Sleeping on Floor instead of Toddler Bed!

[LorrieMom]

A few weeks ago I switched my 25 mth DD (now 26mths) to a Toddler Bed.  She was very excited about it and helped put it together and slept great with no change in routine for 2 weeks.  Then one weekend she was ill with a mild fever/flu and a few night wakings just screaming and ever since then things haven't been the same.
She won't sleep in the Toddler Bed and would rather sleep on the floor. :cry:   I resorted to putting her crib mattress on the floor and that seems to work some of the time but some times when I check on her after she has fallen asleep I will find her on a small carpet instead of the crib mattress (we have wood floors with 2 small rugs on the floor).  She seems happy to be on the floor but of course as a parent it bothers me so I try to pick her and put her back on the bed.  Of course she wakes up and won't have it. 
I've tried removing the carpets so her only comfortable choice was the crib and instead she chose to fall asleep on her diaper change pad that I left on the floor  :shock: .
I've tried to 'reaquaint' her with the toddler bed again by putting the mattress back and offering to lie with her in it and pat her back but she won't have it.  She squirms back off and down to the floor. 
Any advice as to what I should be doing in this case?  Let her sleep where she wants - floor, mattress or bed? Force her with pu/pd to stay in the toddler bed (hasn't worked)?  Keep the mattress on the floor and try putting it back into the bed again in a few weeks or never for that matter?

FYI - There has been some mood changes that have coincided with this change to where she sleeps.  She is much more argumentative and has alot more tantrums.  She also has had her first pee pee in the potty at daycare, not at home yet.  She is talking alot more as well. My sister has suggested that she is just going through a milestone and sorting all these new things out (bed, potties and talking) and all should settle back down again if I stick with the routine and life as usual.

Any responses would be helpful as I'm feeling like a crappy Mom with all these tantrums and floor sleeping lately!

Lorrie

[Abby&Jeremys Sunshine]

Be patient

I know that sounds so much easier, but it is the only advice I have... Tantrums are just her coming into her dependance....She is almost 2, and things start changing for them, things are starting to click.... As for the bed, maybe try buying some really cool big girl sheets Maybe that would entice her back in the bed.... My daughter has been through the EXACT thing (except she is still doing it now).....

Hope I kinda helped

[deb]

Josie slept on the floor, next to her perfectly good big girl bed (in which she'd already slept for a couple months), for maybe 4-5 months (confused the heck out of the babysitter! LOL). Then one night it got too chilly on the floor and her fuzzy blanket was too small to cover her, so I asked if she wanted to snuggle under the blankets in bed and she said yes, and there she's been ever since except for when she wets the bed and once in a while for fun.

Not to worry - unless it's a big priority for you, I'd wait it out; I'm guessing it'll take care of itself.

[kkos]

Hi!  This is my first time posting anything!  I was wondering if your child is still sleeping on the floor.  I have the same problem with my 2 1/2 year old.  We put transitioned her to her bed around her 2nd birthday and she has slept in her bed one night.  She will get in her bed when we put her to bed, but after we leave the room, she moves to the floor by the door.  She takes with her a pillow, blanket and 3 dolls.  Every night it is the same ritual.  We have tried going in once she is asleep and moved her to her bed.  When we did this she woke up several hours later very upset and then moved back to the floor.  We talk abut her sleeping in her bed all the time, but nothing seems to work.  She will tell us that she slept on the floor when we go in after her nap or in the morning.  She seems to sleep well on the floor (11-12 hours at night).  I wish she slept in her bed.  Do you think it matters?  It bothers my husband more than me.  I figure as long as she is sleeping well, who cares where?  I am glad to know that I am not the only one who has a child that does this!

[deb]

We put transitioned her to her bed around her 2nd birthday and she has slept in her bed one night.  She will get in her bed when we put her to bed, but after we leave the room, she moves to the floor by the door.  She takes with her a pillow, blanket and 3 dolls.  Every night it is the same ritual.  We have tried going in once she is asleep and moved her to her bed.  When we did this she woke up several hours later very upset and then moved back to the floor.  We talk abut her sleeping in her bed all the time, but nothing seems to work.  She will tell us that she slept on the floor when we go in after her nap or in the morning.  She seems to sleep well on the floor (11-12 hours at night).  I wish she slept in her bed.  Do you think it matters?  It bothers my husband more than me.  I figure as long as she is sleeping well, who cares where?  I am glad to know that I am not the only one who has a child that does this!

Nah, I'd leave her - sleep is sleep. If DH is really worried about it he could maybe try putting her in her bed after she's fallen asleep, but then you run the risk of her being scared to death when she wakes in a different place, or rolling over thinking she's still on the floor and falling out and then being AFRAID of her bed. When she's ready, she'll go for the bed.

Meanwhile, maybe you could make her sleeping place a nice little nest with her help, or you could just let her continue to do what she's doing. It sounds like she has a nice sleeping ritual all worked out, and if she's sleeping well and getting lots of restorative sleep, then it's all good whether it's on the bed or floor or wherever - as long as it's SAFE, that's all!

[Carrie~Ryan~Adam]

My DS slept on the floor for at least 6 months after switching to the toddler bed. One night he finally decided to sleep in his bed. That was about 4 or 5 months ago. It bothered me at first to have him sleep on the floor, but since we were all sleeping fine, I just gave up. Eventually your children will prefer to sleep in their bed. Hearing that this is what other kids do helped me get over it.

[LorrieMom]

Hi, to answer your question.  No my DD is no longer sleeping on the floor.  It's been some time now since she's done it but 'that phase' is definitely over for now.  She may do it occasionally as a little 'rebellion' to being told it's bedtime now, but after a few hours, I just lift her back into her bed while she's sleeping and she is fine with that.

I think the trick is this...if you ignore it, they'll stop. Now if she does it, I make sure she is comfortable with a pillow and tuck her in with a blanket and kiss her goodnight and I leave the room.  I no longer make a production of trying to convince her to sleep in her bed as that just makes her upset and messes up the bedtime routine because she then gets upset and fights me on the issue.  If I just accept it, leave the room and sneak back in later to put her back in her bed, all is fine.  And like I said, it's been a few months now since she's wanted to sleep on the floor, it must be too cold on the floor as it's the middle of winter in Ontario. 

I don't know if it relates but my DD seems to love bringing a flashlight to bed.  If I give her a book and a flashlight she goes into her bed and eventually falls asleep without a fuss.  She doesn't even read the book or look at the pictures, just having it beside her does the trick.  The only problem is that we go through ALOT of batteries.

Bye for now
Lorrie

[kkos]

Thank you for the flashlight idea!!!!  My daughter is sleeping in her bed for the first time in 7 months!  I hope it lasts!