Desperate help!!! My 22 month old refusing to sleep in cot!

[Gugu22]

Hi, I am in desperate help! My 22 month old girl has had no problems sleeping since the age of 7 months, recently a week ago the tables have turned and she has just switched for no apparent reason! She is refusing to sleep in her cot, dad rocks her to sleep and attempts to put her down in the cot when she is fast sleep the problem is as soon as she is put down she gets up and cries hysterically!! So hysterically that she makes herself sick! We have had no choice but bring her into our room and let her sleep with us (she has never co slept with us before)

Afternoon nap is the same, she is refusing to sleep in her cot and will only sleep in our bed!

I just can't figure out what has changed and why she is refusing to sleep in her cot! I'm worried we have now created a new habit for her to sleep with us and she will never sleep back in her cot! We are tried and tried to put her back in the cot but she's is not having none of it!

Me & my husband are thinking of trying her out in a toddler bed? Not sure if that would make a difference?

Has any else been or experienced the same as us! It's slowly driving me insane!

The saying of when baby sleeps.. you sleep.. that is definitely not the case! :(

Yes, time for a bed

completely normal. At this age they are very aware that they are snack size for passing predators. For 99.99% of human history being put down to sleep away from your parents would mean likely getting eaten. Normal and natural instinct to respond with fear. Try door open, being close, being heard nearby, low light, etc. But in the end, you might just have to either leave her to scream until she learns nothing comes to eat her when you are gone, or have her with you until she can be reasoned with a bit more

Thank you :) is this something you have experienced before?

We are tried to let her cry it out but she makes herself sick and we are back and forth changing the bed sheets and her, which gives us no choice but to take her out of the cot and into our bed

it wont last forever

My DD always struggled to sleep alone, starting with the Moses basket right next to me. We gave in and bought a bigger bed so she could sleep with us. At various point I'd try to get her into her own space- it worked eventually, she's 19 now and very independent.
I wouldn't fight it.

Do what gets everyone the most sleep. Spending nights changing pjs/ bedding isn't worth it. My dd screamed till she was sick, so we put her in with us, and then toddler bed about 2. Social expectations of child sleeping in a cot is hard to ignore, so just don't tell anyone where she sleeps! We didn't have babysitters during this phase, no way our families would have tolerated her not sleeping in a cot.

Thank you very much.. we have been through all of PJs and bedsheets in the space of the week, that now she sleeps with me and my husband has had to sleep in the spare room. Is your dd now in the toddler bed? How did you manage to make this transition from sleeping with you to the bed?

I could have written this OP and actually have a very similar feed. My 21 month is going through the exact same situation. People have suggested 2 year sleep regression and that it won’t last.
I’m also wondering if a toddler bed would help.
Will be following!

I lot of people have been telling me it could be sleep regression, but I don't think it is as she will sleep in bed with me no problem, but refuses to sleep in her cot. Such a shame as well as she has been such a good sleeper!

I’m in exactly the same situation my little girl was great slept in her cot through the night but for about 3 months now has refused she screams and cries and I can’t bear it. I’ve been letting her fall asleep in our bed and then transferring her but she wakes after 2 hours if I’m lucky and then is hysterical. I feel sad that she’s scared but don’t know what to do to get her back. Have tried sleeping on the floor next to her but doesn’t work either. Any tips is be grateful!

Single mattress on the floor instead of the cot, go to sleep with her then roll away when she's in a deep sleep. And always respond when she gets upset/wakes! Independence comes from dependence and she'll end up more confident and comfortable sleeping alone knowing you're close by and responsive

We've been through a challenging time sleep wise with our DS. 17 months onwards in fact and it's just got better (22 months). At first we thought the winter flu season and illness, then separation anxiety, I also read they're aware at this age that life goes on after they're put to bed, but also we tweaked routine.

What does the rest of the routine/sleep look like? We dropped afternoon nap down to 1 hour and brought bedtime forward by 30 min and it worked.

@Gugu22 have things got any better for you? I’m at my wits end… tonight has been awful she was just crying out for mummas bed and it’s so sad so I did bring her in my bed she fell asleep I tried to transfer her but she woke up instantly.

I think he mr routine is ok, one nap capped at 1 hour max nice relaxed evening routine same as we have always done, she is very sensitive so not sure if it’s separation anxiety. Do I try bringing her cot in our room I just want us all to sleep well and I can’t sleep with her in our bed!!

I'm so sorry I just seen this! We are still in the same boat! She is still sleeping with us in bed we have tired so many times to put her back in the cot but we are having no joy!! Next step is to purchase a toddler bed and see how she gets along with that! How you been coping? Any better?

Just let her sleep in your bed. When she is an older buy her a new bed and make a big deal out of it (let her pick the bed). This will pass but don’t bother trying to break it now.