Poll: transitioning from crib to toddler bed

Smudges*Mom · June 2011

For the moms who have kids sleeping in toddler (or bigger) beds. . .

1. How old was your LO when you moved him/her from their crib to a toddler bed (or converted their bed from crib to toddler bed)? How did it go?

2. What was your reason to make the change when you did?

3. Did you put any safety measures into place before the transition?

4. Is there anything that you wish you'd known before you'd made the change? What advice do you have for those making the transition?

TIA!! I'm not sure how soon we will convert LO's crib. His pedi brought it up at his 18 month appointment and I balked. LO's two year appointment is coming up and I'd like to have a game plan. Honestly, I'm not in any hurry. I like that LO is safe in baby jail, I mean his crib, but I know that eventually he will outgrow his crib (though, he's little, so that is not a concern). Oh--and he has not made any efforts to try to climb out.

Germanwife2b · June 2011

Honestly, Patrick has had several "chances" at being in his big boy bed (the side off his crib off). The first couple of chances happened about 6 months ago (he was 3 in March) and our wonderful sleeper turned into a 'wanderer'. He wandered the house and we'd find him on the computer in our bedroom. He did lots of things but sleep. And the 2 am wakeups with a child staring at us were startling to say the least. So each time, we put the side back up without making a big deal out of it to him. Each time he went back to his normal 12 hour a night sleeping schedule. He was never climbing out of the crib- we just thought it was time. Fast forward to about a week or two ago and DH tried it again but this time talked about a reward with 5 M&Ms if he stayed in bed. Wow! It worked! If we know he got out of bed, we talk about it in the morning and he doesn't get his M&Ms. If he stays in bed (which most nights he does) he gets his treat! He was finally ready! At 3 years and some change!

My advice, don't rush it if you don't have a need to rush it!

UsedToBeGoldie · June 2011

1. How old was your LO when you moved him/her from their crib to a toddler bed (or converted their bed from crib to toddler bed)? How did it go? Griffin was a few months shy of 3y/o.... the transition went fine- no issues at all.

2. What was your reason to make the change when you did? we did it b/c he tried to climb INTO his crib. otherwise we would have kept him in there until he didn't fit anymore..... i'm a big believer in having the crib avail when i'm taking a shower, etc.

3. Did you put any safety measures into place before the transition? nope... but if the twins try to climb out i'll get crib tents b/c i REALLY want them in the crib until 3y/o.

4. Is there anything that you wish you'd known before you'd made the change? What advice do you have for those making the transition?

my advice? don't listen to your doc. There's no medical reason to take a child out of the crib- as long as he/she is not climbing in/out and it's unsafe.... otherwise- it's a LOT more safe to have a child in the crib at night and any time during the day when you can't watch (ie showering, etc).... i can't stand doctors who tell parents what to do with things like that - let the doc stick to medical stuff.... you decide when you are done with the crib.

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KMB7 · June 2011

1. How old was your LO when you moved him/her from their crib to a toddler bed (or converted their bed from crib to toddler bed)? How did it go?

We just started this about a week ago, 2 yrs 10moish, it has gone great! I found Billy on the floor once, but he wasn't even awake and I just put him back in bed. I've found Bekah with her lower half (legs) hanging off the side of the bed and just repositioned her. I've also found her on the floor once. She woke up when I walked in, realized she was on the floor and climbed back in.

2. What was your reason to make the change when you did?

Since they are almost three and sleep on cots at school/daycare, I thought it was a good time.

3. Did you put any safety measures into place before the transition?

I have sleeping bags folded in half on the floor to add some padding if they fall off.

4. Is there anything that you wish you'd known before you'd made the change? What advice do you have for those making the transition?

Honestly we have had a great transition. We explained to them that it was very special for them to be in big kid beds (crib converted to a daybed) and that if they were playing around or getting up before they should that they would go right back to being in cribs. They have handled it very well. They know to stay in their beds until mom or dad tell them to get up.

Make it exciting for them, and have fun. I love being able to say "go get in bed" and I don't have to lift them any more. I just bend over and give hugs and kisses.

AvaLikeLava · June 2011

G was about 2 yrs old. We moved him to a twin sized bed in a whole new room from his nursery & crib in one night. With #2 on the way, I wanted the nursery to go to the baby and didn't want to buy a new crib. At the same time I didn't want G to feel 'kicked out' of the nursery after the baby came so we moved him a few months prior.
we bought a Malm twin bed from Ikea. No safety measures other than the fact we didn't put the mattress slats up. The mattress is straight on the floor w/ the bedframe around it. That way if he falls (which he has) he's only dropping 6" off the ground.
We were very fortunate to have an easy transition with him. We did it over bedtime because naptimes with him were always a pain. He only got outof bed twice, but I put him back in bed w/o saying a word (like I've read here to do), and he got the point and fell asleep.I LOVE having him in a twin. Being able to lie down with him, and cuddle in his bed has been great. Especially when he's been sick. So glad we skipped over the toddler bed for that reason alone.

keg · June 2011

1. We transitioned DDs when they were almost 26 months old (back in Feb) and it went much better than I expected. The first night we had some screaming and one DD fell asleep in front of the door, but it got much better the next day. Now, at night they go in their beds and stay there. Some nights they will fuss some, but they stay in bed when they do it.

