18 month old will not sleep in crib anymore

[gsm]

My 18 month old DD used to sleep alone in her room in the crib since she was born. For both naps and bed time she would be laid awake and go to sleep alone with her pacifier and slept very well. 2 - 3 hrs for nap and 10-12 hours at night.

Now all of a sudden she wants nothing to do with her crib. She screams the minute we put her in. I've let her cry it out and she goes on for hours, and I just can't let her cry and bring her to bed with us at night and she sleeps instantly. She was fine in the afternoons for her naps though. But now she won't nap in her crib either. The only way she will go to sleep is in our bed or being held. Once she is fully asleep if I try laying her down anywhere she will cry hecktickly.

Anyone experience this ? She always slept so good by herself in her crib, but I refuse to use any method of letter her cry it out. It's not a big deal for her to sleep in our bed, but I like the fact that she was able to sleep alone in her bed and now she wont. (crib is safer as she can't fall and now we have to be careful that she doesnt fall).

Any help would greatly be appreciated.

 

[Sarah lo]

I wonder if she might be ready to go into a bed/take the sides off her crib? Olivia behaved just like this when she was ready for a big girl bed.

Could it be a fear of the dark? A night light might help.

Or if not either of those things, what about if you sit in the room with her till she falls asleep?

Edit: just realised you said its during the day as well so probably not fear of the dark.

 

[wifey29]

Could it be the 18 month sleep regression? We went through it before Christmas and it was awful. We had several weeks of nap refusal, screaming at bedtime and waking in the night screaming for ages. After a few weeks he went back to normal all of a sudden.

 

[RinnaRoo]

Try to take the sides off the crib and lower it down all the way if it's not already. She might really dig her "own" bed. Maybe get some cool sheets she would like and a nice night light. She's probably becoming very independent these days. GL!!

 

[gsm]

Thanks for everyone's responses.

I have tried to stay in the room with her, leaving the light on, converting the crib into a toddler bed and nothing works. She has been sleeping in our bed at night as that the only way she will sleep now. But would like to get her back to her crib and have her go to sleep alone once again for naps and bed time.

 

[seoj]

Not sure it's ANY help- but at 18mos my LO would scream whenever I'd try to put her in her crib awake (although she was fine once asleep- VERY asleep so she didn't wake in the process). This went on for 3mos- then I figured, Ok- this is not a stage- something is up as she used to LOVE playing in her crib and winding down on her own before passing out... off nights here and there- but overall not a big issue. She knew how to self settle- just sometimes took longer, but totally fine in her crib from 12-18mos...

at 21mos- I finally figured, let's give the toddler bed a try and tbh, that worked very well for her. We did a trial with a little bed on the floor of her room- then a week later after success we converted and she's done well. We are currently going through another "rough" patch at bedtime- she wants us in there longer and longer-- but working through it and making progress.

IDK- I swear the moment you crack the code it changes. But maybe worth giving it a go if she liked her room before? She might just not like being confined in the crib? We put a pool noodle under the sheet on the outside part of the toddler bed so that she can't roll off worked GREAT! She only rolled off once since we converted her and put the noodle in. But she's a squirmy sleeper! So bringing her to bed was not a viable option with me, hubby AND her... LOL. Our bed is not that big

OR- you could always try a mattress on the floor in your room or her room then transition from there?

 

[gsm]

I converted her crib into a toddler bed and she loved it played so much got on off it etc. But minute I would turn lights off and leave she got up and started crying, and would open the door and run out of her room (she can open doors now on her own)

I was thinking of getting a bed rail instead of the noodles ? Which one would be more effective do you all think ? I like how the noodles look but I feel the xtra long bed rails will keep her safer in her crib, as she is a crazy sleeper and I know will fall if nothing is there.

How did you guys do the transition so they would stay in the toddler bed alone and not run out crying ?

Thanks in advance !