Hi to all,
my husband and I are planning a trip to the ocean and will be bringing the kids. We thought it would be best if we transitionned our son to a bed - so he'd be OK sleeping anywhere in our rental home. We installed his new bed last sunday - leaving his crib in his room as well. He is 23 months old.
First night, we offered him crib or bed - he chose his bed. He came out of bed after about 5 minutes. We took him back in his room and placed him in his crib, telling him he needs to sleep - no fun & games now. After a few inutes, he started complaining again, pointing at his bed. I went back and informed him this was the last time. He went to his bed and went to sleep. He woke up around 4am though... going through the same type of process... Back to sleep until around 5:15am... where there was nothing we could do as he simply wanted to get up.
Last night was similar, yet he woke up at 3:45am, 4:30am and 5:15.
I spoke with a sleep consultant and she said we had 2 choices:
1. Postponed the bed transition as he is still young (23 months)
2. Keep both beds in the room .Put him in his big boy bed when going to bed. Explain that if he complains or gets out of bed, he'll go back to his crib. If he does so, bring him to his crib and leave him there to cry. Do not come back until morning. Follow the same approach the following day... He'll understand that his big boy bed is a reward for being nice and going to bed like a big boy...
I don't know what to do. Some people at the office are saying we should stick to our plan but get rid of the crib in the room. He has too many options... This doesn't solve our problem of him getting out of bed...
What would you do???
I'd leave him in the crib at home. Until he's 3 if he's not climbing out.
As for the vacation rental--we've taken our 8 yo to the shore every year since he was 6 mos old. And we either a.) rented a crib or b.) let him sleep in any bed there....rules are different on vacation. Everything is different on vacation! That's the fun! I see what you're trying to do, but IMO, you're over-thinking this O..
Get rid of the crib and continue to get him used to the big boy bed. It will take some time but he will get used to it again - It's just new and not "comfy" as the old bed...it's called a change.
If he is having sleeping alone anxiety since it is a bigger bed, then rest in the bed with him until he falls asleep or do your normal bed routine and help him get used to it. He has to get in to the big bed at some point, right!
I would go with the pack and play on vacation (to avoid being woken up all hours of the night in a strange place anyway), and spend more time at home working out the transition rather than hurrying. He will probably sleep anywhere in the rental, but at least you have the pack and play, they like to feel safe when in a strange surrounding. Good luck!
I'd just take down the crib and give him no option. In 2-3 nights, he will be fine. In a few weeks, he'll forget he ever had a crib.
I waited until my daughter could climb out of her crib - otherwise she was in and out like a yo yo, she was almost 3. I don't think there is a need to rush this transition - most babies are happier when they are enclosed in a crib, rather than that big expanse of bedness.
If your only reason for transitioning him now is the beach trip I'd look into bringing or borrowing a pack and play for the trip. Then hold off on the transition for longer. Our son used one until he was literally AS LONG AS the little bed with out trouble.
In any case, when you do decide to transition I think you do kind of have to go cold turkey and ditch the crib.
We had to transition our 18 month old son after he flipped out of the crib! Scared us both - our oldest never did that! Ugh.
We took the front side off the crib and are using the crib as a "day bed". We did this with our daughter and then put her in a regular twin bed after a few months. During this "transition" time, she had to sleep in a double bed at a cabin we rented and she did just fine - one side was against the wall and I moved the side table away from the open side, just in case. I was more anxious than she was and we had no problems. I did put pillows on the floor the first night though. LOL.
For training purposes, we used a safety gate across the doorway to keep the kids in the room at night. My son spent the first few weeks sleeping on the floor in front of the gate because he did not want to go to sleep and would stand there and protest till he basically passed out from exhaustion. We would just scoop him up and put him back to bed. Now, he is actually falling asleep in the "day bed". I cannot wait to get the other twin bed down for him! Maybe around his second birthday...
Ultimately, you need to make a choice. I do not think keeping both items in the room is good and that it is probably confusing to the toddler. The safety gate works or if he is used to having his door closed at night, do that. Just be consistent.
Good luck!
~C.
