Moving DS (21mo) to big boy bed....

[Mammabear31]

....it's been a fucking disaster.

I thought he was ready - started trying to climb in/out his cot, sleeping with a duvet instead of his sleeping bag, and a brilliant sleeper (7pm-7am every night, no waking and goes straight to sleep when we put him in his cot). Sunday we took the sides off his cot, and he slept really well. However Monday was a totally different story! Took me nearly an hour to get him to sleep for his nap, he kept getting up, crying and refusing to sleep in his bed. Eventually got him off by cuddling to sleep...Yes I know, I know!! Monday evening comes around and once again, refuses to stay in bed. Stands by his stairgate on the door and cries/screams. We tried everything; ignoring him, laying him down and coming straight out, staying with him for a while to encourage him to sleep. After nearly 3 hours we gave up and got the travel cot out . This evening hasn't been much better and I'm ashamed to say he's back in the travel cot after a hour of protestation. He's so exhausted but just. wont. sleep.

Do we give up, and put the sides back on the cot for a few months before trying again? Or should we persevere? He just seems so anti-bed and its distressing him so much, not even his favourite toys/teddies in bed are helping

He's still quite young so there is no harm putting them back on for a while.

If he is trying to climb out his cot it is probably wise to stick with it, my son climbed out his cot and hit his head quite badly (first time he ever tried it so I had no warning).

It will get easier, I put my son in a bed the same age. He is autistic, he had no communication and I couldn't explain it to him but he was no longer safe in his cot so we had no choice.

He screamed every night eventually falling asleep on the floor. It lasted about a week and we got there so it isn't hopeless just hard. After about a week he loved his bed though.

He's putting his leg up as if he's trying to get it over the edge, but he can't quite reach. I'm tempted to put the sides back on, if he's ending up in the bloody travel cot every night. Makes me feel like a failure though.

Your're not a failure, he is very little. I wouldn't put him in a proper bed at 21 months unless you have to. It is up to you whether you think he is a risk of climbing out of his cot.

You could put him back in and put something soft around it just in case, just make sure you monitor the situation to ensure he can't actually get out. Also be careful of what he has in there, my son bundled up his bedding and a cuddly toy so he could stand on it and get out (ended up falling head first ).

Things might be much easier when he is a bit older and I would definitely leave him in his cot if he is safe in his cot.

I will be going through this in a few weeks with my youngest (he will be 2 yrs 2 months), I am already dreading it. That will be a disaster as well!

Ds slept in big boy bed from 19 months ish. Bed guard and me sitting on end of the bed. Saying that we had a totally different scenario he never slept through in cot but did from 2 nd night in a bed