help - 19m DS transition from cot to bed

[MrsMcJnr]

Please help; I am having a nightmare with my 19 month old DS. He was a great sleeper from 8 weeks until about 3 weeks ago when he learnt how to climb out of his cot, since then we have moved him to a big bed and had to put a gate on his door to stop him from coming out and all hell has broken loose. Every night and every nap is a battle involving hysterical crying for up to an hour interspersed with reassurances from us and one or other of us going in and sitting with him in the dark. We have tried keeping things as calm as we can before bed, night lights on etc etc but nothing seems to be easing the transition. We are at our wits end now and all this is also upsetting our 2 month old as we live in a small flat. DS needs his sleep and is exhasuted all the time which spoils the fun we usually have together. Any tips gratefully received.

Hi there - I feel for you in this transition time.

I have twin boys who slept in cots in the same room. When they began climbing out of their cots, I knew it was time for beds, but didn't immediately get them out of the cot.

I erected the beds and put them into the same room as the cots, but made sure I put the boys to bed in their cots - just so that they got acquainted with having the beds in their room. The beds were made, and ready for use, and I told the boys that they were special beds and that only big, grown up, special boys were allowed to sleep in them.

After about a month of having the beds in their room, I removed the cots and made a great big thing of "tonight boys, you get to sleep in the special, big boy, beds".

Never really looked back after that. They loved them. They loved the fact that they could climb in and out and, although we did have a couple of nights of them getting up at all hours and coming through to mummy and daddy's room, they now sleep straight through unless they need the toilet.

Perhaps what is bothering your son is the gate on the door. I know my two absolutely hated being behind a gate. Is there any way to move the gate to the top of the stairs instead of his room? We did this, so that they still could get up and come in to us if need be.

We use a nightlight and leave the door ajar at night, so they know they can get out.

Hope your situation improves soon.

Interesting Thanks for sharing your experience. I have left the cot in his room for now too and for the first couple of weeks we started off in the bed but put him back into the cot if he hasdn't settled after 15 mins but it seems to just insense him more if we do that now. I hear you about the gate but feel that we do need to stop him escaping from the room or we won't have any chance of him sleeping. That was a really good way to prepare them for the bed, wish I'd tried something like that

MrsMcJnr:

Is the cot still in his room? If it is, and it only incenses him even more if you put him back in it, I would remove it altogether and tell him that it has gone to another baby's house because he is now a big boy and can sleep in a proper bed.

You never know - it might help.

That's a good idea I'll need it for DD soon anyway, thanks.