Sleep Training Your 23 Month Old
Almost 2—big feelings, strong opinions, bedtime negotiations in full swing. Get a gentle plan for this milestone moment.
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Why 23 Month Olds Are Different
One month from 2—and ready for better sleep
At 23 months, your toddler's second birthday is just around the corner. They're talking more every day, testing boundaries with impressive determination, and making their bedtime preferences very clear. The sleep patterns you've built together over nearly two years—the rocking, the nursing, the lying together, whatever has gotten you through—feel deeply established. With their 2nd birthday approaching, it's natural to wonder if the window for change has closed. It hasn't. 23 month olds understand routines better than ever. They thrive on predictability and clear, loving boundaries. With a consistent approach that respects their growing independence, new sleep patterns can develop—often in just a few weeks. Betteroo creates that gentle, personalized path forward before they turn 2.
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23 Month Sleep Support: Big Milestones, Strong Will, and a Gentle Path Forward
Your 23 month old is on the verge of a big milestone—their second birthday. At this age, sleep challenges aren't about biology anymore. They're about the patterns and expectations built over nearly two years, and gently reshaping them with love, consistency, and clear boundaries.
THE COUNTDOWN TO 2 With their second birthday just weeks away, many parents feel urgency. "If we don't fix this now, we never will." The truth is, there's no magic deadline. But there's also no reason to wait. Your 23 month old is as capable of learning new sleep patterns now as they'll ever be.
BIG FEELINGS ARE DEVELOPMENTALLY NORMAL At 23 months, your toddler experiences emotions intensely. When bedtime doesn't go the way they want, you'll hear about it. Protests, tears, "mama stay," "one more book"—these are all communication, not manipulation. The key is responding with compassion while still holding gentle, loving limits.
STALL TACTICS ARE AT THEIR PEAK Your 23 month old has figured out the game. Water, potty, scared, hungry, one more hug—they know what works to delay bedtime. This isn't defiance; it's developmentally appropriate boundary-testing. Betteroo helps you respond consistently so the testing decreases.
SCHEDULE REMAINS YOUR BIGGEST LEVER Most sleep struggles at 23 months trace back to schedule. A nap that runs too late creates bedtime chaos. A nap that's too short leads to an overtired, dysregulated evening. Getting the timing right solves more problems than you'd expect.
TYPICAL SLEEP NEEDS AT 23 MONTHS
- Total daily sleep: 12-13 hours (many average ~12.5)
- Nighttime sleep: 10-12 hours
- Daytime nap: 1.5-2.5 hours (1 nap)
- Wake windows: ~5-5.25 hours before nap, ~5.5-6 hours before bed
- Bedtime sweet spot: 7:30-8:00pm
SAMPLE SCHEDULE (1 NAP) 7:00am wake → 12:15pm-2:15pm nap → 8:00pm bedtime
"IS IT TOO LATE BEFORE THEY TURN 2?" — NO. This is the question we hear constantly from parents of 23 month olds. The answer is clear: it's absolutely not too late. Your toddler understands cause and effect, thrives on routine, and responds beautifully to consistent, loving structure. Most families see meaningful improvement in 1-3 weeks.
WHAT ACTUALLY HELPS AT 23 MONTHS Success at this age comes from three things: a schedule that's optimized, an approach that matches your toddler's temperament AND your parenting values, and the consistency to hold gentle boundaries through the adjustment period. Betteroo personalizes all of it—and provides word-for-word scripts for every bedtime scenario.
Who we are
We're on a mission to help parents and babies sleep better.
Rachel Rothman
Renowned parenting expert who blends science, empathy and real-world experience as a mom of three
Ellen Reisel
Developmental psychologist with decades of experience working with children and parents and multidisciplinary teams.
Jennifer Jaye, LCSW
For more than 15 years, Jennifer has helped children and families better understand developmental and sensory differences.
How It Works
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Understand Your 23 Month Old's Sleep (and How You're Holding Up)
Our 3-minute quiz covers your toddler's patterns, temperament, and how you're doing—then builds your plan based on both realities. Your toddler's needs + your capacity = realistic solutions.
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Get Personalized Plan
Custom Plan Built for "Almost 2" Challenges
Your plan addresses what's happening now: the bedtime battles, the night wakings, the stall tactics, the patterns that feel impossible to change. And when your almost-2-year-old pushes back? Your plan has compassionate scripts for that. 23 month olds have big opinions. Your plan honors them while creating healthy boundaries.
Get Yourself Back
Only Sleep Plan that Stays With You
Sleep tools, expert guidance, and daily support—for your toddler's sleep AND your wellbeing. When you're exhausted, we adjust. When progress stalls, we troubleshoot. When you need us, we're here. Your toddler sleeps better. You recover. That's the point.
