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Original poster

Toddler has started refusing to sleep in bed and sleeps on floor - help!

15 replies

Lilpickle08 · 23/11/2009 22:06

Hi

Just wondered if anybody could shed any light on this or help at all?

My toddler is 2 years old and moved into her big girls bed about 6 weeks ago. It went absolutely fine, and we had no problems. Unfortunately in the last week she has developed an aversion to her bed, so much so that she seems to want to sleep as far away as possible from it (on the floor!).

We have tried reasoning with her, we've tried asking her what she's scared of, but to be honest her language is limited so she's not able to tell us anyway. She just shakes her head and says 'no, no' when we try and put her to bed and them promptly falls asleep on the floor (no problem!).

The only thing I can think of that's happened is that a few weeks ago she had a sickness bug and was sick in bed (twice!). However, since then she has slept in the bed fine, so it is a delayed reaction to it (if indeed that's the reason).

Have just gone to check on her now and she's fast asleep up against the door. We have tried putting her back to bed when she's asleep but she just wakes up and moves back to sleeping on the floor again!

Help!

OP posts:
Sidge · 23/11/2009 22:08

Put her mattress on the floor and leave her to it.

I'm sure it's a phase that will pass.

IneedacleanerIamalazyslattern · 23/11/2009 22:11

My dd did the very same thing and there never did apear to be a reason for it.
USed to go up and find her sleeping on the floor across her room.
By the time I gave in and put a matress on the floor for her she decided bed was for her
I think just go with it just now least fuss the better and it will pass, if you make a fuss it might become an issue.

Original poster
Lilpickle08 · 23/11/2009 22:12

Have tried that but she won't sleep on the mattress either!

OP posts:
exexpat · 23/11/2009 22:15

DS did the same briefly at about three, also not long after the transition from cot to bed. He would start out in the bed, but climb out after I left the room. I ended up putting his old cot mattress on the floor next to his bed, putting him in warm pyjamas, and hoping for the best... Didn't make a huge fuss about it, and he stopped doing it after a while.

BikiniBottom · 23/11/2009 22:18

Our ds did the same for about a year. TBH we thought it was funny and took some really cute photos. I wouldn't worry too much. We didn't do anything until I accidentally smashed a glass on the floor and was worried about leftover glass and we insisted he stay in his bed and told him why and he did. He was three by then.

lavenderkate · 23/11/2009 22:21

Get into bed with her and let her fall asleep next to you?

stealthsquiggle · 23/11/2009 22:21

She won't come to any harm sleeping on the floor for a while - I would leave her to it IIWY. Does she take a blanket/duvet with her?

WingedVictory · 23/11/2009 22:24

Ahhh, she might just be asserting herself. Much better than doing it in some other way. I haven't yet got to that point yet, nor the other, later rebellions, but I am hoping that they will be tame rebellions like this one (although, "Mummy, you're so embarrassing! I want to be nooormal!" is going to be really hard to deal with. ).

Original poster
Lilpickle08 · 23/11/2009 22:33

Hi

Thanks for all the reassuring replies.

Have tried getting into bed with her, but she just gets out!

She won't take her duvet with her to the floor as she seems to have an aversion to that too!

Worried about her being cold so have dressed her in layers and socks etc. Think we'll just have to leave her be and hope it's a 'phase'.

OP posts:
stealthsquiggle · 23/11/2009 22:36

Do you have any alternative blankets you could offer her? My DD objects to her duvet ATM and has a patchwork quilt instead (until I sneak up in the middle of the night and add the duvet on top - our house is cold!)

LRB978 · 23/11/2009 22:38

Ds is now 7 and has gone through phases of sleeping on the floor since he was about 2 1/2. Very early on I decided that if the bed was available for him, and he chose to sleep on the floor it was up to him, it wasn't something I was making him do and he was obviously comfortable doing it, so why force him into the bed. It has become less frequent as time goes on, both in the number of nights he spends on the floor at a time and the time between phases, so it looks like he is growing out of it.

lavenderkate · 23/11/2009 22:44

i went round a Montessori nursery school once and was delighted by the little Ikea wicker beds the children took themselves off to sleep in when tired.

They were actually underbed storage baskets complete with mini duvets.

WingedVictory · 23/11/2009 22:44

Or what about praising her/jollying her along for "roughing it", "camping out", so she can return to her bed without loss of face, and also so she realises "camping" is not for every day...?

JjandtheBean · 25/11/2009 11:34

my ds did this for ages, no idea why, but when it turned cold he returned to his bed, strange little creatures sometimes!

pranma · 25/11/2009 21:56

You can buy one piece fleecy sleepsuits with feet that would keep her warm

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