Hi Moms, you've always been such a big help, so here it goes..... My 1 1/2 y.o son was never a good sleeper. No set schedules, still hasn't slept through the night,etc. My husband and I used to put him in the crib and when he awoke, around 12 a.m. or so , we'd bring him in the bed with us and he'd sleep great all night. He's always had a bed in his room in addition to his crib. And we always rocked him to sleep (I know, I know). Lately, when he's tired, he climbs up on the bed says "night-night" and lays down.We can finally stop rocking!! We lay with him for a bit. Sometimes we transfer him to the crib (he then does his usual wake up every few hours thing) or leave him in the bed (where he sleeps much better and even slept through the night 2 days ago!!) When I'm ready for bed, I go sleep with him because it's not babyproofed yet. We're debating whether to put the mattress on the floor and just let him sleep in the bed. I think it's too early, my husband thinks if he's sleeping better, then let him do it. I asked my doc and he said it's a bit early but if we want to just make sure the mattress is on the floor and safe.
Have any other moms done this at this age?
My son is very alert and smart and careful. He's known how to get up and down off couches and things since early on. He knows his Alphabet, some #'s, some colors, walks , runs, is a well rounded kid.He also does have a pacifier but no other comfort objects (except me)
What should I do?
Thank you
Both of my boys also chose to sleep in their *big boy bed* at 18 mos! No problems, they slept even better! With my first we had just got bunk beds and placed them in the room, I was still pregnant and thought nothing of it, he said night night and got a blanket and laid down on the matress with no sheet and fell asleep.
All 3 of my kids did not like their crib. By the time they were 1 I had about enough of getting up all the time like they were newborn. They were all in beds before 1 1/2. It was so much easier. I could lay w/ them in their beds. None of my kids ever slept through the night until they were in a bed. To this day, I end up sleeping half the night w/ one of them. Both my girls have eczema, so sleep is disturbed a lot. Hey, by the way, my 4 year old wont potty train. I posted a request today re:
i put a mattress on the floor and they learned to sleep on it. when they got used to it.. i put in on the frame... my son was 19 months when he went to a bed and my daughter was 2. good luck
My daughter went into a toddler bed at 16 months. We bought my son a new bed, not even thinking that our daughter would be jealous.
To keep things fair, we bought her a Princess toddler bed, and took down her crib.
She got up once of twice the first few nights. But she slept great in her new bed. And it was low enough to the ground we didnt need to worry about her getting hurt. She is 2 1/2 now, and still sleeps great in her bed.
My first daughter kind of got pushed to a bed early because i had my second when the first was only 13 months old... she stayed in her crib til the baby was out of the cradle which was about 17 months and I put her in a twin bed with a rail on the side and she did fine. Also my 3rd one wanted to sleep in a big girl bed like her sisters and she could also climb out of the crib so she has been in a big bed for since she was between a year and a year and half- she loves it=). I think it is fine as long as you make it safe for him to sleep in. As long as he isnt going to fall out. Maybe he is a little claustriphobic and that is why he keeps waking up. Maybe he feels like he isnt as closed in, in a big bed. I dont see how it could hurt him- unless he fell out of course. Hope this helps.
We transitioned our son to a toddler bed at 20 months. He was trying to climb out of his crib. For almost 3 months, it was like heaven to have him sleeping again! And then it became a nightmare - he would be up ALL NIGHT, over and over. We did EVERYthing the pros say to do, but it didn't work. So we put him back in the crib. He started sleeping like a dream again! Then he tried to climb out and fell on his head on the hardwood floor (he was fine). We got a crib tent, and he freaked out a little but was fine. Then we went to Kentucky for xmas and he slept in a regular crib (no tent) there for 8 nights, it was awesome! But when we got home, he freaked about his own crib with the crib tent. So we got rid of the toddler bed and put him in a twin with a rail, and it's been great. He is older now so he's not getting up. He even waits in bed until his "tweet tweet" music comes on at 6am, because he knows he's not allowed to be out of bed before 6.
I am telling you all this because I think you should try the bed, it might help. But you might have to go back to a crib, you might not. You might have to try mattress on the floor, and then a bed rail up higher (they're only $20 or so). Our son is a restless sleeper so we had bumper pads on the crib up until the 20 month mark. When they weren't on, I would hear him slam his head into the rails, and then he would wake up!
All the advice in the world can't compare to your mama's instincts- and it sounds like you know what he needs! And remember, nothing is permanent. If you want to try to put him in a mattress on the floor, who's to say you can't put him back in the crib if it doesn't work out?
Be ready for the possibility of him coming to find you at 2 AM. :) I would put a safety gate up in his doorway, and probably leave the door slightly open. I also think the mattress on the floor is a better idea at this age, rather than a toddler bed.
But seriously- your kiddo slept through the night in the bed! In a crib, he wakes up. Hmmmmm go for it!
My daughter was in a regular bed before she was 18 months old. She had started climbing out of her crib so I had to put her in a bed.
My niece had climbed out of her crib when she was a baby and had fallen, and broke her arm, so I was worried my daughter would do that too.
It took her a few nights of getting out of the bed, but it was a very short time she was sleeping in the bed all night, no problems.
If you can't get your son a rail for the side of the bed, then put the mattress on the floor.... it sounds like the crib is uncomfortable for him.
Hi, I had a similiar problem with my first daughter. At 11 mos., she would wake up about 3 hrs after going to bed and scream if I tried to put her back in the crib. I started bringing her downstairs to the living room so she didn't wake up my husband. She would curl up on the couch and sleep through the rest of the night. Once i actually heard a bang right before she woke up. After about 6 wks of sleeping on 1/2 a couch pillow with her, I decided to try her in the daybed (trundle) in the guest room. I put her on the lower bed with pillows near her head and the side of the bed. She slept through the night. Apparently, she was moving around the crib so much that she would bang into the side of the crib and wake herself up. I wish I had thought of it sooner. My back would have appreciated it and I'm sure I would have had a better quality of sleep without waking up to make sure she was okay. I didn't put a gate at the doorway but I did put one at the top of the stairs at night. I didn't want her to feel trapped in her room if she woke up and needed me for something. He could be a wild sleeper like mine. Try the bed on the floor. Good Luck!
My secretary just took her 19 month old out of the crib because she needed it for her 4 month old. The first few nights she said her daughter thought it was a game and kept getting up. She stood firm and just kept putting her back in bed and now she said she sleeps great. It really is up to you no one know when their child is ready for change like mommy does. I would just get some good bed rails for safety and go for it if you think he would sleep better. Good luck!!
