tips needed for move to toddler bed by difficult sleeper

[tostaky]

DS1 is almost 2 and still in his cot.... but i need the cot for DS2 who is too big for his moses basquet

I have ordered a toddler bed but i really wonder how i am going to get DS1 - who hates sleeping - to stay in bed at bedtime...

bedtime routine is: bath, soft play/book in the living room, settling DS2 in our bedroom, cuddles and kisses for DS1 before putting him in his cot and closing the door.

they tried at nursery to put him in a small bed for his nap but he went to play.

how should i do?

Well, I moved a 21 month old from my bed (we were co-sleeping and I was bfeeding her through the night, anything from 2-5 times) into her new room and a toddler bed and it took one night. She took about 40 minutes to settle and it wasn?t entirely pleasant (I?d been feeding her to sleep so she was angry, I now feed her during one of her stories.)

My tips. Talk about it all the time for about a week. Help him to choose bed (trip to Ikea maybe) and bedding. Make a big song and dance about him going to his lovely new bed (you don?t have to make it all about being a ?big boy?, just make it seem like a treat.

Get a new cup for water and showing him where it is, choose a nice new toy for bed.

Expect a lot of getting out and in again and hoo hah and maybe tantrumming for a few nights. Keep putting him back in the bed, make generic soothing noises, but not too much talking.

I sometimes felt bad that I wasn?t feeding her to sleep and of course, I don?t like to have to listen to her crying, but it was crying in anger/what?sallthisthen, not crying because she was abandoned, so I didn?t feel that bad. We really needed to change things as my husband was sleeping separately and I was a wreck from never having more than chunks of 3 hours? sleep.

I couldn?t believe it was so easy but I don?t kick myself too much for not having it done sooner. I?m sure it helped a bit that she understood and could talk about what was going to happen.

I can't believe I am now posting advice on sleep. I have been driven to madness by it and I never thought we'd move on.

I think you have to make a bit of a 'thing' of the new bed being only 'awarded' to very grown up, beautifully behaved, clever, children who of course wouldn't dream of getting out of it because it's such a special thing and so comfortable. Then go through the same bedtime routine as normal, close the door, and see what happens. Don't assume that he will misbehave. Children will often rise to the occasion if the expectations are clear.

I am not sure about naps though. Mine is napped in a sling as either I (or husband) pace the streets.

I'd try to crack the night sleep first.

My ds (then 2yrs) was AWFUL! Cried all night standing in the doorway to his room as the baby gate was closed, involved me getting up and putting him to bed and him running out again about a thousand times!!!! Until everything went quiet-when i woke up at around 530am he was asleep on the floor near the babygate! This happened every night for abt a wk during which i would put him to bed and hed run out again, along with him crying so much hed be sick and then eventually sleep near the gate on the floor out of exhaustion. All this and his older sister (3.5) was in her bed watching (and then shed start crying!) i was trying for consistency however after a week just left it! Now hes a little older (2 and a half) and understands more, he goes to sleep fine!!! Abt a month ago i thought id try him again, just lay him down with his roary blanket and he just slept! Icouldnt believe it, sorry abt rambling but go easy on him and dont put too much pressure on him (like i was doing) if hes not ready hes not ready! Good luck!

i guess we'll have to buy a gate because he can open the door and we have stairs next to his bedroom....

we are going away and i was planning to put him in the new bed straight when we come back.. maybe i should wait a bit then?