2+ Moms - transition LO to big girl bed?

LilLee11

I have always said as long as DD is sleeping well and not climbing out of her crib, I will keep her in it. She is an AWESOME sleeper - 7-730am and 1230-3ish for nap. I have a few friends that had their first babies when I did and now we are all pregnant with our second. All of them plan on transitioning their LO's to big kid beds. Now that they are doing this, I keep questioning whether or not I should transition DD. The first couple weeks the new baby will sleep in a pNp in our room, but theres a part of me that thinks it would be nice to transition DD before the baby is here. What are your thoughts? I keep asking myself this question and I really have no clue what to do! I know a lot can change in the next few months - DD may start climbing out of her crib for all I know! Argh. Thoughts and suggestions are appreciated!!

mrs.kapow

I don't know if I would transition just because. My niece and a lot of kids I know were in their cribs until 2.5 or nearly 3. 

We have transitioned, but that is because DD sort of decided to do it herself. We brought a mattress into her room on the floor in an attempt to get better naps out of her (she sleeps on a mat at daycare and does 3 hrs, but we get crap at home).

Naps are still crappy, but the first night we had the mattress in there, she put herself down for the night on it. We decided not to look back and went with it.

If I could go back to the 12 hr nights, I don't think I'd switch at all.  

Pearl16

We are actually going shopping for a "big girl bed" this weekend, though Cora is 2 1/2, so a bit older than your DD. I decided I wanted to transition her as soon as possible so that she doesn't feel like she got kicked out when the baby came.

gingerfamily

DD has always been a fantastic sleeper.  She started STTN at 8 weeks and never stopped.  We're transitioning her to a big girl bed and a new room.  She's moving to our spare bedroom b/c the room she's in now is to small for the full size bed we have. 

I'm really talking it up and am decorating it really cute.  She's been hanging out in there on the weekends when I'm doing stuff in there so hopefully she's getting used to it. 

fingers crossed that it goes okay!

 

OceanLover26

I would just say whenever you think she's ready, or the best time in your eyes.  I'm gonna wait till Summer turns 15 or 16 months old to move her to the tot bed.  The baby will be in my room for two months anyways. 

We moved our oldest to the tot bed at 15 months when his brother was a month old and was ready to use the crib, and it worked out well.  He understood, watched his daddy put the big boy bed together, and crawled right in it and fell asleep.  lol  There were some nights he would walk around his room at night or sit by the gate, but he knew the bedtime routine and didnt get off track much.  Good luck! 

PinkPhotog

DD never tried to climb out of her crib either.  We switched her at about 18 months.  We switched DS at about that time and it went really well.  She's never had any problems!  DD was and is an awesome sleeper, just like your DD. 

I've also always tried to follow the golden rule for siblings and a new baby and not make any major life changes 3 months before or after baby.

skyejo

I will be putting LO (18 months) in a big girl bed this weekend.  My situation is a bit different though--we bedshared until the past couple of weeks and she's been in her crib.  I don't want to get her used to the crib and then switch her to a toddler bed in a few months. 

If your LO is sleeping comfortably in the crib I wouldn't take it away just yet.  I'd buy a new, less expensive crib for the new baby for now. 

LilLee11

mrsh0606:

DD has always been a fantastic sleeper.  She started STTN at 8 weeks and never stopped.  We're transitioning her to a big girl bed and a new room.  She's moving to our spare bedroom b/c the room she's in now is to small for the full size bed we have. 

I'm really talking it up and am decorating it really cute.  She's been hanging out in there on the weekends when I'm doing stuff in there so hopefully she's getting used to it. 

fingers crossed that it goes okay!

 

Good luck to you!!! I hope it goes as well as we all hope.

mrsjenni

DS was in his crib until he was 2.5-3.  He was only 22m when DD was born and he LOVED his crib and I loved him IN his crib  So we kept him there for as long as we could  We only transitioned him to a big boy bed b/c he ran out of room in there.  But he was perfectly fine.

DD will be 26m when this baby is born and I'm leaving her in her crib as well.  Why move them if they're fine?

