how can i get my 13 month old son to sleep in his own bed?

Question

my son wakes up in the middle of the night in his own bed. after this happens he will not go back to sleep in his own bed. he wants to crawl in bed with me and his dad. what do i need to do?

Answer 1

Do NOT let him crawl in the you and the hubby (unless you want a 10 year old boy between you in a few years -trust me I've seen it). When he comes in take him back into his room, tuck him back in and say goodnight. He may keep coming back in but stay strong and keep putting him back in bed until he stays. It will take patience and may even take weeks before he breaks the habit.

In addition set up a good night time routine -some quality time reading or telling stories...something relaxing NOT scary. You can give him a nightlight, stuffed animal, or some soothing music if it helps and explain to him that he is to stay in his bed all night.

Another great thing is to give a reward if he stays in bed by himself all night. You could keep a chart and if he stays in bed all night he gets to do one of his favorite activities or some kind of treat. That'll be incentive for him to stay in bed.

Answer 2

ever heard of the point of no return? When he wakes up at night, stand or sit if you have a rocking chair, and rock him until hes dead sleeping, and lay him in his bed. He might pop up a few times, but eventually he WILL be asleep.

I do this with my 14 month old, I'm not going to lie, the effort is on your part.. many nights i still just bring her to the bed with us because i cant keep my eyes open.

I also have to keep a white noise in the room: a fan or a/c. Somthing that makes light noise.. I dont know why but it works.

Also try putting a shirt you wore all day in the bed with him. He just wants mommy!

Answer 3

Is his bed inside his room or yours? My son would not go to sleep in his own room so what we did was started by putting his mattress in our room on the floor next to our bed. He is sleeps well through the night and now that he is use to that we switched him over to his room. There are times when he wakes up in the middle of the night, but he goes right back to sleep if someone is there with him. My son does not like to sleep alone so leaving the mattress in our room as a start was much easier than putting him in his own room cold turkey.

GOOD LUCK!

Answer 4

I fell into that trap also, now at 16 months, I'm trying to fix it. I've started putting her in her bed just as she's about to fall asleep and i lay in the floor beside her bed and say "you lay down and mommy will too" etc... She did cry the first few night, but last night we had a break through! She laid down and went to sleep! I was amazed. She woke up one time, and wanted in my bed, but I stood firm and just soothed her back to sleep. It's hard at first, I know, I dealt with it for over a year. But it can work, you just have to be prepared to feel like a bad mommy for letting them cry a little. But that passes too.

Answer 5

My 17 month old does this on occassion, wakes up in his crib and will cry until I come. Whatever you do, don't put him in YOUR bed. Resort to this: keep the lights off, go in the living room, turn on some soothing music and put him on the couch. sit next to him but don't resort to holding him. Rub his back or just sit there quietly so he knows your there. Once he knocks out put him back in his bed. Do this even if your dead tired I know it's much easier to toss him in your bed, roll over and go to sleep but I don't think it's good in the long run.

Hope that helps!

Answer 6

I have a 14 month old w/ the same problem, my dr said when i decide to end it it will be a long battle and i will have to listen to him cry for like up to an hour....i go to work in the morning so it is easier for me not to fight the battle!! The sad part is when my baby was littler he ALWAYS slept in his own bed! Oh well...good luck

Answer 7

You have to stay firm and keep telling him to sleep in his own bead. Show how unhappy you are with him. Show this at night and in the morning. He will eventually get the hint. He's probably doing this for either security or he is scared.

My daughter tried to do the same thing and then stopped over time.

Answer 8

DO NOT let him get into bed with you and his dad. Tell him it is night-night time, rub his back a little and walk out the door! Do it now, otherwise he may end up in your bed forever!

Answer 9

well.. unless your son knows how to climb out of his crib, it is best to keep him in it. Also, make him sleep in his own room, and when he wakes up during the night, and he cries, let him cry for a bit, and it he doesnt stop then check if something is wrong..

Good luck

Answer 10

It takes a while, but you have to get up everynight with him, as many times as it takes. DONT talk to him about it, lead him back to his bed, kiss him goodnight, and tuck him in again. KEEP the conversation to a minimum, and even if it takes hours a night, he will eventually know, its time to sleep, and you dont sleep with him. It does work, good luck.