How to MAKE toddler co-sleep?

[sueshoes]

The opposite way round from anything I can find online - I don't want to stop co-sleeping with my DC, I want to start.

When she's ill, she wants held and is fine if I stand up, mostly ok if I sit down, but if I dare to actually lie down to get some sleep myself then she is wide awake, giggling, poking me in the face, trying to stand up and bounce on my stomach, trying to get down off the bed to run around, etc. It would also be handy sometimes when staying at relatives' houses as she's getting big for the travel cot but not big enough for a bed yet.

I just wondered if anyone has experienced this hyperactivity when sharing a bed and how to deal with it? I have just come through a week of very little sleep due to her being ill and screaming each time she was on her own, falling asleep on me when I stood holding her, then wide awake and playful if I tried to go to bed with her. She loved sleeping in the bed when she was tiny (she was in a cosleeper crib but loved to be put on my mattress) but since maybe 9 months or so, at a guess, it's been like this. I need sleep too when she's ill - I catch whatever she catches!

If she sleeps when you hold her standing up Maybe try sliding into bed, having her lay on top of you until she’s in a deep enough sleep and slide her off next to you onto the matress and hold her hand for a while ? (The sliding into bed might be tricky

Yeah she either wakes up as I get into bed, or wakes up soon after. I need to figure out how to get her to go to sleep next to me, rather than stay asleep, as she never stays asleep for long! Sometimes she won't even go to sleep when I'm holding her, but is trying to, yet I get into bed as I can't hold her any longer. Then it's just mayhem and she's no longer thinking about sleeping.

Just pretend to be asleep, keep laying her down and saying "shh" or "go to sleep". Eventually she will go to sleep.

Thanks. I've tried completely ignoring and closing my eyes (she shouts increasingly loudly, pokes me in the eye/ear/nose which is worse when I don't see it coming, and hurts herself by jumping about and hitting off the headboard etc if I'm not constantly watching her). Believe me, I've tried, several times. Shushing and telling her to sleep have no effect whatsoever.

How old is she?

Just turned 2, though it might be worth mentioning she seems to have some delays, currently being investigated, so she's not the kind of 2 year old you could have a conversation with or anything (I know some of my friends' kids are talking in sentences at that age - she's far from that).

Mine have never co-slept. Dd2 is 18 months and last week I had to put her in bed with us as she was ill. I got about 5% more sleep than if I had stayed sitting in her room. When she woke up she cried and tried to get away, when she was asleep I was clinging on the edge of the bed, awake.

How old is your dd?

Same. My twins see lying down with us as an invitation to party. They just would never go to sleep, or even lie down. They’re just 2 as well.

I don’t know if she would have the understanding but could try giving her options
A -sleep in your own bed
B -sleep in mummy’s bed, no messing about

Option C of sleeping whilst being held stood up is not available. If she chooses B then fine but if she plays up it is back to A. If she wants out it is on the basis of B not C. Repeat as needed. Probably a lot tbh. No doubt pretty painful for a night or two but consistency is key that if she doesn’t comply with B she gets A.

Thanks. That's generally what it comes down to but I'll have to persevere some more, I think you're right. Unfortunately she doesn't understand any reasoning yet so I imagine she'll keep going until she can't stay awake any longer (if I can last that long)!

Bumping for any other ideas...