SLEEEEP!!! Im at my whits end!

carrie0390 · February 2011

Well after several nights of my DS climbing out of his crib and a split lip later we decided to move him to a toddler bed thinking that it would at least prevent him from hurting himself...in turn it has only led to SEVERAL sleepless nights! Weve tried it feels like everything...weve gotten him to fall asleep in his bed at a certain time, had him fall asleep in the livingroom then taken him to his bed for him to sleep but it always results in him waking up 2 hours later and us fighting with him for another hour or so to get him back to sleep. And with me being almost 37 weeks pregnant its taking its toll on me and my DH has to wake up for work at 5 am so I feel awful always having him take care of DS and get him back to bed. We recently went and bought another gate to put in his doorway thinking that this would prevent him from at least coming into our bed at night and almost forcing him to go lay back down in his own bed...but Ive got a climber and he climbs right over the gate. Id really like to get him to sleep in his own bed on a regular basis before our DD is here but Im feeling like I need to just invest in a king size bed to insure that everyone is comfortable all night! Any other suggestions that you other moms have would be helpful...I know Im not the only one who's going/has gone through this!

momtoRaegan041008 · February 2011

My daughter has always been a horrible sleeper. We have had to put her to sleep. I couldn't stand CIO and she hated her crib. At 20 months we moved her to a toddler bed because she went to sleep for a whole week while we were in Disney on her Aerobed just fine. Well, for the last year, we have still had to stay in there with her until she was asleep. Last summer we tried to sleep train her. We would put her back in her bed everytime she would get up. Well, it was a game to her. After a week and a half and it was taking her longer to go to sleep, we gave up. I wish we would have just stayed with it. In January we bought her a big girl bed since we will be needing our crib in July for the new baby. Well, then my husband started laying in her bed until she went to sleep.

Someone on here suggested The No Cry Sleep Solution for Toddlers. I bought the book. While I didn't read the whole book, just certain parts, the parts I did read were very informing. I would suggest the book. Anyway, it said it can take up to 30 days to change a child's sleep habits. Well, I was fed up with the way my husband is going about getting my daughter to sleep (he puts her to bed, I get up with her in the morning since he is already at work. This is the way it's been since she was born.)

Last Wednesday night, I decided I needed to take matters in my own hands. My husband is going back to school and has a class on Wednesday nights. I put her in there, told her I had to go to the restroom and would be back to check on her. Then I folded laundry and just continued to check on her. It took her about 45 mintues, but she did it! She went to sleep all by herself! Yes, I'm excited, she finally did it. We have been really celebrating her going to sleep by herself and I have even given her special treats in the morning.

So I want to tell you that it can be done. I'm glad that we have finally started it and it is working and I just hope it stays this way.

smiling76 · February 2011

My son is also a crappy sleeper unless I put him to bed---- meaning, I'm with him when he falls asleep. Sometimes that means I'm laying next to him for a few minutes until he goes back to sleep--sometimes he just needs comforted.

Does he have a night light? I have found that helps him.

Can you get a taller gate so he can't climb it??

Does he have a favorite stuffed animal? We just started that a month or so ago and that's helped too.

amahrey · February 2011

after we switched ds to a toddler bed he stopped napping. he figured out how to open the door in two days and then he would just come running out. the next morning he woke me up in bed by poking me. i freaked out that ds could be anywhere in the house while we were sleeping, so i went out after breakfast and bought a doorknob cover at bru. ds screamed for an hour that afternoon because he was so angry that he couldn't get the door open- then he climbed back into bed and fell asleep. he's slept pretty much normal since then. i think the doorknob cover, even though it made him angry at first saved our sleeping situation.

livalil319 · February 2011

Ditto PP, the doorknob cover is the ONLY way that ds would stay in his room once he moved to a twin bed. Two pissed off nights of him trying to get out and yelling for us (that he still slept all night after) later and he stays in bed when I put him down and barely makes a peep. In my mind, the bedroom is the new boundary, where the crib used to be. You can't compromise or help them, otherwise you'll be struggling with sleep issues for a long time.

carrie0390 · March 2011

Well we finally decided that we were going to "double gate" his door. Since he can climb over both of them individually we figured he couldnt climb them if they were stacked on top of each other! Its worked so far! It really pisses him off that he can open the door but he still cant get out but I like him still being able to open the door (it makes it easier to hear when he wakes up - this way we can monitor how long it takes him to get himself back into bed!) We are going to try and find him some cool night light or something just to keep him occupied and maybe help him sleep or get him back to sleep quicker! Hopefully we can get this ball rolling before his little sister decides to make her arrival and shes the one waking all of us up! haha!

SLEEEEP!!! Im at my whits end!

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