2. We did it because one DD had figured out how to climb out of her crib, as in doing in four times one night when I was putting her down to bed. She was pretty controlled about it, but my other DD then tried to do the same thing and she was going at it head first (luckily I was there to stop her). That DD had climbed out one several months earlier but I think it was a fluke since it didn't happen again (I think she was going after a toy that had fallen out of her crib).

3. We removed a double bed and a recliner that was in their room before we transitioned their beds. I also made sure to cover all outlets, anchored their dresser and bookcase, put all the things they could get into out of their reach, got "locks" for their bifold closet doors, and put a child proof knob cover on their door. Since then we've moved the recliner back in and I don't always "lock" their closet doors because they don't bother these things.

4. I was expecting it to be a much worse transition than it was, and we went about it completely wrong if you listen to what the "experts" say. We didn't talk it up before hand or do a handful of other things. However, I would leave your DS in his crib as long as you can. I don't see the need to do it just because your ped thinks it's time. My DDs would still be in their cribs if they hadn't learned how to climb out.

I will say naps are pretty much a mess, but they were starting to be so in their cribs too. They would play for quite a while and not fall alseep. Being in their toddler beds just gave them more area to play in and not go to sleep. However, I think it has more to do with the fact that there are two of them. I probably should just bite the bullet and separate them for nap time, but I haven't yet. It's amazing how different they are at bed time though. At night they stay in their beds with no problem and generally stay in them for quite a while after they wake up too in the morning, just playing and such.

LisaMarisa · June 2011

1 - DS moved into his firetruck bed at 2y5m. It was so much easier than I thought it would be and it is still going really well - it was never a problem.

2 - We moved to our new house and the crib was going into DDs room (she was still sleeping our room). Moving to a new house seemed like a good time to transition to a new bed, get all of the change over at once.

3 - We keep his door closed at night and I have a door knob cover on so he can't get out. I also have a gate at the top of the steps. We have a video monitor that pans so we can see him if he ever got out of bed but he never has. Also, furniture is bracketed to the wall so it wont tip if he were to climb on it.

4 - I wish I had known how easy the transition would be! I had been thinking of doing it since he turned 2 but was always scared and didnt want to rush it. He was fine in his crib and why ruin a good thing, right? I guess my point is not to feel rushed, do it when you're ready and waiting could be a good thing.

regenab · June 2011

The girls were 2 1/2 when we changed them. I was trying to go as far as possible and was hoping to get closer to 3. The one started climbing out and that was not a problem for me, I wasn't really worried about her falling or anything. Then the second one learned to crawl out. Again, not that big of a deal. But one more the one twin climbed into her sisters crib and they started fighting and hitting each other. That was a problem. So when DH was home on leave over Christmas we converted them to toddler beds. If it would have been more like between 2 and 2 1/2 I would have just got crib tents and kept them in until 3. But because we have 2 of them and those crib tents are like $80 a pop, I just couldn't justify only using them for like 4 or 5 months.

Once we changed them bedtime was no problem, they went right to sleep like normal. They also only rolled out of bed a couple of times. We didn't do bedrails because those are really expensive for toddler beds and their beds are made from their old IKEA cribs so they sit like 4" off the floor. So yes they rolled out onto the floor a couple of time, but were not hurt and now they don't move at all anymore, so when we put them in twin beds next year, I won't have to worry about them falling out.

The only issue we had with changing to the toddler beds was naps went bye bye. If it was one child this probably wouldn't be an issue, but since they share a room and can just get out of bed the end up playing and destroying the room together instead of napping. So we have not been napping now for almost 5 months. Took me a couple of weeks to get used to that, but now, I hate the days when they fall asleep in the late afternoon because that means a late bedtime. No nap days means bedtime is early and I love me an early bedtime.

It think it worked so well for as at bedtime because at 2 1/2 they understood when I gave them bedtime rules and that they needed to follow them. Younger than that and I don't think they would have understood and I would have been dealing with putting kids back in bed several times a night. I am surprised your pedi is asking about when you are transitioning. I don't see why everyone is in such a rush about this, all it does for most kids is cause bedtime problems if they are younger than 2 1/2. If he likes being in his crib than I say, "Don't fix what isn't broken."

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