Too soon to move to toddler bed?

NewMom92

I need some advice/ thoughts. I have a 14 month old and I am pregnant with our second due March 15th. They will be 21 months apart. I was originally thinking of buying second crib, but really that doesn't seem to make sense if I'm just going to transition my oldest a few months later to a big bed anyway. So now I'm thinking just get a big boy bed but I'm concerned he will be too little/young to transition, especially since I want to try to transition him a couple months before the new baby.

Thoughts? Experiences?

Thanks!

shj5u

I have boys that are 20 months apart, and we have 2 cribs.  My oldest is just now starting the transition out of his crib (at 34 months). 

I'm not a big fan of pushing transitions/ potty training/ etc. before they're ready bc, in my experience, it just goes a lot easier when they're truly ready.  Not only that, but I also wouldn't want a wandering toddler in the night when I'm up with the new baby.  For us, once we got the big boy bed, I could no longer dump DS1 in the crib at bed time and move on.  Now he's taking a long time to fall asleep and opens his door, etc. over and over.  It's a big transition for him, and it's not going terribly, but it's not as easy as it was before.

Who knows--yours might be ready by then, but you could also consider waiting to transition him a couple months after the baby, too...  

My vote is to keep them contained as long as you can afford to!

memali26

Mine are 19 months apart and we did not get a second crib. We kept DD1 in the crib until she was 23 months, and DD2 in the PNP/RNP in our room until she was 6 months, then moved her to the crib a month after DD1 moved out of it. DD1 moved to the toddler bed just fine and never expressed any jealousy issues over the baby moving into "her" crib.

DD2 I had planned to keep in her crib until past 2, but she had other plans and climbed out at 20 months. At that point we moved her to a toddler bed AND in to share a room with her sister. Smooth transition, no issues.

Our pedi advised that any new transitions happen 4 months before or 4 months after the new baby was born. It worked out well for us and I don't regret not getting a second crib.

NewMom92

Thank you both for your opinions. I appreciate the help!

Arielle27

We didn't put DS into a big bed until he was about 2.5 years old and was climbing in and out himself. I'm sure he would have done fine, but I think it's easier for us (and safer for the littler ones) to keep kids in cribs!

Likewise, our 18 mo old is dying to get out of her crib and would probably sleep fine in a bed, but I prefer her locked up! Lol especially with our third due in a few weeks... Until she can climb out herself or I feel she is safe to be that mobile while we're sleeping, she isn't moving out of the crib.

jf198400

My kids are 18 months apart.  I didn't want to get a 2nd crib.  We waited until about 2 months after DS was born to transition DD (20months) into a twin bed with bed rail.  We put a baby gate on her bedroom door so that she couldn't leave her room.  It did take a while for her to learn to go to sleep in there by herself.  We spent the first month laying in bed with her until she fell asleep (good reason to go straight to a twin instead of a toddler bed).  I kept her in the crib for naps even longer.  DS was sleeping in the rock-n-play in our room for a good 5 months, so there was really no rush to get DD out of the crib.  It worked out fine for us.

Mommy2CB

My boys are 22 months apart. We bought a 2nd crib. DS1 turned 2 last month and he is still happily in his crib. It's a convertible so even if he was ready for the toddler bed we still would have bought a 2nd crib for DS2. I'd rather not rush them into things!

StayingSecret

I have no thoughts on whether LO will be ready for a toddler bed, but if you don't think they'll be ready - can you borrow a crib from someone just to buy you some time?

dartkel01

My two will be 21 months apart when the second arrives the beginning of October. We moved DS1 to a toddler bed at 18 months and never had an issue with it. Our MD thought that it would be a good idea to try it out a few months before the baby came to get used to it. Luckily he took right to it and never missed the crib. 

keklb05

My DD will almost be 3 and my DS 18 months when #3 comes and we'll have 3 cribs!  But all three transition into toddler beds and full size headboards so that we won't have to go out and buy new beds when they are ready to transition out of the crib.  With my DD currently 31 months, I am not ready for her to be out of the crib.  She isn't trying to climb out so that isn't a factor.  I don't want her up and around the house or even in her room where she can climb on dressers, etc while I'm sleeping....I like knowing she is safe in her crib and I can see her on the monitor.  Whatever you decide, best of luck!!

PALGal

My son was 16 months when we took the side rail off. He is now 20 months in his twin bed and all is well.

manderdoll

We moved DS1 when he was 15 months, we moved him into the spare room and set it up and planned on just letting him get used to it but he took to it very well and so we just jumped right in.  At first he treated it like a crib and wouldn't get out on his own, he is 2.5 now and has gone through the odd rough patch where he won't stay in bed but I would expect he would've climbed out of a crib by now too.