common purpose: helping your toddler get to sleep. But although sleep aids are often useful, some come with a downside, too. You want your child to learn to get to sleep by himself, not depend on the presence of a particular product or condition.

Look below to find a sleep aid that's right for you and your toddler. (A word of caution: Never give your child sleeping pills or other drugs that encourage sleep without consulting his doctor first — it may not be safe or effective. Most experts also frown upon giving herbs to toddlers, since no safe pediatric doses have been established and they could be toxic in high doses.)

Tried and true
Choose one of these sleep aids and you can't go wrong — all will help your toddler fall asleep without leading to any problems or bad sleep habits.

Thumb sucking
Thumb sucking is a perfectly acceptable way for your child to comfort himself, at bedtime or any other time — although it can lead to dental problems in older children. Thumb sucking is a way for a toddler to soothe himself, not only when he's sleepy but also at other times of the day.

Nightlight
Many toddlers get disoriented and upset when they wake up at night in a dark room and can't see anything they recognize. Luckily, there's a simple solution: A night-light will reassure your child that he's in familiar surroundings and help him settle himself back to sleep. Get in the habit of flipping it on as you're getting him ready for bed. Any kind will do, though some fancy models include a tape or CD player you can attach to your toddler's crib.

Bedtime ritual
The experts all agree: One of the best ways to help your child make the transition to bedtime and sleep is to establish a calming, consistent bedtime ritual. Your ritual can include any (or all) of the following: giving your toddler a bath, playing a quiet game, helping your child into his pajamas, reading a bedtime story or two, singing a lullaby, and giving him a kiss goodnight. Whatever routine works for your family is fine, as long as you do it in the same order and at the same time every night. Setting and sticking to a consistent bedtime — on weekdays and weekends alike — is key to establishing good sleep habits.

Transitional object
Your toddler may fall asleep more easily if he has a soft, cuddly blanket or stuffed animal nearby to keep him company. According to T. Berry Brazelton, author of Touchpoints, toddlers who learn to comfort themselves with loveys (as he calls them) are demonstrating their inner strength.

Warm milk
Drinking a glass of warm milk before bed is a time-tested way to fall asleep. The amino acid l-Tryptophan (found in milk and other foods, such as turkey and eggs) is thought to play a role in making you sleepy by raising the level of serotonin — a sleep-inducing chemical — in the brain, though the benefits may be purely psychological. Be sure not to let your toddler take a bottle or sippy cup of milk or juice to bed with him, though, since that can lead to cavities.

Maybe, maybe not
Although some parents swear by the following methods and products, the experts are divided on their usefulness. Pediatrician William Sears endorses doing anything that helps your toddler fall asleep, but other sleep experts, such as Richard Ferber and Jodi Mindell, advise against any practice or gizmo that leads to your toddler depending on its presence to nod off. Read through the following list with this thought in mind: The ultimate goal isn't just a sleeping child, but one who knows how to get to sleep by himself every night.

Rocking or breastfeeding
Rocking or nursing your toddler is a wonderful way to parent him to sleep, says Sears, author of Nighttime Parenting. Ferber and Mindell don't recommend rocking or nursing to sleep, stating that you'll only be teaching your child to depend on it to get to sleep. (Also, shifting your growing toddler from your arms to his crib without waking him is often a tricky matter.)

Pacifier
Although pacifiers help many toddlers comfort themselves back to sleep if they wake up during the night, some experts agree they're not the best sleep aid. Why not? If your toddler learns to depend on one at bedtime and it falls out of his reach, he won't be able to go back to sleep until he finds it. Of course, suggests Jodi Mindell, you can try to avoid that problem by strategically placing several pacifiers in his crib.

Ambient noise recording / machine
You can buy or make simple compact discs and cassettes of regular household "music" (vacuuming, water running, or windshield wipers) or invest in a white noise machine. These products supply calming background sounds to help your child fall asleep. All these remedies should be considered short-term solutions, though, since your toddler needs to learn to fall asleep on his own rather than depend on special noises — or any of the other products discussed below.

Music
In the same family as ambient noise are tapes and discs of lullabies, classical music, and other kids' favorites. Of course, singing a lullaby yourself before he falls asleep is always a great option, since your toddler responds best to your voice, but popping a tape in after you've warbled your favorite tune may help him drift into dreamland. A music box or musical lamp may also work.

source from http://www.babycenter.com