UGHHHH. Someone please send help, this momma is tired!!
I posted the other week that for B’s second birthday he received a bunk bed. The first night I was so impressed by him going down without issue and sleeping until 6:00am, to see the full post, click here.
Let’s fast forward about two weeks, I am officially over it. The 6:00am wake up calls have turned into 1:00am (sometimes) and 5:00-6:00am (daily), not to mention the night-time routine has been stretching out longer and longer. Overall he’s doing well, but I feel like he wakes himself up from the excitement of knowing he can get out of bed at any moment. Every day I feel like we are getting better, but I have yet to have an uninterrupted night of sleep since the transition, and this mom needs her beauty sleep!
So here are my tips, from a momma who is new at this and is just trying to make this work!
- Get on the same page with your partner. D and I made a game plan about what to do when we have our middle of the night visitor. We don’t let him get into bed. One of us takes him right back to bed and tucks him in. Even if it takes both of us multiple tries. #unitedwestand
- The middle of the night is not for cuddles. When I put him down, I sit with him until he is asleep then sneak out of his room. Is this the right way to go, maybe not, but it seems to be working and it gets him down for good and without tears. When he wakes up early though, it is straight to bed and no sitting with hims until he falls back to sleep. We want him to learn to stay in bed and waking up won’t get him cuddle time.
- Emphasize that he/she is a big boy/girl now. As we make the transition I keep reminding him that big boys sleep in beds and cribs are for babies. I want him to feel like sleeping (and staying) in his bed is exciting and something that makes him more grown up. It has been working so far as a negotiating tool when he is being fussy about getting into bed.
- DON’T GIVE UP. It took D and I 45 minutes to get B down the other night, when he woke up at 4:30am. It required BOTH of us getting up and putting him back in his room and it involved a lot of screaming and crying, but guess what, it worked. He finally stayed in bed and we all slept blissfully until 8:30am that morning. STAY STRONG PEOPLE!
This is what I have been trying. I am tired, but I feel like each night is getting better and better.
How did you transition your toddler from crib to bed?
Actual depiction of my bedhead, no make up and tiredness.
Until next time day dreamers.
