It was going so well...then we transitioned to a bed!

[WingingIt101]

Dd is 2 years 3 months. She's particularly tall (98 centile) and so very long and we were worrying she would soon start to climb out of her cot so moved her to a bed. It's a very low down double bed with bed guards on either side.

Prior to her bed she was in her cot, and we had, with sleep training managed to get her sleeping through - she would go down between 7 and 7.30 and we would be able to put her down after her bedtime routine, say "night night" and walk out. If she was still fairly awake she would quietly lay down and go to sleep.

Once we moved to the bed she now needs us to sit with her and she gets really annoyed if we leave. Most nights we are sat with her til at least 8 but more often 8.30-9pm.

She can't be getting enough sleep (wakes up at the same time she did when she was in her cot) and we are getting no time to eat dinner at a decent time or sit and relax of an evening.

When we sleep trained (and I know it's not for everyone so please keep judgemental comments to yourselves if it's not for you!) we did timed leaving and going back.

Our worry with her now being in the bed is she can get out and open the door so it's light, or get books etc. and what if she does decide to go to sleep but ends up on the floor rather than back in bed?

Feels like a minefield but I have another baby due in ten weeks and really feeling the pressure to crack this!!

Sleeping on the floor isn’t really the end of the world, my DC did it a few times, I’d just lift them back into bed when I went up.

Id stop sitting with her, each time she gets up, just take her back to bed without saying a word other then night time, good night or something similar.

Was there a reason for moving lo out of cot? Apart from she might climb out? I thought a cot was suggested until they actively climb out??

Maybe the lunchtime nap is too long now if she's not going sleep until 8 to 830?

Thanks both - she was definitely close to Climbing out, starting to put her leg up etc then with the imminent arrival of the baby we wanted to get this smaller change done for her beforehand. Plus because she's so long she was getting less room in her cot. She's definitely happy in the bed once she's asleep it's just taken a big step back in terms of going down independently!

Thanks @FawnFrenchieMum I think we need to be brave and just go for it!

Baby gate on bedroom door?

Oh sorry I jut re-read and realised that you close the door for darkness? We didn't do this.

Stair gate on bedroom door, do bedtime routine and if she wants to stay awake you know she is safe.

You call this a 'small change' but this is huge to kids.

My DD was older when we moved her out of cot, but being in the bed seemed to be a bit scary for her, more open, and she was so used to the cot. My DD actually really liked the stairgate as think it replicated the cot, when we finally removed it a few months ago we had to keep putting it back on as she didn't like it off.

Have you got a gro clock? May help to explain she has to stay in her room

Sorry I meant small change in comparison to having a sibling!!

Yes she's got a gate in her door so she wouldn't be able to roam freely! She can open the door but not the gate!

Will definitely try the groclock - we got one a while back but she was too little for it (it was in a sale so snapped it up!) so I'll try and get that set up tonight then go for it!

She does seem to really like the bed but she also likes us staying with her!

Our daughter stacked it out of the cot quite young and so we made the change into a bed quite early. The first thing is, she went through a terrible sleep time just before her brother was born (she was around 2.5 at this point). I think it was anxiety about the big changes coming but once he was born, that settled down.
The second thing, is she in a cot bed or single bed?? The cot bed was a nightmare for us but once we went into a single bed, she slept so much better! She is also very tall.

Maybe a double bed is scary for her. From being enclosed in a cot to having all that space around her may feel weird to her. Is a double necessary? Would she prefer a single?

Definitely second the gate on the door, and just leave her to self settle. If she gets out then lead her by the hand and say its bedtime or night night and put her back in bed.

She will get it eventually, you don't need to be sitting with her til late waiting for her to go to sleep if that isn't what you want to do. In time she will learn to just go to sleep when you tell her it's bedtime and say goodnight.

Good luck.

I’d remove anything fun from the room, stairgate on the door (as you’ve already done), then do as you’d do with sleep training and put her back to bed at regular intervals. If she conks out on the floor it’s not a big deal, just wait until she’s deeply asleep and put her back in bed. Although mine have never done this, after an initial fuss they’d give up and take themselves to bed and fall asleep there. I think after about 3 nights they didn’t even bother getting up!

As she's so young, you need to childproof the room and remove all her toys/books etc to a safe place. Then if I were you I'd just shut the door and leave her to it, pop back in at intervals.