Toddlers & Cribs

[melody330]

Does anyone have any advice for transition to toddler beds?

Background:  DS is 23 months, sometimes wakes up once to get tucked back in MOTN and he is up for the day at 5:00am like clockwork.  He has been fighting his nap hardcore at home, but sleeps wonderfully at DC for naps.  


This week he told me he doesn't want his crib anymore.  He wants to sleep in a big bed.  His bed converts to a toddler bed, then to a twin, and can even do a queen mattress when the time comes.  I just feel like its so soon.  He doesn't try to climb out at all - but do I wait for that to happen? I was originally team crib until he breaks out, but DH thinks we should do it.

As of today, DS & I are off for winter break until Jan 4th, so it would be a good time to work on it if it doesn't go well. 

tl;dr - DS wants a big bed, should I do it or leave him in his crib until he climbs out?

[katelou]

could you use the 'big boy bed' as leverage to stay in bed? Especially in conjunction with one of those 'time to wake' clocks (that turn from red to green at the time it's ok for them to get up) and tell him he can have the big bed as long as he stays in it til it's time to get up?

We had the easiest transition ever at 24 months- in the crib shed'd yell continually as soon as she woke up, in the toddler bed she'd get toys as play quietly for a while- so it can happen!

Idk if you were planning to use the crib for the new baby, but if so this could be a blessing in disguise.

[Ray]

I have no experience with this, but if he says he's ready I'd give it a go, I agree with katelou and make an expectation that if he's going to be in a big boy bed then he needs to sleep like a big boy (aka not getting up until a certain time etc) you can always switch back if it's not working out.

[comicSans]

I have no personal experience, but a few on May 14 have done it because of climbing out or new babies on the way. Some have had difficulty, but if he says he wants it, I'd give it a go. We're hoping to transition DD (currently 19 months) sometime before July baby comes. Her saying that's what she wants sounds ideal

[tootsie]

I think that if he's willing and wanting a big boy bed, then it's a great time to switch. Kids being excited about a transition makes it much easier IMO, more issues present themselves when a kid is resistant to change. For example, DD really wanted to wear panties and be a "big girl," so we ran with it and potty training was a piece of cake.

We put conditions on transitions so she knows it's a big deal and feels like it's a treat, so I would stress that big boys don't get out of their beds at night and must wait for mommy in the morning.

That said, my DD turned 3 on Saturday and she is still in her crib, so...

[melody330]

Thanks everyone! I think we are going to go for it over the weekend. I'm dreading it, but hoping it's not going to be so bad.

[littlesthobo]

Let us know how it goes! My DS is 20 months and he's going to be transitioned before the new baby arrives, because there's no point buying a second crib.

[prvc678]

I have no advice in this area. We tried to transition DD to a toddler bed last month (she turned 2 in oct). It was a miserable failure. She kept getting up and walking around, and actually asked for her crib back. I was so exhausted from two nights of that, I snapped at DH to just put the damn crib back together. She doesn't try to climb out, and her DCP actually just asked if they could put her in a PNP for naps because she's been sleeping terribly there on the mats they use for toddlers. If at first you don't succeed, give up. That's my parenting motto. DD will probably just sleep in her crib til she's 30. GL with the transition.

[melody330]

Dec 23, 2015 15:27:28 GMT -5 prvc678 said:

I have no advice in this area. We tried to transition DD to a toddler bed last month (she turned 2 in oct). It was a miserable failure. She kept getting up and walking around, and actually asked for her crib back. I was so exhausted from two nights of that, I snapped at DH to just put the damn crib back together. She doesn't try to climb out, and her DCP actually just asked if they could put her in a PNP for naps because she's been sleeping terribly there on the mats they use for toddlers. If at first you don't succeed, give up. That's my parenting motto. DD will probably just sleep in her crib til she's 30. GL with the transition.

DS has been sleeping on a cot type thing at DC for naps since September and he does great with it. I'm hoping he will do well with it. I'll let you know how it goes!

[harlowjune1984]

We switched our daughter from a crib to a regular bed when she was 22 months. She had never climbed out, and we had zero issues with her being in a crib, but she wanted a "big girl bed". So we converted her crib (into a toddler bed) for the first two weeks, just as a trial run. Even though her bed would also turn into a full size, we had no intentions of using it past a toddler bed, so at the end of the two week trial period (she did great!), we brought mattresses in. The mattresses started on the floor with them pushed up against the wall on one side, and then a bed rail on the other side. I think we used the bed rail until she was 2.5 year old, and then we put the bed frame on and ditched the bed rail (but that was only because she was never one to roll around on the bed, so we weren't worried about her moving far enough to fall off).

