How Do You Get A Child To Sleep In Its Crib?
My child is almost 2 and sleeps with us. I admit I have tried letting her cry but it is so hard to hear her i end up giving in to her want to sleep in “The Big Bed”
May 24 2009 07:37 pm | Cure Insomnia
May 12th, 2009 at 7:37 pm
The secret is, don’t let them get used to sleeping in the bed with you at an early age! Try playing music of some kind. That helps with our baby, she sleeps like a log all night.
May 12th, 2009 at 7:37 pm
at 2 they are ussally old enough to be in abig bed, so if you plan on buying one maybe even buy a twin with a stool so that is easy to get on and off and then buy some cute bedding in their favorite characters. If their bed seems more like yours&u make it a big deal that they have the big bed then it might be easier to get them to sleep in their bed. Make sure u stick to a specific bed time and read them books to get them calm and ready to sleep. if he ends up coming back in bed with you it defeats the whole purpose so just always put him back if he comes in again
May 12th, 2009 at 7:37 pm
You have to put her in her bed and don’t let her back in your bed no matter how badly she cries and no matter how guilty it makes you feel.
May 12th, 2009 at 7:37 pm
You can try “the nanny’s” method. It will make you feel guilty though, and you have to get over it.
D
If the baby has her own room, you put her in the crib, say goodnight or whatever nightime rituals you have, turn off the light, and sit next to the crib (on the floor) NOT looking at her at all and not close enough for her to touch you, no matter how much she cries. Let her see the side of your face, but always look either to the wall, or down at your hands or floor. If she tries jumping out of the bed, get up, put her back in, and sit back down. Keep doing this until she falls asleep, no matter how much she cries, you neeeeeeed to stay on your spot, she’ll eventually fall asleep.
The next day do the same, but sit a little further on the floor (maybe a foot or 2 further).
The day after that, do the same.. etc.
You’ll eventually get as far as the door, so stay that far that day, the next day, you will sit outside the door… and the next you’ll be able to close her door.
If you have her crib in your room, do the same, but the last steps would be you sitting on the bed NOT looking at her, and the last last step would be just laying on your bed.
The trick is to do it gradually, and she’ll get used to it, but you HAVE to be strong
Good luck!
May 12th, 2009 at 7:37 pm
Every time you go in and get her, you are reinforcing that the crying is working. The first time I had to let my son cry himself to sleep I laid on the couch with a pillow over my ears and cried for hours. It breaks your heart to hear. The next night was only about a half hour. Several nights later ten minutes. Then he would fuss for a few minutes and go to sleep. I was so glad I stuck to my plan and got him back into his bed. He was nine months at the time. I would be a little worried a two year old could climb out of the crib and fall. Can you check on her without her seeing?
May 12th, 2009 at 7:37 pm
try putting her in it during the day with you there. show her that it is not scary. let her play in it. and maybe after she falls asleep. put her in the crib so she can wake up in it. and she will realize its not so bad.
May 12th, 2009 at 7:37 pm
If she’s almost two, have you considered buying a toddler bed and using that? Our 2 yr old son just transitioned from his crib to his “big boy bed” and he’s been doing well. There are times he has gotten out of bed, but it hasn’t been a huge struggle.
At first, my husband or I would go in and snuggle with him for a while just to make him feel comfortable. After about a week, though, we were able to put him in bed, kiss him good night, and close the door on the way out without hearing a peep from him.
May 12th, 2009 at 7:37 pm
I had the exact same problem with my two year old. I know it’s very hard, but you got to let her cry it out. The alternative is that your child becomes addicted to being in bed with you and will be unable to sleep on her own. And how long does it go on? Til she’s four? Five? Eight? The longer you put it off the more ingrained the habbit becomes and more difficult to stop.
Remember you’re not being cruel to her. You’re being a good mommy by teaching her how to sleep