2.5yr old been in bed for 10 days and up constantly....I'm exhausted

[drLu]

We moved my 2.5yr old into a toddler bed 10 days ago because when we go away she won't sleep in a travel cot. She's our third child and the other two moved into a bed around the age of 2 and settled immediately.

Before the switch from cot to bed my DD slept 12 hours with a 2 hour nap every day. Since the switch I have to sit with her until she falls asleep, then she is up at least 3 times in the night and wakes for the day at 5am. I have to sit with her when she wakes to send her back off. I'm just exhausted. Should I put the sides back on and try in 3/4 months or will that confuse her? Help!

[Idefix]

I would put the sides on and try again as you say. It won't confuse her ime and it will hopefully result in you all getting a better nights sleep.

[drLu]

Thank you. Totally what I need to hear! So tired and emotional this morning x

[Cakescakescakes]

Put the sides on! My ds1 slept with the cot sides on till he was 3.5..... He loved the cosiness.

[thethoughtfox]

I went through this with my 3 year old. I thought I was the only one. I stupidly did this just before I went back to work 2 days a week which wasn't good timing. She went from sleeping all night every night from 6 weeks old to getting out of bed continuously all evening and into the night every night for a week. She didn't want to get into our bed and didn't really know what she wanted. We eventually found her sleeping outside our door in the mornings. My mum told me just to put the bars back up and try again in a few months which I thought was regressing. DD saw it and started stroking the bars saying, 'Thank you, mummy. Thank you. I love my bars' Every night for weeks she would hug them when we put her into bed and say how much she loved them! She's now 3.5 and it feels wrong to still be in a cot but she keeps saying she didn't like her big girl bed.

I was actually going to post a thread asking advice or AIBU about allowing her to stay in the cot indefinitely.

[thethoughtfox]

My friend's dd has been in a small double bed since she was 2 so I worry I am 'babying' her.

[drLu]

That's all really reassuring. Thank you. Thoughtfox I wouldn't say you are babying her. If she's happy just go with it! Hard though when it's your situation to know what's right...hence me posting!! Xx

[Poosnu]

Why the hurry to move her to a bed if she is happy in her cot? If she is not climbing out (which risks injury) or needing to get out of bed for wees in the middle of the night, I would keep her in the cot if that gets her more sleep.

My DD1 was in a baby cot until 3.5. In a sleeping bag... she really didn't want a big bed or a duvet. DD2 had to sleep in our travel cot (with proper mattress). We went with it and she was eventually happy to go in her bed.