Putting DS into a 'big boys' bed tomorrow night - any tips gratefully received.

[ceebee74]

The big day has arrived and we are taking the bars down of DS's cot bed tomorrow - however, I could do with any tips about how to handle it if he won't stay in bed in the evening, what to do if he gets up and starts wandering around in the middle of the night etc.

He has always been a fantastic sleeper and once he is asleep, he tends to stay asleep until early morning - but I don't want to get into the trap of sitting with him until he falls asleep but how do I prevent him from getting up once I have put him to bed??

Also, what do you do in the early mornings - sometimes he wakes up at 5ish, plays for a bit and goes back to sleep but I guess he could start coming into us at that time instead.

Basically any information would help - forewarned is forearmed and all that

don't do it too soon - we are still reaping what we sowed.

Crumpet - lol! What do you class as 'too soon'??

DS is 2.4 and I am due to give birth to DS2 in 4 weeks so thought now would be a good time to do it whilst I am on maternity leave, DS is in nursery and I can sleep during the day if it is a real disaster - thought trying to do it with a newborn baby aswell would just be far too much

Have you tried letting him have his daytime naps in the bed to get him used to it first?

Thats if he's still having naps?

Depends how you feel,but I felt safer having a Stair Gate on my DS's room.Didn't like the idea he could wander and get into danger/mischief whilst I slept.

I also found having a cotside on the bed,with the other side against the wall made him alot safer,and for a while deterrred him from getting out,think he still felt "enclosed" like in his cot.

Hm ds is 2.4 too and has been in a bed for about 3 months. Used to be pretty good at going down, then when he went into the bed it took bim a few days to realise that he could get out, and hasn't looked back! Once he's asleep its fine, but it can take a while. For a while closing his door worked, but in the last month he's grown strong enough to open it (round handles) so we are back to square 1.

Wakign up means getting out too -no playing in bed nonsense! We can persuade him to be quietish if he comes into us very early, but not for long. Giving him a series of books generally allows us to keep our eyes closed for a bit longer as long as we keep giving him encouraging grunts

Dd was fine when she went into a bed and I don't remember it being so prolonged, probably has nothing to do with it but she ddn't go into a bed until at least 2.6. It was a higher bed too with a bed guard.

Thanks for the advice - I really don't want to do this but know I have to as he has to move out of the nursery and into another bedroom in the next few months so the baby can have the cot!

Life is so simple at the moment - he goes down for his naps (Sawyer - yes he still has a 90-minute nap at 1pm) and at bedtime like a dream - literally I put him in his cot, tuck him up and leave him and then we have the whole evening to ourselves.

Can just see his naps going pear-shaped and our evenings spent constantly putting him back in his bed

New Phase,new set of tricks I guess.IME they usually settle down back into a good routine.

Although there's always exceptions,and then out comes the Reward Charts,and the "Rapid Return" techniques.

Hopefully it'll work out,and theres always Playgroup and school looming which will wear him out.....

Hi, I took the sides off DD2's cot about a month or so ago when she was 19 months (she is the most unbelievable climber and it simply wasn't safe to have a cot any more). DD1 went into a bed at about 22 months as I was expecting DD2. Both of them followed a pretty similar pattern to be honest. A stairgate across the door is an absolute must in my opinion, as is double checking everything in the room for safety. Then I'd say just leave him to it. I mean if he is crying then go to him obviously, and calmly put him into bed without any fuss or interaction then leave again. I didn't find crying was the problem. It was the running around and jumping and bouncing..... drove me potty. Ignoring it is definitely best, it wears off.

DD2 was worse than DD1. First few weeks she'd be up to about 8.30 running around in her room, pulling all the books off the shelves etc (she goes to bed at 7pm supposedly, and this despite the fact she had always previously gone to bed like a dream. I often found her asleep on the floor and would just pick her up and pop her into bed. However a couple of weeks on and we're completely back to normal. Lunch time naps followed the same pattern - initially lots of running around, then she soon settled back into the old pattern.

Take a deep breath and just do it. Don't get worked up or give him too much attention when he runs around. Honestly, after a week or two the novelty will have worn off and bed times will be fine again.

A couple of pillows on the floor are also a must, as is tucking the duvet in tight once he is finally asleep to avoid those 4am wake up bumps......

Nelly - thanks, that is really useful advice. I don't think he will cry but he will definitely run around being extremely giddy and causing all sorts of chaos. Glad to hear that it is just a phase and hopefully normal service will resume before the baby decides to make an appearance!