My almost 2yr old won't sleep in his crib - he will sleep in his playpen, but my husband and I have tried various methods to get him to sleep in his crib, but he wakes up in the middle of the night and refuses to go back to sleep. I'm at a loss now, being that he's about to be 2 and won't sleep in his bed for more that a few hours. Then about a week ago he started waking up again and doesn't want to sleep in the playpen but wants to get into our bed. Help!!!
My 16 month old also wouldn't sleep in his crib so he now sleeps on a mattress on the floor. It may seem crude but he stays in there and I don't worry about him falling out of a bed.
R.
Maybe he is ready for a big boy bed. I know that you probably aren't ready b/c htat opnes up a whole new can of worms. Maybe start by trying to layt his mattress beside the crib and put up a gate so he can't get out. See how that works. It will be rough for a few nights but should be easier until you see if that is what he is ready for or not. IF he is having his go wiht you to pick out the bed and sheets, help put hte bed together etc will help him feel he is apart of the process and htat he is a big boy.
Good luck
B.
Perhaps your son is ready to be moved to a big boy bed. My boy is two as well, and though he doesnt give me issues about sleeping in his crib (other than the typical screaming fit when i first put him in it) he seems to be at hte stage where he can be transferred. I plan on putting a big boy bed in his room, but leaving the crib set up so that he has his choice. Maybe you can try that with your son.
Also, my boy wakes up at various times wanting to play, I have started to let him bring a toy in bed wiht him (usually the car or train he is clutching in his hand at bedtime) and he seems to enjoy being able to play with it a little, then he falls back to sleep. Maybe you can try that.
One other possibility, maybe your son is afraid of the dark.A night light may help.
Have you tried letting him cry it out? I have twin 17 months old girls who sleep in the same room and one would get up in the middle of the night and wouldn't go back to sleep. Our pediatrician recommended just letting her cry but I was not thrilled about the idea. Well, my husband was off for a few weeks and decided to try this method, unbeknownst to me! He let her cry for three straight nights--the first night she cried for over 2 hours, the second about an hour and the third for about 15 minutes (amazingly she did not wake up her sister!) She now sleeps through the night without waking up and we're all thankful! Its very difficult and I wouldn't have been able to do it (my husband's efforts were disguised by A LOT of white noise) but I'm very grateful my he did.
Good luck!
My son is 21 mos now and around 19 mos or so he started waking up in the middle of the night. Became a real problem/sleep disturbance for us all. We started taking turns sleeping on a mattress on the floor in his room. We'd go in when he'd wake up and just shush him back to sleep. At the start he'd cry for a little while and we'd just keep telling him it was night time, he had to sleep, mommy/daddy would stay with him if he stopped crying and laid down. Or if he didn't stop Mommy/Daddy will leave. We only had to walk out of the room a few times and then he started just laying back down when he'd see us. We did this for maybe 2 or 3 weeks. After 2 weeks he started sleeping through and not waking up anymore. That's what we did and worked well - at least so far! Hope this helps and good luck.
For use we had to take the crib away because we had another child. But we went right to a twin bed that had built in side rails. He didn't climb out once he was in bed (still stays there until the morning when he climbs in with me). At first I would gate him into his room...but after he climbed the gate a few times we took it away. I say try the mattress on the floor...or go to the twin bed...he is going to need it anyway...toddler beds are a waste of money I think. I know it is so frustrating when they won't sleep. Then EVERYONE is cranky. GOOD LUCK.
My son was the same way. We finally put him in his twin size bed with the bed rails and even then he had issues. He is 3 now and he gives us a hard time about falling asleep in his bed. He prefers to sleep in our bed so sometimes we let him fall asleep in our bed or on the couch and carry him into bed.
It's tough! My oldest was the complete opposite. You'd tell him to go to bed at 7PM and he'd march into his room, go in his crib/bed and be off asleep in 2 mins....not my youngest!!!
Good Luck and Don't Worry!
Linda
www.wah4yourfamily.com
