Should We Go Back to Cribs?

Updated on March 31, 2010
C.C. asks from Midlothian, VA
6 answers

I am reposting an earlier question, but with a new addendum. Sorry for the whole story being repeated, but now we are getting more input from family members and I just wanted your input too! Here's the story:
Looking for some words of wisdom and hope! Our 2 year old twins have always been put into their cribs, soft music on and fell asleep on their own and slept through the night. It was heaven.
On 2/14, they got out/fell out of their cribs. Initially we put the crib mattresses on the floor and then 2 weeks later, when we had the money, bought twin beds and put them on the floor. We knew getting them to go to bed and stay in bed would be a struggle and it still is but I am ok with that. What I am struggling with is one of our boys gets up every night now and comes to the top of the stairs looking for me (our master bedroom is downstairs and we have a gate at the top of the stairs). If I go up, I put him back in the bed and if I even try to walk right out he freaks out, so I sit next to his bed and then when I think he is asleep I creep out. But he might wake up again 15 minutes later and go to the top of the stairs again. Some nights I am next to his bed for over an hour trying to creep out one or two times during that time. His brother never wakes up. Is this just because of the new beds? I don’t know if I am looking for fixes but just some hope that he will stop this soon and get back to sleeping through the night. I was up from 1-3 AM last night. The night before from 1-1:30 and 4-5. And every night before that it is some version of that. I work full time and am exhausted and really teary all the time because I am too tired! I thought I would get a sound machine. Thought maybe the white noise would help keep him asleep. He is not waking up screaming so I don’t think its nightmares and I don’t think he is afraid of the dark. They go to bed around 8-830. I think that is a good bed time and since I get home by 6, it is really hard to get them to bed much earlier than that. Any ideas/words of wisdom or reassurance? Why is this happening!!??????? I am tired!!!!!!
It's now been about 40 days/nights total. I was awake with them from 1-4 AM last night. ( My husband is travelling this week). My family all think we need to put the beds away, bring the cribs back and get crib tents. They say the boys are clearly telling us they are not ready for big beds and its affecting their sleep and ours. What do you all think about that?

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So What Happened?

Miracle cure-literally. 4 weeks ago my husband mentioned that when they wer ein their cribs with the bumper thry couldn't see out and maybe with the mesh bed rails since they can see out they somehow feel less comforted. So he had the idea to put a dark sheet over both bed rails. BINGO! They have slept through the night every night since. Maybe it felt too open, or maybe it is an amazing coincidence but whatever-it worked!!!!! We are back to sleeping through the night!

More Answers

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H.M.

answers from New York on

we had to put our twin boys (now 2 1/2) in beds (also did mattresses on the floor first) at 18 months. Yep, 18 months because they could get out of the cribs and our pediatrician freaked out because of the danger of them hurting themselves. I took EVERYTHING out of their room except the beds and dresser, tethered the dresser to the wall studs, and only have a lamp and fan (for white noise) pushed all the way against the wall on the dresser.

Then we got one of those "clam shell" thingies for the door knob so they can't open it. Essentially locked in all night unless we opened the door for them.

For the first few weeks, they ran around like wild animals and literally picked up the mattresses and had "pillow fights" with them. We would find them in the morning in all sorts of crazy configurations, at times with one boy sleeping on top of the other! They slept on the floor next to the mattresses, and then on the floor UNDER the bed for a while, too. It was just something they had to get used to. Toddler sized sleep sacks worked well to make sure they were warm since blankets were out of the question.

Is there any way you can close the door and let your son work it out on his own? If he's not scared and just walking around, why can't he just walk around in his room? He'll fall asleep eventually. Remind him before he goes to sleep every night that this is sleeping time and he is to stay in bed and be quiet. I still have to do that! Use a monitor if it makes you feel better (I did-- mounted it to the wall behind the dresser so they couldn't grab at the cord or pull it off the dresser).

I know you're so tired and really need rest, but I think going back to cribs is a bad idea. I would be shocked if your boys weren't too big for the crib tents. God forbid they get hurt falling or getting tangled in the tent. From what you've noted and my own experience, I would say this is just a transition period that you all need to work through.

1 mom found this helpful

D.K.

answers from Sioux City on

could he sleep with his twin and put the gate at his door instead of at the top of the stairs?

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M.H.

answers from Dallas on

I agree with Helen-you could just child proof the door knob, close the door so he can't get out of the room.

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N.B.

answers from Huntington on

are hey potty training? if not, 1) child proof th dooror 2) put a gate at the door, my son sleps in a toddler bed now, i just shut the door, becuse he isn't tall enough to reach the handle when i come to get him in to morning he's in his bed sometimes, but most of the time he crawls out of bed and grabs his teddy bear, pillow and blanket and lays in he floor, cause he palys in the middle of the night. if there is a closet in the troom, make sure the door is shut. I'm 22 and i have to have the closet door shut because my imagination plays tricks on me. i wouldn't put them back in cribs if only one is having probems. it could set them both back. when hey start potty training just put their potty chairs in the room with them. good luck

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J.C.

answers from Anchorage on

When my boys transitioned to big boy beds I put a baby gate at the door of their room. At first there were a few nights one would fall asleep on the floor at the gate, but I always knew they were safe in their room. When he gets up I would simply put him back to bed and tell him it is also mommy's sleep time and he needs to stay in bed and sleep. Now he knows he can get you to stay and keep him company at night and he is exploiting that. You have to teach him what you expect him to do, not cater to what he wants, or he will never learn good sleep habits. It may be hard at first and there will probably be some tears, but if you hold firm things should get better soon.

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K.C.

answers from Wichita on

Crib tents are awesome but I wouldn't go back to the cribs, expecially if one of your boys is happily sleeping in the bed. Try to find out from your son if there is something that he is afraid of. Were the cribs closer together than the beds are now? Move them closer if they are far apart.
May be he needs a 'lovey' (stuffed animal or special blanket). If you wear purfume you could mist one side of his pillow & put the misted side down so it's not directly on his face. Continue the soft music. You could put his mattress on the floor & see if that helps. We put a hardware mounted baby gate in our son's door way to keep him in his room so I wouldn't have to worry about him wondering the house while we slept.
I hope you can get this resolved!

God bless!

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