Toddler bed and not going to sleep

Brittaney - posted on 09/26/2011

Thanks everyone for all of the support!!! Its gotten easier with each day, tonight he went straight to bed when my husband tucked him in, huge difference from just a week ago naps are still a lil struggle but im sure they'll get easier too, good luck to those that are just starting everything will work out one way or another, now as soon as we're completely in the clear im taking out the dreaded night-night bottle, im not gonna lie im super nervous about taking that issue on but it has to be done, wish me luck!!!

Kerri - posted on 09/24/2011

I think u are doing just fine! my 20 mnth old will tell me that her tummy hurts or theres a bug so she wont go to her bed i have a 5 month old baby aswell so it is hard because my husband is'nt home alot, and if he is she wont want him to tuck her in any way and well im breast feeding so he cant help me there either.Just continue to let him know you around and keep the gate there any thing at the moment will make you feel guilty because it breaks your heart to hear him cry. One thing i noticed that is working for me is i put my 20 mnth old to bed and i sit by her doorway and i dont speak at all. not even when she goes to get up. i pick her back up, tuck her in and go right back to where i was sitting. this is now a week and its starting to work. I started off staying right next to her bed. now im at the doorway and soon she wont need me to be there. Its all a new thing for them but if u keep at it even with the screaming he will catch on. good luck and enjoy them they grow sooo fast!

Charity - posted on 09/22/2011

My daughter has been in a toddler bed since 12 months (crib climber) my son was same & in one at 9 months. My son was horrible he wouldn't sleep in it for nothing! He cry & scream come out the room. Shuttin the door made it worse. So I put toddler gate up, he climbed it. Put to up he climbed it! So I gave up & extra child proofed made it were he could go anywere but our room & his if he got out bed. I tried letting him cry it out, tried laying in floor next to bed, nothing seemed to b working, So then I decided try something different. I bought Baby Einstein movie it's like like lullby/bedtime story one. Popped it in it played about 20 mins. He would lay in bed every night watch it then go to sleep. Then after about month he was so use to bedtime & his bed that he didnt need it anymore so I just played bedtiem music cd to drowned out noise. He is 5 now & still listens to bedtime music! With my daughter it was easy as pie! She seen her new toddler bed was in love! She got in it no problem & went to sleep. The only problem I had was about 1st week she would get out bed in middle night I would find her sleeping in my bedroom floor she was sooo quiet! So I put a gate in her doorway at night which unlike my son she doesnt climb! Now if she wakes in middle night she stays in her bed or she will sleep in her floor once in awhile. She is now 20 months & so use to bedtime all you gotta do is say its time for bed she gives kisses, runs to her room, turns on her music light, grabs baby doll & ready to sleep! I guess I got lucky with her cause even potty training has been easy so far! Knock on wood lol! But if I have one piece of advice its dont give up, keep trying new ideas, be consistant, & most important make the child feel comfortable in their bed! Weather its with music, doll baby, you sleeping in the floor (which I did a bunch with my son!), or maybe even one your tshirts to sleep in! Good luck everyone! Just know that even if its hard now it will eventually pass!

Charlene - posted on 09/20/2011

My daughter is 20 months old and we have the luxury of two beds (we live with my parents) her bed down stairs is still the crib configuration and the matress is only 3 inches off the floor ..... and she sleeps in that, but last weekend she got out of her crib for the second time and I am afraid of her getting hurt by either falling out of the bed when she tries to climb out.... or any number of things in that room that just can't be "childproofed" easily. So we converted her upstairs crib to a toddler bed, put a gate on the bedroom door and are working on safety proffing the room so if she gets up in the middle of the night and I don't hear her she is safe compleley safe.... but she has always been hard to put down (even in the crib so it is going to be a battle when i finally make this shift) she just got sick and I a not playing with it with her feeling under the weather... and who knows she might stay in that crib for another 6 months.... but honestly I wouldn't even consider shifting at all at this age if I wasnt worried about her getting hurt. A friend's daughter LOVED her crib went right to sleep, felt safe there, played a little in the morning before she would ask to get up. she didn't transition to toddler bed until she was 3... why mess with what is working... if it is.I confess to being jealous of my friend right now. at 3 it was an easy tansition. they had 1 night she was a little nervous... addressed it and her daughter has been find ever since. it is a tough one for sure

