Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Sleep

Join our Sleep forum for tips on creating a sleep routine for your baby or toddler. Need more advice on your childs development? Sign up to our Ages and Stages newsletter here.

Flip

Original poster

Over 3 years and still in a cot - advice please

12 replies

bear73 · 10/04/2006 14:16

My dd was 3 in Feb and is still perfectly happy sleeping in her Grobag in her cot (big cot as it's a cot/bed). Thing is we are off on a holiday to cornwall in June and there are bunk beds for her to sleep in which are in an adjoining room.

Half of me has no real desire to move her to a bed yet as she is perfeclty happy, sleeps all night and still has an hours nap in the day (bliss :))

The other says it's time and it will have to be done in preparation for holiday. She has a cot bed so I could just remove the sides and see what heppens. Should I use a side rail? The cot bed doesn't have one and my sister says she never bothered as it's just anther thing to have to take away with you all the time! She has only ever slept in a Grobag and am a bit concerned about the move to a duvet and a pillow.

I just want some advice really on how to go about it. I would say I am fairly strict and won't take any nonsense at nighttime so am dreading her just getting out all the time (not sure she will though).

Any advice or tips welcome, she'll be nearly 3 1/2 by June so maybe it's time to bite the bullet. I suppose I just like knowing where she is LOL.

Thanks
bear
x

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

pesme · 10/04/2006 14:23

dd went into a bed before she was two so abit different but i kept her in a grobag in the bed until she complained. just put a light blanket or sheet over her to get her used to the idea. i put a pillow at the top of dds bed and gradually she decided to use it. you will have to go through the getting out of bed thing at some point!

FrayedKnot · 10/04/2006 14:40

This is going to be me in the summer.

Hoping to go on holiday in Sept & DS will be too big for the travel cot by then (he's 2) so will have to move him into big bed before that.

I also dread the thought of him being able to get out .

I was planning to introduce a pillow soon. I think I will take him out of the growbag once he goes into a bed though because otherwise I have visions of him falling straight out of bed if he rolls over, whereas, if he was tucked under a duvet, that would be less likely.

I think I might even try sheets & a blanket for a while so he can be tucked right in.

Good luck anyway, I'm sure she will be fine, and because she's older, she will understand better about not getting up etc.

alexw · 10/04/2006 14:59

One tip I heard was to lift/carry child into bed as you would with a cot so they don't realise initially how easy it is to get out... Don't know if it would work have a while to go before even thinking about it...

LIZS · 10/04/2006 15:09

Can't she stay in her grobag and just sleep on the bed in it ? Put some pillows on the floor to the side or move mattress onto floor and let her sleep there. Ours used a bed on holiday before they were out of the cot at home and were fine going back into it, if that is wht you'd prefer.

annobal · 10/04/2006 15:27

ds1 slept in a single bed for the first time on the weekend (he's 2 1/2). We took the rails off the side of the cot about 3 months ago. He still sleeps in a gro bag and we do have some nights when he gets up and plays in his room - we just go and put him back to bed. Most nights he's passed out by 7pm! I think they have to get over the novelty and there will be some getting in and out - you just need to persevere and keep putting her back in to bed and let her know it's time for sleep.

Original poster

bear73 · 10/04/2006 18:29

Thanks everyone. Some good tips there!

I hadn't thought of using the grobag in the bed but I suppose if she really resists getting rid of it then she could still sleep in it. That would deter getting out of bed a bit :)

I think I will take the sides off the cot soon and see what happens, leave her in the grobag and see if she is OK at not falling out :)

The pillow and duvet can come with time I suppose unless she is really eager for them.

Thanks all, I suppose it's something we all have to go through at some point.

bear
x

OP posts:

IlanaK · 10/04/2006 18:53

My ds1 was in a cot (bed) until he was over three. He was perfectly happy so we had no desire to move him. When we did, we kept him in his grobag for a while as he was used to it. Eventually, we did give him a duvet and get rid of the grobag. The transition all was fine. IN fact, I would say it is probably easier at that age as they understand about staying in bed etc. We were certainly thought odd by other people though for him being in a cot at his age!

lazycow · 12/04/2006 10:31

I don't understand why children can't stay in a cot until they are three unless there are pressing reasons otherwise. From what I've heard the transition is often easier then than earlier.

Original poster

bear73 · 12/04/2006 18:38

Thanks all. I think I have decided to keep her in her Grobag and take the sides off her cot. We went to buy a duvet and pillow today and she said she didn't want one, she wanted to stay in her cot in her grobag!!!!

I think I'll still take the sides off at some point this week and just see what happens.

Thanks again for the advice.

bear

OP posts:

NotAnOtter · 12/04/2006 18:41

My darling ds3 is still in a cot and he was 3 end of jan - no advice just nice to know there are others!

DumbledoresGirl · 12/04/2006 18:47

My 3.2 yo ds3 has just moved from a cot into a bed. He was fine about it apart from occasionally saying he wants his cot back, but then he is the youngest of 4 children and obviously can see that his older siblings are in beds.

IME, they don't often get out of bed just because they can (anyway, my ds3 was perfectly capable of getting out of his cot) but you may have a few occasions when you have to put them back in, but as you say you are frim about this anyway, you probably won't have any trouble.

Also IME they don't fall out of bed when they first move into one. Ds3 hasn't fallen out yet (although I use old fashioned sheets and blankets and so can tuck him in firmly). It tends to be a few months later that they fall out, when they are used to the bed. Sometimes they don't even wake up! But if you are worried, put a pillow or a folded blanket by the side of the bed to cushion them.

zebraz · 12/04/2006 19:14

DD started sleeping in a cot again at 4yo+2months, as soon as her baby brother evicted himself from it. She's happy, she can sleep in a bed when visiting other places, she just likes the comforting small limits of the cot (she's small for age).
I have wedged cot in her room next to her big proper bed.
What's more, her 6yo brother fights for the privilege of sleeping in the cot, too; they have even tried to sleep in it together.
Daft creatures.

Flip