3yr not going to sleep

[jenn70]

I thought I had the best sleeper ever.  From 3 months my daughter slept through the night and went down without any issues.  When she turned two she started to climb out of her crib so for safety reasons we converted it into a day bed.... this is when the nightmare began.  She would not stay in her bed.  I tried the supernanny method of 3 tuck-ins with a kiss and then after 3 attempts I would not look at her or speak to her just put her in her back to bed.  This could go on for 2-3 hrs.  I stayed consitent for almost 3 months and then gave up.  I then set up her play pen and we called it her "baby bed"  if she got out of her bed after 3 warnings she went into the playpen (which for a strange reason she wouldn't climb out of).  This worked like a charm!  After a few months of that she realized that she could climb out of it and we were back to square one.  I have tried sitting in her room (although afraid I was starting a bad habit) and then slowly moved to outside her room but this would still take at least an hour to get her to go to sleep.  I have tried locking everything down in her room and just letting her goof around (jumping on the bed/taking the mattress off the bed/screamingetc).  Nothing seems to work.  I am very very tired.  We have a 2 yr old that she wakes up during all the commotion and we have another baby due in June.  We are very routine oriented and stick to a schedule.  She goes to sleep no problem for my mom and the babysitter.

She just doesn't seem like she can unwind and just lie still enough to fall asleep.  I have also tried stopping her naps and playing with her bedtime.  The more tired she is the worse it is.

Does anyone have any tips.

One tired mom

[mommy2005]

Our child was just like that.  And yes you tried everything that I tried.  What I did was frowned upon by some but after a few months it fixed everything.  I started with a gate at her door and let her fuss, but when she started to throw things over the gate and breaking things in the hallway.  I decided to take desperate measures.  I put one of those child proof handles on the inside of the door (the one where you squeeze the sides, but the child can not), and I did our night-time routine and allowed her one chance.  If after we gave kisses and read our books and she left her room, I told her that the door has to be shut (with a night light of course).  And I would shut the door, she would fuss just like your little one.  I took everything out of her room all that was left was her bed, and a dresser (with child safety locks).  So all she could do was destroy her blankets etc.  Of course when we would go to bed we open the door for fire safety and such (and even then you can put up a gate).  There were many nights that we would check up on her before we went to bed and she would have fallen asleep beside the door on the floor, or on a blanket on the floor.  We just pick her up and put her in bed.  Closing the door will help your other little one sleep.  A few months of this and we do not have any more problems.  We can keep the door open and she goes right to sleep with no fuss.  Because you always give them a chance each night eventually she did not want her door shut and just sang in her bed and would fall asleep, and her room has everything in it (toys, desk, etc).   At least give it a try and I hope that it works for you.