At a loss, advice needed about 2.5 yo bedtime

[Jaffakake]

So ds is 2.5 & a good kid. Never had a problem with sleeping & bedtime, 95% of the time he's an angel & gets good sleep. 3 weeks ago we took the side off his cot & it's been a nightmare ever since. We're at a complete loss as to what to do for the best to restore calm & so he gets more sleep.

Bedtime routine is snack, bath, teeth, story, bed. After story we just can't get him to lie down in bed. Whether we stay with him or not He's up & down like a yoyo, keeps coming & opening his door. The first week he messed about with stuff in his room, books, making stepping stones from cushions. Last week we did the Supernanny routine of putting him back in bed again & again. Eventually he'd stub his toe in the dark, cry a bit then go to sleep. The last 2 nights he just can't switch off & has only drifted off, up to 2 hours later than normal, if one of us is in the room. The last 2 nights he's cried in the night wanting to come in our bed (never happened apart from illness) but settled after some comforting.

Naps are relatively no problem. Mornings he'll stay in bed till the groclock changes.

Our gut feeling is, there is some developmental change going on. Perhaps a bit of separation anxiety? (something never a problem before). We have no idea whether sticking the side back on the cot will make it better or worse.

Any ideas?

Anyone?

Sit next to him until he falls asleep. Then once he's settled into bed, after a few days/weeks do gradusly retreat. At this age they get quite fearful and want that extra reassurance. I remember ds doing the same - seemed to make the bed transition OK then it all went a bit wrong. Sitting with him made it easier to get him used to bed.

Well, we've now just stuck the side back on the cot cos he literally wouldn't stay still or sit down or lie down. I think I'll just keep bobbing back in to reassure him till he settles.

Is it a cot bed or cot? Does he have much space?

Is the cot side a red herring?
Does the nap need shortening / stopping?

It's a cot from ikea where you can take one side off.

I still have no idea what's been going on, but he's gone to sleep within 5 mins of him being back in the cot.

Had the same problem. I think to a little kid something like taking the side off the cot is quite a big change and it is both an opportunity for mischief, and something a bit scary. My daughter reacted like this when moving from cot to bed, and then again when we tried getting her out of pull-ups at night.

You could stick the side back on, but it's just going to postpone the problem. How about a halfway solution like get a bed rail? We have one for an ikea bed - I know they used to sell them separately but think they may come along with the bed now, but they were only a tenner or so. Or one of those lindam ones?

We did loads of stuff to get our daughter to sleep in her bed, can't even remember them all now. One involved me sleeping on the floor beside her when I was eight months pregnant, needless to say that didn't last long... Sticker reward charts, chocolate macaroons for breakfast if she stays in bed, leaving the door wide open, sitting with her while she fell asleep... These days she goes to sleep no probs because she shares a room with her little sister and loves that. If you have other kids I would recommend that. Or the old "I'm just going to the toilet I will be back in a minute" trick.

Yeah, or just keep the side on the cot!

I think we did totally underestimate the impact of change. He is a kid that thrives on routine. Anyway, we'll see how tomorrow goes....

We've got a second attempt at potty training, getting rid of the dummy and dropping the nap all to come. I'm hoping to be able to get pregnant from the summer so at some point there will be a time pressure at some point, but I suppose at the moment there isn't.

Yeah definitely don't rush! We got rid of the dummy, moved to a bed and changed from sleeping bag to duvet all in one night. She has barely slept through the night since.

Maybe he likes the security. I wouldn't bother changing it now. Leave it a few months. What's the rush?

Sounds like its not the nap then.
Would a bedguard help?
I moved mine out of the cot when then escaped, so we had no choice but to make a bed work. Sounds like your not at that stage yet, so put the side back on for a while.

He seems so grown up sometimes. I think I've forgotten he's still a baby really. I would've thought 2.5 years in I'd feel more like I had a clue!

I don't think putting the side back on is a prob - if he's not ready then he's not ready....he is still v little.

How was he thru the night?