Six nights ago we started putting our two year old daughter into a toddler bed. The first night was almost great. She went down at 7.00pm and she came and got into our bed at 6.00am (I know we shouldn't have allowed this).
The next night we had to keep taking her back to bed for about 15mins before she would settle. This night she came into our room about 3 or 4 times, each time we took her back to bed and she stayed there for a few hours.
The next few nights she stayed in her room again until about 6.00am and I took her back and she stayed there until 7.00am. I'd occasionally hear her come in but because we didn't stir she went and got back into her bed.
The night before last she stayed in her room until 7.00am and I thought we were getting somewhere.
BUT last night from 1.00am onwards she kept coming in and would not stay in her bed when we took her back, we'd instantly take her backeach time, not talking to her or anything and she would climb into bed herself but as soon as we left the room she would get up again. This went on for an hour to the point were she was crying when we left the room. In the end I left her door open and stood outside, she couldn't see me in the dark, as soon as she sat up I'd tell her to lie down which she did. When she appeared to be staying put I went to bed leaving her door open.
She came into our room again a few minutes later, I pretended to be asleep and she went back to her room but came back straight away. She didn't try to get into our bed or talk to us but crawled into the corner of the room with her teddy and stayed there. We all fell asleep. A few hours later at about 4.30am I woke up and put her back to bed, she was asleep more or less and stayed there until 6.00am when she came back and fell asleep on the floor again until 7.00am.
I was hoping that because she wasn't talking to us and trying to get into our bed that she would eventually prefer sleeping in her own bed rather than our bedroom floor, but I don't want her to get into this habbit.
The taking her back didn't work last night. It may work tonight if we keep it up but I don't know. I am four months pregnant and can't continue with this sleep deprivation for too long and my husband helps but has to work too.
I was wondering wether to put a baby gate on her door, I know it will upset her at first but if we combine this with the WI/WO method, do you think it may work or should we just prepare ourself to spend a couple of nights continuously taking her back to bed.
HISTORY - up until before Xmas she was always a very good sleeper. Going to bed at 7.00pm and staying there until 8 - 9.00am sometimes (I think we have been spoiled by this) She always used to have a good 1.5-2hr nap at lunchtime too. A combination of illnesses, holiday and visiting relatives at xmas disturbed this pattern somewhat. She hasn't had a daytime nap for months unless we are out in the car or pram. Even before putting her in her bed she had started climbing out of her cot at 6 - 7am and coming in to our room and I know its our own fault but at first we let her into our bed because we had been used to getting more sleep (but I simply cannot sleep at all with her in our bed anyway). She would lie there 'quietly' for about and hour but then want to get up and play. We won't let her in our bed at all now and maybe this is why she chooses to sleep on the floor.
Can anyone advise us on what to do, I know we need to be consistant but which method is the best to take? The taking her back to bed over and over is also putting a strain on the back and pelvic problems I have, even if I don't lift her and I can't expect DH to do it all by himself.
