Prolonged crib usage - opinions?

JoJoMama730 · February 2013

I've been planning on keeping G sleeping in her crib until a time when I literally can't keep her in the crib. I feel like I'm in the minority here on this. I think she knows how to climb out, but is choosing not to for now. I'm also starting to wonder if there are downsides to prolonged crib usage that I haven't considered. Opinions? I have my own internal war between some pros and cons on a toddler bed transition. My biggest worry is mucking with the sleep patterns, when it's only in recent months that she's become a better sleeper. Were most of your transitions driven by LO climbing out?

SugarSnap83 · February 2013

Noah is still in his crib and I have no plans on changing that anytime soon!

pitterpatter129 · February 2013

We moved N at 14 months to a twin, but his were more about him bedsharing with us and having never really used his crib much in the first place, so a bed seemed more appropriate. I, however, personally slept in MY crib until I was 4. My mom said the only reason they really moved me then was because my sister was born. I was fully potty trained and everything too. I don't think it's a big deal at all if you want to leave her there if it's working for you. I'm a firm believer in doing what works for your family!

jarebearsmom · February 2013

Ours was purely out of the fact that we moved and had to take his crib apart anyway. I will never go back. He sleeps so much better and longer!

lrn327 · February 2013

Christian still sleeps very well in his crib so we're in no hurry. Like you, I believe he knows how to climb out but chooses not to do so. It's an Ikea crib too and very short so it wouldn't be hard at all.

KelCaryn20 · February 2013

Elliott sleeps very well in his crib, but is on a nap mat at DC because he climbed the pack n play.

I think the PnP is the only reason I'm considering the full toddler bed transition....we travel to see family, and I just don't think is very comfortable for him to sleep in that thing anymore. Sadly, I can't let him kindasortasometimes sleep in his crib.... Can I?

Cheekers2010 · February 2013

lrn327:
Christian still sleeps very well in his crib so we're in no hurry. Like you, I believe he knows how to climb out but chooses not to do.

Same here. In fact, two days ago he said "I can climb out of the crib, mama.". Ha ha. He's never done it and I told him I didn't want him to.nWe'll see how long he decides to listen.

bumpuser260585 · February 2013

J is still in his crib and I don't see us moving him out any time soon. He tried to climb out once. I told him no and he hasn't tried again. He sleeps well in his crib, so I'm not messing with that any time soon.

chickaboo1974 · February 2013

We were forced into the transition- the boys were climbing out. If I had it my way they would still be in their cribs.... until they needed to be able to get out for potty training at night.

Strunella · February 2013

CarlaBrett:
Noah is still in his crib and I have no plans on changing that anytime soon!

This exactly.

bosha711 · February 2013

DS would totally still be in his crib if he hadn't been climbing out.

My only question is how PTing would work out if he were still in his crib. He'd have to call for us to come get him out first if he had to go.

msualum96 · February 2013

Um, I will literally keep R in a crib as long as possible. I do not think you are in the minority. He loves it, in fact, prefers it! I asked DC provider about how he does naps, and she said he wants to be in the PNP. It'll happen eventually, just not in a rush to do it.

mommyfied · February 2013

J is still in the crib - partly because of space and partly because I do not thrust him to go to sleep if he had the liberty to move around.

When we move next year I think that we will bring the crib (because we will have #2) and just transition before #2 comes. So by April-May next year I hope that he is transitioned.

Any tips on how to PT with a crib?

lswivel · February 2013

C is still in his crib and will be for as long as possible. DH keeps talking about wanting to move him to a toddler or twin bed, but as long as he is content and not climbing out I don't see a reason for it.

JoJoMama730 · February 2013

The PTing aspect is sort of what brought this up for us.

keags5496 · February 2013

We kept E In his crib as long as possible and only transitioned him out be aide he climbed out. FWIW the transition wasn't too bad when you do have to do it.

I would think PT wont be too bad either. They'll just call for you of they need to get up, right?

missmuffin87 · February 2013

We still use the crib. We will transition either when/if we move this summer or around her 3rd bday. I know she would sleep fine in a bed at night, but from experiments at my mom's house I know naps would just not happen. I need her to be a little older so we can really talk about the expectations of sleeping in a big girl bed.

I have no problem with hazel still using the crib while #2 is a nb, because s/he will be sleeping in the PnP for the first few months anyway.

We've already started PTing, but haven't bothered with nighttime yet because of the crib and I know she can't hold her urine while she's sleeping anyway.

lrn327 · February 2013

Doesn't nighttime training actually usually occur quite a while after daytime training? Like missmuffin said, I don't think they can hold it quite that long yet and don't normally have the capacity yet to wake and understand they need to go to the bathroom until 3 or even 4.

Five Months to Plan · February 2013

DD never tried to climb out of the crib and was sleeping great. I did not want to change it. It was working right? DH really really thought she was ready. My mom encouraged me to try it too. Since DH and my mom both agreed for me it was enough to realize I needed to give it a try. We did back in oct, and it went great.

heyitsme · February 2013

I'm in the"if it ain't broke, don't fix it" mindset. When DD was 2y8m we decided to transition her to a toddler bed. Within a week she was back in the crib. We tried sticking it out but she was up every hour, we weren't getting any sleep, we were all bickering, etc. It didn't work for us. At 3y2m we tried again (this time she wasn't climbing out but was showing more readiness such as falling asleep on our futon with one of us and then we would move her) and it was a beautiful transition that went VERY smoothly! I'll do the same with DS. DH constantly reminds me that growing up in Brazil he slept in a crib until he was 5. LOL

Kellina · February 2013

No plans to move here either!!! Maybe this summer. I think he'll be trouble when we move him and he's tiny so it's not a space problem. We didn't move DS1 till closer to 3 either and only b/c he's really tall!

kat81again2 · February 2013

DS can climb out (but doesn't) and we will keep him in for another few months. He is interested in our bed and "sleeping" in it so I think he is ready to switch, and we'll need to do it well ahead of the new baby (Sept) so DS doesn't feel like he's moving just for that reason. But I'm with you that there's no need to rush it.

ChicagoBroad26 · February 2013

Ava's still in her crib and I plan on keeping her in there for as long as possible. In fact, I got another crib so that she has one in her new room and we can keep the current crib in the nursery for #2.

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