2 year old bedtime battle

[blakeway45]

I am literally at the end of my tether. My DD turned 2 in March. We changed her cot into a cotbed the same week, and all went well. However the last month bedtime has been a nightmare. Refusing to sleep in her bed, only wanting to go into mummy and daddy's bed, constantly getting out. Tried the quick return tactic but the screaming and floppiness does not make it easy. She's saying she doesn't want her bed because it's dirty (it's not), or she needs a drink, or she wants corn flakes (favourite snack) or a story. Every delay tactic imaginable. It took from 7.10 to 10pm last night to get her to sleep and I ended up sitting next to her bed. Please please please has anyone got any advice?

I wouldn't consider changing from cot yo bed until 3rd birthday at the earliest. Because before this DC is unlikely to have the emotional regulation to cope, as you found.

I'd bring the cot back.

If the reason for changing was cot climbing, this can easily be dealt with in itself. It isn't a reason to swap to a bed before child is ready. Otherwise you end up creating far, far more poor sleep habits than you hoped to solve in the first place.