Making a smooth transition to a big bed? HOW?????

[LindaB]

The last two nights we've been getting Isabella to bed an hour earlier. She's been in bed, asleep before 7:30pm. No terrors in two nights. Now we have a new problem. She's still waking in the night, but now, it's taking HOURS to get her back to sleep. We sit with her in the rocking chair and rock her. She's COMPLETELY asleep and as soon as we lay her down in the crib, she's kicking and crying again. DH and I are BOTH exhausted. Last night she was up like that from midnight till 3am. She finally fell back to sleep after 3am.

I think it may be time to make the move to a big girl bed? I'm scared. I don't know how to make this move. I know we're going to do the big mattress on the floor. I don't want to get her into a toddler bed because she's always needed us to stay with her while she falls asleep, I really DON'T mind laying with her until she falls asleep. If she does wake in the night, it'll be easier to just lay with her rather than rock her.

So now I need advice. How do I make the move for her? She's never slept with a pillow. Do I put pillows on the mattress? What about her ability to physically get out?

Please help ladies, she's never been a good sleeper. I'm worried the big mattress may be overwhelming for her but what other choices do I have? Do you think it's best to do it on a Friday night?

I'm looking for any and all advice!
Thanks ladies!
Linda

[momofclaire]

Hi,
I am afraid that I don't have that much advice as we haven't done the transition yet. 

Can you tell me how old she is and what her day looks like?
It sounds like you may have to do a little bit of sleep training as she might be getting used to being rocked to sleep.  I would attempt to get her nights under control before switching to the big bed.
Myia

[LindaB]

HI there!

I don't know if you've followed the majority of my posts on here, but you're right, she's never been a good sleeper. We had to sleep train her at a year old. She finally started sleeping through the night. Back in June she got an awful mouth sore virus that has REALLY set us back. Since then she's started waking in the nights again. She's only slept through a handful of times since then and recently she's had episodes of night terrors.

Her schedule is as follows: She's 25 months old by the way

6am - wake up
730 - off to daycare, breakfast by 8am - weekdays -- breakfast before 8 on weekends
10am - snack
1130am- lunch
1230pm - milk and nap
2pm - awake from nap
3pm - snack
515pm - dinner
7pm - bath, bottle, bed - asleep by 740-745

Wake ups at least once EVERY night and it takes WELL over an HOUR to get her back to sleep.

Before, I used to be able to give her the last bottle at 730 - put her in her crib and say good night, then sit in the rocking chair without rocking her until she fell asleep. Often she'd sit up to see if I was still there. If I left the room, she'd cry, if I sat there till she fell asleep, it would be fine. Now, I can't even lay her down in her crib awake. She completely freaks out and stands and screams MOMMY MOMMY.

She's VERY tall, 35 pounds and it's exhausting to do this at bedtime and then for at least an hour in the night.