21 month old - how to get to sleep without cot

[Caspianberg]

Ds can climb out of cot now easily. Then climbs over gate and tada, is free.

So, cot bed side off. How the hell do you get them to sleep?
Previously I would sit in room with him or leave and return a few times and after 30-45mins of him playing around in cot with teddy he would fall asleep usually.

Now it’s just like a game of cat and mouse for 2-3hrs. With Dh or I sitting by door to stop him escaping.

justchillbabysleep.co.uk/2020/10/23/when-should-i-move-my-toddler-into-a-bed/

@babysleephelp - thank you

That link doesn’t really help though. Just says it’s ideal if they stay in cot until 3 years, but not to if they climb out unsafe.

He climbs out, in a flash. He takes sleeping bags off so has duvet now. He climbs over stair gate. So I can’t just leave him in cot with sides until he’s 3 years surely when it isn’t safe anymore

I sit with door closed and me inside room with him so he’s safe, but I just can’t take spending so many hours per day. With nap I’m spending 2/3/4 hrs per day just trying to get him to sleep.

I just spent 1hr trying to get him to nap ( from 1pm our time) disaster. Put him in pram and went for a walk and he fell asleep in seconds, so he’s tired.

Sorry it wasn't helpful.

I don't have experience myself but have a lo approaching the same age so I would be interested to see what advice you get here as it's something I've been wondering about myself.

I guess, as it says in the link, the difficulty you are having is that he is too young to understand and for you to explain properly about his new sleeping situation.

I think in your situation I would just be consistent in returning him to bed each time he gets up until he's too exhausted to get up again.

If you have to do naps on the move until he gets used to it at night then maybe that's the compromise for now? Hopefully just another (albeit a very frustrating and tiring) phase and fingers crossed it will pass soon for you! Can imagine how exhausted you must be

@babysleephelp - no I’m sure it is helpful to many. It’s just I keep reading similar and then think, well I’m sure it is easier to keep in cot, but I can’t physically tie him in so what to do.

He always been very early physically ie early crawling and walking (9months). So has had lots of time to practice climbing already. But mentally he’s not even 2 yet, so I’m not sure how much he understands. He doesn’t really talk yet either.

Could you put him down to sleep in a cot and then transfer him out? E.g. get him down in a travel cot them lift him into his cot that now has the sides off once he's fast asleep?

@Okeydoky - but he just climbs out before he’s asleep, that’s the problem. I tried him in travel cot 2 days ago, he basically just leaped out the second after I put him down.

He ended up falling asleep on me in the end and i lifted into bed this evening, still took 90mins

This transisition stage is difficult. Some kids just fall asleep and don't move.... I've never had one of those 😂

A few things we've done in different stages, ages and children.
Read a book then Laid with them till they fall asleep - held hands parent on the floor, toddler in the bed.
Read books in our room, lights out. Repeated it's bedtime no moving etc and then transferred them to bed.
Otherwise just keep putting them back in bed repeating it's bedtime and ride it out.
Other than that there's not much you can do bar locking them in there room which I do not advise 😂

With both mine we did a carrot and stick.

The stick was basically every time they get out and leave the room they get taken back with no interaction from you. No eye contact no talking nothing.

They cry and hate it but it stops being a game

The carrot is a sticker chart. Talk to them about it and let them help you make the chart. They get a sticker for every night they stay in bed all night and after a week they get a treat or toy of their choice. Do it for 3-4 weeks.

Both mine were about 2 when we did this and both stayed in their beds from night one of the sticker chart. They didn't need the stick. My youngest in particular was so keen to earn her elsa lunch box you could see the concentration on her face as she stayed in bed.

@Twizbe - I can try. But I honestly dont think he will understand a sticker chart yet.

Every since newborn, if he’s left to cry more than 1 min he holds his breathe, and then faints.
Such a Drama lama