Transition from cot to bed-how long did your toddler take to settle into it!

[GlummyMummy]

My 2.5 year old moved from her cot to cot bed a month ago and has gone from going dutifully into her cot and putting herself to sleep, always sleeping through for 12 hours, to now refusing to go to bed, crying when we try to leave the room, and always waking at least once a night!

Is this just the transition away from her cot do you think? Wasn't expecting it to be this tricky! Just want my good sleeper back!

[Mouthofmisery]

Do you have a side on it? I used one for my daughter that folds up and down. It felt safer for her.

[GlummyMummy]

There are sides up the top of the bed near her head, but it's open further down so she can get out easily. We had a bed rail but it can only be used on a single bed, not on a toddler bed.

[FATEdestiny]

It sounds like she's not emotionally ready for a bed. Children get a lot of security and reassurance from the enclosed feeling the cot sides give.

If move back to a cot and wait until she's more ready for the move.

[GlummyMummy]

Have wondered about moving her back into the cot but it does seem like a step backwards. Worry she will be in her cot when she goes to school!

[Zebrasinpyjamas]

I've just put the side back on my DS (2.5 yo) cot as bedtime was taking 2-3 hrs as we couldn't leave him. He was very happy when we did and bedtimes were nice again not a battle ground.
I thought it might be a backwards step but then decided it doesn't really matter when the side comes off (you don't hear of teenagers in cots ) but a pleasant bedtime makes a big difference to my life right now.

[FATEdestiny]

Worry she will be in her cot when she goes to school

Shes 2 and a half?!

You've got about 2 years before school. I've never known a problem created from a child staying in a cot longer. All problems come when doing it too soon.

[FusionChefGeoff]

You can get bed guards for toddler beds - we've got one and DD settled straight away from cot to bed no problems. Try that.

[thatstoast]

Why did you take it off? Was she climbing out? We only took the side of DS's cot after he ran into our room one morning to announce he'd bumped his head. If she's safe in there, I'd leave the sides on.

[Bobgoblin23]

We had the most ridiculously long transition, mostly due to only child and moving bedrooms as well as beds. Made a new bedroom with theme, new wallpaper, duvet curtains etc. Big boy bedroom. Then had baby room with cot and cute baby deco. I let him just explore the room, he was about 18 monthsold. I would sit on his bed and read bedtime stories with him, he'd snuggle under the covers, play in the new room etc. But when it was sleep time he would get up and say "in there" pointing back to his baby room and cot. We kept this up for 6 months as there was no pressure on us to use the baby room for anything other than storage. It kept my mum from coming to stay!!

Eventually, one weekend he fell asleep in the car for an afternoon nap. I got him home and put him in the bed to sleep rather than the cot. I was so nervous and sat outside the door waiting for him to wake up!! When he did, he had the biggest smile on his face, it was unbelievable!! And never slept in the cot again!! Honestly. Should have done it months sooner and feel like a bit of an idiot now!!

I'm sure it will work out for you, give it time and try to be as chilled as you can about it all!

[GlummyMummy]

will need to have a look at bed guards for her bed then, any recommendations of where to try?

We moved her because she is tall and we felt it would give her more space. She had never tried to climb out of the cot, so was a tough decision to move her but thought we were doing the right thing at the time...big girls bed etc etc. Its just a shame as she was an excellent sleeper until we moved her!

[FATEdestiny]

she is tall

My cot is 140cm long. My tall-for-his-age 7 year old would fit in!

Aged 7, DS is 132cm tall. I know this because he's desperate to be 135cm and not need a car seat. He is taller than all his friends.

How tall is your 2 year old?

[GlummyMummy]

She is 96cm and our cot was 120. She banged the sides a lot when she rolled around, and we just felt it would be nice for her to have a big girls bed and try a duvet etc (she was previously still in a sleeping bag)

Katie, it's hard when they've previously been good sleepers, particularly if you've had to move them for reasons other than them climbing out etc. That's interesting he doesn't like the rail, we thought that might be a solution for us just now.

Hopefully things will improve soon, I wasn't expecting any real problems with the transition to be honest!

[neversleepagain]

We moved out twins from cots to beds when they turned 3. They were previously great sleepers and this new freedom was obviously too much for them.

We had some tough months. The first 4 horrendously so. In all honesty it took a full year for them to settle and not mess around at bedtime.

[GlummyMummy]

A year?!? You must have been worn out!

[FATEdestiny]

I just left mine in a cot until they wanted to move to a bed and were ready. It's been between 3-4y with all of them.

[destinywidow]

We moved Dd into a toddler bed and into her own room 2 weeks before she turned 3 and she took to it instantly. Before that she wouldn't sleep a whole night in her cot and we co slept most of the time. Now she gets in bed, tucks herself in and goes straight to sleep.

My sons however were a different story! The worst was youngest Ds, he moved into his own room and a toddler bed at 2, and it took a few months for him to settle. I'd sit with him till he fell asleep and it could take up to 4 hours for him to drop off.

I'm not sure if waiting longer with Dd helped her or she just loves her bed and own space.

[JaniceButterbrain]

I moved my 2yr old into a toddler bed a month ago and have had no problems (well, none that we didn't have already.) Mine didn't/doesn't sleep through the night though. To me it does sound like the security of the cot helped your little one and that it was too soon. I moved mine for much the same reasons as you and she no longer wakes from crashing into the cot sidesbut I also moved her because in the night she wanted out of the cot as desperate to be touching me then would try to use me as a mattress! The bed works better for us as I can reach her and settle her better. Sounds like you were lucky and cot bars did that for you, I'd be inclined to put them back on if I were you!

[MoreGilmoreGirls]

Sound so like she's not ready, we moved DS when he turned 3 new big room and big boy bed, he settled immediately no transition needed. Just give her more time I'm sure she'll move before she goes to school!!

[GlummyMummy]

Feel that moving her back would be a step backwards, so we may just be stuck with it now! Bed guards might be the way forward for us!

[MoreGilmoreGirls]

Well by all means give them a go but I don't agree about steps backwards... there is no race, it's just a place to sleep. Good luck

[FATEdestiny]

I also don't agree about it being a step backwards. If she's not ready then she's not ready. What's the rush?