5 tips for toddler sleep success

From freedigitalphotos.net

• There is nothing like a routine to settle a child. The mantra, ‘bath, bottle and bed’ is often heard in my house! Try a few until you find a routine that works for you.
• Lavender essential oil is a proven nervous system relaxant and soothes frayed nerves. Pop a drop on a tissue and tuck it into a pillowcase, or put a few drops in a steam diffuser.
• Oats have been used for hundreds of years as a calming food, so offer porridge or Bircher Muesli (if you’ve introduced nuts to your toddler’s diet). I also recommend putting a cup of oats in a stocking or baby’s muslin, tying it to the hot water tap and allowing the bath water to run through it. This creates a milky bath with soothing, anti-inflammatory effects. 
• Encourage your toddler to debrief at the end of the day and allow any worries or concerns to be listened to. Most people, of all ages, feel better when they have purged a racing mind. 
• Strong chamomile tea has been traditionally used in Germany to help toddlers sleep. Use two teabags and cover the cup with a saucer to retain the active ingredients that are found in the essential oils. I like to add the natural sweetener stevia to take away the bitterness.

 Extracted from Woolworths Baby and Toddler Club.