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Toddlers: 24 Months+
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In need of serious bedtime help

tegsstegss member
in Toddlers: 24 Months+

DH and I are at our wit's end with DS and bedtime. We started transitioning DS to a toddler bed over 3 months ago because we are having baby #2 in January. At first, DS was super excited about his big boy bed and couldn't wait to sleep in it. Well, that only lasted about 2 weeks... Now, it takes about an hour (sometimes 2!!) to get him to sleep! We go through our routine (bath and story time), but once the lights are out, he either gets out of bed repeatedly or will only go to sleep if one of us lays on the floor next to his bed. We have a new nightlight, too.

I've tried closing all the doors upstairs and just letting him cry; I've tried putting him back in his crib; I've feel like I've tried EVERYTHING and I don't know what to do anymore! I just know it's going to get worse once Baby gets here! Please help!

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Re: In need of serious bedtime help

  • KathrynMDKathrynMD member

    have you locked him in the room nad just let him cry?  what happens then?  Is there a nightlight?  are you letting him make choices about bedtime?

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  • Boro_galBoro_gal
    I feel like I could have written this exact post the only difference being I am not pregnant but TTC and my DS gets out of bed every night int he middle of the night to get into bed with us! Iam anxiously waiting for any advice. I am not sure if you have tried no nap during the day and extra early bedtime. That has worked for us DS falls asleep while we read the story to him in bed. Its not ideal but the idea of locking him in his room and hear him cry well it's not for me. Good luck !
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  • tegsstegss member
    imageKathrynMD:

    have you locked him in the room nad just let him cry?  what happens then?  Is there a nightlight?  are you letting him make choices about bedtime?

     

    I have not locked him in his room, and I just don't think that I can do that. For some reason, it's different than when he was a baby and I had him cry himself to sleep... I do have a nightlight and I give him choices (picking PJs, picking books, turning out the light, which stuffed animal to sleep with, etc...)

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  • tinawifetinawife

    I would put a gate at his door so its not locked but still open but he cant get out. 

    OR I would every single time he gets up take his hand say the SAME thing "its time for bed in your bed" or whatever and walk him back to his bed.  You might have to do this 1,000 times the first night but eventually it will tire him out

     

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  • jshfjshf member
    We've been doing the sleep lady shuffle and it's been working great!  Here's a link describing all the steps.  It still takes about an hour for DS to sleep.  But that includes about 45 min of getting ready for bed, reading books, cuddling, etc.  Then I turn out the light and go out of the room.  He usually falls asleep in about 15 minutes.
     
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  • GreeneyesPGreeneyesP

    I'm just lurking here... And I wanted to say that you are not alone in wanting a child to sleep on their own and it just doesn't seem to be working. 

    Consistency is key.  Pick a method and stick with it.  Remember that toddlers need experience to build confidence, and repitition/predictibility is the best way to give them that.  (That's why they love watching the same video 60 times, reading the same bedtime story everynight for four weeks.  They love that they know what's coming, what's expected). 

    The sleep lady shuffle is a great method, especially for babies and young toddlers. 

    Good luck!

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