Big Boy Bed at 17 Months. Help!!!!???

[Blissful]

My LO has always had difficulties with sleeping. But finally...after many many long months, he started to show amazing improvements. He was able to put himself to sleep without crying for both naps and bedtime. He was usually sleeping through the night from 7:30 until 5:30 or 6:30 a.m and napping from 1:00-3:00ish every day. I was celebrating!!!

Last week things changed again. He figured out how to climb out of his crib. Gasp!

I've converted his crib to a toddler bed and found a rail to put across to keep him from rolling out. I've talked about his 'big boy bed' but to be honest, I don't think he has a clue what i'm trying to explain to him. I think the whole thing is confusing for him.

Bedtime has been more successful than naps. It takes him awhile to fall asleep, but if I lay on the floor beside his toddler bed (former crib) then he will sleep. Naps are a gong show. It takes me an hour of frustration as he continually tries to get out of the bed. If I leave the room and put a gate across the door he cries for a bit and then finds something to play with or get into. Is it realistic to strip his room bare for each nap + bedtime?

I need a plan! I was going to camp out on his floor for awhile. Three days beside his bed, three days by the door and then three days in the next room within eye sight.

I'm still mourning the loss of his short-lived sleep success.  

Can anyone help me come up with a solid plan to help get him back to where he was?

I'm desperate....

Will try anything!!

[okinawamama]

Is there anyway that you could use a crib tent? I know it's a little more extreme, but at 17months, he really has no impulse control, and developmentally, might just not be ready.

I'm sure there are other moms who have BTDT, they may be able to offer more advice! Good luck. I hope everyone is back to sleeping well soon!!

[Blissful]

Thanks for replying.

I think you're right He has zero impulse control and I think he's utterly confused.

Ack. Things have not improved much.

I thought of getting a crib tent...but apparently they don't fit convertible cribs? He really does get into everything so i'm a bit concerned about him figuring out how to dismantle it (particularly if it's not fitted perfectly).

Has anyone with a convertible crib used one of these successfully?

[blueangelmilw]

DD escaped from her crib at 19 months. We immediately took her crib down and replaced it with a toddler bed. It's a miniature version of a twin bed, low to the ground and uses a standard crib mattress and bedding. She loves it! After she falls asleep, I put up a baby gate outside of her door so she can't get out of her room if she wakes up.

For us, a crib tent wasn't an option. They are a strangulation hazard.

Why not toddler-proof DS's bedroom, leaving only basic furniture with drawer locks? Right now, the worst thing DD could do is pull her clothes out of the drawers or laundry basket. I do stay with her until she falls asleep, just because she has always been a terrible sleeper.

[MasynSpencerElliotte]

I would completely empty the room, we did this with Masyn at 2.5, just the bed, nothing else at all. I put her fan for white noise up on a high shelf and ran the cord across the top of the door and out of the room.  With my youngest, she went to a BGB at 16 months with no issues, but she sleeps in a pitch black room and does not move in her sleep, she is definitely the exception. Her room is not empty, but I secured her dresser to the wall will L hooks and locked the closet. Other than that it is just her toddler bed (also a crib convert)

[Blissful]

Thanks for the ideas everyone!

Here's my update: I tried gutting his room except for his toddler bed (the converted crib) for a few days and not much changed. It took me on average an hour to get him to sleep for his naps and bedtime. Sometimes 1.5 hours. If I didn't sit with him then he would wail at the gate at his door. The first night I left him he made himself throw up at the gate at the door.

So this week I decided to put him in a sleep sack and put him back into his crib. He isn't a big fan of the sleep sack (hasn't worn one before) but it does prevent him from getting his leg over the top of the crib. He hasn't figured out how to walk in the sack and isn't nimble in it at all. As soon as I put him in his crib he flops down and fusses for a bit and then falls asleep. I'm sure in time he'll figure out that he can move and walk in it...but if I can get another few months out of this then i'll be happy!!!

Thanks again everyone!

[okinawamama]

I'm glad you found something that works for you both. Like you said, if you can get a few more months ( or more!!!) out of the crib I think that the transition to a big boy bed will go much smoother the second time around.

[IzzyD's mom]

our dd climbed out of her crib at 1 year! we struggled with switching her to a toddler bed, at first she was great but once she had figured out she could leave her room she fought us for every nap and bedtime. We went on vacation to canada where she slept in a travel cot and she settled much better and with the higher sides she didnt try to climb out (she has a try now and then but usually thinks better of it). If you have a travel cot or could borrow one it might be worth a try if he figures out the sleep sack thing