Typical sleep behaviour (4) – toddlers 1 to 2 years
Typical sleep behaviour (4) – toddlers 1 to 2 years
In your language:
For translated fact sheets go to
Information in community languages
.
Toddler sleep patterns and behaviours (1 to 2 years)
From approximately 12 months of age, toddlers tend to sleep better.
They generally sleep longer, wake up less often and sleep more at night.
Toddlers aged 12 months to 2 years often sleep 10 to 14 hours within a 24-hour period, including 1 to 3 hours of naps.
This helps to ensure they have energy to grow and function at their best.
Every child is different, so don’t worry too much if your child has different sleep patterns to those described here. If you are concerned about your child, contact
your local maternal and child nurse
, your doctor or the
Maternal and Child Health Line
on Tel.
13 22 29
.
Toddler sleep rhythms at 1 to 2 years
Around this time, your toddler may reduce the number and length of naps they take from 2 naps to one longer daytime nap.
Your toddler will usually sleep for longer periods overnight, but night waking is still common in some toddlers.
Toddlers’ brains undergo significant development during this age.
As a result, they may develop night-time fears. Your toddler may need additional comfort because of night-time fears.
They may also become more emotionally attached to parents or caregivers, which can cause
separation anxiety
and distress at bedtime.
They may start to resist going to sleep at night and want to stay up with the family. This generally peaks at around 18 months and tends to go away with age.
Settling your toddler at 1 to 2 years
Some parents and caregivers might find that sleep or settling becomes a concern.
Environmental factors and family relationships are particularly important in this age group
to help toddlers sleep and to prevent sleep concerns from arising. Try to be responsive to child’s needs – it is important your toddler knows you are emotionally and physically available if they become distressed. You can do this by knowing your child’s cues, tired signs and the intensity of their cry. By understanding and connecting with your toddler you will be able to support positive sleep patterns.
Routines and environments play a big part in helping toddlers get to sleep – they need a cue to tell them when it is sleep time, which is usually something in their external environment. It could be a dark room or having familiar objects around them.
Limiting screen time at night and having a regular bedtime routine (such as bath, book, song and bed) can also help to prevent and reduce settling difficulties and waking at night.
Toddlers and sleep regression
From around 18 months of age, some toddlers who usually sleep well suddenly refuse to go to sleep, or they wake up during the night and do not go back to sleep by themselves.
This is known as
sleep regression
.
Sleep regression is usually temporary and can occur at many points in a child’s life.
It is often associated with periods of high growth and development, but it can also be brought on by factors such as:
teething
a change in routine
sickness, (such as
fever
)
travel
stress
.
If your toddler experiences sleep regression, stay consistent with bedtime routines. Be calm, and comfort and reassure your child as necessary, but be firm that bedtime means it’s time to go to sleep.
Some strategies you can use to develop positive sleep behaviour
include:
Connecting with your toddler – by building a strong relationship so they feel safe and secure.
Recognising and responding to
tired signs
.
Using positive and consistent
bedtime routines
.
Cot-to-bed transition
–
moving your child from cot to bed
if they are trying to climb out of their cot. Make sure your toddler’s furniture and sleep environment is safe.
Information in community languages
This fact sheet is available for download in the following community languages:
Easy English - Typical sleep behaviour (4 and 5) toddlers 1 to 3 years
docx
302.01 KB
Arabic - ورقۀ معلومات 4: رفتار خاص خواب: طفل نوپای 1 تا 2 ساله (Typical sleep behaviour (4) toddlers 1 to 2 years)
docx
242.18 KB
Burmese - အချက်အလက်မှတ်တမ်း 4 - ပုံမှန်အိပ်စက်ခြင်းဆိုင်ရာ အပြုအမူ - တွားသွားကလေးငယ်များ 1–2 နှစ် (Typical sleep behaviour (4) toddlers 1 to 2 years)
doc
276 KB
Dari - صحيفة المعلومات 4، سلوك النوم المعتاد: الأطفال من عمر سنة – سنتين (Typical sleep behaviour (4) toddlers 1 to 2 years)
docx
242.09 KB
Khmer - សន្លឹកព័ត៌មានទី៤៖ ឥរិយាបទគេងជាធម្មតា៖ ក្មេងដែលទើបចេះដើរអាយុ១-២ឆ្នាំ (Typical sleep behaviour (4) toddlers 1 to 2 years)
docx
253.17 KB
Persian - برگه اطلاع رسانی 4: رفتارهای معمول خواب: کودکان نوپای 1 تا 2 ساله (Typical sleep behaviour (4) toddlers 1 to 2 years)
docx
241.3 KB
Punjabi - ਤੱਥਸ਼ੀਟ 4: ਨੀਂਦ ਦੇ ਖਾਸ ਵਿਵਹਾਰ: ਛੋਟੇ ਬੱਚੇ 1-2 ਸਾਲ (Typical sleep behaviour (4) toddlers 1 to 2 years)
docx
245.2 KB
Simplified Chinese - 信息说明书4：典型睡眠行为：1–2岁学步幼儿 (Typical sleep behaviour (4) toddlers 1 to 2 years)
docx
239.16 KB
Spanish - Hoja informativa 4: Conducta habitual del sueño en niños de 1 a 2 años (Typical sleep behaviour (4) toddlers 1 to 2 years)
docx
239.38 KB
Vietnamese - Tờ thông tin 4: Hành vi ngủ đặc trưng - trẻ chập chững từ 1 đến 2 tuổi (Typical sleep behaviour (4) toddlers 1 to 2 years)
docx
240.94 KB
Maternal and child health nurse visits are important
Victorian parents have free access to the
Maternal and Child Health Service
, which is a great support after your baby is born.
Specially trained maternal and child health will work with your family to help you care for your child until they are ready to start school.
As part of this service, you will visit a maternal and child health nurse in your local area at 10 key ages and stages in your child’s development. These visits are important because they you an opportunity to identify and address any issues and concerns early in your child’s development.
Visits take place:
following discharge from hospital (
home visit
)
2 weeks
4 weeks
8 weeks
4 months
8 months
1 year
18 months
2 years
3 and a half years
.
Families can access the service at other times by telephone or through a centre visit.
Where to get help
Your local maternal and child health
service
External Link
Your GP (doctor)
Maternal and Child Health Line
Tel.
13 22 29
– available 24 hours a day for the cost of a local call throughout Victoria
Mercy Health O’Connell Family
Centre
External Link
, Canterbury Tel.
(03) 8416 7600
Mercy Health Woi-wurrung-yagila-wulumperi Whittlesea Early Parenting
Centre
External Link
, South Morang Tel.
(03) 9407 6820
Queen Elizabeth Centre
(QEC)
External Link
Tel.
(03) 9549 2777
Tweddle Child and Family Health
Service
External Link
, Footscray and Werribee Tel.
(03) 9689 1577
Aboriginal Health Service
(VAHS)
External Link
Tel.
03 9419 3000
Parentline
Tel.
13 22 89
Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS
National)
External Link
Tel.
131 450
– available (24 hours, 7 days) for callers who speak other languages
National Relay
Service
External Link
(24 hours, 7 days) – Speak and listen Tel.
1300 555 727
, TTY Tel.
133 677
, SMS relay Tel.
0423 677 767
.
Captioned, internet and video relay calls are also available through this
service
External Link
.
NURSE-ON-CALL
Tel.
1300 60 60 24
– for expert health advice 24 hours a day, 7 days a week