Toddler won't stay in bed!

[Durhamchance]

Blake is 23 months now and we've had to move him to a toddler bed. A few nights ago he threw himself over the bars of his cot and we couldn't risk him doing this again. He has a safety gate over his door, but he now won't stay in bed!

The first night was lovely, he only got up once 20 mins after bedtime and he slept all night long. Since then it has just got worse and worse. I've not been able to get him to nap at all during the day despite him being tired. It can take up to an hour to get him to sleep at night and last night he got up several times during the night too.

We've been using the No talking, No eye contact, just put back in bed technique so far, but I'm so tired I'm already talking about putting him back in his cot! Either that or the bungee cords in the garage are looking enticing. It's only actually been three days (is that all?!) and I know these things take time, but I was wondering if anyone had any words of wisdom or encouragement to stop us going mad.

Going back into his cot isn't really an option, as the new baby is due in May and I want him to be well established in his bed before then.

 

[Rooster30]

I think you just have to persevere with what you are doing and hopefully he'll get the idea?

We got really lucky and didn't have any problems when we took the bars off. However our 26 month old is getting a single bed tomorrow, we'll see how that goes!

 

[Durhamchance]

Ah ha! Success! It was nap time, he was rubbing his eyes so I asked him if he wanted to have a sleep- he said yes. We went upstairs, he got into bed, we had cuddles and sang twinkle twinkle. I left the room and waited, less than 30 seconds and he was at the door again, so I kept returning him to bed. It started as a game (he was laughing) but soon turned into a tantrum (crying) It probably only lasted 15-20 mins and he gave up!!

He is currently asleep I have more confidence for bedtime now

 

[Goat]

My daughter is 23 months and we took her side down about a month ago as she started climbing out. Then the new baby needed a cot so we bought toddler a single bed. Things started off rough in that she didn't even want to go to bed and kept saying she wanted to come in our room. I just told her to get to bed and lay with her for a bit then left. After that she went to bed fine. Last week she decided she would get up at 2.30 or 4 whichever took her fancy and would stand at the doorway rattling her stairgate and jabbering away at the top of her voice. We went out the first couple of nights and did what you were doing but it ended up in a full blown tantrum. So the 3rd night we left her to it and she stayed awake from 2.30-5 (kid you not) just roaming around her room and rattling at the gate. I found her asleep by the door when it finally went quiet! However after that she's slept till 6.30/7. I found going to her made her really upset and she seemed to like having free reign of her room, didn't cry or anything, even heard her laughing.
The only thing in her room is her bed and her wardrobe which is screwed to the wall so I know she can't hurt herself nor are their toys she'll want to play with.
Still early days so I really hope she's cracked the whole bed thing as I need my sleep with a newborn to be awake with.

Good luck and I hope some of this is a little helpful, just know you're not alone!!x

 

[Rooster30]

I'm nervous about making the transition from cotbed (with bars off) to single bed. My OH seems confident that our son will be fine. He has slept in a single bed before whilst we were on a cottage break back in August. He cried the first night - but that could have been for so many reasons - strange place, huge bed, long journey etc, but otherwise, he was fine bar waking up much earlier than usual.

I'm hoping since he has had his sides off and free reign since middle of August that the only thing that'll unsettle him is having a much bigger bed that won't be as easy to get in and out of... ah well. I'm going to leave the transition up to my OH as bedtimes are his thing!

I'm glad nap time went well Durham, keep going with it

 

[Goat]

Rooster for some reason my hubby was all confident too! Don't know why. When she was getting up he was letting her watch Winnie the Pooh. So of course she'd want to get up early so she could do that. Luckily old bad cop mum took action...as usual!

 

[Rooster30]

We've gotten into a good routine with the Gro-Clock that is set for 7am. He knows he can only come to us 'when the sunshine comes up', so hopefully he'll know same applies regardless of where he is sleeping?

The new baby arrives in April, so glad i'll be glad to have the big bed tomorrow so that we have time to sort out any problems that might occur :-s

I'm forever the pessimist. I assume the worst all the time!

 

[Goat]

I was thinking of getting a groclock but was a bit dubious it would work. How did you teach your little boy what it meant?

 

[Rooster30]

It took perseverance for sure. He'd fiddle with the clock for one thing so would wander in at 6am and say 'sunshine has come up' - and it was, but only because he'd pressed all the buttons until it arrived. It just took a lot of taking him back to his bed and saying 'one more sleep, wait for the sunshine to come up'. When he'd actually do it properly we'd give him loads of praise. At some point it just started to work. I guess we got lucky with him. It did take a while though. Now that he is working with it, it's great knowing he won't get up from nap-hime until 2pm and he won't get up in the morning until 7am! My OH wants me to push the time back in the morning now that my son understands how it works, but i'm going to leave it at 7am for another month or so before I start changing the wake up time.

 

[MrsT2011]

B went in his toddler bed about 19 months and the first 2 months he didn't get out unless we went and got him then it suddenly clicked he could get out and it was a nightmare! Stick to it and decide on rules and keep to them! Such as the first time he gets up he can have a kiss and cuddle but that's it or he's allowed 2 stories before bed and he gets an extra one if he's a good boy etc. I did lots of sleep training research when B was younger but it doesn't really apply with toddlers you need to do what works for you as a family x

 

[Durhamchance]

It took over an hour to get him to stay in bed and go to sleep tonight then OH has announced he's had enough and is putting the bars back in tomorrow! I've told him no, we'll only have to start this all again etc

Parenting is so tough!

 

[Rooster30]

Urgh. I feel for you. Whilst we've had no real issues with taking the bar off with ours, we have the big bed transition to do tomorrow. I'm getting increasingly nervous as he's currently unsettled due to constipation as it is. Argh.

I'd keep going with it and hopefully the amount of time it takes for him to settle will decrease.

Good luck

 

[Durhamchance]

Thanks Rooster, we had another bad night, he got up 4/5 times and then woke up at 6:10am this morning. He's full if beans this morning and I want to hug my pillow!

 

[Rooster30]

The little tinker!

Maybe try introducing the Gro-Clock? Or a sleep trainer clock of some sort. It took my LO about a month to get used to it, but it's a lifesaver now that he uses it properly. He goes to bed saying 'see you when the sunshine comes up'.

 

[Durhamchance]

I couldn't take it any more, the bars are back in the cot. He had us up 4/5 times last night, then was up and shouting at 6am. I tried twice to get him to nap today and he just would not stay in bed. By 4pm he was screaming the place down in a tired tantrum.

I'm thinking we moved him too soon, and we'll try again in a few weeks? We both work and just need some sleep ourselves

I know about the gro clock, but he just wouldn't get it yet.