Diary of moving a 19mo to a big boy bed...

[Katet]

Ideally we would have liked to keep Liam in a cot longer as he wasn't climbing out & he was sleeping well.
Despite that we felt we needed to move him to a bed as he is very tall (3 foot) & no longer fits well enough to sleep in a Port-a-cot (pack & play) so with a 2 week holiday planned for February (6 weeks away) we decided our best option was to move him to a bed, as that is what he would be sleeping in while away.

Unfortunately his sleep patterns post Christmas weren't as good as we'd like  with teething eye teeth & some overtiredness from all the extra activities, he was harder to settle & also waking on occasion at night. All that aside we decided we were going to start now, rather than wait until those issues were sorted (knowing the teething could take another month)

For the last week we have been talking about how he has a big boy bed - currently the base of a trundle, so it is low to the ground & he has a cot... I have been talking about the two & getting him to point to the cot or the big boy bed eg "which is the big boy bed"

D day - 1...
I made up the BB Bed with his new linen (a quilt cover with diggers on it) & put one of his teddy's that was in his cot in the bed. Talked about how Teddy would sleep there that night & how Liam would sleep in it tomorrow when Daddy was home (weekend)

Day 1
placed his PJ's on the BB Bed after he got dressed in the AM & put all his Teddy's & pillow from the cot on the BB Bed...
Nap time... made sure he'd had a busy morning & good food & fluid intake & had talked about his BB Bed... even getting Aiden involved... So did wind down routine... read stories until he was really relaxed (possibly too much so) & starting to cuddle into my arms (sometimes falls asleep like that if we are out past nap time) & then moved him to the bed... he kind of looked around & let out a "wind-down yelp" & then pretty much fell asleep... 2.25 hours later he came out of his room with a cheeky smile.

Bedtime... unfortunately running late for bedtime as beautiful evening & we were out gardening too long after dinner. Anyway started the normal bedtime routine (20 mins later than normal) & aimed for the extra tired snuggle as in nap time, so read lots of stories. Then moved him to the bed (with the normal 2 second protest cry/wriggle from him) & kissed his Teddy's & him then turned out the light... rather than walking out I sat in the room next to the closed door for a few mins... then left when he hadn't moved for the count of 300. All was fine. Then 5mins later Big brother was in the bathroom (next door) & suddenly he comes out with a big smile. I scoop him up & take him back to his bed explaining it was "sleep time" & doing the verbal cues I use at bedtime. That happens 3-4 more times & then he starts just poking his head out the door by now it is about an hour past his bedtime. All is quiet for a while & suddenly he sounds his "I can't find my Lovie" cry, So I go in & sort that out & then leave... 5mins later it is the "I'm overtired cry", so I then went & comforted him until he was calm & stayed with him again until he was still to the count of 300 (about 10mins) by which stage I think he was asleep, he certainly didn't get upset when I left the room. By this stage it was 1.5 hours past his normal bedtime
Roll on 1.30am & I hear feet plodding up the corridor & so promptly took him back to bed & when I went to leave he was upset (teeth I think) & so curled up on the end of his bed & waited for him to settle down & went back to my bed about 30mins later... he called out 2x more - but didn't come out of bed (once lovie had fallen off the bed) other not sure why, but only needed me to tell him it was still sleep time & he settled quickly. Then I'm not sure when he woke as Aiden came into our room at 6.20 & Liam soon after, but I don't know if he'd been up playing or Aiden woke him, but he was up about 20mins earlier than his usual 6.45am average. not bad all in all

[Katet]

Day 2

Nap time happened with no problem, once again I read stories until he was in snuggle mode & then moved him to the Bed... he woke up & went out to the toy area & the only reason I heard he was awake was a toy being played with.

