Moving an active sleeper out of the cotbed...

[Bexx]

We've been wondering lately when to take the sides off Zachary's cotbed.. The trouble is, he is such a restless sleeper that I'm concerned he'll fall out within minutes of going in. He likes to have something pressing against his head, so will worm his way up and down the cot until he's found the ideal position. When he wake in the night, he rolls around a bit until he's comfy again.

Is this something I need to just grin and bear with strategically placed padding on the floor? Or should I wait until this phase is over (and when is that likely to be lol)?

 

[anna matronic]

Is there a reason you need to take the sides off? Is he able to climb out? If not then personally I'd leave them on. I've always thought that toddlers on average go into a bed at about 2, unless there are reasons to do it earlier x

 

[Bexx]

No, there's no reason to do it right now, other than because he often gets upset being placed in his cot and I was wondering if he might prefer it.

I just don't want to try it if he's going to constantly fall out and get upset, or end up wandering around his room because he doesn't want to sleep.

 

[anna matronic]

Hmmm, I am not at that point yet, but falling out is only natural and if you put a duvet down or something to make to it softer, he'll get used to it very soon

But someone who has done it can give you more advice, sorry I was a bit rubbish

 

[Gingerspice]

Personally I plan to keep LO in cotbed with sides for as long as possible.....no idea what the rush

 

[Bexx]

Hmmm, I am not at that point yet, but falling out is only natural and if you put a duvet down or something to make to it softer, he'll get used to it very soon

But someone who has done it can give you more advice, sorry I was a bit rubbish

Not rubbish at all hun, I really appreciate you posting.

Personally I plan to keep LO in cotbed with sides for as long as possible.....no idea what the rush

I'm in no rush either, just wanted to know if Zachary being so active would be an issue if we did decide to try it.

Though I must confess there's a tiny bit of excitement on my part at seeing him go into a more proper bed. I expect I'll regret writing that when he toddles into my bedroom for the 10th time in one night.

 

[muddles]

Not really sure as we haven't made the move yet, but perhaps put something soft like a blanket underneath to give a bit of padding if he does roll out.

My LO is a wriggly sleeper too and is always in a different position when we go to check on him so I will be interested to see how you get on taking the sides off. I'm not brave enough yet, I'd either find him sitting reading his books in the middle of the night or I'd be woken up by him poking his fingers into my mouth and saying 'hi, hi, hi' whilst waving his dressing gown at me or by him shouting 'dack' (milk) and signing milk.

 

[pinktaffy]

we had to move lo into her bed we couldnt get her in the cot she just woke and screemed and stood up and would say let me out like she was in prisson lol. she just used 2 get herself in such a state we had to bring her in our bed.
so we took the sides off made her bed all big and girl told her she had big girl bedding and pillow and shes slept init ever since good as gold.

we have a bed bar on the side so she cant fall out. but she can shimmy down her bed and climb out to get in bed with us if she wakes. she doesnt go wondering around she just gets out of bed and in with us its quite cute lol.

i always said i would keep her in her cot till atleast 2. but she has her own mind and put a stop 2 that 1 lol.

 

[Bexx]

Not really sure as we haven't made the move yet, but perhaps put something soft like a blanket underneath to give a bit of padding if he does roll out.

My LO is a wriggly sleeper too and is always in a different position when we go to check on him so I will be interested to see how you get on taking the sides off. I'm not brave enough yet, I'd either find him sitting reading his books in the middle of the night or I'd be woken up by him poking his fingers into my mouth and saying 'hi, hi, hi' whilst waving his dressing gown at me or by him shouting 'dack' (milk) and signing milk.

I've heard of people putting a mattress down beside the bed to give LO a soft landing, will probably try this as there's already a bunk bed in the room and I'll nick a mattress off that. It would also be quite handy if myself or hubby need to sleep next to him.

I'm sure nights will be quieter if the sides are off cause Zachary will be out of the bed and up to no good!

we had to move lo into her bed we couldnt get her in the cot she just woke and screemed and stood up and would say let me out like she was in prisson lol. she just used 2 get herself in such a state we had to bring her in our bed.
so we took the sides off made her bed all big and girl told her she had big girl bedding and pillow and shes slept init ever since good as gold.

we have a bed bar on the side so she cant fall out. but she can shimmy down her bed and climb out to get in bed with us if she wakes. she doesnt go wondering around she just gets out of bed and in with us its quite cute lol.

i always said i would keep her in her cot till atleast 2. but she has her own mind and put a stop 2 that 1 lol.

What age was your LO when you moved her into a bed? Zachary does stand and tug at the bars wailing when he's really upset. The annoying thing is, he'll sometimes go to sleep on my shoulder as soon as I pick him up, but will scream blue murder if I dare put him back in the cot.

