[twinzplus3]

One of our bloggers wrote about this yesterday!

[pattiewrites]

Do you have room to put her mattress on your bedroom floor? I would put the mattress next to your bed for a few days, then move it to the other side of your room and gradually move it down the hall and into her room. Going from being in your bed to alone in a strange room may be too much for her.

Another idea: lay in her bed for a few minutes until she falls asleep. Do this for a few nights. Then put a chair next to her bed and sit with her like that. After a few more nights, move the chair away from the bed and closer to the door. Gradually move the chair into the hallway.

Another idea: would she consider a deal where she sleeps every other night in her room? This is still a gradual withdrawal of sleeping with mommy and daddy. One night in her bed, one night in yours and so on. After a few weeks, make it like two days in her bed and one in yours. We did this with our girls and gradually reduced it to Friday Night Slumber Parties with mommy and daddy.

One more: Have her take her naps in her room. Sleeping in her own bed during daylight hours isn't as scary, since it's light outside. Once she's made that transition, you can move on to the night time sleeping in her own bed.

However you do it, I wouldn't use CIO. She may understand your words, but I'd bet she doesn't understand why you want her out. At two, they still see the world only from their own perspective. Also, fears of the dark and being alone are common at this age. We have co slept with all of our kids and we always use the gradual approach to get them out.

[nymomof6]

My 8 year old daughter slept with us for three years. She did the same thing, screaming fit in her crib till she puked, bathroom trips over and over, needing 10 drinks, any excuse her little mind could come up with. Most of the time we just gave in so we could get some sleep, but after awhile we got her a toddler bed. Wal-mart has a pretty decent sturdy one for around 50 bucks and it's easy to put together and has two side rails. I did make her a big part of it. We threw a sort of graduation party for her with the decorations and the whole nine. We made her a part of picking her toddler bed comforter and gave them a special spray bottle that we decorated with stickers that warded away all those scary things they come up with. She also picked out a new light that we put a timer on so she knew when her light went off she better be asleep or she was going to be in the complete dark. We even tried having the music on softly. It took close to a month before she would even agree to stay in her bed. It came down to being consistent! One thing to remember about giving her a twin bed is that if you put it up against a wall there are ways for them to wedge theirself down between the wall and the bed and they can't get out. I only put one of my kids in a twin bed when they were that small and I used railings on both sides of the bed. After my twins were born my husband and I made a pact to never allow them to sleep with us only for sickness or a special treat the night of their birthdays. Good luck...I know how you feel and how hard it is!!!
Let us know how it works out...I have even more things you can try..I had to use new ones for my son who is now six because my daughter Saige told him all our tricks!!!

[emie79]

My son never would sleep in his crib...tantrums, crying, shaking, etc...we co-slept for around eleven months (enough of that!!) He's a bed hog and we have a king size bed! We moved a dresser out of our room and put in a toddler bed. We also got it on sale at Wallyworld. It cost us $30. It was the best investment I have ever made! Our nursery is right off the master bedroom but he wouldn't sleep in there alone so we put the dresser in there and his bed at the foot of our bed. We moved him back into the nursery when he was two and it's been wonderful ever since! He's in love with spongebob so we have the sheets, the curtains, and a plushie. He brags about sleeping in his spongebob bed to everyone!
One thing we did do to transition him was rock him to sleep first, put him in his bed and then in the morning when he woke up, he climbed in bed with us which was okay because we had a full night sleep without the kicking, the blanket shoving, the pushing off the bed, etc...It's funny because he generally stays in one spot with his bed but was all over the place in our bed. Yep, we tricked him but it worked!! Now, he goes to sleep in his bed without any help.

[kmomteach]

I thought that I was the only person out there that has children that don't sleep. Well my 2yr old sleeps all night but I have to lay down with him to get him to sleep. My 3yr old has never slept a full night in her life!! She wakes often and cries out. I've tried everything and the let them cry it out does work for me. We have a rule that the kids never start out in bed with us. I have them in the same bed and I lay down wiht them unitl they fall asleep. Ithen sneak out and go to my bed. This gives my hubby and I a little time before my daughter wakes up. She then comes to our bed or I go back with her. my son usually stays asleep. I said before I had children that I'd never do this. I figure that at least by 7 or 8 years old they'll want out of my bed and my husband and I'll have all the time we want. I kinda like the snuggle with the children anyway!!

[nymomof6]

Does it seem that the majority of sleeping problems are with the girls? My three sons have always slept in their crib and through the night, but my two girls are always waking and finding their way to my bed.

[ms2005altima]

Thanks everyone for helpful information. Anymore is welcomed.

[mama2riley]

I don't think anyone here has degraded you in the advice they gave. I think you have received some helpful tips and shouldn't get defensive when you asked for advice to begin with. I truely hope you find something that works for you and your daughter, but please don't ask for advice if you are going to get upset when you receive it. Good luck to you.

[twinzplus3]

Gosh ms2005altima, I'm not even sure how to respond? I have no idea where that came from. If you can specifically quote where I've been degrading I'll happily remove the post. Likewise, I would ask you or the moderater remove your previous post. Suggesting things about my husband and I is highly inappropriate.

(If you are referring to my suggesting that she'd understand--I'm not the only one who suggested that. I think co-sleeping is wonderful and if you're done that's fine too. I thought that we were all giving you lost of suggestions to take or leave what you'd like???? I am honestly and truly befuddled by your hostility?????????)

[ms2005altima]

yes i feel she has, when she tells me I" betcha she would! and her understanding is not limited to her vocabulary! is making it seem that i do not know my daughter's understanding. I understand she may have been trying to help, and second asking me why i want to move her. Im not asking "Why I should move her?" i am asking for tips and ways to gradaually mover her into her room.