Bedtime. On time so went through the routine & put him in the bed, I stayed a while until he had stopped moving (dark so can't see him) & then left no problem, 5 mins later he came out... took him back, a few mins later he went to the door, but when I saw him & told him "night night" he went back... eventually after 20mins me needing to give verbal messages of "night night every minute or so" I heard him scratching the door... I was sat outside his room (doing a sudoko) & all went quiet, I left him for another 20mins & checked on him... he'd fallen asleep on the floor just inside the door... tricky manoeuvre to get in to put him to bed.
12.15... he calls out, settled without me, 12.30, cries out (distressed cry) & I discover he has somehow rolled under the cot (not sure how he managed that) & is stuck... sort that out & decide to stay until he falls asleep... by 1am, I'm getting uptight as he just seems to be tossing around, so decide to leave, he seems ok... 1.15, calls out, gets more "urgent" I go to him, settles, repeat about 10mins then 5mins later... at this stage I'm exhausted (hadn't been to bed really) & so decide to put him in the cot... settles ok after an initial protest (big tears) & a long cuddle (me leaning over the side) & some teething gel & Hylands tabs  sleeps until 6.15, then plays in the cot until 7am.

This am dh & I decide we will have him start the night in his bed, but if he wakes I will move him to the cot as he seems to settle better there. & once we have the start of the night settled & I don't have a big contract that keeps me up late to work on (- joys of being a SAHM doing casual contract work) We will attack the middle of the night & keeping him in the bed.

Again not bad & not sure of impact of teeth on the wakings or new bed.

[esthere]

was wondering how you are going too...

[Katet]

Day 3.
Well the Nap went the same as usual, I think moving to a 12.30pm nap (rather than noon) helps him be so tired that he is really ready & has no energy to get up... he slept until 3pm.

Bedtime... well once again it was late... dh took the boys out to pick up their big sis, while I tried to get some work done... kind of thought he might fall asleep in the car & we'd just transfer, he didn't, so did the normal routine, gave him some paracetamol for teething (finger had been in mouth all day)  & put him in the bed, having told him if he gets up in the night he will go to his cot for the rest of the night.
Rather than staying in the room until he stopped moving, I  did the usual (kiss soft toys & him) turned out the light & then stood near the door for a moment… told him night-night twice & then walked out & then said night-night again once out of the room when he gave a tiny protest cry. 5mins later he came to the door, I told him night-night & he got a bit excited, so I then picked him up & took him back to his bed & left… He came to the door once more, but when I said night-night he shut it  I kept hanging around near his door & saw his fingers stick out under the door & simply said night – night & then there was quiet. 20mins later I went to check & he was asleep in the bed right in the middle pretty much lying sideways.
1am rolls around & he cries out (pained cry) so I attend & there he is with his fingers in his mouth & eyes half shut…I ask him if he wants medsie (Aiden speak for Medicine) & he points to where it is kept & takes it willingly (something he only does if he needs it) & I leave the room… then 5am I here him cry out (settling cry) & all is well until 6.25am & I hear his feet on the floor… once again a bit earlier than usual, but I think that is normal when they first start out in the bed… at least Aiden started his day earlier for a while.


Day 4

Nap… well had to pick up big brother & Step-d who’d been out on an “adventure” right on nap time so he fell asleep in the car… transferred & slept 1.75hour on the low side but ok for him

Bedtime… aimed for earlier with the shorter nap & also Aiden hadn’t napped so he needed to be in bed earlier (& doesn’t like to go to bed before Liam) So did the normal routine… left the room & all was quiet… checked on him ½ hour later & he’d fallen asleep by the door again. He woke a few times, cried out – upset cry, but didn’t leave his room it was either him not being able to find his bear (lovie –  he sucks on its arm) – I think the more space of a bed makes it harder for him to locate it as he rolls around A LOT or teeth ( did the yuck nappies yesterday & tooth was through this am), but settled really quickly when I went in & gave a cuddle, found bear or gave Meds. Got up for the day at 6.50.
So really think we are going well here.

[esthere]

Well done !

[Katet]

Day 5

Nap… after following the usual routine, he went to sleep for 2 hours & came out to me as one happy boy.

Bedtime…Normal bedtime routine.  Left the room and went back to check on him ½ hour later and he was asleep on the floor. Moved him to his bed & while I heard him a few times in the night, nothing I needed to go to him for. But he was awake & in our bedroom at 5.50am & I took him back & stayed in there until he heard his brother up for the day at 6.45... while he never went back to sleep he did just lie there with me near by & only once tried to get up.

