Getting toddler who climbs out of her cot to sleep!!?

Question

My seventeen month old daughter has learnt how to climb out of the cot and does it as soon as she has finished her milk. I have now put her matress next to our bed but find it impossible to get her off to sleep. She was always a bad sleeper but now impossible. She ran around until she passed out at 23:00 last night, and woke up again at 04:00 am and from then a few times until 07:00. Now I am trying to get her down for her lunchtime nap but it is 14:00 already and she is still running around. What to do, please help. I have noticed the normal things like pushing her in the buggy or riding in the car etc. does not work anymore, she starts crying from tiredness but can't get to sleep. Help.

Answer 1

You have a child who has never learned to how to sleep. Because of that she's always dependent on you and the next thing you do to make her sleep.

Babies are not born knowing how to allow themselves to sleep, thats something we teach them by helping them to calm down, and then allowing them to fuss themselves to sleep if needed.

Beyond that, toddlers and babies do not know WHEN theyre tired, because they are so busy trying to interact with their world.

Take the mattress out of your bedroom, theres no reason for her to be in there, beyond making your life momentarily easier, all your doing is giving her the sleep crutch that says "i need to be with mom to sleep".

If she's climbing out of her cot, its time for a toddler bed, so she doesnt hurt herself. Get it set up, and put her in it for her naps.

If she gets up, pick her up, tell her its night night time, lay her down, maybe shushshush her for a few minutes until she calms down, and then leave her. Even if you have to repeat that 40 times in one night, you do it. At some point she will fall asleep and after having done it enough on her own, and having seen enough nights through on her own, she'll learn she's safe to do it on her own.

Beyond that, a sleepy child who isnt sleeping enough will not sleep well when they do sleep. She needs to take a longer nap, maybe two short ones, and go to bed a few minutes earlier until you get her schedule set up.

Keep the same sleep routine each night, never try new things. Lights go out, you rock her a minute, lay her down, give her a bottle and leave her. Once thats over, and she gets up, the routine remains of you putting her back in her bed each and every time.

Answer 2

I babysit a three year old, and this may be a little different since shes's a lot younger. Getting him to nap was VERY hard. I found that it was best if I gave him a lot of time to get settled into his nap. If I wanted him to take a nap by 1:00 I'd have to put him in his bed by 11:00. I also found since he was very hyperactive, to limit his sugary juice or sweets before naptime. Also you may associate something she likes with her naptime, if she has a favorite toy or stuffed animal, maybe she can only get it once she's in her bed, if she gets out the stuffed animal is taken away. Again she is much younger so this may be all different. If this doesn't work, maybe she just wants comfort so stay with her and let her know it's okay to take a nap.