I've got a bedguard as well, that's a great idea to stop him rolling off but allow him to get out when he wants to.

It's so sweet that your LO comes into your bed when she wants.

 

[pinktaffy]

she was almost 18 months when she first started getting really upset in her cot.
so i would say 18 months exactly.
i wanted her to just beable to feel free to climb in and out she picked it up really quickly getting out her bed and into ours now in a few seconds flat haha.

 

[Lara310809]

I've been wondering about the same thing. My daughter sleeps squashed against the bars, so it's inevitable that she will fall out at some point; probably fairly regularly. We're not about to move her, but we have the baby coming in Jan, and when she's too big for the baby crib, we need to move her into the cot, and our eldest will need to move into a big bed. We have a single bed already, but need to get a mattress.

I'm thinking we just have the mattress on the floor for a while before we use the frame; that way if she falls, she's not going to fall very far. We have laminate too though; perhaps I'll get a rug...

 

[eddjanuary10]

I had to take Ihsan's bars down as he hated being confined and would scream being put into his cot to sleep. I put an air bed by the side of his cotbed and he fell onto that afew times but I just placed him back in and he is fine now never gets out to wander. Also, he still co-sleeps in our bed from 4.30am onwards and the airbed is between our bed and his cotbed so when he comes in with us he will still fall onto the airbed and not on the floor. He has been co-sleeping with me with no barrier for weeks now (before that his cot was right against our bed so he couldn't fall out) and after falling onto the airbed once he hasn't done it again (yet) its safe anyway so it doesn't matter if he does.

You could give it a try and see how he gets on xx

 

[pinktaffy]

I had to take Ihsan's bars down as he hated being confined and would scream being put into his cot to sleep. I put an air bed by the side of his cotbed and he fell onto that afew times but I just placed him back in and he is fine now never gets out to wander. Also, he still co-sleeps in our bed from 4.30am onwards and the airbed is between our bed and his cotbed so when he comes in with us he will still fall onto the airbed and not on the floor. He has been co-sleeping with me with no barrier for weeks now (before that his cot was right against our bed so he couldn't fall out) and after falling onto the airbed once he hasn't done it again (yet) its safe anyway so it doesn't matter if he does.

You could give it a try and see how he gets on xx

thats what my little girl did she just screemed when we placed her in the cot
it was scaired cry and she would sob after, she didnt like being confined either. they do let u know when they r ready dont they lol.

 

[Noirin]

im keepin my son in his cotbed for as long as poosible, well at least until my next baby needs it lol (im preg now) he moves so much in his sleep nomatter wat end i put him ill find him on the other end in the mornin with a few bruises from thrashing against the sides, i actualy think his new brother or sister will be in a bed before he is lol id leave him until hes able to climb out x

 

[xemmax]

Maybe he'd like something like this?

https://www.duskymoon.com/

I'm considering getting some myself for when we take the bars off Oli's cot bed. He also hates being trapped in the cot and I do think he'd sleep better if it were a bed.

 

[RachA]

DS was (and is) an active sleeper. He was moved into a bed at just over 12 months due to climbing out of his fit. As we didn't have a cotbed at that stage he went straight into a regular bed. I can honestly say that in 3 years he's only ever fallen out about 5 times and most of those were when we actually transferred him to a cotbed from the regular bed!!!!

I think they learn to stop themselves falling out. DS has lay right on the edge of his bed looking like he's going to fall out and then 30 min later he's right over the other side.

 

[purpledahlia]

Sorry not read all replies -

I have a wriggly sleeper too but shes only fallen out a handfull of times, at my mums she sleeps in a proper big single bed with no bedguard too!

I changed her about 2-3 months ago? She was HATING being put in the cot and i think had just outgrown her bedtime routine. We now do more stories and tucking in at bedtime than we could do before because of the bars.

If he does fall out, I'd just make a floor bed, theyre very successfull in a lot of kids. mattress on the floor, litterally!
Also find my LO sleeps better in my bed regardless if im in it think its cos its wider so lots of room. When she outgrows her toddler bed i will probably get her a double. if you have the space and the money you could just get a double mattress and have a big spacey floor bed, lots of cushions and room for stories before bed

 

[Bexx]

Wow, thanks for all the replies ladies!

Quite a variation in when you've all moved (or haven't moved) your LOs. I might try taking one side of the cotbed off in the near future and see what happens, it's very quick to put back on if it doesn't work out.

Maybe he'd like something like this?

https://www.duskymoon.com/

I'm considering getting some myself for when we take the bars off Oli's cot bed. He also hates being trapped in the cot and I do think he'd sleep better if it were a bed.

I'm already following them on facebook. Found them only a week or so ago and didn't want to forget because it seemed like such a good idea. They'll definitely be handy when he goes into a proper bed I think.