Bedtimes are driving us all bonkers!!

[Blossom]

My little poppet, who is almost 18 months has learnt how to climb out of her cot. This happened about 10 days ago and for safety reasosn we took the sides off and converted it into a cot bed.

She seems to like the bed and has no problems being in it if we are in the room, but she refuses to sleep in it unless we are with her. If I leave the room before she is fast asleep she gets out of bed and starts crying for us at the door (we leave the door open and the light on with a baby gate).

This has been going on every night until past 10 or 11 o clock. She just refuses to go to bed and we dont know what to do...We've tried leaving her ot cry for ten mins then going back, settling her then doing the same again, but she just ends up crying all night. We've tried staying with her and reading her stories, but she just seems to have this new found energy allowing her to stay up until way past our bedtime.

Has anyone else been through this and do you have any suggestions?

 

[Manda&Thomas]

does she has a night light in her room? maybe it a comfort thing have you tried putting up a small bed pnel thing that you get for kids cant remeber the name tomy do them they are soft and low it may be that she thinks she might fall out of the bed while going to sleep
manda x

 

[*saulino*]

Hi

Hmm i dont really have any suggestions, but what Manda said about the side rail thing maybe this is why , she might feel more secure if she felt like she was bocked in a bit like her crib?
Katrina

 

[alschafr]

Ella was like this, we had to do a method where each night we got further and further away from her bed until we made it out of the room and then i would sit onthe step outside her room and now she sleeps fine

 

[gemma+4]

We had the same problem with our little boy, we did the same thing put a stair gate on the door but we left his door open, his light off and a night light left on the landing, i used to sit on the stairs crying because he would cry for hour and i would leave him and peep round the door every now and again to check what he was up to, as i knew he was safe but this went on for a long time it felt like forever. He was 2 when he finally slept all through the night, now he is 6 and asks to go to bed!!!! so it does get easier, i have to say i had no problems with my two girls.

 

[Beany]

My sister had the same thing with my neice. She followed the baby whispers advice which sounds similar to what Alschafr did and it worked a treat.

Apparantly this builds security as you explain what you are doing each step of the way so they know you are still near them.

Good luck I hope it gets better soon.


xxxx