3yo switch to duvet causing problems!

[travellingslowly]

My just turned 3yo still sleeps in a large cotbed with the side up. He is a very spirited and bombastic child (not sure how best to describe him) and he would be up and down running around all evening if we took the side down. About 3 months ago we were about to transition to a proper bed but he has recently been going through a phase of struggling to go down to sleep, so we felt now was not the time to take the side down.

We have transitioned to duvet instead of toddler sleeping bag, and made his room more of a small boys room (changed the original nursery decor) which he loves.

The duvet has not been working well despite him seeming excited about the prospect before, and asking for a pillow. He has been waking up 5/6/7/8 times a night fussing about it or saying he's cold as the duvet has slipped off.

He is now asking for his sleeping bag back but that feels like a regression.

Did anyone else's child struggle to switch to duvet from sleeping bag?

Yes, especially the one when we switched at the end of summer when it was too hot to need a duvet when he went to bed. There are a couple of things you can try.

A flat sheet under the duvet, old hotel style.

tuck the duvet cross the bed - so we had it the wrong way across the bed, one end tucked between bed and wall and the bottom of the duvet cover tucked into the mattress/bed frame.

Duvet on the bed normally and use a sheet or blanket perpendicular to tuck in. If you tuck only the end of the duvet down it doesn't restrict their movement but it does stop the duvet falling off the bed.

Thank you, that's helpful! I'll try tucking it in properly and hope it works. We've put him in long pyjamas tonight instead of the shorts he's been wearing, to try to alleviate the cold issue - so fingers crossed!

I tuck the divert right under the mattress at the end and about half way up so dc can still wriggle legs out if too hot.

But you can also get those sleeping bags with legs instead of a full zip up which you be a good alternative.

Had this with DS1 who was a sleeping bag addict.

I just went and bought an age 3-6 year sleeping bag which solved the problem. There aren't loads of them around, but I found one online (was 16 years ago mind you so can't share a link unfortunately).

For me the sleeping bag-duvet transition was an absolute 'pick your battles' moment and I just couldn't see the point of forcing a duvet before he was ready (he was such a good sleeper in the bag). I think he eventually transitioned at his request to a duvet around 4.5y and was fine from that point on.

There's no rule that anybody should sleep under a duvet. I certainly wouldn't view it as progression vs regression.

My 3.5yo son tends to kick any sort of sheet or duvet we try to use off.

However, he's recently got the hang of pulling it back in when he gets cold in the early morning.

Are you in England at the moment? I can imagine a sleeping bag would get really warm and I like DS having the option of kicking the duvet off if he needs to.

BTW, I love your use of the word bombastic to describe your DS!!

We had exactly the same but Gro to Bed was a life saver - the duvet sheet zips to the sheet and there is a slot to keep the pillow in place.

https://www.mylittlebubba.co.uk/product/gro-to-bed-many-moons/

Looks like they might be discontinued though- you might need to search around. Sorry!

We swapped DS1 to a duvet at 2y3m because he was obsessed with the duvet on our bed. DS2 wasn't quite 2 yet but was really fighting the sleeping bags and managing to undo the poppers, so we got him a duvet at that point. Basically we took our lead from them. I don't think it really matters though and I think most sleeping bags go up to age 3 as standard, so I wouldn't sweat it.

Why the old school flat bottom sheet? How is that different from using a fitted sheet?

I changed the single quilt to a double. Dd never managed to kick all that off. And she moved a lot in her sleep.

Duvets aren’t really designed for cots which is why you’re having this problem. He needs a proper bed that you can tuck him into safely.

Talk about making a rod for your own back! When my toddler learned how to climb out of his cot by removing his sleeping bag from the poppers and getting one leg over the side and then refusing to sleep, I hunted for sleeping bags with zips instead, and Grobag make them in age 3-6! If the solution is as simple as buying bigger sleeping bags, what is the big deal really? I don't understand why you think having a 3 year old in a cot is ok (it is) but not a sleeping bag? Adults use sleeping bags, it isn't like giving back nappies or dummies. Don't make life harder for you and him than it needs to be!

Thanks everyone. I've ordered two new slumber sacs so hopefully problem solved!