Moms of 2 or more...

Brougham7-15-06

I don't think that Jacob will be ready for a toddler bed by the time #2 comes.  I don't want to rush him anyway, so if he needs to stay in a crib I am ok with that.  So in the process of getting a 2nd crib, I wanted to get a less expensive one and switch Jacob to that  crib and move the "nicer" crib into the baby's room since all of that furniture matches..then eventually a toddler bed.  My sister thinks that putting him in a different crib will "mess him up", I don't think it will...he has never had issues with sleeping in different cribs, play yards etc.

Should I keep him in "his crib" or do you think he would do fine with putting him in a new crib if it is just for a few months...or however long he needs?

TIA

sistrkate

I actually had this same dilemma when I was pregnant with Tyler.  Justin was 26 months old when Tyler was born, and was nowhere near ready to go into a big boy bed then either.

While he did OK sleeping in a portable crib at my mom's and a PNP at daycare, I didn't want to take "his" crib from him for the new baby.  It wasn't so much that I thought it would "mess him up", but I was concerned about his feelings toward a new baby, not being the only child anymore, etc.  I didn't want him to have to share his bed too.  I felt like he'd have enough adjusting to do without feeling like his bed or his bedroom weren't his (we considered moving him to a different room and keeping the nursery for the new baby).  Ultimately, we decided to keep him in his own room with the nice crib.  Tyler slept in our room when he came home from the hospital and I just figured that an infant would have less of an adjustment to make than my toddler.

I don't think there is really a right or wrong answer to this, it's what works best for you and your family, but that was our reasoning.

RXjenna

That's exactly what we did.  We got a cheapie Graco crib from Walmart to put Mason in and gave Brynn Mason's (white) crib.  We figured white would be better for a girl anyway.  We put Mason in the new crib months before Brynn came, and he didn't mind it at all.  Good luck with your decision!  There's so much to think about, isn't there?

MelissaMc22

This probably won't help you much, but we didn't think Jack was ready for his big bed either, but went aheads and tried it 2 mon ths before baby (we had one from a garage sale already) He surprised us and did wonderfully! He sleeps all night and stays in bed and calls for us when he wakes up.

We just switched him about a month ago from the toddler bed to a twin and he did awesome there to. I think the are much more resilient than we give them credit for.

Goodluck with whatever you decide. Worse case scenario, you just switch back, right??

Brougham7-15-06

sistrkate:

I actually had this same dilemma when I was pregnant with Tyler.  Justin was 26 months old when Tyler was born, and was nowhere near ready to go into a big boy bed then either.

While he did OK sleeping in a portable crib at my mom's and a PNP at daycare, I didn't want to take "his" crib from him for the new baby.  It wasn't so much that I thought it would "mess him up", but I was concerned about his feelings toward a new baby, not being the only child anymore, etc.  I didn't want him to have to share his bed too.  I felt like he'd have enough adjusting to do without feeling like his bed or his bedroom weren't his (we considered moving him to a different room and keeping the nursery for the new baby).  Ultimately, we decided to keep him in his own room with the nice crib.  Tyler slept in our room when he came home from the hospital and I just figured that an infant would have less of an adjustment to make than my toddler.

I don't think there is really a right or wrong answer to this, it's what works best for you and your family, but that was our reasoning.

The good thing here is that before we were even pg with # 2, we actually moved Jacob into a new room and made his old room his play room....toys were taking over our house.  So he is used to his "new room".  I wanted to make sure I didn't wait too long to do that so he didn't feel pushed out. ahhhh decisions!

sistrkate

Brougham7-15-06:

The good thing here is that before we were even pg with # 2, we actually moved Jacob into a new room and made his old room his play room....toys were taking over our house.  So he is used to his "new room".  I wanted to make sure I didn't wait too long to do that so he didn't feel pushed out. ahhhh decisions!

If he did OK with that, he'd probably do fine with the new crib, especially if you do it sooner rather than later.  Sounds like others have done it with great success!

adamsbabble

We've kept everything the same for Ava, since I knew we would have Charlotte in our room for an extended period of time anyhow.  We are just now getting ready to start the transition with Charlotte from our room to the nursery (which she and Ava will share), so Ava has had plenty of time to get used to everything.

"They" say you shouldn't change anything major for at least 6 weeks after bringing your new baby home, but I don't know how major changing a crib is.  Potty training is major, moving is major, etc. but a crib I don't think some children would be too attached to.  If you think he'll be okay, I think it would be fine and you can move him to the new crib BEFORE baby 2 comes along so there will be no connection between the two events for him.

AgathiP04

My friend did something similar, but a bit of the reverse.  She bought an IKEA crib and put the new baby in there (after he slept for 3 months in their room in a cradle).  Her older child (2.5) slept in her crib.  Once she was old enough for a toddler bed, she made the IKEA bed into a toddler bed for her daughter and moved the big crib into the baby's room (her son).  Then her daughter got a big girl bed.  Make sense?

cat81305

We actually did move DS to a twin bed before DD arrived.  I did not think he would be ready either but you will be surprised.  It is up to you what you want to do but I think any move (whether crib or toddler bed) will be different for him but not too much.  W ejust put up DS's new bed a few months before DD was born and moved him to it but he did not stay in it so he went back in his crib.  After a few weeks we tried again and he did great and has been in it since!  You will be surprised.  If you plan to change his crib, I would do it before the baby gets here that way  you have time to decide what to do.  If you want to keep him in a crib, I would keep him in his and just not have the baby's room match for a few months but you know your son the best :-)  Whatever you decide will be fine :-)