Need SPECIFIC Info on How to Get Twins to Sleep from Cribs to Toddler Beds

Updated on July 25, 2010
R.K. asks from Santa Barbara, CA
7 answers

Hello Wise Ladies,
We are in the process of transitioning our 2.5 y/o B/G twins from cribs (with crib tents) to toddler beds. Needless to say they are enjoying their freedom and refuse to stay in bed and go to sleep. HELP!!! Please provide me with SPECIFIC advice and suggestions. Tell me what worked for you!

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R.P.

answers from Los Angeles on

I only have one, but I tell her that I will turn off the night light if she gets up. then I go out and close the door. If she is making noise and running around then I go in and turn off the light and tell her that her pacifiers are next. Every time I go back she loses one thing. She still gets up, but she is not noisy about it and doesn't require attention. They do learn that bedtime is bedtime, but it can take a little time of the same routine in the morning/day so they are tired at night and ready for bed...

Good luck
R.

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K.S.

answers from San Diego on

Once you get them the toddler beds, make a big deal about what big kids they are now, buy some new special sheets that they help choose, this will help to get them excited about their "new" beds.

Getting them to stay in the bed is kinda the same thing as getting them to learn to fall asleep on their own, it takes a few days.

At bedtime again talk about how great it is they now have big kid beds and that they need to stay in them and not come out. I put my son to bed that way and then stayed at the bedroom door, out of eye sight, when he got up I went in and put him back in bed and told him he needed to stay in bed. I only had to do it a few times. Next couple of nights probably the same thing, each kid is different, mine took 2 nights my friends child took 3 nights.

Remember baby gates not only keep kids out of areas but they can also keep kids in areas! You can always put up a baby gate at their door to keep them in if you don't want to
stay next to the door. This is also good if you are worried about them wandering in the night or are early morning risers.

Good luck!!

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M.B.

answers from Los Angeles on

Be consistant, just keep putting them into their bed time after time after time. Don't talk to them. Just keep doing it over and over. it took my daughter 2 weeks before she slept through the night after transitioning her to a bed. (at 28 months old) And of course she get out every few days still.
My sister did this with her little boy. She said it was one of the hardest things that she had ever done. Her son actually hide in his closet, she would have to drag him out kicking a screaming and put him back into bed. She did this for 2 hours straight until he finally stayed in the bed. Oh did she cry to me!!!!LOL The next night he fought it, but it only took my sister to remind him of the terrible night he had the night before and that seemed to help. He is 5 years old now. She did this at the same age as your babies.
This is also a method used by the "Supper Nanny" show.
I aslo have an online sleep book. It's called Sleep Sense Program.
My email is ____@____.com. I'll send it to you.
Good luck!
M.

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K.F.

answers from Los Angeles on

This is what I did for my son (if you have the space and still have the cribs). I put the Toddler bed in the space where the Crib was. Then I pushed the crib right up against the toddler bed. I let my son sleep in the crib still for almost 2 weeks and slowly introduced him to just laying in the bed for a little here and there at night or for naps. After 2 weeks we just kept putting him in the toddler bed (crib was no longer an options). After a few days we took the crib out of the room. This worked well for him as he did not want anything to do with the Toddler bed at first. I think it helped him get used to the new bed but the comfort/safety of the crib was still there to help him transition.

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T.S.

answers from New York on

Hello. I just read your desperate need for help and would like to know how you made out. I have 20 month old B/G twins that have been in toddler beds for about a month now. They were climbing out of their cribs at 19 months!! We tried the crib tents but they did not fit on our style crib. We secured the furniture to the walls, cleared out any toys and we even had to empty all their drawers since they were constantly pulling all their clothes out. We feel as though we have exhausted all of our options. We have even tried to split them up. That was a nightmare!! They literally tried to bang the doors down to get to eachother!! They went from taking a 2 1/2 hr nap during the day and going to bed at 7:30 everynight to NO naps and staying up (in their rooms) till 10:00!! We need help!!! REAL HELP!!!

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D.G.

answers from San Diego on

I just transitioned my 27 month old to a big girl bed. We put the bed up against a wall and put up and bed rail to keep her from rolling off. Between the walls and the bed rail, the bed doesn't seems so big and scary. We made a really bid deal about a "big girl" bed and bought new bedding and a couple of new stuffed animals. The first night she was up 3 times and then each night it was lessend by one. By the 4th night she slept through the night. I close her door but if I heard her (I still use a monitor) up and playing then I went in and put her back to bed and gave her a kiss. I don't lay in bed with her because I don't want to start that as a habit. I think the key is persistance and consistency. It has been exactly one month and she loves her bed! She runs and climbs in at bed time.

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E.N.

answers from San Diego on

I would personally wait until they are a little closer to 3 - they have so much more ability to use self control then and it is less of a battle. With my eldest, we made the switch at 2 yrs 9 mos, and with my youngest we just made the switch a few weeks ago (he turned 3 in July). They are only allowed to get out of bed if they need to go to the bathroom (which is not an issue yet for the youngest because he is still in a diaper for bedtime). If they get out of bed, they get a spanking. It took a couple of weeks with my oldest, and he has ocassionally needed a "refresher" every now and then (he is 4-1/2 now) but he is growing in maturity so he also gets a little more freedom (he can get out of bed to get a toy but he must get right back in). My 3 year old has only tried a couple of times and a stern warning is all he has needed (he is very sensitive), he knows we mean business.:)

I personally do not like the battle, so I like waiting until they are older, because it does get easier as they get older. I know this is not very helpful if you don't want to do that, but I hope you do find some help here! Good luck!

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