LilLee11

skyejo:

I will be putting LO (18 months) in a big girl bed this weekend.  My situation is a bit different though--we bedshared until the past couple of weeks and she's been in her crib.  I don't want to get her used to the crib and then switch her to a toddler bed in a few months. 

If your LO is sleeping comfortably in the crib I wouldn't take it away just yet.  I'd buy a new, less expensive crib for the new baby for now. 

I think buying an inexpensive crib or an Arms Reach Cosleeper might be the answer. Maybe I will put a mattress on LO's floor and see how she does too. I get serious anxiety over switching her and her not sleeping the same! Even if she wakes up randomly at 6am, she will stay in her crib until 7 and be totally content reading her books.

hmp1

I'm not any help, just wanted to say that I'm in the same boat. I was set on getting the new baby a new crib. DS is a good sleeper and his crib converts to a toddler bed. I figured we would just convert it when he was ready. But now I'm having second thoughts because a toddler bed is cheaper than a crib. Then I think, if we are going to buy a toddler bed, may as well get a twin that he can use for a long time.

I'm waiting to see if this baby is a boy or girl. If it is a boy we will probably have the boys share a room in a couple of years. In that case, we will buy a new crib, have DS use his crib and convert to toddler when he is ready, and get the big boy beds when they are closer to moving in together. 

LilLee11

mrs.jenni:

DS was in his crib until he was 2.5-3.  He was only 22m when DD was born and he LOVED his crib and I loved him IN his crib  So we kept him there for as long as we could  We only transitioned him to a big boy bed b/c he ran out of room in there.  But he was perfectly fine.

DD will be 26m when this baby is born and I'm leaving her in her crib as well.  Why move them if they're fine?

This makes me feel better! I agree I like DD IN her crib. Sometimes when I wake up on the weekends and I hear her awake, I think "if she was out of her crib would she be screaming my name to let me out of her room?" It's not like a neglect her, I just like to get out of bed on my own and go get her. haha

PinkPhotog

hmp&mrj:

Then I think, if we are going to buy a toddler bed, may as well get a twin that he can use for a long time.

 

We went straight to twin beds for DS and DD for this very reason.

juliane2004

DD moved at 24 months and it went great, much better than expected. She never climbed out, I just decided her 2-year birthday was "the day". We already had a second crib for DS since they are 14 months apart and DD wasn't even walking when DS was born (thus, not ready to climb in and out of a big girl bed).

For this one, we are considering moving DS to a big kid bed at 18 months but we don't really have a reason to. We could wait till he's 24 months still, just like DD was, because we still have a second crib for the new baby. He also JUST learned to walk (literally this past weekend was his first weekend of real walking), so I don't want to push him into learning to climb into a bed in 6 weeks too.

For me, under 18 months is MUCH too early. 18 months is the earliest I would consider moving to a big kid bed. I guess it depends on the child, but mine couldn't walk till 15-16 months, so I would NOT move them by 15-16 months (as a PP said they were going to do).

If they are sleeping well, and not climbing out, there's no reason to rush it IMO.

klm1221

I can't move till November- so baby will be in my room till then. We are keeping my daugther in her crib till we move. I kinda feel like its so much change already- that im better off waiting. Plus she also loves her crib- sleeps great- and hasn't tried to climb out yet.She is 2 today.

enjoylife

We are day 1 of transitioning.... No advice or anything, but we figured it couldn't hurt since he just sleeps ok in the crib. Hes a restless sleeper not a bad sleeper.  We are doing the twin mattress on the floor first and then in a few weeks (once I restain the frame) then put it all together.  He loved climbing on/off it and such and went right to sleep at nap time(by his door, but let me move him to the bed with no fuss) so I'm hoping he just takes this transition in stride like he did with weaning pacifier and bottles and bfing.  Good luck with whatever you decide!  

Dncr251

DS was in his crib until a couple months ago. I decided not to transition him until he started climbing out of his crib, and I would totally recommend waiting if you wanted to. For us, it was much easier wtih him in his crib.

