How long is too long in a crib?

KariB509

My son just turned 2 on May 19.  I'm absolutely terrified to move him from his crib to a bed (it's actually a convertible crib, so I'll just be taking the rail down to make a bed).  He's never been a very good sleeper.  He was 9 months old before he finally started sleeping through the night.  Now he's fairly easy to put down but I'd say on average he still wakes up at least one night a week.  With that being said, you may now understand my fear.  When we remove the rail on his crib, making it into a bed, he will undoubtedly get out of bed (and yes, he knows how to open his door).  I don't know how in the world I'm ever going to get him to stay in his bed and sleep.  Any suggestions?  How long is too long to keep him in a crib?

Thanks! 

XCrissCrossX

I plan to move LO this summer, so 2.75 years. But I'm only planning to do that because he has climbed in and has tried to climb out. If he hadn't done that, I'd be leaving him in there until kindergarten. I don't think there's a problem with leaving them in the crib if they like it and if they aren't climbing out.

As for the door thing, you can get a safety lock for the knob so he can't open it, turn the door around so you can lock it from the outside, or put up a baby gate. 

When we change LO's crib to a bed I plan to move out most of the toys. So if he wanders around his room, that's cool with me. 

google123

I'm keeping my twins in their cribs as long as possible, at least until 2.5 for that very reason.  I've been lucky enough that they haven't decided to jump over the rail, because they have the capabilities and height to do so.  I'm just going to go with the flow, and see how I feel in a few months down the line.

sucredee

If it makes you feel any better DD just turned 3 and is still (happily) in a crib. She hasn't tried to climb out and is content. Why mess with a good thing? Her room right now is attached to ours and she will be moving into her own room in August when her cousin vacates that room to go to college. I will likely still keep her in the crib for a little while after that and then convert to a toddler bed. I honestly don't see the rush to get your kid into a regular bed unless there is a good reason such as climbing out or a new sibling who needs the crib. I don't think there is anything wrong with moving them into a regular bed early if that's what you or your kid wants, but I also don't see anything wrong with keeping them in the crib if they are content. 

sschwege

How long is too long?  When they reach the weight limit or when they start climbing!  

DD is still in her crib and the only reason we will be moving her soon is because DS needs it.  If it weren't for that I would have no plans to move her. 

jc&cat

sschwege:

How long is too long?  When they reach the weight limit or when they start climbing!  

DD is still in her crib and the only reason we will be moving her soon is because DS needs it.  If it weren't for that I would have no plans to move her. 

We saw a sleep specialist at the children's hospital when DS was a baby and the advice was to keep him in the crib as long as possible as long as he wasn't climbing or hit the weight limit. It's the safest place. We moved DS at just over 2.5 years b/c DD was coming along. Don't sweat it at 2 if you are not comfortable! No rush.

KariB509

Thank you so much for the great advice everyone!  I was thinking why mess with a good thing but I wanted to see what other moms thought.  He's only about 30 lbs, so he's well within the weight limit.  And he seems happy in his crib.  Doesn't try to get out, sleeps decently (compared to what I've dealt with before).

skio

Yup, ditto the others. I'm not moving DD until she either climbs out or hits the weight limit. I'm hoping it's 3 or later. We have girl number two due in a week and they'll be sharing a room...I would love for them to both be in cribs for a while.

laurakaz13

I hope DD stays in her crib well past age 3! 

Calla123

I don't know...I feel like its crazy that 3 year olds are in cribs. I can't imagine my daughter in a crib while in preschool.  To me it seems like either lazy parenting or keeping your kids babies and dependent as long as possible. I think around 2 makes the most sense. My daughter was ready at 18 months to do a toddler bed and at 2.5 she is in a double. She talks of how she is a big girl. Maybe it's because I teach kindergarten that I find it hard to imagine 3-4 year olds in a crib. 

Jelliebean1982

When your child is nighttime potty trained then you need to convert, but until then there's no practical reason to make the switch unless your kid is trying to climb out.

kcisthebombdotcom

A common theme when taking about cribs is people overlooking the height limit. i believe its 35 inches. I would personally feel uncomfortable with a kid significantly taller than that in a crib. 

Fwiw, we put my son in a full bed at 20 months and at 3.5 he still calls for me when he wakes up vs getting out of bed on his own. My daughter was around 26 months when we moved her and she does get out in the middle of the night on occasion and walks to my room. If its early in the evening we bring her back to her bed and she goes to sleep. If its around 4 or 5 I sleep with her for an extra couple hours. The nice part is she's an early riser so now that she can get out of bed most days she plays quietly in her room until I get up vs making me get up with her. 

superaunt

we didn't move my girl till she started climbing out. she was over 2.5. had she not kept climbing out, she'd still be in her crib.

Danaz1

Well good for you that your kid switched early font judge others for keeping them in the crib I was also a teacher and now I understand why you eep them in the. Crib longer safety and your own sanity

Tink112011

KC_13:

A common theme when taking about cribs is people overlooking the height limit. i believe its 35 inches. I would personally feel uncomfortable with a kid significantly taller than that in a crib. 

