Earlier this week I blogged a little bit about our need for some sleep training help. If you haven't already read it, click here to read it.

I received comments, emails, private messages and just so much overwhelming support, well wishes and tips and I cannot thank you all enough. This is what the mom community is all about and I am so proud to know so many of you amazing moms. But enough of the sappy stuff and onto the what I'm really here to right about.

Ava's Sleep Update

Over the past couple of days, I tried pretty much everything you all recommended. One day she napped late again and I tried waking her up part way through her nap but she was Miss Grumpy Butt and I couldn't take her whining so I put her on my boob and nursed her back to sleep so she could continue her nap. Luckily the past couple of days she has been napping earlier in the afternoon -- coincidence? Maybe. Luck? YES!

We also tried wearing her out more than usual before bed and I'm fairly positive it helped. We went out to dinner and then took her on the play ground and on that particular night, it only took about an hour to get her to fall asleep...which was totally a record for us!

And that brings us to last night. It was HUGE. We followed the advice to not worry about the bed time she is "supposed to have" and pushed back her bed time we had assigned her from 8:00 to 9:00pm. And GUESS WHAT! She didn't cry, didn't scream, and rolled around in her crib for only half an hour before she was out like a light. SUCCESS! HUGE success!

Well, success for at least one night but one night is better than none, right? So thank you thank you thank you to the mama who recommended this and reminded me that we need to do what is best for us and not what the rest of the world tells you "is the correct bed time for a toddler."

(Now let's just hope I didn't jinx myself here.)

Next on my list of things to try is a very set bed time routine. That'll start tonight :)

So if any of you other mamas are having some trouble getting your toddler or baby to sleep at night, I compiled a list of all of the tips I received so you can try them out too and see what works best for you!

Tips for Sleep Training A Toddler

- routine, routine, routine
- move their bed time back so they're more sleepy when you put them down
- shorter naps, earlier naps or no naps at all
- wake them up earlier in the morning (which will move the nap time earlier too!)
- wear them out at night with activities
- make your pre-nap and pre-night time routines the same
- white noise, fans + black out curtains

So all-in-all, you all are amazing, so supportive, so incredible and I cannot thank you enough for guiding me and helping me get this problem solved...or at least improved :)