If your baby keeps standing up in their cot, it can become a game and a battle of wills. This can leave both you and your child exhausted and could be the cause of sleep deprivation for both of you. The good news is that this behaviour can be corrected with some patience and perseverance.
What to do:
- Start by ensuring your baby has plenty of floor time during the day and teach them to lower themselves back down from a standing position.
- Once you’re confident they can lower themselves safely, leave them standing for a short while while you sit or lie by the cot.
- Occasionally tap the mattress and simply say ‘It’s sleepy time, lie down’.
- If they spring straight back up, continue to “ignore” this behaviour and lie low by the cot patting the mattress.
- With patience and perseverance, the habit of standing will gradually stop.
My little one has started to climb out of their cot
What to do:
- If your toddler is climbing out of their cot, start by lowering the mattress if you haven’t already done so.
- Remove objects such as teddy bears from the cot that your child could climb on and gain leverage to push themselves out.
- Try not to inadvertently reward them for climbing out, for example, by taking them into your bed.
- Be calm and firm, and catch them early. Firmly tell them not to climb out, and if you do this consistently, they will probably get the idea and stay put. However, if your child continues to climb out, it’s time to transfer them to a low-level bed.
- You may also need to put a stair gate across their door to keep them safe if they decide to test out their new freedom and wander in the night.
At the same time, childproof their bedroom, almost turning it into a large cot.
Written by Mandy Gurney RGN.RM.DipHV
Founder Millpond Children’s Sleep Clinic