Fwiw, we put my son in a full bed at 20 months and at 3.5 he still calls for me when he wakes up vs getting out of bed on his own. My daughter was around 26 months when we moved her and she does get out in the middle of the night on occasion and walks to my room. If its early in the evening we bring her back to her bed and she goes to sleep. If its around 4 or 5 I sleep with her for an extra couple hours. The nice part is she's an early riser so now that she can get out of bed most days she plays quietly in her room until I get up vs making me get up with her. 

Lurking.  My DS is 18 months and 35 inches.  He's tall.  No way he's ready for a toddler bed.  He's staying in his crib for as long as possible!

countrymice06

Obviously this is an OU, but I thought I would throw it out there.  I think that by 2-2.5 or so, most toddlers are ready for the "responsibility" of being in a toddler bed.  My DD has always been generally a good sleeper, and when we moved her to her toddler bed a little after she turned 2, it was no issue at all.  She has a convertible crib, so it still had the side rail.  I know that everyone's situation is different, but this has been my experience:

The benefits have been that in the mornings, she can get out herself and come into our room. I love this because she used to SCREAM in the morning.  Now, she just gathers her stuffed animals and comes in cheerfully.  (We have a small house, so I can hear her open her door.) 

She will also get up and come get me if she has to go to the bathroom.  I can't see how you could potty train with them in the crib.  

She now likes to play and rest in her bed with her stuffed animals during the day which is just so cute.  

Most importantly, she thinks she is a big girl now.  I think it has gone a long way to improving her independence and self-reliance.  The other day, about 10 minutes after putting her down for a nap, she came out and said she had to go to the bathroom, and afterwards said, "Ok, I'm going back to bed now!" and ran back in.  

I feared this huge transition and it was a total non-issue.  

teshy1

Our DD is almost 2 1/2 and we tried to transition her to her toddler bed over the weekend.  FAIL.  She wouldn't stay in bed, and kept getting up to play or look at books instead of going to sleep.  Plus, she's had a cold this week, so just all-around bad timing.  We figured we'd try again in a bit.  Baby #2 is due in December, so we have some time to work on it before we'll need the crib for him/her.

joliemariée

My twins are 3 yrs 4 tmth and still happily in their cribs, potty trained.  We were told by our pedi to try putting the  mattresses on the floor of the cribs around 2.5 and they have never once tried to climb out or complained. He said the longer  the better - safer. They sleep soundly at night and take daily 2-3 hour naps unlike all of their little friends who refuse to nap in thief "big kid" beds.  We plan on switching them when they ask for big kid beds or in the fall whatever comes first. 

Do what feels right for your family and works for you and your kiddos.  GL!

kcisthebombdotcom

Danaz1:

Well good for you that your kid switched early font judge others for keeping them in the crib I was also a teacher and now I understand why you eep them in the. Crib longer safety and your own sanity

actually a crib is far less safe than a toddler bed especially if the child is tall.  

Also I have no idea what being a teacher has to do with anything. It doesn't make you more knowledgable about cribs, lol. 

sucredee

Jelliebean1982:

When your child is nighttime potty trained then you need to convert, but until then there's no practical reason to make the switch unless your kid is trying to climb out.

DD just turned 3 and has been night time PT since 26 months and she is still in a crib. The first few months she got up maybe once a night and she would've still needed my help anyway. Now it is very rare that she needs to get up to pee and she sleeps from 8pm-630am.  

She sleeps well in her crib so why mess with a good thing? I don't care when people move their kid to a big bed but if it works for the parent and child then I don't see why it is a big deal to keep them in a crib

Somehow I also don't believe the height limit is 35 inches. My DD is 37 inches and has tons of room left. Heck she still sleeps in her travel crib on vacation and that is smaller than a regular crib. 

So again, not trying to say you shouldn't move your kid to a big kid bed at an earlier age if that is what works for parent and child. Just saying that unless a kid is climbing out of the crib there is no reason to feel pressured to move your kid out of a crib. 

 

skio

TraceyAnya:

I don't know...I feel like its crazy that 3 year olds are in cribs. I can't imagine my daughter in a crib while in preschool. nbsp;To me it seems like either lazy parenting or keeping your kids babies and dependent as long as possible. I think around 2 makes the most sense. My daughter was ready at 18 months to do a toddler bed and at 2.5 she is in a double. She talks of how she is a big girl. Maybe it's because I teach kindergarten that I find it hard to imagine 34 year olds in a crib.

You're a judgmental fuckwad.

dor79

My son was done with his crib at 22 months, he screamed bloody murder anytime he went near it and would not lie down and would instead try and throw himself out.  So we got a double mattress and put it on the floor and then a low bed frame.  We had a gate in his door, so he doesn't leave his room, our bedroom is about 6 stairs lower, so I am afraid he'd fall.

 

But I would of gladly kept him in his crib if he would sleep there.  It still set up in his room, but he uses it as a giant toybox and say "no sleep" when he sees it,  So o what is best for you , but I would of changed somewhere between 2.5-3 years.