How do I get my 22mo to stay in his 'big bed' when he wakes up during the night?

[Ethans Mum]

My 22mo moved to a 'big bed' about 2 months ago. He was a 'perfect sleeper' in his cot and would sleep through most nights and never had a problem going to sleep when we put him to bed. We got him a 'big bed' and bought him some Buzz Light Year (his favorite) linen etc and he loves his bed. He goes down no worries at night but more often than not he wakes during the night (sometimes around 11pm, other times at 2 or 3 am) and because he can get out of bed he gets up and comes into our room. If we shut his door then he gets upset and bangs on his door so we come and get him. I've tried picking him up and putting him back to bed but unless you stay there with him, whenever you get up to leave he screams. Often if you do stay with him he won't go back to sleep. It's like he's so good at going to sleep on his own when you put him to bed of an evening that he can't get to sleep when you're there in the middle of the night. I've also tried shutting the door and letting him cry for a bit (not real tears) but now he's taken to falling asleep at his door after a few minutes of crying and when I go in to put him to bed he wakes up and it all starts again.  Has anyone else had this problem or does anyone have any ideas on how to overcome it. He also wakes up at 5am so I'm averaging about 4 hours sleep a night. This wouldn't bother me if he slept through as we're pretty early risers anyway but combined with the night waking is pretty hard yakker.

[Lunasmum]

:)Hi, It looks like your having a similar problem to mine with my 2 year old daughter Luna!
Check out the post "sleeping toddler in parents bed" in the sleeping toddler forum as I got some really good advise on this problem.
At the moment I'm following the mattress method but it's only my 2nd night but I'm confident I'm on the right track.
Let me know what your thoughts are on the advise so we can exchange results!
Good luck!

[Florencia]

You say he gets more worked up when you stay with him, do you talk at all while you're there? are you making visual contact? You might want to try staying there with him reassuring him but telling it's nighty night, i want to go to sleep and pretend you're asleep in a mattress next to his bed. No talking, you ahve to be BORING, you just need to let him know it's ok and you're by his side but is no chatting time. Everytime he leaves his bed or tries to, you put him down, shsh him or pat him and off to "pretend to sleep" you go. It might be exhausting the first night and you and him might not sleep a blink but you need to establish the point that he's sleeping there at night time.  The first night is the hardest and sometimes we give up cause we're afraid lo won't sleep enough, but just one night of "permission" is enough for them to start a bad pattern.

HTH and remember is just a phase till he gets used to his new environment. Good luck!