Michelle - posted on 09/19/2011

We are about to make the same move, so thanks for your update Brittaney... I will be using a toddler gate if needed :)

Brittaney - posted on 09/18/2011

I had to switch him to the toddler bed because we needed the crib for our 2 month old, so far hes still fighting it but not as consistently anymore some nights its an all out war for an hour and a half and some nights he goes to bed and i can hear him doing stuff in his room and talking but it gets quiet after 20 min and nap times are about the same, i think we were doing very well with him finally learning we werent messing around that it was bed time until we made the costly (LOL) mistake of letting him go stay the night with his gramma for 2 nights so hes getting used to it again, but I think consistency is the key!

Rachael - posted on 09/18/2011

I can not keep my son in his bed at night, or at nap time. When he does fall asleep its on the floor. Any advice?

Sarah - posted on 09/18/2011

I still have our son in his crib and he is 20 months old as well. He is getting to the I'm independent stage and frankly, I am dreading switching him to his bed. I think it will be soon, though, only because he is on a cot at day care for his naps. We have had his toddler bed set up for almost 6 months now, and on occasion, he will crawl into it for nap time and play with a favorite toy, or, read a book. He also has been having night terrors on occasion, so again, I fear that when we switch him to his bed, he will cry a lot and want to always come and sleep with us.

Amanda - posted on 09/16/2011

i just recently put my daughter in a toddler bed and it was easy for the first few nights and now she will not stay in the bed. she is out of the bed before i even leave the room. i put her back inbed and leave the room and shut the door. she will go to the door and scream and kick it until she finally realizes that she has to go to bed and then she will crawl back in bed and go to sleep. nap time is the hardest to put her down at because she just wants to keep playing. it takes about an hour and a half for her to finally take a nap. im just happy i have help with it all and i dont have to do this all by my self.

Sarah - posted on 09/14/2011

My son didn't like it at all at first, but after about 2 wks, he was fine and sleeps through the night now. :) I felt guilty too. But it is def worth the wait. I think you are on the right track. :) Good job! :) Just hang in there it does get easier.

Janielle - posted on 09/14/2011

only thing i can think of is Repitition!!! he gets out of bed, put him back, say its bed time, i love u. or whatever u usually say, just keep it short, kiss, n walk away! its gonna be exhausting, the gate is a good idea, if he gets up in middle of the night, he cant get into stuff that may hurt him, as long as he doesnt attempt to climb it! can i ask the reason he was moved to a bed? my 20 mo is still in his crib, n will b until for as long as i can! :) mainly bc he goes to bed great, so im not messing with it yet! if he starts climbing out, i may have to sooner. good luck!!

Cisy - posted on 09/12/2011

That's what I'm afraid of so my 20 month old is still sleeping in her crib. I don't want to change her sleep schedule because I have a 6 week old who I need to tend to all night. My older one also started her terrible 2 early so she's going to be playing in her room and taking out all her clothes in the drawers and closet. Don't think I have the energy right now to deal with that.

Brittaney - posted on 09/11/2011

Im soo glad im not the only one!!! And i'll definately let you know what happens :)

Natalie - posted on 09/11/2011

My husband is asleep with my 19 month old right now as a matter of fact. We switched to a single bed instead of the toddler bed so that my 2 month old could sleep in our room in the crib. We put safety rails on both sides of the bed hoping to help ds feel safe. But it's been a full week now and we haven't had him "go to bed" yet. We've either laid with him until he fell asleep or let him fall asleep then carried him in there. I was desperate for sleep also because we are dealing with the baby and night feedings. But this hasn't seemed to help, only created another, different problem. I'll keep checking back if we find anythoing that seems to work and post it if you'll do the same. I could really use some advice, too! Good luck to you!