big boy bed! HELP!

[Me.and.my.two.boys]

Please help! ds is 21 months and tonight i have put him in a bbb for the first time.

he loved the bed and climbed on it and we read stories together but when i left his room he started screaming and gets out of bed and goes to the door. i have gone back in and settled him and told him its bedtime and when i leave the room again he screams and comes to the door again!!

he is crying/screaming hysterically!

i dont know what to do? should i stay in there with him (he has always been an independant sleeper!) or should i leave his door open but he can just leave his room!

im helpless and hate hearing him scream like this!

PLEASE HELP!

[shivi]

big hugs Kelly }}}}{{{{

am a bit knackered so won't be writing in detail tonight but a few things I did were -

put Ikea gate on Oscar's door and leave the door open till he is asleep
night light in his room so he could get there without stumbling
lovies etc from his cot were there with him

Our BBB transition took a total of 9 mths from 23mths to 2 yrs 8 mths or perhaps even more....and on hols he was still in a travel cot till closer to 3.


Oscar wasn't "ready" but had broken the cot by jumping so hard and cracking the slats under the mattress....so we did the Ikea thing for him before his 2nd b'day.

He now loves his bed and has done for a year or more but I will not be moving Emma from the same cot (with new slats LOL) till she asks to be moved!

S x

[alohahellokitty]

hugs!!!!!!!

So sorry its been rough for you!! I have no advice for you but will listen in as we are about to move our dd into a bgb soon. (after she finishes getting her teeth in, late teether) She's 22 months currently and we hope she will be ready once the teeth finish. We just don't want to try to make the transition with the problems teething bring.

You'll get some great advice!! PPl on here have really helped me through some rough patches!!
Hugs!!

[momtonb&ab]

i would suggest for tonight staying in with him until he calms down - use a walk in/walk out method or gentle removal idea just to reassure him - this is different for him and it may be very hard to settle.

is there an option for him to go back in his crib?  21 months is young - perhaps leaving the bed in the room and giving him a choice for a while and you could read stories and perhaps do naps on the big bed?  also, if you think the bed is a must, perhaps use pillows all around him to make him feel 'cozier' .  ds is all over his bed and so when we are in a strange bed traveling, we often tuck pillows in under the blankets to make a bumper of sorts - helps him to feel like he isn't going to fall out.

[Tobysmum]

Just a question.  Why did you move him to a BBB in the first place?  21 months still seems very young to me.  I know I'm probably the other extreme but we didn't move DS#1 until he was 4 months away from being 4.  It went incredibly smoothly and he's never got out of bed or complained about it.  I have a DS#2 and he's just over 2, I'm not even considering moving him to a BBB yet.  Most of my friends have advised me to leave it as late as possible.
Of course, it's every parents' individual decision, but I'm just curious for your reasons.

[Mum-of-Two]

My sister-in-law's 21 month old is climbing out of his crib so she is about to begin her transition soon too -- just following along here for advice to give her.

A good friend of mine's 18 month old boy climbed out and fell from the top bars of his crib at the wee age of 18 months old.  They stopped on their way home from the emergency room to get his BBB.

Its hard with young kids and kids who have to transition early because they are too mobile for the crib... too mobile for the crib does not bode well for staying in a bed with no sides then!

Best of luck to you!!!

[okinawamama]

If he is crawling out they do make crib tents. I don't have a LO of climbing age yet, so not sure what our solution will be, but this is an option ( if it's even a problem for you). I hope to keep my little guy in his crib as long as possible
http://www.amazon.com/Tots-Mind-Cozy-Crib-White/dp/B00014PLAY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=baby-products&qid=1273026467&sr=8-1

[shivi]

Oscar could scale the bars of his cot at 1 yr 8 mths....but in a sleeping bag it was impossible. From 20 mths onwards he had to be in his sleeping bag, zipped up at the back, for all naps and nights.

S x

[Me.and.my.two.boys]

ds sleeps on a bed at nursery and loves it and since he has been doing that, theres been a huge change in the way he slept in his cot - when i put him in it he would shout 'no, mummy, no!' so i thought i would follow suit and get him a bed (a little toddler one).

well last night, he was asleep within 45 mins, i had to go in 6 times and settle him and the last time i left his room, he got out of bed and then got back in and fell asleep. when i went in to check on him at 10.30pm when i was going to bed he was on the floor!

he didnt wake up at all in the night untill 6.30am when he got up!

tonight i got him iggle piggle duvet covers and he loves them he got out of bed a few times and i had to go and put him back in but he wasnt crying, just giggling when i went in and told him 'no, its bedtime) he was asleep within 30 mins and ive just been in and tucked him in

[momtonb&ab]

great news, sounds like you just need a few days to settle in then!