How to get toddler to stay in bed

[PerfectPennyKilledMyHusband]

We've had to take the sides off my 20 month old daughter's cot as she very nearly climbed out of it. I wasn't expecting to have to deal with this so soon!

She's sleeping really well in the bed once she's asleep and wakes up happy there, but actually getting her to bed is a nightmare. Every time I put her in bed she just jumps out and runs around the bedroom.

For the last week, we've had to resort to taking her for a late night walk or drive and then transferring her to bed from the pram/car seat. Or if she's really tired I will rock her to sleep then transfer her.

It's like having a newborn again! Does anyone have any tips for how to get her to stay in the bed please?

Baby gate on the door of the room and baby proof it all. Then it doesn't matter if she falls asleep on the floor or in her bed.

You just stay with them till they fall asleep.do bedtime story,lights out etc

I had very active twins and they would conspire against me at that age - egg each other on to get out of bed and run around, despite regular bedtime routine; bath, bedtime story, soothing bedtime music etc etc.

What worked for me was to sit in the bedroom with them and read my own book. They had no choice but to be quiet, stay in bed and finally get some sleep. Took about two weeks of this routine for them to get the idea that bedtime was sleep time!

Not what you want to hear, but I think you've taken the sides off the car far (far, far) too soon. And so have created a much bigger problem.

You can teach children no, and safe boundaries. The fact baby can climb out doesn't mean you need to abandoned the cot sides. You realise you've got about 18 years ahead of you where you'll need to assert rules and boundaries? You can start now.

You just need to be calm and consistent in approach. Might need you hoovering outside or in the room during sleep time. Just keep lying baby back down. Have a mantra - something like 'we lie down at bedtime, so you need to lie down. Baby night' and lie baby back down. Repeat a million times until they get it.

Better to keep the cot but teach the boundaries, in my view.

Thanks so much for the replies.

@Springadorable I've babyproofed the room as much as possible but there is a full size single bed in there as well which she could climb on, it's a bit higher than her bed. I guess I could take the base off and just have a mattress in there for now.

@Lovetosurf wow, I can't imagine having to do this with two of them! But it gives me hope that this will get easier! I will try taking a book in tonight.

@FATEdestiny everything I've read says once they get to the point of being able to climb out, the sides need to come off. Of course I try and assert boundaries but if she woke up in the night and climbed out when we were asleep, she could really hurt herself.

@PerfectPennyKilledMyHusband totally agree you can't risk her falling from height over the side of the cot. Could you have the single as a mattress on the floor for a while?

Is it dark in there? My just 3 year old will still not get up because she can’t see the floor, she will talk to me through the camera instead if she needs something. Totally agree with taking the sides off, it’s a big fall.

This

Thanks everyone. I'm going to take the base the spare single is on out of the room today and just have the mattress on the floor. Will put babyproof locks on her drawers and wardrobe so she can't open them and then I'll try just letting her run around until she tires herself out!