what age to move from crib to bed?

snowflakemom

We moved DD#1 to a twin bed when she was 23 months and I felt like it was way too early for her. She was doing great in her crib, but DD#2 was on the way and I wanted to make the switch before she arrived. We ended up having a lot of trouble with her staying in bed when it was time to go to sleep, and she essentially gave up napping altogether once she was out of the crib.

DD#2 will be 2 next week and has always been an awesome sleeper...up until this week. If I even mention that it is bedtime or naptime, she starts running the other direction and when I put her in her crib (which is a struggle) she screams "mommy, mommy!"

For the past several weeks, she will try to climb into DD#1's twin bed when we are getting ready for bed (they have separate rooms) and climb under the covers. So does it sound like she is ready to make the move out of the crib? I don't want to jump the gun and make the same mistake as we did with DD#1 (moving her too early), but I know each child is different. Also, she is not sick or teething, so I'm not sure what else this sudden resistance to bedtime could be.

lsufan

How long does it take her to settle down once you put her in the crib?  Does she sleep well or continue to wake up?  If it's just taking a few minutes and she stays asleep once she's down, I don't think I'd move her just yet. 

We moved my oldest at 19 months after he started jumping out of the crib (and he didn't like the crib tent.)  It was a rough transition, and we eventually had to let him cry, but he was going to sleep on his own and staying asleep in the big bed well before he turned 2.

We moved DS2 at 23 months.  He was sleeping well in the crib, but DS3 was 4 months old, and we HAD to get him out of our room.  So we moved DS2 out of the crib and into a twin mattress in his big brother's room.  I had to spend a few nights waiting outside the door (reading a book or something) just so I could remind them to settle down and stay in bed, but it went really well. 

I don't see us moving DS3 to a bed (or converting his crib) for a while.  He fights bedtime every single night, and I cannot imagine him having the freedom to roam around. 

snowflakemom

It takes her quite a while. A good half hour or so to settle down for a nap (sometimes more) and over an hour at bedtime.

CTFandme

we transitioned ds at 20 months because dd was on the way and we needed the crib.  He did great...until we took the paci away. That's an entirely different issue though.  dd is still in her crib. she was 2 in November. I have no desire or need to turn her crib into a bed until she has either outgrown it or starts to climb out of it.  She sleeps well and goes to bed without any fuss. by kindergarten...kidding!

AnnapolisLari

I am a 'keep 'em in as long as possible' person.

DS didn't crawl out until he was 3.5!!!

DD, on the other hand, did it a couple of days ago, and she's just under 26 months. <sigh> I am SO not ready for her to go into a big bed.

shopgirl78

I am a keep them in as long as possible too.  We bought another crib when I was expecting #2 and they are 25 months apart.

We moved DD at almost 3 and DS1 at 2.5 when he started climbing out of the crib.   

luckyluvr

KitCat1:

Both of my girls made the move before their 2nd birthdays.  DD1 was because, like you, I wanted to transition before DD2 was born.  Three years later, the child - strangely - still doesn't get out of bed without me or DH there.

DD2 made the move a year ago because the hub-bub was starting about drop-side cribs.  She's done great.  There was a couple weeks in the summer when we had to redirect her back to bed. 

Haha, my DS won't get out of bed without us coming to get him, either. It IS strange, but I kind of like it b/c he's not up and wandering ever.

Andrewsgal

We transitioned DD at 18 months because she was climbing out, and to me a crib tent is like a toddler bed a total waste of money. DS is 26 months and still in a crib, he does not climb out although he is so outrageously tall he could.