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Bed rail or not?

6 replies

Catbert · 31/10/2004 13:36

So... As DD1 (2.3) has not slept during the day for nearly two weeks, I think I have to face up to the awful truth that she has probably given it up. We try every day and then she spends an hour or more in her cot being loud, but quite happy. So - two questions dear ladies:

  1. She seems to be suffering a bit as a result of no daytime sleep, in being very tired by the end of the day and more prone to outbursts of frustration, anger and such. Night time sleep has not been affected, but she is not sleeping for any longer. I am assuming there must be some period of transition whilst her body adjusts to a new sleep pattern. Am I right? Will she settle down. Maybe she is just in a new phase of development and her sudden raised frustration is a symptom as is the sleep?

  2. She has always been a super night sleeper and loves her bedtime. I therefore feel that I could confidently move her into a "real" bed. A little bit scared! However, when making this big step, I wonder what the point is of the bed rail? Is it just to stop them falling out? If so, at what point do you remove the bed rail, and are they just as likely to fall out when it's gone anyway - and so is it worth the investment? Is not falling out of bed something that is a learned response or an age thing?
    thanks

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
janeybops · 31/10/2004 14:12

I never bothered with a bed rail. DD has a cot bed so it is low to the ground anyway.

The first week or so I put pillows on the floor. She did fall out about 3 times but then learnt not to! Hasn't had any problems since and she sleeps in camp beds, single, double and her own bed fine now.

catinthehat · 31/10/2004 14:16

I have one of those as well and would also like to know the answer to 1).
However:
2) We put her in a bed some months ago, and just put cushions on the floor. This went on for some weeks longer than necessary, as it was only for my own peace of mind. I think she chucked herself out once - even then it was only feet first so came down gently IYSWIM. What really encouraged her was a nice cuddly duvet, as she seems to turn herself over on the spot like an adult, trying to stay in the warm patch. A bed rail just seemed like one more of those hassly bits of kit that its easy to do without.

Catbert · 31/10/2004 14:26

Janeybobs... I read a recent post about trying to encourage a toddler to sleep during the day. I have tried putting her in her bed at different times. Being extra vigilenbt about those tired signs etc... nothing works. We even have a nice "routine" for daytime sleep as she's always been a tough cookie for it. It includes nice cup of milk and snuggly story. She always settles, yawns, rubs eyes, etc etc. The moment you are out of the room, she's up in her cot shouting and yelling and singing (in a nice way, but even so...)

Luckily it doesn't disturb DD2 snoozing happily in the room next to her.

On the upside, I can still let her have this "quiet" (noisy) time for an hour or so, without her objecting too much...

OP posts:
Catbert · 31/10/2004 14:27

Sorry, I meant catinthecat... Doh!

OP posts:
Furball · 31/10/2004 14:39

We didn't bother with a bed rail. I just put the cot matress on the floor next to the bed for about a week. I think he fell out twice, one time he didn't even wake up!! We found him sound asleep on the matress on the floor.

catinthehat · 31/10/2004 14:40

Erm... I think the cat households are doomed. It sounds as if DD's 90 mins of bellowing and crashing is the best we're going to get from now on.

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