People thought we were crazy for moving her so soon, especially since she wasn't trying to climb out of her crib. But I wasn't going to wait until that happened, as we have hardwood floors and I can only imagine the sound of her melon hitting the ground from that high up, if she didn't climb out correctly. And since she was always good about staying in her bed once we put her in there, it was a non-issue when we made the switch.

Edited to add: We never did baby proof in our house, but when we let her be in the toddler bed, we did go through her room and baby proof. So that way, if she got up without us knowing, we could at least rest easy knowing that she couldn't get into anything dangerous or wouldn't have any furniture topple on her. We also took all of her toys out of her room, so that way she wouldn't get up and play with toys all night. Really at that point, she wouldn't waste her time getting out of bed, because there was really nothing to do if she got out of bed. HAHA

[lostinfaith225]

Good luck!!

We are going to transition ds before the baby comes. He's 21 months now. Nervous about it!

[ellebelle]

We transitioned DD from the crib to the toddler bed at just after 2 years. If she would have stayed in her crib I would have kept her in there longer but she kept trying to climb out so it was not safe. We had a rough few first nights but then she got the hang of it. Since you're on break this week it might be a good time to try if your DH really wants to do it. We talked about how it's important to stay in the bed and the bed rail would keep her safe. We also tried the Time To Wake clock but that didn't really help at that age. That's only really helped within the past month or so (DD is about to turn 4). Good luck!

[TnT10]

We are transitioning shortly after DD's 2nd birthday in two weeks. She has never tried to climb out of the crib at home, but does it on the regular at DC. She still moves around so much at night, so I am a little nervous! I also think it is going to be hard to get her to stay in the bed, especially at nap time. We have told everyone for her birthday that we are changing her room to a big girl room, so hopefully with all of the new things she will be excited and hopefully go with it. We need the crib for baby #2! We're going to leave her in the crib as a toddler bed until around June/ July, buy her a toddler bed at that point and move some of the toys into her room (baby #2's room is now currently a playroom and we have no where else to put everything); hopefully she will be adjusted by then. We shall see!

I think if your DS is showing signs of being ready then go for it! Let us know how it goes!

[rungirlrun]

Yep this is definitely a hot topic in our house now. My son turned 2 in Sept and is still in his crib. He loves it and only tries to climb out when we are in the room (and it only happens sometimes). But we are not buying a new crib, and he's showing interest in his big cousin's big boy bed on our trip now so we will probably make the switch in a couple of months. I'm dreading it bc sleep is going so well now! Keep us posted on how things go!

[Ray]

melody330 how's it going!?

[melody330]

Ray I'm going to target now for crib sheets and we are going to start tonight. With the craziness of Christmas we never got around to making the switch. I'm so so nervous!

[melody330]

Update: so apparently I make a huge FTM mistake. I had no idea our conversion crib didn't come with the parts to actually convert it.... Wtf?

So I ordered the parts and will have to hold off for just a little while longer!

[TnT10]

Dec 26, 2015 15:40:04 GMT -5 melody330 said:

Update: so apparently I make a huge FTM mistake. I had no idea our conversion crib didn't come with the parts to actually convert it.... Wtf?

So I ordered the parts and will have to hold off for just a little while longer!

We ordered them with ours but I have NO CLUE where they are.  I am going to see if I can find them tonight and if not will be ordering them too!  

[harlowjune1984]

Dec 26, 2015 15:40:04 GMT -5 melody330 said:

Update: so apparently I make a huge FTM mistake. I had no idea our conversion crib didn't come with the parts to actually convert it.... Wtf?

So I ordered the parts and will have to hold off for just a little while longer!

Oh that sucks! I would probably not even wait for them to arrive, and put the mattress on the floor to start the transition now while you have the time off, instead of waiting for the parts. Lol!

[melody330]

Dec 28, 2015 21:53:15 GMT -5 harlowjune1984 said:

Dec 26, 2015 15:40:04 GMT -5 melody330 said:

Update: so apparently I make a huge FTM mistake. I had no idea our conversion crib didn't come with the parts to actually convert it.... Wtf?

So I ordered the parts and will have to hold off for just a little while longer!

Oh that sucks! I would probably not even wait for them to arrive, and put the mattress on the floor to start the transition now while you have the time off, instead of waiting for the parts. Lol!

*knocks on wood* since he isn't climbing it yet, I'm not going to worry about it.My spring break is in March, so I'll probably make the switch then unless he forces my hand!