Help- Moving 18 month old to toddler bed

Maddie753

Hi

Just recently my 18 month old climbed out of his crib. To prevent himself from getting hurt we put the toddler rails on his crib. The night we did that he still managed to climb the remaining side of the crib (he knew we would come in and get him if he did that). So my husband and I bought him a low toddler bed. We gated his door but he is TERRIFED!! He gets so upset at night he makes himself throw up. Any advice on how to adjust them to a toddler bed with gated door? Do I lay down with him till he falls asleep? CIO?

Also, I am giving birth to baby #2 in 7 weeks.

Thanks ladies!!!!

smiling76

Poor little guy!!! 

Do you have a nightlight?  Perhaps that may help.  We have a sound machine that has a little display on the ceiling (fish, stars, etc).  That seems to help a lot.  You can set it on a timer if you'd like. 

How about letting him pick his own bedding?  Perhaps get a book from amazon that is about big boy beds?  We have one that stars elmo.  That has helped a bit

Perhaps take him to the store to find a new "buddy" he can sleep with-- stuffed animal, blankey, etc.  Both of my kids have very specific things they sleep with.

Have you kept the routine the same as before? 

AMcLaws

We're debating putting the rails on our DD's bed. She won't climb out of it, but is constantly trying to climb into it lol

EMunion777

Our daughter did better when we closed the door rather than just the gate. She could hear us more when the door was open and just wanted out.

We found lullaby music she likes and she sleeps with her favorite stuffed animal night. The best I can say is to try to make a routine for every night and stick to it so he gets used to it. Every time you hear him get out of bed go back in and put him back in. Don't stay i nthere too long or make a big deal. We'd go in, put her back in bed, give her a kiss, and walk out. Some nights we counted over 20 times of going in there but after about a weeks (maybe 2) she got used to things.

I don't know if this will help. She didn't cry til she threw up. She just whined a lot. I think that not making a big deal about it would help though. Our daughter makes herself sick when she gets in trouble. We learned to just clean it up and act like it didn't happen because "comforting" her after got her puking just for the attention after getting into trouble. Maybe just clean it up, lay him down, say goodnight and give a kiss. Hopefully that will work? I'm sorry it's probably not the best advice.

shortstuff15

Yeah I would definitely close the door.  We just moved our 15 1/2 month old to a twin bed and while the door was closed before, it is definitely closed now.  And we didn't change the routine at all for bed.  It's still stories, songs & kiss.  We kept her same blanket and pillow that was in her crib, and the same stuffed animals.  With our oldest we put the bed into the room a couple of weeks before we moved her to it so that she was used to the bed.  Maybe move the crib back in and try that too? 

rakayla

We close our daughter's door, if she can hear and see us there is no way she will lay down and go to sleep. She also has a night light and a lamp that we turn on before bed and she tells them good night (they have Tinker Bell on them).

We also started using CIO, but if she's still crying after 20 minutes or sounds really distressed we go and get her and comfort her, and then try again after she's calmed down and sleepy again.