Transition from cot to bed has buggered up sleep

[upsoearly]

Last week we moved my DD (2.4) from cot to bed) as she had reached the stage where she could climb out of her cot and it didn't seem safe any more.

Initially she was very pleased with her 'big girl bed', but within a few days she decided she was frightened of the dark and today she announced she doesn't like her bedroom. We had an awful night last night - up and down all night from 3.30am until I gave up and came downstairs with her at 6.

She complains that she doesn't like the dark, so we leave the hall light on and her door half open. Then she says she wants the door shut, but doesn't like the dark, so we set up a nightlight - doesn't like that either. Tried giving her extra covers in case she is cold - doesn't like those either. Basically everything we do is wrong.

I am not keen on letting her sleep in our bed, as I fear she would never leave (though we do have cuddles in bed first thing in the morning), and anyway I really don't want her to develop some sort of phobia about hre bedroom.

I just don't know what to do. I'm unwilling to leave her to scream - it just seems cruel, plus we have a 2 month old baby and I don't want her to be any more disturbed.

Please can anyone help??! We are all exahusted. I have to admit we are also spoilt - she has been a very reliable 12-hour a night sleeper for at least a year now, so we really didn't expect this.

Thanks in advance for any tips.

We always put the cot right next to the bed with the cot side off so the child can roll back into the cot if they want, but none of ours ever did. It offers some security the cot is still there. we did this for a fw weeks I think. Also you could try a bed guard. We used the Baby dan ones which are soft and they snuggle into those, so they still get a feel of a nest. A sleeping bag to zip child into can also help to avoid the getting up. As its so cold at the moment could she also be getting cold and getting up for that reason. You can get radiators which plug in that its safe to leave on low all night in these temperatures.
Just some ideas... Basically any continuity from the cot to bed may help - is the bed in the same place in the room where the cot was? in the same room?

Thanks for replying nonanny. The cot has been converted into a bed, so unfortunately it's not possible to have them both up at the same time! It's in the same room and the same position as before. We have put a heater in there. May try the bedguard, and I've also been told that those clocks that tell them whe it is night and when it is morning can be helpful.

A friend has recommended trying the Ferber approach - closing the door for a minute until they get into bed, and gradually increasing the time, until she gets the message that the door only stays open if she stays in bed. Not at all sure about it, but feeling quite desperate - she was up several times last night and refused to go back to bed from 5am onwards. We are all so tired!

I don't have any experience of this, but could it also be anything to do with the fact that you have another young baby?

I know a lot of friends whose DCs started to play up/need more attention/not want to sleep in their own room when a younger sibling came along and basically turned their worlds upside down...

Just a thought...

DS (2.6) recently moved into a bed with duvet from cot with sleeping bag and went a bit mad, running wild at bedtime and getting up in the night.

The wild bed times settled within a week of just putting him back in bed as many times as necessary.
We dealt with the night waking with DP sleeping on a mattress next to his bed if DS woke during the night and wouldn't settle back in his room on his own after 2 or 3 attempts.

After 2-3 weeks we were back to him reliably sleeping through again, so I would tentatively say it's just a phase and your DD should get used to her new sleeping arrangement soon.

A clock worked for my nephew for the early rising problem.

Would a reward chart work?
That was our next planned step with DS but didn't need it in the end (saving that for toilet training )

Good luck

Yes, curlyj, I'm sure the arrival of a little sister is part of the issue here. Her behaviour has deteriorated generally, though she appears very devoted to her little sister, we do understand that her life has suddenly changed and we are trying to be as understanding as possible!

Montifer - was it nor difficult when DP stopped sleeping on the floor in your DS's room? I would happily do that if I didn't fear that I or DH might spend the next two years sleeping on the floor!

Had been wondering about a star chart, but thought maybe she was too young... maybe we should rethink.

We did wonder if DP might end up on his bedside mattress for years to come, but it was literally 5 or 6 nights at the most and then DS seemed to settle into the new arrangement and hasn't woken in the night since.
I think DS was waking due to the 'freedom' of being out of his bag and under a duvet, which must feel very different.

Amazingly he has only rolled out of his bed once and he didn't wake, we just heard the bump.

I anticipate there will be the odd nightmare / disturbed night due to illness when DP's mattress comes out again, but so far so good

WRT to the star chart, we weren't sure if he'd 'get it', however he can be bribed with promise of a biscuit or ice cream in most situations, so whatever presses their buttons should do the trick.