sleeping/napping in toddler bed - HELP!

Does anyone have any tips to make this transition easier??????


DD is 27 months. Climbed out of crib last week. Converted to toddler bed on Sunday. On Sunday night, she just lay in her crib without sleeping for an hour, then cried uncontrollably and got out of the crib and banged on the door. I ended up going in, giving her a bottle, rubbing her back, taking her out, reading a book, tried again, took her out again, let her watch TV (I know, not my best moment but I was about to lose it) and finally she fell asleep while I was rubbing her backn in hern bed. .

She napped yesterday no problem, but at night, she went crazy and I had to give her a bottle and rub her back until she fell asleep. she truly seemed scared. Then she woke up at 3:00 AM and was crying and banging on the door. I spent an hour with her. She was content as long as I was sitting on the floor next to her bed but wouldn't go back to sleep. It was like she was trying to get me to play with her.
I then tried CIO - she would get out of her bed and cry and bang on the door for 3 minutes, then I went in, put her down and we repeated. After 4 cycles of this, when I increased it to 5 minutes she climbed back into her bed and she went to sleep. She woke up happy this morning. She got up out of her crib and was singing and dancing in her room before she called for me.

I just had to do 2 sessions of CIO for her to go down for her nap. Is this normal? I am doing something wrong?

I would LOVE any advice at all. I need to take a nap now too. And I'm 8 weeks preggo and am so scared how she's going to be with a new baby. OY!

Re: sleeping/napping in toddler bed - HELP!

no advice? tips?

Re: sleeping/napping in toddler bed - HELP!

Can you convert it back to a crib?

DD is 2y7mo and still in her crib... she climbed out once a few months ago but it was just a one time thing b/c she hasn't tried it since. This is what i'm scared of, converting her bed and having her sleep become off, she sleeps great in the crib still!

Re: sleeping/napping in toddler bed - HELP!

It sounds like the CIO is working. Its a transition for them so you should expect it to take a little while for her to get comfortable with her new surroundings. For my DD, we would just read a little extra in her bed before naps and we did alot of back rubbing at night! For my DS, well, once we made the switch, he never napped again. That was a sad day. Now with DC #3, I'm trying to stretch it as long as I can (we currently have a crib tent) b/c I depend on a 2 hr nap and 10hrs of nighttime sleep from him!

Give it a week or so and see where you're at. You can always put the crib back up if need be.

Re: sleeping/napping in toddler bed - HELP!

Thanks ladies!

I wish I could convert it back, but actually, when we took the front part off, it went crashing down and parts of it splintered... we aren't the handiest couple.

We didn't have the necessary conversion kit after we took it off, so DD slept in her pack n play for a couple of days. She tried to get out of that.

I guess I have to suck it up and continue with the CIO. She was such a good sleeper and loved her crib. I wish I tried a crib tent but now I feel like we have to stick with it.

Not easy at all.

Re: sleeping/napping in toddler bed - HELP!

can you leave the door open and put a gate at the door instead? I know I don't like the feeling of sleeping with the door closed and I'm an adult!

Re: sleeping/napping in toddler bed - HELP!

We just converted the crib to the toddler bed this weekend. She is 2 1/2.


I went out and bought princesss bedding and made a big deal out of it. How it was a big girl bed. She LOVED it, but she definatley is thrown off by it. She lays awake for an hour sayin, " momma, I cant sleep!" before she falls asleep. Almost like the change keeps her up at night

She woke in the middle of the night since Sunday. She slept thru the night last night.


Good Luck!

Message edited 3/22/2012 1:52:10 PM.