My 16 Month Old Will Not Sleep in His crib.....any Suggestions????

I am still laying beside both my little ones (ages 4 and 2) until they fall asleep.The 2 year old still wakes up in the night and needs/wants help getting back to sleep - he's a face fondler too. I know in due time this will get better and will one day miss when they don't need me to cuddle them to get to sleep, though it does drive me crazy some days! When I was in your shoes and was expecting #2, we split into teams. I was responsible for the baby all night and my husband was responsible for getting our daughter to sleep and getting her back to sleep if she woke during the night which she still did at that age. If you plan on using the crib for the baby, continue to sleep your little boy on the bed if that is what his new sleeping arrangement will be. I can't really give you a complete solution since I haven't figured one out either. I just accepted that I have children that have different needs than others and will continue to provide what they need until they go on to another stage. You are not alone and don't feel bad for helping him fall asleep. Just remember there are others out there just like you.

We had our second child when our first was twenty months old and he had the same issues with sleeping in the crib. About three months before our second was born we took our first to IKEA and he picked out his "big boy bed" it was a regular size twin. He was 17 months at that point. We put up the bed that day and that night he got to sleep in his big boy bed. It was only a foot off the ground but he never had an issue falling out. It took car of a lot of the crying issues because he did not feel "caged in."

Much of what we are still dealing with is just separation anxiety and that is just part of growing up. When they feel your face or hair they just want to insure themselves that you are still there. It is hard on us but it helps to form a bond that will last our whole lives. One thing that I have started to do is take my own book in the room and after I read him his stories I sit down in my chair and read my book silently until he falls asleep. He knows that I am there and that is all the comfort he needs. Since I began this he has been waking up much happier too.

My 8 year old loves to sleep with stuffed animals around him. He slept with us most nights until last year. He loves to cuddle and be close to us. I think the stuffed animals are now taking our place. He still occasionally comes into our room when he has a bad dream.

I used to have to lay with him to until he went to sleep. I hated it because I would always fall asleep too. Then when I woke up and went to my own bed, I couldn't go back to sleep.

If you do transition him I would get some rails for the sides of the bed.

put in the crib and shut the door and pull your hair out for at least a week and it works been there and that is the only thing that worked for me, I am bald on the sides of course.

Here are some tips by Dr. Kyle Pruett on sleep issues and more details at the following link:
http://blogs.goddardsystems.com/Cedar-Park-TX/2010/01/09/...

sleep patterns mature over time just like other developmental skills.

* Polls tell us that one-third of American children and their parents sleep together some or most of the time before children start school. Co-sleeping varies hugely by culture and ethnicity. So think about what you want to do, and discuss the pros and cons with your pediatrician.
* Make sure your crib is safe (locking rails), that your older child’s ‘big bed’ has side rails, and if you are co-sleeping, that there is plenty of room.
* The human brain is active during sleep, but the deepest sleep is typically at the beginning of the night.  Babies spend more time than older children in stimulating REM sleep, with eye movements and irregular breathing. Don’t worry about all that action in your child’s body – it too is growth.
* Start them young – do not ignore the importance of naps, watch for the yawn, and start bedtime early in the evening.
* The transition from crib to bed is also a time of sleep pattern changes, but most kids want it to work.

Where does he sleep at naptime? Also, does he go to sleep easier then? I asked because night time sleep maybe too challenging to crib train him. Nap time is better for training him to crib sleep if that is your goal. If he skips his nap, then make his bedtime earlier for that day.

CIO can work. Vomit and sickness are exceptions to the rule of staying committed. There are different techniques to CIO. Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child is a great book with different approaches to sleep training at varying ages.

Instead of playing with your hair, you can introduce him to a stuff animal that he can snuggle with at bedtime. Show him how he can play with his sleep buddy. Teaching him to soothe himself to sleep instead of cuddling with mom is essential. Add new elements to the night time routine. Sing a lullaby instead of cuddling. Use a sound machine of waterfall, rain, etc. No talking after lights are out. He is old enough that a body pillow could be his sleep buddy too.

Change the routine of laying down with him until he falls asleep. Every 4-5 days change positions like sitting on the bed, sitting on the floor next to the bed. Every few days sitting farther and farther away from the bed until you are at the door. Then just outside the bedroom.

Maybe install toddler bedrails on all sides of the bed.

Good luck and post any updates.

I switched both of my boys to a toddler bed at 13 months, maybe that is what you need with your little one. Toddler beds and safe and low to the ground if they fall out its not a big deal. As far as getting him to fall asleep, have you tried a bath with the night time bath wash? Mine always sleep better with a bath first. Good Luck and I hope this helps.

Transitioning is fine. Obviously there are safety issues if he should wake through the night. Might want to put a gate at his door. If concerned about the bed he's sleeping in, you could purchase the side rails or just put the mattress on the floor.

Does he have a favorite blankie or stuffed toy??? Maybe he just needs to cuddle something soft??