2 Year Not Sleeping Thru the Night Now

Updated on August 26, 2008
T.W. asks from Oklahoma City, OK
11 answers

My son recently figured out how to get out of his crib. It is one of those cribs that converts to a day bed and then to a full size so it grows with him. We converted it to the day bed, which all we did is take off the one side of the crib and lowered the mattress as far as it will go. The first couple of nights were fine and he slept the whole night thru like he usually does but since then he is getting up 2 and 3 times a night. We have tried everything from rocking him to sleep and putting him in the bed to sitting next to the bed until he falls asleep on his own to letting him cry it out which right now he has more stamina than either his father or I. He will cry and scream for hours if we let him, I can only take it for about an hour and then I have to go in and do something or I dont get any sleep. If anyone has any suggestions, we will greatly appreciate them, my husband and I are exhausted. Thanks

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J.L.

answers from Tulsa on

I know you may feel like its regressing- but, I would make his bed back into a crib. My son did that same exact thing. It was torture. To all of us. Now I look back and realize he was insecure with that side off. He loved his crib and I should've left well enough alone. We put it back on and the first few nights werent so good either. I think he was still confused. I let him pick out a new,small stuffed animal & told him it wanted to sleep w/him in his crib. Then kept telling him when he gets bigger- he'll get a big- boy bed. He stayed in his crib til he was over 3! He welcomed bedtime and we all had sleep! When he did get a big bed- we got a bunk bed and he loved it. Maybe it was timing- maybe it was a secure feeling type bed. Don't know- but I do feel like I was rushing him out of his crib before. Good luck. I wish my son was in the crib again. He's now in college!
J.

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C.G.

answers from Dothan on

Is there any reason not to put him back in the crib until he's older? We tried our two-year-old in the daybed, but when he didn't stay in it, we put him back in the crib. We'll try again when he's older.

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H.S.

answers from Texarkana on

Hmmm...
Badreams? Stubborn control issues? Bladder problems?
Scared of the dark? Cutting molars and in pain??
Also, as I told another mother--listen to his cry.
As mothers, we usually can tell which cry it is--hunger/thirst, wanting mommy love, scared, hurt... and my kids also have a 'fake' or 'fit' cry...which means nothing more than they are trying to get attention for the wrong reasons! Haha!
Whatever you do, be consistent. He will thrive on this.
Hope it gets resolves soon! I have been sleepless with toddlers--no fun!
Blessings,
H.

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M.J.

answers from Birmingham on

We put the plastic door knob thing on my son's door knob so he couldn't get out of his room - once he realized he couldn't get out of his room and come to ours - he started sleeping through the night in his bed - he was 29 monthes when we switched his bed. Also, once he got potty trained we put a little potty in his room so if he needs to pee he can.

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J.B.

answers from Florence on

I had this same problem with my son. It was my husband's idea to switch it to a toddler bed, so I was ready to KILL him when I had to deal with it the next day during nap time. The only thing you can do is keep putting him in bed. It's annoying, but he'll eventually get the idea. I would also stay with him in his room until he fell asleep or sneak out by crawling. Oh, the things we do for our kids, huh? The crying it out thing worked for awhile, but then he'd just fall asleep and wake up later to scream some more... I wouldn't recommend it. haha

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C.T.

answers from Fayetteville on

T.,
Check out posts on Aug 13, Bonnie B had a similar question and received lots of advice!
It's completely normal-I know its also incredibly exhausting-hang in there!

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A.T.

answers from Tulsa on

It is probably just a phase. My 2 year old did the same thing when we converted his crib into the full sized bed (we skipped the day bed part). He slept perfectly the first week, and then was up repeatedly every night for a few weeks. Now, it is kind of hit or miss. We have just tried to maintain the same nighttime ritual we had before we converted his bed. Some nights it works perfectly, other nights not so much. I think they just have difficulties adjusting to change. Either that or boys are bent on driving their mothers crazy (or both). The only suggestion I have is - have someone watch your little man for an evening and you and your husband can order in food, get comfy, go to bed early, and sleep late. It does wonders. :)

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C.P.

answers from Little Rock on

I have been using Parenting with Love and Logic on my ADHD ODD son and it has been working like a miricle, no more meds and behavior 90 percent compliant. What works for me is this... I have my son (who is 3yrs old and used to wake up in middle of nite and climb in my bed or just simply refuse to go to bed) do this: if he's refusing bed, I let him choose between sitting in the living room in same place with no engagement or entertainment or go lay on his bed. He usually bores quickly (first few nites he fought it, he would get up and I'd have to enforce the other choice. He doesn't get in my bed anymore ... but what I did for that problem and I explained to him, you have choice when you wake up in middle of night to pee. You can get you kindermat out from under my bed and lay down on it or you can stay in your own bed. Point here is comfortable place over uncomfortable places. Again he fought until he saw I meant what I said. Some nites I'd wake to find him laying in floor on his kindermat, cold and all. So I usually throw a blanket over him. He can make his own choices but do not involve me, don't wake me up. Which is really important cuz I have ADHD too.

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B.S.

answers from Oklahoma City on

We went to the lake with my family over the 4th of July weekend. We didn't take a porta crib so my 2 (August 2006)year old slept in a "big" bed by himself. When we got back home, he insisted that he sleep in the queen size bed that's also in his room. (Of course, I had to lay down with him in the big bed until he fell asleep which was taking up a lot of my free time.) We thought he might be ready to put the crib behind him. He got out of bed every night for 2 weeks. I was soo tired after that we realized he wasn't ready for the big bed so he's back in the crib and only really complained about it the first night. Occasionally he points to bigger bed when I go to put him down, but ultimately I think he feels more secure in the crib and until he understands that he has to stay in the big bed all night I don't think he's ready. Once he went back to the crib we've all been getting much better sleep. We'll try again. Good luck.

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A.M.

answers from Tulsa on

unfortunately I don't have any advice, but my 22 month old daughter is doing the same thing. If you find a way to "solve" the problem, could you pass the idea on. I am at my wits end as well and am not sure what to do. If you could,it would be much appreciated. Good luck to you...I know how exhausting it is!

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A.C.

answers from Oklahoma City on

i let my 2 year old get into our bed and snuggle for just a few minutes, and then take her back to her bed and lay down with her til she goes back to sleep. of course she is in a twin, not a toddler bed! ;) i just tell her that it isn't time for her to sleep with mommy and daddy yet when i take her back. our "rule" is that she can't get in our bed and stay until 4. she tends to sleep like an H so it is hard for my husband to sleep. she spends most of the night in her bed, and on occasion, the entire night, but then does get to have a little snuggle and sleep time in the big bed from about 4 am on. we did this with my son, and he eventually grew out of it, and now he sleeps all night long in his own bed. he knows he is always welcome for a snuggle, but he usually sleeps right on thru. be patient, and don't let him sceam for hours. it's just not kind. maybe try reading the No Cry Sleep Solution for Toddlers by Elizabeth Pantley.

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