sleep help!

Jenelle101

My husband and I don't know what to do! DD is a very feisty little thing. She is in a toddler bed and we have had the most difficult time getting her to stay in her bed when we first put her in at night. It usually takes an hour (at least) before she falls asleep. So it's usually 9:30 or 10:00 when she falls asleep, which I know is WAY too late. Once she's asleep, she usually sleeps through the night, maybe waking up once, but goes right back to sleep. So it isn't really a sleep issues, I guess. It's a going-to-bed issue. We have tried putting her back in bed as soon as she gets up, without saying anything to her, but that doesn't seem to help. I don't want her to see us angry, but sometimes we just get so fed up!! 

This has been going on for 3 months. DH decided that we should put her in a toddler bed 4 months ago. I wasn't so sure about it, but thought we would try. Some people have told me to put her back in a crib, but we have a baby coming in September and I really don't want to go back to the crib. And honestly, I don't know if that would help much. She would just scream in her crib.

I have heard of a timer kind of thing where there's a red light, which means she needs to stay in bed, and s green light means she can get out of bed. Does anyone know what that is called? 

Does anyone have any advice? I just can't imagine doing this for much longer--especially once baby is here!! Thanks!

cobi166

I think it's called the "Time to Wake" clock.  As far as her staying in her bed, would you feel comfortable just putting a baby gate at her door, or even a child proof knob on so she can still get out of bed but not out of the room?  That way you and your husband don't have to go put her back in bed everytime.  She'll eventually learn that you're not coming back in her room.  She may cry for a bit, but she'll either fall asleep on her floor or go back to bed.  If she starts sleeping on her floor, she'll eventually realize that it's way more comfortable to sleep in her bed.

brens317

When we converted DD's crib, she would run out of the room immediately when we would try to leave.   She would've just climbed over a gate so we had to put a door knob cover on so she couldn't get out.  The first night we removed everything from her room that she could possibly hurt herself with.  We did our usual bedtime routine, gave extra hugs and kisses and told her that it was time for bed and that we'd be back in the AM to get her.  We closed the door and she was MAD!  She cried and tried to open the door, she ran around her room a bit, pulled out books, threw her stuffed animals...it was actually kind of funny to watch her on the monitor.We sat outside her door the whole time.   After about 45 minutes, she climbed into her bed and went to sleep.  She still cried at bedtime for a while after that, but she never tried to get out of her room after that.  In fact, even now, she will call for us to come get her when she gets up.  

If you dont' want to close the door on her completely, you could also try the tape (or some sort of marker - bean bags)  https://prudentbaby.com/2010/12/baby-kid/the-tape-trick-2/

We also offiered to leave the door open at first....but she didn't get it.   FWIW, I learned that it is safer to keep your door closed, in case of a fire.