I have a two year old son who we recently moved to a big boy bed. The nights are going great. He climbs right in bed, we read to him, tell him goodnight, and turn off the lights on our way out. He stays in there until 7:30am, which is about the time he wakes up. When he wakes up he plays quietly by himself and then comes to greet mommy and daddy. We have removed all the toys and books from his room, except a few stuffed animals and blankets that he sleeps with. My challenge is nap time. He will not stay in his bed at nap time. He gets up, runs around, looks out the window, etc. The crib is still in there, so after 45 min. of trying to get him to sleep in his bed I inevitable put him in his crib and he quickly falls asleep. We moved him out of his crib because he was trying to climb out. I am also due in Nov., so this was going to save us from buying another crib (which was our original plan). I am unsure of what to do next. My husband really doesn't want to get another crib now that we have hime sleeping at night in the bed, and I don't want to be dealing with this naptime issue during my last trimester when I am more exhausted than I am now. Any ideas would be great.
About two weeks ago, our son was very giving, and decided it was time to give his crib to his little brother. We went upstairs (after a few days of warning and counting down), told the crib bye-bye, and gave it a kiss. He has been taking a nap in his big boy bed ever since. It still takes him a while to fall asleep, but when he gets tired and settled down he crawls in the bed for nap time on his own. I just keep an ear out to make sure it isn't taking TOO LONG. Thanks for all the advice.
Hey E., do you have a playpen/pack and play that he could take his daytime nap in? I put my daughter in her pack and play with a couple toys and a board book for her nap, and she will play quietly for a few minutes then go to sleep. I also let her have a sippy cup of water when i put her down.
In an effort not to sound insensitive, he IS sleeping in his own bed at night (most important for tired mothers). That is a great thing. You can work out something else for naptimes. If he is still doing the same thing when the other baby arrives, put the other baby in a play pen or something similar at naptimes so your oldest son can have the crib. I know he is young, but sometimes you have to compromise with children. He is letting you get a FULL nights sleep so let him have the crib during the day. I'd trade that anyday for what I had to endure (a child that would ONLY sleep in my bed for two years, after trying everything known to man).
Hi E.!
Congrats on becoming a mommie for the second time!
I have to agree with Roslyn R., my 18 month old daughter REFUSES to sleep in her own bed at ANYTIME. So it looks like I might be needing some advice from you. But I definitely would not buy another crib.
hey E.!! i went through the same thing when i was expecting my second, and you need to stick by your guns!! your son is TWO, its just the age where sometimes they are just too busy with the world to take a nap. you're just going to exhaust yourself struggling with him to take a nap, and finally putting him in the crib. all your doing is containing him so he gets bored and falls asleep. i say let the little guy find out that he WILL get tired of exploring during naptime, and eventually he will figure out on his own that when hes tired, he will sleep during naptime! explain to him that the crib is for babies and hes a big boy, get him excited about the idea that hes passing 'his' crib on to the baby... it will take some time, but if you are persistant that he sleeps in his bed, he will!! it worked for me, and now both my kids are in big beds... they even know how to make them themseles! good luck, and let us all know how it turns out!! ~R.
My son is 2 1/2 and has been sleeping in a big boy bed (a twin mattress on the floor) for 8+ months now. Naptimes are still somewhat of a challenge. We put a baby gate at the door because we didn't want him to feel "locked" in, but he cant' just keep coming out of his room either. Now days, we read a couple of books and sing a song then I go to leave-sometimes it's a tantrum, sometimes he just plays quietly in his room. We did not take all of his toys out. I tell him that he can take a nap, or he can play quietly until he is ready to sleep. He always finds his way to his bed and takes a nap-sometimes it might be an hour later.. I would definately take the crib out of the room if you can-make it not an option. Since it is just the nap you are having problems with, just try to make it known that it is a quiet time and he might just go to sleep on his own ( it might be on the floor by the door for a little while). I hope this helps some.
We had the same thing...our daughter slept in her pack n play for one year after she had the big bed. It wasn't a big deal to pull out and put away. Do you have one of those?
When we moved our twins out of their cribs at 18 months (due to climbing out) I had to sit wit them in their room for about 10 minutes until they fell asleep. I would sit in between their beds or in the side of one and tell them to close their eyes and after a few minutes they would go to sleep. Eventually they would go by themselves. Hope this helps.
B.
Hi E.!!! Congrats on your pregnancy...when in nov are you due? do you know what it is yet?
I have a 19 month old and am due with #2 Nov 15... My daughter moved to a toddler bed at 18 months (just because it was there she liked it and that was great for me) so 2nights later hubby took the crib outta the room and that was that... maybe your son looks at it as an "option"...try taking it out of there...
The crib seems to be his comfort zone may for a while you and the dad should nap with him in the big bed and let him get comfortable with that so he can see that its ok. At night he is so exhasted that he can just fall alseep and stay during the day its some much going and and so many distraction he can procrastinate. You should refranie from putting him in the crib because that teaches him that if he disobeys long enough he will get what he wants. Continue to put him in the bed and be persistent and that way he will starte to see his bed in a new light and stop running to the crib
My twins are a little over 4 yrs of age and I sit outside their room until they fall asleep, about 20 minutes. I know sad sad but nap is such a short time frame that I have to get them asleep quickly. Our older two sons would just lay down and fall asleep but I guess because they are twins they have someone to play with so they stay up. Our youngest, only girl is 2 and started sleeping in her big girl bed two weeks ago and is doing great, she goes right in and is out. I don't suggest the back and forth with the crib, can you take it out of the room? Let him know that it's bedtime and sit out of sight from his bed but let him know you are there. Hopefully you can get him into the routine and he will adjust. Good Luck! Congrats on your soon to be new bundle of joy!!
