Toddler Times - Moving toddler to big bed

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Moving toddler to big bed

Printed From: OHbaby!
Category: Have A Baby?
Forum Name: Toddler Times
Forum Description: Is bubs growing up and getting into everything? How do you train them to use the potty? When do you start feeding solids? Share your tips and advice here!
URL: https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=42964
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Topic: Moving toddler to big bed

Posted By: Guest_41855
Subject: Moving toddler to big bed
Date Posted: 15 January 2013 at 1:47pm

I saw thre was another post similar to this but didn't want to hijack the thread. We are up to day 2 of the transition of moving our two year old from cot to a big bed. He has always been an awesome little sleeper and did really well with the sleep last night. Now up to the day sleep and it's a total disaster! He keeps getting out even though he was super tired and asking for bed. I have put him back about 20 times and he just thinks it's a big joke. He also thinks my growly voice is funny. He has always slept with his door closed, so left on his own he is happily getting up and playing in his room. What do you guys think the best approach is? Try sitting in his room til he goes to sleep? I think he will see that as some kind of game as well!

Replies:

Posted By: Guest_41855
Date Posted: 15 January 2013 at 1:51pm

Oh should also mention I have a 3 month old baby so cant really sit in his room for hours...

Posted By: miss_bling
Date Posted: 15 January 2013 at 3:36pm

We've transitioned our 16 month old to a bed just before Christmas (he was 14 months).
We use a sleeping bag for all his sleeps in his bed - which limits how easily he can get out (though when he really really wants to he manages it). When he's tired, he'd often sit up and then just lie back down again.

Day sleeps, I was sitting in there for a few minutes and then leaving, telling him I'd be back in a minute, and then literally going back after a minute, and saying it again, slowly stretching it out. It seems to work

Good luck!!

Posted By: Mum2ET
Date Posted: 15 January 2013 at 7:32pm

sounds like my 2 yr when I first trying to move him to a bed- (he was around 22 mths then). After a week of fun and games, I gave up and moved him back into the cot- wasn't worth the stress. I tried moving him to a bed about 5 months later and it was a much different story- he didn't get out of bed once. Didn't do anything different, just him being that wee bit older made all the difference.

Actually thinking about it the one major difference was the time of the year- when we first tried it was summer time, so light in the evenings- 5 mths later it was winter and dark in the evening.

-------------
Mum to
Ella (5) and Tom (2)

Posted By: Kristina103761
Date Posted: 17 January 2013 at 11:20pm

There are recommendations of keeping a child in their cot for as long as possible - up to the age of 3yo unless they are climbing over cotrails and it's a physical risk to their safety.

If that's the case, there are a couple of things that you can do... one is trying a sleepsack to give them that extra feeling of security and more difficult to hop out etc. but it's hot this time of year. Another is trying the safety sleep (safe-t-sleep?) belt but i'm not sure i'm a big fan of them. Another is sitting with him till he falls asleep. If you do that, you have to be careful not to engage in conversation with him even to say "lie down and sleep now!" - once you've said goodnight and bedtime, that's it - no more conversation. Your sitting next to the bed helps them to transition to what feels like a big change and to let them know that change is ok.

Sometimes toddlers start to drop their afternoon sleep as well - obviously he is more awake in the afternoon than he is in the evening so he has more energy to test the boundaries of his newfound freedom! It's definitely a tough stage for up to a few weeks or as few as a few days. I have coached a number of parents through this stage and you're certainly not alone in finding it difficult!

Usually it's because baby #2 needs the cot that child #1 is given the "big boy bed" and I'm assuming that's the case...