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2 yo Cot to Bed transition issues

9 replies

GRC · 18/06/2009 08:38

Hello folks. Our 25 month DS has just been transplanted from his cot to a bed. We thought to do this as he was banging into cot rails and looked to be outgrowing it. His cot was a standard cot, not a cot bed so on on the small side. We got him a red racing car bed which he pointed at and rushed to shouting 'car'. Good start.

Well, Saturday was the first night, and he fell out once. It's less than a foot to the floor so no harm done, and he's not fallen out again and we've just had night 5.

The problem is, he sounds like he really hates it. He used to be in his cot, in a sleep bag, door shut, no lights on. No problem, slept like a baby, er, toddler.

Now though he makes the most distressing sounding screams when left alone in the bed. He often gets up through the night which I can accept but we've found him asleep on the floor wedged between the door and safety gate. He just gets really distressed if he wakes up in his bed and we're not there. It takes ages to console him, then we have to spend 1+hours in his room or just outside with the door open until he drifts off.

Have we done this [moved to bed] too early? Is this reaction normal? Will things improve? He's been a 8 hour night time sleeper before, not the glorious 12 but not so bad. This is just so distressing.

We're going to try leaving the door closed but putting a night light in. I really don't know what to think at the moment although I realise it's very early days

Thanks for reading, comments and any advice greatly appreciated.

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GRC · 18/06/2009 08:43

I need to add that we've moved him out of a sleep bag into PJs at the same time. Due to the increased potential freedom, we didn't want to effectively tie his legs together!

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MrsHappy · 18/06/2009 08:51

Try putting the bed where the cot was and putting the cot next to it. He'll see/feel the bars in the night and that might help. It made for an easier transition with my sister's children - they only had things set up like this for a week or so.

GRC · 18/06/2009 09:19

The bed is in the same place as the cot, the room's not really big enough to do it another way but I like the idea of the cot bars being there. I think we might try that. Thanks

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PigeonPair · 18/06/2009 11:29

Took sides off DS's cot bed when he was around 2 but kept him in the sleeping bag for a while while he adjusted. Maybe your DS likes the security of the sleeping bag and finds the two "changes" too much at once?. Also it seemed to restrict movement a bit so my DS was pretty good at staying in bed. Is that worth a try???

dinkystinky · 18/06/2009 17:20

Does he have a comforter or a toy he takes to bed at nights? DS1 never had a toy in his cot but when he moved to a bed at 26 months he suddenly wanted his Pingu and toy lion in bed with him - we let him have them and he was much happier at going to bed with them. We also kept him in his gro bag with just a sheet over him till he got used to the bed then transitioned to duvets (used the gro-duvet).

GRC · 19/06/2009 07:30

Well, last night we put him to sleep in his sleep bag, on the bed, with a travel cot next to the bed.

There isn't room for his regular cot to go in alongside the bed but he likes the travel cot anyway.

And... Woo!

I know it's only one night but he's back to his old self. Was still asleep when I left for work this morning at 6. He woke up once in the night but was happy and babbling to himself rather than screaming.

I'm not going to count any chickens before the cows come home to roost, with it only being one night and all but fingers crossed...

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MrsHappy · 19/06/2009 15:31

Ah good. Hopefully he'll decide he likes his bed before long and then you can do away with the travel cot.

Amazing the difference a good night's sleep can make, isn't it?

GRC · 22/06/2009 08:26

To us and him, I'm sure.

Found him asleep on the floor again this morning though. I was leaving for work and it was 5am so I didn't try and put him back in bed

Things are much better now he's back in his bag but still the propensity to get out and sleep on the floor! I guess he'll have to learn come winter!

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SarahL2 · 22/06/2009 08:42

Found my DS (also 2) had gotten out of bed a few nights ago, pulled his changing mat out from under his drawers and had gone to sleep on that. His back was all sweaty from sleeping on the plastic when we found him!

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