16 months old - won't stay in big bed

[Pina Colada]

Hi

I am having my next bub in 10 weeks, and have brought DS a big bed.

Previously, he has been going to sleep by himself (with a bottle...shhh...) in the cot. Now, he just keeps getting out of bed - before I've even left the room he is sitting up and crawling out. I usually give up after 15-30mins and put him in his cot.

Any advice? I really want this sorted before the new bub. And I really don't want to start sitting with him, or patting him to sleep or anything, as I'm really happy that he goes to sleep by himself!

[sam's mum]

firstly, and most importantly, make a decision whether he is in the bed or in the cot, and then stick to it. by moving him after 30 minutes you have taught him that if he is persistent he will go to the cot.

with DS it was an hour of putting him back in his bed at his first sleep time, eventually we skipped that sleep (he ended falling asleep on the floor while playing) and then we started again that night. We didn't sit with him or pat him, just stood in the room facing away from him and just kept lying him back down in the bed everytime he got up.

each sleep time it took less and less until within a week he would stay in bed.

good luck.