All in all I think we can go to our plan of dismantling the cot this weekend & can say we have done the transition in 5 days, with (what I consider) little drama

[*Natasha*]

That is great very inspiring. It just shows persistance pays

[TDR'smom]

Kate!!

That is awesome!! What a good boy Liam!!!   

[Katet]

Well the last 24 hours have been a bit messed up... Liam got his chickenpox vax yesterday & fell asleep in the car on the way home (11.15 rather than 12.30) as he'd woken a bit early & also any time after 11 is "dangerous" in the car as far as his sleep is at the best of times.
Then in the pm we went to the beach & had dinner out driving home 30mins he fell asleep 45mins before normal bedtime...got home & he woke up & had a shower & play & then went to bed an hour later... 5.40am he was up playing... I took him back to his room & put him in bed, 10mins later he was up again, so I put him in the cot (with some paracetamol as he had his finger in his mouth -teeth) & he slept until 7am.

then Nap time he fell asleep on the living room floor 10mins before "normal nap time"... I had gone to the bathroom (2mins) when it happened & only slept 1.25 hours. but I think this is about teeth rather than the bed as he pointed to where the medicine is kept when he woke.

[esthere]

Totally off topic, sorry, do you mean there is a chickenpox vaccine now ?

Well done with the sleep

[Katet]

Chickenpox isn't done in the UK (& that fact ruined my Sis trip of a lifetime when her ds got it 1 day into a Blacksea cruise & they had to leave the ship), so prob not Ireland either. It has only been introduced in Aust (it could be paid for before that) since July 2006.

[esthere]

Oh ok , thanks I wonder why not ??
hope sleeping is going well.

[Mum of girl, boy, boy]

Katet,

I was wondering how it all is going now for naps. Is your little one back to napping at the same time every day.

My DD is rather spirited and I tried a couple of times to change her cot into a bed but she just plays. I moved back to the cot because she was dropping naps and becoming grumpy. Back in the cot she went back to sleeping every day for 2 hours +. My problem now is that she's worked out how to get out of her cot. She did nap today but when she woke up she came down stairs.

I am not ready for her to drop her sleep yet. With having DS napping at the same time I have a lovely 2 hours to myself to cook dinner, iron and get a little lunch for myself.

I am going to have to come up with a strategy to get her to nap but I know that she will push that boundary once she realises she can get out at her leisure. If I returned her to bed she would just see that as a game and if I let her stay in her room she would just play. I wish I could make her cot lower!!!!

Hope its going ok for you.

J

[daisymelan]

Wow!  Thanks for posting all this.  Well done!  I can only hope our transition goes this smoothly. 

[Katet]

Thought I'd add an update as we jsut spent 2 weeks away from home.

We did have a bumpy ride for a while  around the 3 week into big bed mark, due to too many things going on & the routine disrupted & I did the "rapid return" method for 2 days & that turned into a nightmare. So I re thought the strategy as he was getting so hyped up & sleep had dropped to 8 hours a night & falling asleep the moment he was in the car/stroller.
So I worked on the idea of doing what he "needed to relax" & initially I actually soothed him to sleep by stroking his hair... that took about 45mins. Then by the time we went away, he still needed me in the room, but was falling asleep in 10mins. While we were away on Holidays routine was once again disrupted, but we managed to keep either naps regular or bedtime, so if it was a short nap, bedtime was early etc & now 2 days back at home I am started on getting myself out of the room.
One thing I did start doing was if I was in the room & he relaxed & stayed in bed, I stayed & pretty much ignored him, if he started playing (jumping around) or trying to engage me in conversation I left the room & shut the door... I returned as soon as got upset. So on the odd occasion when he has started to play, I just ask him if he wants me to go & he settles down.

Mum of girl & boy... naps haven't really become "regular" but then they never really have been, he would fall asleep in the car 2 -4 x week on average as we tend to go out & not come home until 12.30/1pm... so I never really expect them to become totally regular until he is able to stay awake those car trips