Advice on Moving to a Toddler Bed

Hi J.,
I had to move my son to a toddler bed when he turned 18 months old. While I thought this was very early, my son is very tall and the same as you I caught him with one knee up on the rail of his crib. I decided then that I would rather him be safe than to fall out of his crib onto the hard wood floor. The first night or two there were no problems getting him to sleep in the bed. It was new and exciting and he loved it! After that I found that for about 2 weeks it was a struggle to put him to bed. What worked for us is that he got to pick his favorite book each night and take it into his big boy bed with him. I would sit on the floor right next to the bed and we would talk about what was happening in the pictures (he won't sit still for story telling). By the end of the book he had to lay down I would rub his back for 5 minutes until he was good and sleepy. Then I would leave and he would go to sleep on his own. Ever since then when it's bedtime he takes my hand, we walk into his room and he climbs into bed all on his own! I never had a problem with him trying to get out though. For whatever reason, once he's in his bed (there is a toddler rail) he stays there until you come to get him. At night I do put up a gate in his doorway. I did have a fear of him waking up and walking around at night while we were sleeping, but it hasn't been a problem at all.

Good luck to you!

Hey J.,
yep, it's time to move to a bed(all mine moved to a bed by 16-22 months). You can do a couple of different things put a matress on the floor until he adjusts or just make sure there are safety rails and put a couple of pillows on the floor just in case...then baby proof his room and I would hide all toys in the closet or somewhere else (again just for awhile). then baby gate him in the room, it's expected that he will get out of bed a lot at first and you can go in and help him back into bed or just let him fall asleep where he ends up(the floor) and move him to his bed later...it's a training process and it will take him time to get used to and depending on your set up(stairs etc) you will probably be able to take down the babygate after a month or so...(put one in the hall to keep him out of the house while you're asleep)... I usually give my kids really flat pillows to start with or travel pillows(because their necks are so small)...and they sometimes use them sometimes not....I still find my kids upside down in their beds every now and then but that will stop or lessen as they get older...just make sure his room is safe...if he uses a nightlight get one that screws into the wall so he can't pull it in and out...have fun on your new adventure!
one last thing, use warmer pj's til he's used to it and in a week or two the blankets will be more likely to stay on...

toddler beds are a personal choice. My daughter moved from a crib, straight into a twin bed. I personally think toddler beds are a waste. There are guard rails if you do not feel safe enough or you can start with just a mattress on the floor for a few weeks. As for pillows, they are ready. Just start with one and if you don't feel safe with a regular sized pillow, use a travel size pillow. You can use a baby gate to keep him in his room if that is a concern as well.
Good Luck.

My 2-year-old has been using a full-sized pillow for months - he wanted one when he saw me and his father using one, and he's been fine with it. Sometimes he sleeps on it, sometimes below it. I am not, however, ready to move him to a toddler bed yet, and that's for several reasons.
One: While he does climb out of the crib when the side is down, he hasn't yet figured out how to (or maybe he hasn't wanted to - his crib is an interesting place) how to get out when the side is up, and he's a tall toddler, in the 90th percentile for height.
Two: I'm not ready for him to be able to move all over his room at will. If he were to get out one he woke up, he'd go straight to the door and to us. That's not a concern. If he were able to get out easily whenever he wanted to, he would more than likely be a tiny hurricane, causing no end of damage in his wake.
Three: Even though he naps on a cot at daycare, he just doesn't seem ready for a bed, even though it would make my life easier.

Recently had the same problem with my son (18 months then, 21 now) and I came here for help. Advice was 50/50: move him to a bed or buy the Crib Tent 2.

After much discussion with my husband we went with the tent and love it. My son sleeps great in his crib, love his new tent, and I was NOT ready for him to be loose at night. BUT my son is a handful.... Last week I caught him removing an outlet plug with his TEETH!! So you can see why I need him to be contained at night for his safety and my peace of mind.

If your son can be trusted alone in his room all night then maybe you don't need to consider the tent. It does cost as much as a toddler bed! But I plan to skip the toddler bed and go straight to a twin when he's ready.