Our daughter climbed out of her crib last week so we took off one of the panels and just added a half railing so she can now get in and out easily. It's been a nightmare! She won't stay in bed and once we do get her to sleep she wakes up in the middle of the night. Last night she was up from 1:30 - 4:15. The worst part was she wasn't just awake laying there...she kept running from our room to her room. We kept trying to get her back to sleep (rubbing her back, staying in her room so she knows we are close, etc.) but nothing worked. Then, I let her sleep on our floor in our room but she started singing and talking. When I finally got her down in her bed (after my husband went to sleep in the guest room), she woke up walking into my room at 6:50 am (she normally sleeps until 7:30 - 8:00). Needless to say, we are exhausted! We have tried reading books about sleeping in a big bed, doing a rewards sticker chart plus a treat if she stays in bed, telling her the "elf on the shelf" is going to tell Santa, staying in her room letting her know we are near, slowly moving out of the room, sitting outside of her room, leaving the door open, etc. I don't know what to do to keep her in bed and to actually fall asleep. So, if you have any advice, please share your wisdom!!
Re: Need expert mom advice...
What's her nap schedule like? Is she making up the missed sleep during the day? Letting her sleep too much during the day may help to stay up at night. When my daughter use to fight bedtimes I tried everything that you are. Nothing ever worked for long. My current trick is to take something away every time she gets out of bed without a good reason. I'm nice the first few times she gets up but after that I start taking things. I hate doing that because she gets so upset. After a few times I now only have to tell her I'll take something away without having to actually do it.
Using a baby gate or other means of locking your child in their room should be a last resort. Trust me, I seriously wanted to sometimes. I always worried that she might need something or feel bedtime was a punishment if I made it so she couldn't get out. But if that is something that works for you then do so. It might help her learn to at least stay in her room better.
I think some of your struggles could be caused by the fact that you are trying 27 different things to keep her in bed. I know this is true for things with my DD. If she sees us panic or start trying all kinds of different things she just feeds off of it and the problem tends to get much worse. Pick one plan and stick with it. You may have to do it 100 times the first couple night but when she realizes that it is the only action happening she should settle down. The point is to make it as boring and repetitive as possible.
for my DD an OK to wake clock has been a life saver!!
it took her about a week to get used to it, but now she gets mad at us if we try to get her up before the clock glows green. We just explained to her that she was to stay in bed until the clock glowed green, and reminded her through the monitor a couple mornings and she's been great about it!!
this.
Ummm, may I ask how she "came to you when she needed you" when she was in a crib? Having a gate on her door is just making a bigger "crib" she will be fine.
if she REALLY needs you, you'll hear her - just babyproof the room and she'll be fine