DS (18 months) refuses to sleep in his cot! Any suggestions?

[mummato1]

Hi,

DS seems to be going through a little phase at the moment (well I am hoping thats what it is!) He is refusing to sleep in his cot especially for his night sleep. During the day (he is having one, sometimes two day sleeps) he is usually fine and will go down no probs in the cot and make minimal fuss.

Night however is a different story! As soon as I try and put him in the cot, despite how tired he is, he will stand and scream (not just cry out for me but literally scream). However he will happily go to sleep on the floor/couch/our bed as long as either DF or I is next to him. Once asleep I can happily transfer him to his cot where he is fine for the rest of the night, and will wake between 6-7am.

Does anyone have any suggestions / tips? I am thinking of maybe converting his cot into the toddler bed to see if it helps..

[Miss.September]

Yep, sounds just like DD. She'd go rigid if we even walked into her room and went for the cot. Turned it into her bed and we haven't looked back. She was 19 months.

[mummato1]

wow thanks PacRaKMG, thats great to know

Did you just get a guard or anything for the side?

[~Kim~]

My DD started doing that at 16months and it took me a week to figure out she was done being in the cot.
We got her a bed and all was good. She's never had a rail but she sleeps like a log and has only fallen out at night once. I did originally used to put pillows on the floor next to her bed and we went straight to an ensemble (cos at 16months even she was nearly too long for the cot - she's pretty tall) and so we just took the feet off it so that it sat on the floor.
DS on the other hand has never ever slept in a cot and only in a bed with a bedrail....

[Miss.September]

wow thanks PacRaKMG, thats great to know

Did you just get a guard or anything for the side?

No, we just took the side rails off and for the first week I made sure she had something soft to land on, on the floor, in case she rolled out. But she didn't! And the best bit is if she does wake up during the night, she knows how to get to our room by herself - no more me getting out of bed!

[mummato1]

And the best bit is if she does wake up during the night, she knows how to get to our room by herself - no more me getting out of bed!

Sold!! I am taking the sides off this afternoon LOL

[skybie]

DD2 is much the same atm, might have to try this myself, she's fine for day sleeps, will go down fine in her cot at first but then constantly wakes up scareming and like PRMG when we settle her and thinks she's pretty well and done and start just walking in the direction of her bedroom she starts screaming and thrashing again

[Miss.September]

I should say, that although we get her to bed with no issues at all, like at around 8pm I can say to her, time for bed, and she'll run in by herself and climb into bed, she won't stay there all night. She'll sleep until about midnight, and then come in to us. We're trying to work on that, but at least we don't have the nightmare of getting her TO bed anymore.

[mummato1]

Well I took the sides of DS's cot, and he wouldn't stay in bed unless I was lying down with him (luckily I am a shortie.. lol)

I have managed to progress from lying with him to sitting on the floor.. so hopefully after a few weeks of persisting we can get into a bit more of a routine and he will know its bed time. Think it will just take some time, least we dont have the screaming now!

He hasnt fallen out yet, although the other night he did get out of bed and I found him sitting in the corner facing the wall crying (! was very cute and sad at the same time).. pretty sure he still partially asleep!

One bonus is him walking into me in the mornings for cuddles, loving that part

[butterfly_warrior]

I had an anti-cot boy. We'd have to get him to sleep elsewhere and then put him in his cot. If he woke at all, that was it, he would then spend the rest of the night in with us.

Since taking the side off his cot and turning it into a toddler bed, he's been great. He climbs into bed himself of a night and puts himself to sleep. Still working on days, but at least nights are ok. We have a folded up queen-sized doona forming a landing pad for him if he happens to fall out... Doesn't happen very often, though. Last time it did, we heard him crying and DH went to him, but by the time he got there, he was already climbing back into bed himself, no harm done.

I was really resisting the whole toddler bed thing - but it's the best thing we've ever done in terms of his sleeping. I honestly didn't think it would be like this, but it is. I guess some kids don't like the whole being behind bars thing.

BW