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Thousands are getting their sleep back
With our son's 2nd birthday approaching, I was desperate to fix his sleep before hitting that milestone. Betteroo's gentle approach worked in 2 weeks. He now falls asleep on his own and sleeps through the night. Best birthday gift we could have given ourselves.
Our 23 month old had every stall tactic in the book—water, potty, scared, one more song. Bedtime took over an hour every night. Betteroo's scripts helped us respond with love while holding limits. Now bedtime takes 15 minutes. I didn't know that was possible.
We'd been nursing to sleep since birth. At 23 months, I was afraid it was too late to change anything without traumatizing our daughter. Betteroo's gradual approach was gentle for both of us. Three weeks later, she falls asleep independently and seems happier and more rested.
Everyone said we should have done this a year ago. Maybe. But we did it now, at 23 months, and it worked. Night wakings went from 4-5 to zero. Bedtime went from 90 minutes to 20. It's never too late—I'm proof.
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Your 23 Month Sleep Questions, Answered
Everything you need to know about supporting better sleep when your toddler is about to turn 2.
Not at all—this is one of the most common questions we hear, and the answer is reassuring. 23 months is absolutely not too late. Your toddler understands routines deeply at this age, which actually makes them very responsive to consistent, loving approaches. Most families see meaningful improvement in 1-3 weeks. There's no magic deadline at age 2—but there's also no reason to wait.
Most 23 month olds need about 12-13 hours of total sleep, with many averaging around 12.5 hours. This typically breaks down to 10-12 hours at night plus 1.5-2.5 hours during the day (one nap). The bedtime sweet spot is usually between 7:30-8:00pm. Consistently getting less sleep can affect mood, behavior, and development.
Night waking at 23 months is almost always about patterns or schedule—not hunger or biological need. Common causes: sleep associations (needing you present to fall asleep means needing you to fall BACK asleep), schedule issues (nap timing off), or habits reinforced over many months. The reassuring news is that new patterns can develop with the right approach.
Early waking is one of the trickiest challenges—and very common at this age. Usual causes: nap ending too late, nap too short (creating overtiredness), bedtime too early, too much total daytime sleep, or environmental factors (light, noise). Betteroo's quiz identifies the root cause and adjusts your schedule accordingly.
There's no single "best" approach—it depends on your toddler's temperament and your comfort level. Options range from very gradual (you stay present and slowly reduce involvement over weeks) to more structured check-in methods. Betteroo's quiz matches you with the approach most likely to work for YOUR toddler and YOUR values. We never require any method that doesn't feel right to you.
Stalling is absolutely peak at 23 months—"one more book," "water," "potty," "scared," "hungry," "one more hug." It's developmentally normal but can extend bedtime indefinitely. Betteroo provides compassionate scripts for responding to stalling while still holding boundaries. The key is consistency: when your toddler knows what to expect, the testing decreases over time.
Most families notice positive changes within 5-7 nights. Established patterns at 23 months may take slightly longer to fully shift—typically 1-3 weeks for consistent results. Progress is usually steady once schedule and approach are aligned, even if there are some bumpy nights along the way.
Some frustration is normal when routines change—your toddler is communicating that this is different from what they expected. However, Betteroo offers multiple approaches from very gradual (minimal upset) to more structured methods. You choose what aligns with your parenting values. Our goal is always to minimize distress while still making progress toward better sleep for everyone.
Yes! Many families continue breastfeeding while improving sleep. By 23 months, most toddlers don't nutritionally need night feeds, but you can absolutely keep bedtime or morning nursing sessions. The key is gently separating feeding from the falling-asleep process. Betteroo helps you decide what to keep and how to make the transition.
Yes! Many Betteroo families have toddlers in daycare. The key is working WITH your daycare schedule rather than against it. Betteroo factors in daycare nap times and helps you adjust home sleep accordingly. Some inconsistency between settings is normal and won't derail progress as long as home routines stay consistent.
Absolutely. Betteroo is built on evidence-based sleep science reviewed by pediatric sleep experts. Research shows that helping toddlers develop healthy sleep patterns has no negative effects on attachment, behavior, or development. We offer multiple approaches—you choose what feels right for your family. We never require methods that don't align with your values.
Betteroo goes beyond generic advice. We provide a truly personalized experience that adapts to your 23 month old's specific situation—stall tactics, temperament, daycare schedule, your parenting style—in real-time. Plus, we consider YOUR capacity too. It's like having a compassionate sleep consultant in your pocket—at a fraction of the cost.
Ready for peaceful nights before they turn 2?
Get your personalized 23 month sleep plan in just 3 minutes. It's not too late—most families see real improvement in 1-3 weeks.
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