How to get baby to sleep in their own bed?

My 2.5 year old daughter has been refusing to sleep in her bed for about 6 months now. She only wants to sleep on the floor. I realize it’s not hurting her, but it bothers me. Shes been in a toddler bed for probably about 9 or 10 months and she was perfectly fine sleeping in her bed at first, but all of a sudden one night she just didnt want to anymore and she hasnt since with the exception of a couple of naps here and there. Any suggestions on how I can get her back in her bed? She doesnt seem afraid of it, just doesnt want to sleep on it.

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Maybe a new blanket (or bed set, pillow) with her favorite character on it.

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Could be a sensory thing… my lad slept in bed for a while then decided he hated it… he’ll only sleep on leather sofa now and also falls asleep on wooden floor if hes tired

My son did the same thing and it was a sensory issue. He preferred the solid ground over a soft bed.

Maybe she wants a twin size bed

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Put her favorite stuffed animals in bed with her or even a mattress topper to make it super soft. Or maybe even sit next to the bed & rub her hair for a few nights. When she wakes up in her bed it’ll be like it was before perhaps.

You may need to buy a new mattress. Perhaps it is uncomfortable to her & she would rather the floor. I would try a whole new bed & blanket set, & see if that dont work. & let her help pick it out. Have her lay on the mattress at the store & make a really big deal out of getting a new comfy bed.

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She maybe to hot in her bed, floor might be cooler. Maybe try soft blanket and have a fan goinh.

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When I was 4 I slept in my bedroom doorway with my blanket. I’d say it doesn’t hurt. I’m 23 and sleep in my bed now lol

My son did this. I bought him a firmer memory foam mattress and he sleeps in it every night now. He just likes a firmer bed

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Try a firmer mattress

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maybe the mattress makes her too hot?

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Put the mattress directly on the floor.

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Put the mattress on the floor then eventually just put it back on her toddler she will forget all about it.

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Honestly pick and choose your battles. Kids do weird Shit. Have strange phases.

My son did that too. I think it was because of the mattress. We had the plastic one from the crib in his toddler bed. Once we got him a twin bed he started sleeping in it again

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Just let her sleep on the floor when shes ready she will go back into her bed , im a moM of 6 and one of my kids did that too so eventually they slep in the bed

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Just let her be, she’ll get tired of sleeping on the floor eventually. She’ll go back to her bed.

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Maybe she needs more room. Get rid of the toddler bed and get her a twin. Get all excited with her about getting a new bed and let her pick out a comforter with her favorite character??

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Get her a sleeping mat one that’s firm and see if she will sleep on that .

My son used to do this :woman_shrugging:t2: I’d wake up in the mornings to him asleep with his blankets in the floor. He just eventually went back to his bed I’m not sure why

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My daughter did this. She would roll over and hit the railing on the bed and it would wake her. Bought her a bigger bed and she is fine sleeping in it now.

Maybe its not comfortable? Try getting her excited to buy some new bedding and put a cozy foam on it. Do it together and show/explain all the stuff to her n see if thatll pump her up to get back on her bed.

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My 2 boys 20 and 15 both choose the floor vs there beds it’s just that way I accept it

my daughter didn’t sleep well in her toddler bed but sleeps great in a twin. I think the toddler/crib mattress was too loud. The heavy plastic is noisy and it would wake her up.

My son did the same we got him a twin bed around 2 1/2 and he sleeps all night in it now

My 2 year old prefers sleeping on hardwood floors over any bed in our house. It’s not hurting anything, let her be

Try getting fun new bedding. But explain it has to stay on the mattress on the frame. See if that works …

Agreed either mattress on the floor or floor bed until shes ready

Get her a big girl bed.

I remember doing this when I was little, although I couldn’t tell you why. I wouldn’t stress too much. Kids do weird stuff sometimes. It’s not hurting her so it should be fine. Being visibly upset or against it will more than likely further the issue.

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Probably not comfortable those crib mattress aren’t really! Get her a big girl bed and I bet she will climb right in ! Good luck or put her mattress on floor for now my kids slept on a mattress on the floor i was afraid they would fall out they sleep all over the place and they were 5 and 6 lol twin size mattress and bed tent is what we did.

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Maybe it’s the toddler bed itself? I didn’t do toddler beds, I just put my kids in regular size beds when they were around 2. They’ve never once slept on the floor. They both have always loved their big kid bed. Crib mattresses are pretty hard, the floor might be more comfortable than the mattress.

