He learned to climb out of the crib and it is a nightmare!!!

tzatza

Mon, May 11 2009, 9:16 am

My 28 months old DS just learned to get out of his crib this past Shabbos. Now, everyt morning he gets out between 5-5:30 AM and starts running around waking everyone. He share the room with big brother who is now sleep-deprived; baby is in the next room, and if I don't catch him early enough, he will storm into baby's room waking up the baby. Forget about my sleep!!!! THen, the toddler gets exhausted in the middle of the day, but he is in daycare till 2:30, and, of course, by 6 pm he is wiped out and in bed. How can I stop him or at least teach him to stay in the crib for longer?

HindaRochel

Mon, May 11 2009, 9:19 am

Can he come into your room? If so, maybe he will be amenable to coming into you for morning snuggles.

Can you explain that when he wakes up he should stay in this or that place, leave him some food or toys, but that he must be quiet otherwise mommy is going to have to put him back in his bed.

This is advantage to family-bed. My kids never were gamboling about in the morning.

NotInNJMommy

Mon, May 11 2009, 9:19 am

DD is just under 2yrs (ie. in a few weeks) and she did this a week ago.

She can only climb out of the crib, and I found the pack n play eludes her....so, I'm in the process of dismantling the crib to put the pack n play in its place. Until then, I put her to sleep in my room in the pack n play, and then transfer her after she's been a sleep for an hour or so into the crib (but she doesn't climb out in the AM, only in protest to going to bed...)

IYH the pack n play thing works for a while longer, bc I know she's not ready to understand the boundaries and limits necessary for staying in bed.

tzatza

Mon, May 11 2009, 9:21 am

He is a very active kid. I don't mind him coming into my bed, but he doesn't stay still there. And I cannot function waking up at 5:30 AM. Maybe, he is just too excited about this new skill? Maybe once it wears off, I can bribe him to stay put?

HindaRochel

Mon, May 11 2009, 9:24 am

Could be. I would try and arrange a safe area for him to play quietly, leave some crackers and something to drink that can stay out after you've gone to bed.

tzatza

Mon, May 11 2009, 9:29 am

Problem is him sharing a room, he will jump all over his big brother. Besides, I want him to sleep longer anyway, because he gets sooo exhausted just few hours later.

tzatza

Tue, May 19 2009, 9:25 am

I am bumpingt his thread because I am at my witt's end. He's been waking up at 4:30-5 AM for the past 12 days. Going to bed at 6:30-7 (he is exhausted by then). No naps when he is in daycare. Overall, I am pulling my hair out: 28 months old who used to sleep a total of 13 hours a day (incl. nap) and now sleeping only 10 hours. He is overtired, doesn't let his brothers sleep. Help!

chaylizi

Tue, May 19 2009, 9:56 am

either one of 2 things:

crib tent

or

toddler bed & gate the door

the crib tent did not work for us. it cost me $75 & dd got hysterical every night at bedtime. I finally tried the toddler bed idea (which was fine with me because I needed the crib for my son anyway). she's 26 months & has been sleeping in a bed for the past 2 months. I couldn't be happier.

Bell

Tue, May 19 2009, 11:41 am

the crib tent saved my life!!!!!!!my son was crawling out of his crib @ 26 months or so & he was in the mustard @ 3am! we bought a crib tent and he loved it-- he felt like it was his own little tent! that 70 or so dollars it costed was definately worth it!!!!!!!!

tzatza

Tue, May 19 2009, 11:57 am

kikavu wrote:

Kikavu, did converting crib really help? Wasn't that newfound freedom of toddler bed keeping her up?

MiamiMommy

Tue, May 19 2009, 1:55 pm

Why can't your ds nap at daycare? If he's that tired, he may fall asleep. Then you can put him to bed later, and hope that he doesn't wake up so early!

HindaRochel

Tue, May 19 2009, 2:24 pm

tzatza,
She'll stop eventually.
I would simply try and make the area safe and block her from getting outside the safe area. I would not lock the door. If there is a way to lock off unsafe areas and allow her to move about safely, that is what I would do.

We used safety gates that gave my kids access to us (we family bedded.) Usually up at night was for a very short period of time, and only a small bit of the night. ie, the period lasted a few weeks maybe, and they would be up, playing for a short period of the night, and then come back and snuggle.

Maybe because they were in my bed the time was shortened altogether, but I can't really say.

tzatza

Tue, May 19 2009, 6:56 pm

I appreciate everyone's input Smile

THe whole thing just went upside down four weeks ago when he started daycare. He now loves it , BH, but seems to be letting out "steam" at home. Plus, learning to climb out made him prone to early wake up. His entire schedule is messed up.
Here is the plan: I put him down for the nap today after daycare. He slept from 2:45 to 4:40. Got up in the foulest mood. Tantrum for 40 min!!!! Ate, went outside with big brother and DH. Planning to put him to bed together with big brother around 7:30-8. Also, took down crib railing, converting into toddler bed.Will report on results tomorrow.
Wish me luck!

chaylizi

Tue, May 19 2009, 7:01 pm

tzatza wrote:

kikavu wrote:

Kikavu, did converting crib really help? Wasn't that newfound freedom of toddler bed keeping her up?

sometimes. all I can do is ensure she is in her room at bedtime. she conks out eventually. some nights she stays in bed. others she conks out either in her bed or on the floor shortly thereafter. the crib tent was an absolute nightmare. she screamed for hours. co-sleeping didn't work because she tends to wander off & when she doesn't she's either keeping everyone up or trying to mutilate the baby. she prefers her own bed over mine anyway.

slushiemom

Tue, May 19 2009, 8:37 pm

Good luck!!! My DS did this about 5 months ago, at around the same age as yours. It changed my life!! bedtime became a nightmare, he went from saying good night and lying down in his crib and going to sleep to freaking out if I leave the room while he's awake! I actually am in the process of taking away his nap, this way he is zonked at bedtime, only takes a few minutes and he's usually tired enough to sleep through the night, till about 6 or so. If he naps for even a few minutes though, it's impossible to get him to sleep, it just now took me 45 minutes, in the room with him!

Sorry I didn't give you any advice, just wanted to let you know I sympathize GREATLY!! and it's usually MUCH better now than at the beginning, then he also got out between 4-5. they just need some time to get used to it, so muddle through the first few weeks and iy"H you'll be fine! hope he does well tonight...

tzatza

Wed, May 20 2009, 10:57 am

K, reporting back.
So, it took me almost an hour to quiet him down last night. 7:30-8:30. THere were about 80 trips out of the room. Each time I sliently and emotionlessly (sp?) picked him up and put him back in his bed. He slept till 4:30 AM!!! I repeated the same silent approach till 6 AM!!!! By then other kids were up, and there was no point to continue. Tonight is the second night. I am still not sure whether to put him down for a nap after daycare, but I will try to stick with it for a few more days. I am wiped out, and even coffee is not much help Sad

HindaRochel

Thu, May 21 2009, 1:37 am

I really do think the time will pass no matter how you handle it.
Is he waking and screaming? Could he be sleep walking? Could you try laying down next to him in his bed and cuddling him a bit and sing to him a bit?

tzatza

Thu, May 21 2009, 9:23 am

another update:
Put him down for the nap after daycare again. He slpet for two hours and again woke up in worst mood (I think I am done with naps:)). He was obviously still very tired. 6:20 - bath, Shema, cuddle, 6:35 I left his room. Ten minutes later he quielty came out and asked for milk. I picked him up and put back to bed silently again. He slept till 5:35 AM.

To be continued...