Help with getting baby to sleep in cot

Overthinkingotter · 2025-07-30T19:51:06+00:00

DD is nearly 20 months old and we have been bed sharing since birth. I want her in cot asap. She hasn’t breastfed for about 2 months and can get to sleep with just a dummy; she also has an annoying habit of groping me to sleep, which is starting to really do my head in as I’m nearly 30 weeks pregnant and it’s so overstimulating. Any advice on getting her to sleep in her own cot greatly appreciated. She isn’t a bad sleeper (once she’s asleep she generally stays asleep) but at this rate me partner and I barely get any time together ant night and I want an evening back. Not to mention there’s another baby coming soon and this needs to be sorted! TIA

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

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Springadorable · 30/07/2025 22:23

I'd skip the cot as she'll be climbing out of it almost immediately and baby proof a room that has a mattress on the floor and a baby gate on the door. And then cuddles to sleep/then hold hands to sleep/then hold hands until drowsy.

SErunner · 31/07/2025 04:53

Definitely don’t skip the cot. Lots of children can safely be in cots until they are 3 and they generally transition to beds far more easily with less issues. I think you’d be setting yourself up for a disaster putting a 20 month old in a toddler bed.

I don’t think there will be a way of doing this without some crying. You have a well established settling method involving you which you essentially need to to break and change - there is going to be some
upset. So manage expectations in that regard from the beginning. There are lots of different ways of sleep training to establish a different settling method. Have a read of some online or on here to see what works for you. Once you’ve picked a method it’s just a case of sticking with it. It usually only takes a night or two for them to adjust. It’s great she has a dummy, that should make it easier. I would work towards her self settling in a cot without you involved (not holding/patting etc) as otherwise you’ve basically got the same situation you have now just in a different location. She’s more than old enough to settle herself to sleep in a cot and sleep soundly without you.

Good luck :)

casualcrispenjoyer · 31/07/2025 05:00

I also believe you need to skip the cot entirely.

She’s likely too big to transfer easily, probably can climb out and if she’s used to bed sharing- rightfully does hate being contained in baby jail.

i would get a small double bed for her so you and dad can snuggle and soothe to sleep, then roll away.

as long as you baby proof the room, it’s fine.

i had a very full on child the same age who I thought would run around and cause chaos. She didn’t- she slept in her little toddler bed beautifully once settled to sleep.

small double more practical for guests and if you and dad need to co sleep with different kids.

Silvertulips · 31/07/2025 05:08

DD was almost 2 and went into a bed. Perfectly ok.

If you have room for a double even better, you can lie next to her for stories before sleep.

Original poster

Overthinkingotter · 08/08/2025 08:33

Springadorable · 30/07/2025 22:23

I'd skip the cot as she'll be climbing out of it almost immediately and baby proof a room that has a mattress on the floor and a baby gate on the door. And then cuddles to sleep/then hold hands to sleep/then hold hands until drowsy.

Thank you for your reply- have set her up with a mattress on our bedroom floor to start off within and will work up to her own room.

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Original poster

Overthinkingotter · 08/08/2025 08:36

SErunner · 31/07/2025 04:53

Definitely don’t skip the cot. Lots of children can safely be in cots until they are 3 and they generally transition to beds far more easily with less issues. I think you’d be setting yourself up for a disaster putting a 20 month old in a toddler bed.

I don’t think there will be a way of doing this without some crying. You have a well established settling method involving you which you essentially need to to break and change - there is going to be some
upset. So manage expectations in that regard from the beginning. There are lots of different ways of sleep training to establish a different settling method. Have a read of some online or on here to see what works for you. Once you’ve picked a method it’s just a case of sticking with it. It usually only takes a night or two for them to adjust. It’s great she has a dummy, that should make it easier. I would work towards her self settling in a cot without you involved (not holding/patting etc) as otherwise you’ve basically got the same situation you have now just in a different location. She’s more than old enough to settle herself to sleep in a cot and sleep soundly without you.

Good luck :)

Thank you for such a detailed and informed reply. She’s been on a floor bed for a week or so (with mixed success- when she realises she’s alone she will generally wake up and cry until I get out of my own bed and go and join her) but the cot is still set up in her nursery and I would be lying if I said I wasn’t tempted to just put her in it and try gentle sleep training!

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Original poster

Overthinkingotter · 08/08/2025 08:39

Silvertulips · 31/07/2025 05:08

DD was almost 2 and went into a bed. Perfectly ok.

If you have room for a double even better, you can lie next to her for stories before sleep.

Thank you for your reply. That sounds so promising! We’ve got a makeshift bed on our floor atm (hit and miss whether she stays asleep in it on her own), but think we’ll have more success once we’ve got a proper frame… hopefully anyway.

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