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My son did this at age 5 and 6 would not stay on his bed. He’d grab a few blankets and his pillow, wrap up in it and go to sleep on the floor. When i asked why he said he got too hot in bed. He’s now 9 and mostly stays in his bed

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She might just not like the bed anymore my son only slept in his toddler bed for a month then slept in my bed for about a year. We bought him a twin size bed and a mattress to fit it and he has only slept in our bed twice in almost 6 months.

Also if you do twin bed get the bed rails obviously for safety

Talk to her find out the real reason

Heck, throw down a blanket and pillow, She will outgrow it or she won’t. It might be physiological, the need to not have any closed In space when sleeping. Kind of like no fence can hold me in.

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Maybe her mattress is too soft? I remember as a kid liking the feeling of the hard floor, the gravity felt stronger there… I almost wonder about a weighted blanket?

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Eh, pick your battles. Let her sleep on the floor as long as she’s sleeping.

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I got my kids little tents that go on their beds, if they have bad week or feel scared I just pop it on and they get to ‘camp’ in the house. It worked wonders

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For my kids it was a phase…they eventually got back in the bed and now wont sleep anywhere else…

My son did the same thing and most nights I wait till he is asleep and move him back to his bed. Now not going to lie there are many mornings I go back in and he is back on the floor. I also make him a bed on the floor with blankets and pillows because I know there is a 99% chance he will be there at some point lol

Put her in a single bed

My daughter didn’t sleep in her crib for the first 8 months, she was in a bassinet I’m sure because she was small, 6lbs 12.5oz at birth. She was in her crib for a year then we got a twin bed with side rails, comforter and sheets she picked and a princess cover that made like a tent over her bed. She loved it.
I do remember my sister sleeping on the floor. Who cares as long as the child is safe and sleeps.

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Get a twin bed maybe she likes to move around in her sleep

Maybe there is not enough room in a toddler bed?

My daugther is 8 and last night deside to sleep on the floor. Let her sleep were she feels comfortable and safe.

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If she’s sleeping I wouldn’t worry about where other than to make sure she isn’t blocking a pathway or door so no one trips on her. Lol

You have put water on the floor and ma it uncomfortable as can be. Not to be mean but shows her she’s safer in bed.

Help a mama out and respond anonymously on our forum. How to get baby to sleep in their own bed?

Babies that young almost always cry for a reason, so definitely no CIO method (just wanted to reiterate that just in case someone suggests it). Some people have luck with Merlin sleep suit.

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You can put a bassinet next to the bed and just start putting the baby down in there and do it more and more often so the baby get used to it

It’s going to be a struggle at first but with my son, I’d put him to sleep and lay him down in his crib in his room. I had to get up multiple times a night to put him back to sleep but it worked.

Have you looked into the arms reach cosleeper?

Biologically Normal Infant & Toddler Sleep is a great group!
You can try side caring the crib to the bed.

And just like you, babies don’t want to sleep alone. They need mama to help with regulating temperature, breathing, and heartbeat.

Wear an over size tee shirt then put it over the bassinet padding this way when she is in the bassinet she can smell you and it will like she is in bed with you .make sure that the bassinet is next to your bed so that if she starts to stir you can just reach over and give her a pat or two after a certain amount of time make sure you have " less of your scent on the shirt and start moving her bed further away

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A T-shirt that smells like you. Booby milk and all. as the sheet in the bassinet.

I like the oversized T-shirt idea, wearing it during the day, then putting it on the bassinet pad at night so the baby picks up your scent. Another thing that might help is to put at hot water bottle covered with flannel inside the t-shirt so it stays warm. Also put a sound machine that plays a mother’s heartbeat at the head of the bassinet where the baby can’t get hold of it, maybe even on a nightstand. Keep the bassinet close to the bed so if she fusses you can reach out and rub her back.

She probably does not nap in her own bed yet so you might want to start there. Every day, every time she falls asleep, put baby in her own bed. If she wakes, rock her and put her back in her own bed as she falls sleep. You are in for a tough few days and perhaps a week or more but she will eventually sleep in her bed, but only if you are persistent and consistent.

I don’t blame your husband. It is tough to get over the thought that any movement will wake baby and any turning could crush and suffocate baby.

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My daughter started with naps in her crib then night time. Some nights if she was fussy I would just stay with her until she fell asleep