Can we discuss moving from crib to toddler bed?

AshNicole331

I can't believe I'm writing this.

So, Sophia WILL NOT sleep in her crib. She will for maybe 2-3 hours, max...and that's on a good night. We are constantly going in to get her, putting her back to sleep, etc. This has been going on for months. Every. Single. Night.

We eventually give in and just bring her to bed with us and she sleeps so well (I secretly love this. Can't believe I'm saying that because before we had Soph I said I would never ever let my child sleep with me!). We spent 2 days with my mom at her new place in Clearwater while we were in Florida. My 3 year old sister has an adorable little toddler bed that Sophia literally ran to, jumped around in, and cried when we tried to take her out of it.

Then a miracle happened. She actually slept my sister's "big girl" bed.

Jordan says to me "I think we should switch her over to a big girl bed." I'm pretty sure I gasped outloud and shouted that Sophia IS NOT moving out of her crib yet....but then, I got to thinking. Maybe she really is ready for a big girl bed. That can't be at only 11 months old though, right?

I think she is entirely too young. My mom moved my sister to her big girl bed at around a year and 1/2 and I thought that was even a little too young. BUT, Sophia will actually sleep in the damn thing. So I'm torn.

Is she ready? How the hell do I know? I still can't believe I'm talking about big girl beds right now. I might cry

AprilJT

I moved Rowen over the Christmas after he turned 2 (his birthday is Sept 29).  He was very ready for it and really excited.  I hear all these people talk about how hard it was and how they had to transition and we didn't have that problem.  And I think we didn't have that problem because he was so excited to get his big boy bed.  If she is wanting to use it then I don't see a problem with it.  Esp if she is actually going to sleep at night using it as opposed to how things are now for you. 

ETA: I should add that my parents moved me over when I was exactly a year old.  My brother was born and needed the crib.  My mom said it broke her heart to move me over but I was completely fine.  She said I just looked so little in the middle of my bed.  (I never had a toddler bed, I had a queen size bed as my first bed).

Ashleysred

Obs we aren't moving K to a big girl bed yet, but my little sister and I are 7 years apart.  My mom moved her over and completely re-did her room when she was a little over 1.  She wouldn't sleep in her crib.  She would actually jump out of it and run to my room and sleep with me.  My mom switched her over for safety.  With a new bed and new decor, she started sleeping in her bed.

chosen175

Sorry for barging in here since I'm still a knottie, but someone suggested I visit and check out a few threads since I have a dd (who turned 3 today. - Where the heck did the time go???)

We decided to skip the whole toddler bed because we have ZERO storage space.  We went right for the big guns:

https://www.bergfurniture.com/23_805.asp

DD went with us to pick the bed out and she LOVED it!  This was actually not my first choice, but she didn't like the one I had picked out.  lol  She threw the biggest fit when we couldn't just put this thing in the trunk and take it home.  By the time it was delivered and set up, we had gone shopping for big girl sheets and she actually slept FOUR  HOURS for her nap that day, rather than the usual 1.5-2 hours!  She has slept better ever since then.  We switched over at about 2.5 because she never minded her crib.

I think if your dd likes the bed and sleeps well, go ahead and make the switch.  Let her be involved (as much as you can) in picking out her new things and get her all excited about it.  (Amazon actually has an Elmo book about moving from a crib to a big bed.)  Just push the bed against a wall and make sure there is a sturdy guard rail and I'm sure she'll be fine.  Plus, now you can use the baby monitor you registered for and never used.  lol

As for the co-sleeping, I feel your pain.  I NEVER intended to do it, but dd was so colicky and had acid reflux as well so she had to sleep propped up.  I had no idea about all those wedges and whatnot so she slept with us - I'd sleep on my side with my arm crooked and she'd put her head on my upper arm and knock right out.  My lower arm kept FI from getting too close to her.  Around 9 months, we HAD to move her to her crib because she was such a restless sleeper, none of us were sleeping well.  I wasn't ready to let her go. I wasn't ready to have her "all the way across the hall" (a whole 4 feet.  lol) and I actually LIKED having her there.  The first night I cried my eyes out and barely slept a wink, so if you're going to switch her, I'd recommend a weekend.  lol  But what helped SO MUCH was that I could tell she was happier there than she was with us..... and I convinced myself that it wasn't fair to take that happiness away because I wanted to be selfish and keep her with us. 

Best of luck to you!  I KNOW it's hard and it's sad and it's breaking your heart to let her go.  BTDT.  But it sounds like she'll be happier and isn't that what a parent's job is - protecting our LO's and making them happy whenever we can?  Page me on DW if you need some more reassurance.  *HUG*