How to get him out of our bed?

[Gillian76]

We have a 2 year old DS (just 2 at end of June). Until now he used to wake at about 5am and I'd bring him into our bed just to get another hour's kip.

Last few months, it has been getting earlier and earlier and he can be in our bed from about 2am. I know, rod for my own back and all that, but I feel it's time to break the habit. I am really just going in, shhhing and telling him to go back to sleep when he wakes. He has been protesting loudly, but I am determined!

He is still in a cot and part of me thinks it would be better to get him sleeping through before changing to a "big" bed. What do you think? Will it make any difference? Or will all our hard work be undone as soon as he gets his own bed?

[fisil]

we had this at Xmas. ds1 (23 months at the time) did not come into our bed, he lay in bed and made a horrid moaning noise instead. from 4:30 onwards i was going into his room to quieten him. we did the following:

he only got to open his advent calendar if he hadn't cried out. we were really strict about it, even through the heart wrenching cries when he asked and was told no. He had about 3 days in the first week, but after that managed it most days.

hv suggested buying some ear plugs and then just leaving him, not even going in once. Again this worked really well.

We took the side off his cot at about the same time, so i don't know which tecnique was most successful, but he never gets up before 7 now - and sometimes it's even 9 or 10!

[fifilala]

We had same problem, and were about to go through major house/city moves, but we thought what the heck lets try and break him!! DS was 2.6mths. Two weeks before the move we started (this included the fact that he always wanted 6 stories at bedtime and we had to lie down beside him untill he was asleep,) and he was still in with us at about midnight. Our DS has never responded to the softly softly approach.....so one story and kiss goodnight. Followed by two and a half hours of howling/screaming rattling stair gate etc, but went to bed. In to us at midnight - we took him back to his own bed and closed our door (he could not open it at that stage) followed by kicking our door for about 40 mins etc.

Sounds absolutely awful I know, but within three nights he went to bed and stayed there. It has happened occasionaly since and we just stick to our guns - he sleeps now from about 7.30pm till 6.45 (week days) and about 7.45am on a weekend.

[Gillian76]

So shall we persist, of just go for the bed and see whta happens?

[madmarchhare]

I imagine that if you go for the bed then he'll just end up being in with you even earlier.

If you do decide to go with it then you must have a plan of action and stick to it.

[fifilala]

our ds was in a bed (without sides) when we did this, we were expecting the worst but like I said got over it quickly