How Do I Keep My Daughter in Her Bed?

I've also read that closer to age 3 is a good time to switch to a bed. my daughter is 19 mos and the beds are so cute, but it's nice to be able to put her in her crib and know she will be safe. i also don't think she will get mixed messages if you switch back to a crib. she might actually be relieved because that's been what she's known as her bed all along. i would suggest to switch back.

Did you have to move your daughter to a toddler bed? I think she may be a bit insecure without the boundaries of a crib. She is really young to be in a bed already. If it's possible, I'd move her back into the crib and wait until after she is 2 to make the transition. Just my opinion. Hope you figure it out.

I think it is great that you have moved her to a toddler bed. I found with my kids the older they were when I moved them to a "big girl bed" the harder it was for them to learn to stay in it. My oldest and youngest were in a regular bed by the time they were 18 months. Like any change in a child's life she needs time to adjust. Make sure you stay consistant and follow the same steps every night when she wakes up. More than likely she use to wakeup at night and just went back to sleep herself. Once she is more secure in the change she will stop screaming. Try leaving the door open so that she can get to you when she needs to. She might just be getting upset because she cannot find mommy or daddy. I know you are afraid of her wandering, but chances are if there are no lights on, she will only go where she knows mom and dad are. If your rooms are close by, that is the first place she will look for you.

If she is ready to sleep in a toddler bed, read her stories in her own bed. Turn down the lights (at this point if you do not have a night light, get one!!) and stay with her for a little while to get her settled in (rubbing her back, etc). So she feels safe in her new bed- because mom is right there... Leave the door open, and maybe put up a baby gate so she cannot wander.I know you have the best of intentions with shutting the door, but this might really be doing more harm if she firstly, wakes up and you are not there, but most importantly to find that the door is closed and she is terrified, isolated, and utterly alone. Does she climb out of a crib? Is that why she isn't in one still at 16 months? I cannot even imagine how much terror a little baby must go through in discovering that kind of isolation at such a young age. Not that you would ever do anything to put her in that predicament on purpose!!! Still, no parent should ever go to these extremes. What if something happened to her in there? You wouldn't, as a mommy, be able to hear her. You know? I know you are probably only looking out for her safety, but maybe you should consider putting her back in her crib for awhile longer?? It will take some time to take to a new bed. I even went through the extremes as to put my son's new bed in my room for a little while to get him used to sleeping on it in a way that would make him feel the most safe, when he was two. It worked for me. but at that age, once they are comfortable, it seems they sleep that way for most of the night. at least mine does. I did the test for at least two weeks (to make sure he didn't roll out, or hang off in his sleep!!), just to be sure he was ready, and then we moved it into his own room. Then we did the whole "night-night" thing in his room (and I did the above mentioned things- stories, etc there, and he took to it right away after moving him back). Good luck!! but for goodness sake, don't close the door!!!

Hi R.
I too, had to move an 18month old to a toddler bed. I too, was critisized for it. She is to small, to young, bla, bla, bla.

I had to do it for her own safty. She is like a little monkey, climbing everything, and climbed out of her crib twice.

My daughter also an excellent sleeper at night, became a night waker, every couple of hours, standing in the middle of her room crying. To solve this, I moved her toddler bed into my bedroom until she became used to the new bed. When she would wake up, I would asure her that I was there for her, lay her back down and she would return to sleep. And once she started sleeping through the night again, I moved the bed back into her room. She slept more comfortably then. I will admit, there were a couple of nights, when she would wake up. Just go into her room, reasure her that you are there for her, and return her to her bed. My daughter is 2 and a half now, and all is well. I wish you the best of luck! Dont let all the negative critism get you down! Feel free to email me if you have any questions. Heidi

With my older daughter, it was a struggle to get her to stay in a toddler bed. She was a good sleeper in her crib, but we needed to move her before things progressed too far with my pregnancy, plus she potty trained really early and I didn't want her stuck in a crib if she had to go potty (even though she wore pull-ups at night). Anyway, we tried everything, finally I took the toddler mattress off the frame put it on the floor and put a bed railing next to the mattress, this is how she slept for a couple of months. From that night on things were MUCH better, it still was not back to normal, completely, but better, and as the nights went on it continued to improve once we broke the habits of waking up again!
It worked for us!!:)

I just read an article in one of my baby magazines that kids really should stay in a crib until close to age three. Unless there is a reason you have to take them out. I am having the same problem with my two-year-old son. I had to take him out of the crib because I had another baby. I am having your same problems. I wish I could put him back in the crib. He never tried to climb out of the crib or anything, it was great. If putting your baby back in the crib is not an option, good luck on figuring something out. I would love to know what works.

put her back in the crib. she is not ready for a big bed.

I have read that you should nt move them out of the crib until they are 2.5- 3 years old.

If she climbs out of the crib- buy a tent to keep her safely inside of the crib.

Hi R.,
Why did you move her? Was it her choice or did she get a sibling? To me 16 months seems to early to move her to a bed. My son is 15 months and there is no way he would stay in a bed. My 3 and a half year old went into a toddler bed when he was 27 months. I have a nephew who was over 3 before he was in a bed. Every child is different but if can I would put her back into a crib. Just my opinion. Good luck.
Chris

I would suggest trying one of those toddler bed side gates. the mesh contraption that keeps them from falling out. I think it's the lack of feeling secure that is waking your daughter. My sister had the same problem with her daughter and this helped. As for putting her back in the crib I don't agree with the others. My twins climbed out of their crib at this age too and I converted their cribs to the toddle bed. They were fine. Still are. I really think it depends on the child. My youngest 17months is no where near ready and I'm ok with that. Soon though he's starting to try to climb out.

R.
I too just recently placed my 18 month old son in a big boy bed. A full size bed not a toddler bed. During nap time I place him on his bed tell him it's nap time and walk out and close the door. What he does during his nap time is up to him. If he wants to play or go to sleep. He usually tears apart his room and then eventually gets up in bed and goes to sleep. As for night time instead of closing the door we put the baby gate up, so that his door is open. As for any suggestion on what to do for her crying at night, maybe place a couple of books in bed with her. Just like when she was a baby I'm ure she woke up in the middle of the night crying, leave her to cry she will eventually fall asleep. Personally I think if you move her back to her crib you will be sending mixed messages.
any other help let me know
K.