For the first couple of weeks after the transition we had to get up in the middle of the night because he would want to play, and it took him a while to realize that wasn't going to happen. We finally told him that he shouldn't get up until the "sun comes up," left a couple books by his bed in case he woke up early yet, and we've been great ever since. I just think he needed to be a little older to realize when he was supposed to sleep and when he could get up now that he had more independence.

ELCJet

We're in the process of setting up his toddler room right now.  He's 24 months old and we keep talking up his room so much that he is now quite possessive over it.    I'm thinking that in the next month or two, we'll give him the option to take his weekend naps in there....and then move on to nighttime.  My girlfriend made the switch with her 28 month-old last weekend, and so far, so good.  Her first naptime, she fell asleep on the floor, but ever since then she's been sleeping through the night and napping just fine.  So I am hopeful we'll follow suit.

freeatlast2014

For us, DS1 is just not ready (he's 15 months). He doesn't try to climb out at all and sleeps like a champ. Unless that changes in the near future I have no intention of transitioning him. His crib goes to a toddler bed so when he's ready we'll convert it.

Holly_1007

i dont mean to be snarky at all but those who transitioned their 13-15 month olds into toddler beds get a huge side-eye from me. especially when these kids weren't climbing out of their beds?? hopefully these moms weren't posting all over facebook about how miserable their lives are and how sleep deprived they are as well because their child stopped sttn once they took away their crib.

anyway, thats just a pet peeve of mine, not directed at anyone in particular.

DS will be 32 months when this baby is born.  he is currently 27 months and still sleeping in his crib. he's an amazing sleeper. takes a 2 hour nap every day and sleeps 10+ hours at night.  I'm going by the rule when he starts climbing out (I have a video monitor) I will switch him.  not sure if that is going to coincide with baby arriving or not, and if it does we will deal with it as it comes.

OP- you have a while to make a decision. if your LO is content in her crib I would leave her.

JulesDiane

I plan on keeping DD in her crib until she is 18. Life is just so much easier with her in the crib! I am in NO hurry to transition DD. I don't plan on buying another crib at this point because I figure DD#2 will be in our room in the co-sleeper for at least the first 4 months or so.. we can play it by ear, and see how DD#1 is doing... and if she is getting ready for a transition to a big girl bed or will be in a crib for a while longer.

I say leave her if she is sleeping well! 

terri_doula2010

I would definitely do it before the new baby is here. We transitioned DS soon after finding out I was pregnant. Granted, he hated his crib, but we went ahead because I didn't want him to have any associations with the new baby "stealing" his bed.

Also, there is definitely an adjustment, and your LO will likely need to learn to stay in bed at night, which requires some extra effort for a while. Better now than when you are exhausted from a new baby!

My favorite new baby book so far is, "My Heart is a Magic House," and part of the reason it is useful is because it talks about the older child (a girl) getting to sleep in a new big bed while the baby sleeps in her old crib. It has been a good learning tool for us.

**EDIT** This is all assuming the new baby will be in your daughter's crib, and you aren't buying a second crib. If that isn't an issue, then there isn't as much of a rush, but like you said, she may be ready at any point and I certainly wouldn't want to deal with that with a newborn in the house.

terri_doula2010

I just read through everyone else's comments (after my post) and they do make a lot of sense. I will say that DS slept like crap in his crib and sleeps so much better now.

For the person whose LO plays happily in her crib and you worry if she'd yell for you from a toddler bed, she'd probably just play happily in or around her bed. I haven't heard of it changing anyone for the worse for long.

I've also never heard of anyone moving so close to 1yr old. DS was 19 months and too short to climb out, but I'm so glad we moved him! He loves his toddler bed in a way he never loved his crib.

mommy510

You should transition her because shes ready, nit just because theres goinf to be a new baby. Our crib converts into a toddler bed, so the plan is to have two cribs until DS is ready for his big boy bed. I dont plan to convert it to a toddler bed until he starts climbing out. We arent buying a new crib, just borrowing one from friends who dont need it right now. When we are done with it, we'll return it to them.

If you do decide you want to do the transition, i would do it at least 8 weeks before the baby comes so that its not so stressful on her or you. You dont want to have a newborn thats stuck in the p-n-p just because big sis doesnt want to give up the crib.