Has anyone done sleep training/CIO with a toddler?

I never liked the idea of CIO with an infant and co-slept. I loved co-sleeping with DS. One of the biggest regrets ever! Now we have another baby arriving in 2 months and we need to get DS out of our bed. He hates the crib and pretty much never slept in it.

Can anyone give me tips on sleep training a toddler?

DS is 21m old. Not sure if we should force him to sleep in a crib after all this time or if we should transition him straight to a toddler bed. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

No matter what, DS#2 will be sleeping in his own crib in his own room from day 1!!!!

Re: Has anyone done sleep training/CIO with a toddler?

....I don't have the heart too at this age. I totally get why others do, and I tried it, but I just couldn't. I failed. He's still in our bed and is 3.

I did do CIO when he was a baby and it worked, but once he was around 2.5 and his sleeping schedule became wacky, he wanted to be in our bed and it became a routine...we gave in so we could sleep.

I am in the exact predicament as you. New baby coming, and older kid in our bed.

So far, we have been transitioning him to his bed when he falls asleep.

I really love having him in our bed, but I know it's going to be tough..and needs to change with the new baby coming. Like you, I am sure you don't want the older one to feel rejected.

I'd love to hear ideas as well!

oh, wanted to add::: I told DS that when the baby comes, the baby will want to feel safe and wants him to sleep in his room. We may move older DS's bed into the nursery and see how that works. He can sleep through anything.

Message edited 1/12/2011 10:09:41 PM.

Re: Has anyone done sleep training/CIO with a toddler?

Re: Has anyone done sleep training/CIO with a toddler?

DH and I tried CIO with our DS on and off mostly because I was against it but we had interruptions to our lives - new home, vacations, etc.

My DS was 20 months when he started consistently sleeping in his own crib on his own. Here's what we did that worked for us.

- Make sure your DC is sleepy, signs are rubbing eyes, crankiness and/or yawning.
- Pick a consistent time for the bedtime routing and make sure he gets the same amount of sleep each nite.
- We started with a routine at the same time each nite: bath, book, lovey/blanket, then bed.
- Make the bedtime routine a family event if you need to, but the parent who's less of a softee/pushover should finish the bedtime routine with book and bed. In my case, DH does the reading, gives DS the lovey and puts him to bed.

The first nite we tried this, DS cried/whine for 45 minutes. During that period, DH goes in to check in on him every 5, then 10, then 15 minutes. DS sometimes gets out of bed but DH puts him in bed everytime and soothes him. DS finally caves in and goes right to sleep after a 4th or 5th try.

It only took one nite for it to work.

Re: Has anyone done sleep training/CIO with a toddler?

I was in the same exact predicament as you.

We ended up getting DS a full size bed and putting the mattress and boxspring on the floor for now.

We skipped the toddler bed because we sit down next to him and read to him and sing to him in his bed until he falls asleep. Because you are still in bed together, he may not mind it.

We didn't go back to the crib because it was going "backwards" IMO. He was already used to being in a bed, so why transition him back to the crib? We gave the baby his crib.

Sometimes he makes it the entire night in his room in his bed, but sometimes he gets up and starts crying. DH usually goes in to comfort him. Sometiimes he winds up spending the whole night in DS's bed, sometimes not. We had done CIO, but recently stopped because he was sick.

We also put a gate in front of his room and secured furniture to the walls.

HTH. Good luck!

Re: Has anyone done sleep training/CIO with a toddler?

Message edited 1/12/2011 11:39:00 PM.

Re: Has anyone done sleep training/CIO with a toddler?

Posted by DomesticDeeva

Posted by Bridex100

No matter what, DS#2 will be sleeping in his own crib in his own room from day 1!!!!

I said the same thing...we currently have a 23 m/o and a 4 m/o in bed with us.

From day 1, DS hated the crib. Screamed bloody murder in it... Slept in the bassinet for 2 months until he refused to sleep in there too. Neither DH nor I had the heart for CIO. Then we didn't want him to feel he was being booted out b/c of DD, so he is still with us. However, he LOVES Toy Story so we got him a TS toddler bed and we will be transitioning him in our room, and then eventually, hopefully to his own room. I plan on waiting til he falls asleep and transferring him for the first few nights.

DD slept fine in the bassinet too, but not the crib. However, she will only STTN in our bed..my need for sleep overruled our wanting her to sleep in the crib lol.

Thank God we have a king bed.