Sleep is a nightmare now we are in the big girl bed - all ideas, success stories please!

[AmandaNov10]

Dd is 2.2 and as I am PG has just moved into her big girl bed! Thankfully she loves her bed so we have no issues with her wanting her cot or not wanting to go to bed. Strange thing is she has gone from literally put her in the cot, tucked her in, light off and left her to fall asleep no problems to a range of problems!

When we, or I because she has a hissy fit if DH tries to put her to bed, tuck her all in and try to leave her she instantly gets up and falls me out, sometimes she is so fast I've not even got to the bedroom door yet! I don't understand the big change other than because she can get up she is. I've tried rapid return, but it just doesn't work, the only thing that works is if I sit in the room with her, not speaking until she falls asleep, 10 minutes on a good night, an hour on others. I bought the no cry sleep solution for toddlers which basically says there isn't a problem with sitting with your DC until they fall asleep, but for me there is! She is now waking in the night and needs me to get up, go into her room and sit with her again until she falls asleep, usually about 12/1am then again at about 3am and sometimes at 5. This is the real problem, I'm 30wks PG and I am shattered and now starting to worry if I'm getting up for night feeds again soon and getting up with DD1 too I'll be dead woman walking!

Should I keep trying to get her to fall asleep alone in her room in the hope she will fall asleep herself in the night? Or ....? Any other ideas?

We did have issues with early waking too when she went into the bed, but that God a Gro-clock has sorted that!!

Any ideas please!!

X

[liquoriceandtomatoes]

I hear you!

My post goes unanswered further down the page. Similar issue. Great sleeper for ages. We didn't see it coming and would never have done the bed if we'd realised. Now he hates bedtime! Seems afraid of it. Up throughout night and an early riser. I will watch your post and look into that clock.

Lots of hugs, it's hard enough without pregnancy so I cannot imagine how tired you must be x

[AmandaNov10]

Thanks Liquorice! Hope you've managed some sleep since your post! It's a nightmare!! I think all I can do is just try to sit with her settle her make her feel safe and comfortable in her new bed and hope that soon, before DC2(!!) she gets back to normal! For the past few nights I've tried sitting at the door in her room (which is so uncomfortable because I'm sitting there for about 90 mins!) she just can't settle, she's lying quietly but keeps sitting up checking I'm still there! Last night hungry and tired I gave in sat next to her, help her hand and she was asleep in 5 mins, and I felt so bad poor wee soul was lying there for an hour and a half obviously feeling all alone! Like I say it's not bed time really I want to fix I just thought that if I did she wouldn't wake in the night? Now I'm not so sure, I think it's all a transition and hopefully when she's more confident and happy in the bed things will just sort themselves out!

Fingers crossed!!
BTW - Asda baby and toddler event have Gro clock just now for £20, honest it's worth it, it's fab!! Xxx

[liquoriceandtomatoes]

I've ordered a gro clock and we're looking into buying a cot again!

I agree - fingers crossed! x

[HeartShapedSaw]

This happened to me when DS moves to big single bed from cot bed.

I did supernanny rapid return thing. I know you said it didnt work, but the first night it took 68 returns before he went to sleep! Thats was 3 months ago, and now I do about 3 returns at bedtime and he sleeps all night most night til about 6.30 - 7am, and only wakes once on other nights with 1 return.

It tough, but works. I had gotten into the habit of sitting in the room but sitting there for 2 hours at 2 am some nights was way too much for me. I'd send the message sooner before they get used to you sitting beside the bed. Its pretty hard to break that habit!

[GreatUncleEddie]

Do not start sitting there, you will never get away. Bribery is the thing here. Star chart, special new cuddly toy, allowed music or lava lamp on, allowed to "read" for a few minutes on her own. Whatever it takes that doesn't involve you being there.

[mungojerrie]

A cd of either classical music or a story worked wonders for us - it was almost like she didnt feel like she was left alone!

[thestylethatdecadesforgot]

We had this when we took the side off the cot and it continued for a while when DD got her single bed (which is a mid-sleeper so she has to climb down which I thought would slow her down!). She had gone from a solid 12hr a night, go to bed with no fuss and straight to sleep toddler, to fussing for up to two hours at bed time, up and down like a yoyo AND up numerous times in the night, coming into our room,trying to climb in bed with us.

We tried all sorts,including sitting outside her door and marching her back I to bed the moment her feet hit the floor. Eventually we did the rapid return thing, no eye contact, just pick up, plonk into bed, tuck in and the first time only saying 'love you, bedtime now'. It took literally months for us to get it sorted (and I was pregnant like you OP and dying of insomnia and sick DDs the whole time!). It did work but I think it was a long transition phase for her of getting used to the freedom, then the excitement of it and also hitting an age where she had realised that life continues when she has gone to bed (she was 18m when we took the side off). I remember her getting up for the toilet one evening,she was maybe 22m and she saw the living room door open and the tv on and we had some dessert and her face was a picture. She said 'you've got the tv on! What are you eating?!' I think she wanted to check up on what was going on from then on!

Eventually though its all settled down OP so persevere!