Moving from cot to bed -the fast track method! :-/

[TeaTeaTea]

Our DS is 21 months old & was showing signs of needing to go in 'big boy bed' (leaning far over sides), I'm due DD in 3 days so thought we'd move DS in a couple of months, don't want to give him all this change at once.

Well! He normals goes down to bed so well, bit of a whinge and sings for about 20mins but otherwise well. Last night he would not -howled in anger when we left his room. DH tried for half hr to settle him before I went up to try. By time I'd got downstairs I heard the thump & wail as he had managed to flop out. He was so distraught that we bought him downstairs to settle down and re-adjust.
I was tired anyway so after 20mins decided I'd sleep in his room on airbed next to his cot. Even with me there he still gambolled out again. 10.30pm & DH has his tools out taking the sides of the cot off.

DS wouldn't stay in his bed and fell asleep on the airbed with me cuddling, quickly I'll add & 5mins later I easily moved him the his cot with no fuss.

We do have a cotbed (need to buy a bigger mattress first) but for now the the modified cot will work. The trouble is how do we proceed tonight and the next few nights with settling DS into sleep in his bed? I anticipated having more time, patience and energy (it doesn't help that mild contractions also started yesterday eve!! Arrgh! !)

We do have stair gate on his bedroom door and the stairway.

We could potentially have a he'll of a week on our hands if I give birth in 2 days. We've never co-slept & don't want to start now.

Thanks for any advice!

Get the cot bed up, put one of those net things at the side

Put the cot mattress on the floor

Leave him, he might sleep on the floor for a few night but he will eventually realise the bed is comfiest

It's really not a good idea to do this while you are literally due to give birth any day. I woukd reply some make-do tactics and keep the cot.

Cutting molars happens around 18-24 months, these had a massive effect on my child's sleep for about a week. Whereby she needed loads of extra reassurance and even then still didn't sleep well.

Not great timing if you are about to give birth, but you have what you have.

The imminent changes could also be causing toddler some anxieties, another reason to maintain consistancy, not change just yet.

It's reasonable to assume that your average 18+ month old could mean over the cot bars to shift their centre of balance and topple out. If angry, distressed and frustrated enough I'd say most could do this at this age. Most don't though. My children have all been around their 3rd birthday when moving 3yo a bed.

I would look at ways of avoiding toddler gettinh distressed while in the cot. So someone (Dad) staying with him while he goes to sleep to keep reassuring him.

With in-cot reassurance this phase should pass. Toddler may well go back to being fine in the cot again. I suspect making the change right now, given you are due to give birth, is just going to add to problems at a time already full of change.

Thankyou for all above advice. There was no question of keeping DS in his cot - he's big for his age & learns fast so even when not distressed by 'falling' out once he knew it was possible and did it again just because he could. I wasn't happy with just leaving cushions on the floor as it's quite a height to fall and I was petrified he'd hurt his neck last time he did it, I know it's awful timing but not prepared to chance DS hurting his neck.

The stairgate at the door didn't work - nearly got over it (kid you not, told you he is big!!) - and whereas i can handle tantrums and angry tears, these cries were frantic.

So we've spent last 2 bedtimes lying on floor with him (DH first night, me 2nd night so far) until he falls asleep. The weather/heat hasn't helped, DS didn't really settle until the temp dropped despite all windows and fans going. But 2nd night fell asleep quicker and no nighttime wakes unlike before.

So it's not how I'd have done it, granted, but there's improvement. Funnily enough because I've been so pre-occupied with DS I don't feel labour is at all imminent so fingers crossed she is late and we can have a good week of attention on DS.