Crib to Bed Change

I would set up her "big girl" bed since you have to take the crib apart anyway. Both my boys went from a crib to a toddler bed around 20 months old.(my first was 20 months, my second was 21 or 22 months) They both did so good I thought afterwards, I should have done this sooner............I hope this helps and good luck, you said she adapts well to change so she should do fine!

My son is 30 months and is still in his crib. I am in no rush to move him out! if she still likes it, keep it. Battles will begin no matter what age you move her, so why not get as much time without them as possible? I think that when we do make the transition, I will try to have both in his room so he can choose. Things will be VERY crammed, but it won't last forever.

Hi M.,

My son didn't get moved to a toddler bed until he was 32 months old. We were pretty lucky, he never tried to climb out and we were in no hurry to go back to the sleepless nights trying to keep him in his room. We used to use the crib for his time outs when he was really bad and one time when he was two years old he threw a bad temper tantrum and almost fell out and he never tried it since.

He kind of grew out of the crib so we made a big production of picking out a toddler bed and used the crib mattress in there and STUCK to his bedtime. We had a baby gate up at his door to ensure he stayed in his room at night (I heard horror stories of kids breaking out of their houses and wandering the street. Didn't want that to happen). But he was so happy to be in the new bed that we had no problem at all transitioning. In fact, he slept even better. We kept the crib up for 2 weeks as a deterrent to wandering the house because if he wandered, he had to go back in the crib. After one time of wandering and being put back in the crib, he never wandered again.

It is pretty much up to you and your daughter though, there really is no good age to transition, she will just give you signs. I wouldn't transition just because of the carpet though, but that is just my 2 cents worth.

I'm sure whatever you decide will work out fine as long as you have a plan and stick to it.

Sorry I was long winded. GOOD LUCK!

i have a 28 month old and my pediatrician said that if my son likes his crib and does not try to climb out or harm himself, to keep him in it until three. he says before three they just do not seem to grasp the concept of "nighty night time" they was they do at three

My son was 22 months old and he seems alot like your daughter, he is very independent and doesn't mind change. He did great!! He didn't really show any signs to us but he is the kind of kid that always wants to do what big kids do so when we asked him if he wanted to sleep in his race car bed, he was all for it, and was very proud of him self. You know your little girl best so if you have a feeling she is ready, I would bet that she would do great. :)

Your daughter is at a good age now if she doesn't sleep really wild. If your bed has the railings that would help her stay in the bed then I would do it when you have the carpet replaced. She's old enough and she may even enjoy having a *big girl* bed! :)

V.

We moved our oldest into a big boy bed at 22 months, the first time he swung his leg up on the side rail of the crib. It took a long time for him to stop getting out of bed and walking around, but we stuck to bedtime and moved everything out of his room except the bed, a small table, and some stuffed animals. He had to go to his room at the same time every night and if he got up he played by himself, eventually he got bored of this and now goes to bed just fine. My sister kept her son in his crib until about 26 months because he liked it just fine, then one night he decided to climb out and he broke his arm. Good luck with whatever you decide to do!

Depends on what kind of stregenth you have. Meaning this...my son was always a good sleeper...until we moved him to a big boy bed. Once he had the freedom to get out of the bed he did. It's been a battle...just like the previous post stated, if you lay in bed with them until they go to sleep then that is what you are going to be committing to for years to come. So once you do make the move...have a plan and make sure your husband is on board with you and stick to it. I have found from my exerience and my friends experience that once they get out of the crib they like to try and get out of their room in the middle of the night. I am strong about him staying in his bed/room, but my husband is soft so it's difficult. So my advice is to keep her in the crib for as long as she will stay and to have a plan. Good luck!!

I say don't rush into it if she is comfortable in the crib. However, some put their child in a "big kid" bed very early and have no problems. I think it just depends upon the kid and how consistent their parents can be. We had our now 12 year old in a big bed at two, however it was a struggle to keep her in.......a lot of loving discipline:). Our 8 year old on the other hand just before she turned 2 she REFUSED to get in her crib so for quite awhile she slept on the crib matress on the floor and we had no problems with her. Different kid. (No, I usually wouldn't allow an almost 2 year old to refuse much of anything but I've learned you've got to pick your battles and it was no big deal to have her sleep on the floor. Rather that than to hear her scream in her crib.) I have noticed some have laid down with their child which caused more problems. A kitchen timer was our best friend. Even at 2 she understood that when the timer went ding mommy and daddy were leaving the room. We usually gave her 10 minutes to read a book then I'd rub hear back. The timer helped set the boundary and we were better equiped to be consistent! - J.

I'm in the same boat. My daugther is 20 months old, and we got a toddler bed a few weeks ago. We were hoping the transition would be smooth, but so far it hasn't. She takes naps in it well, and loves to put her stuffed animals to sleep in it, but for bedtime we still put her in the crib. Our issue with the crib isn't that she's climbing out, but that we're expecting a second in Jan, and we don't want her to feel as though she's getting "kicked out". Anyway, the first night we had the toddler bed, we tried to get her to sleep in it. I lied her down in it after she was mostly asleep (I rock her at night), but in an hour or so she woke up. She was disoriented, and it was dark, and so she just crawled off the side. She wasn't hurt, but it was scary no less. We have rails, but they're toddler bed rails - they're not very long. So, if your daughter wakes up in the middle of the night and crawls to the side (ours does in the crib too), you might want to take that into consideration. Not that we're not still planning on getting her to transition. That's just what we're dealing with. You might also look for a bed with longer rails. Good luck!

most big beds say 3 i always transitioned mine into a toddler bed at about 2. had no issues and they did great, play it by ear mom if you have the room i'd let her nap in the big bed first and see how she does. some issues maybe falling off the bed which i have had, but otherwise not many other issues other than turning the locks to the outside due them locking themselves in their room.

I've always been told that as soon as you see your little seem interested in climbing out of the crib, or just climbing, it's time to transition. In my case. I noticed once or twice my little one could push himself up with the top railing and his feet be off the bed. That was disaster waiting to happen. I could see him tumbling out of the crib head first. So we went to the toddler bed. My son was a little before 2 years old when we did that. It took him a few weeks to get used to it. He would get right out of bed right after I'd leave the bedroom with his afternoon nap. Did fine at bed time at night. He actually fell asleep on the floor a few times. But eventually he got back into bed when he was ready to fall asleep. Good luck! Most likely you'll do just fine.

We always had a twin bed in my daughter room. I think it helped with the transition that she was comfortable with it there. I think you should put the big bed up,even if it is a little cramped, so she can get used to it. She can play on it,maybe even take naps in it. I read that this is a great way to transition. My daughter was 2 1/2 before we put her in a big bed. She took to it easily, again she had always had it in her room. I would give this a try and see how she takes to it. My younger daughter is 18 mths and we do not have a big bed in her room yet. I plan on getting one at the first of the year so she can get used to it and hopefully transition her by 2. I think the best thing is to let her guide your actions in this, if she takes to it great. If not just give it time and be very understanding and encouraging. One thing i wouldn't do is get in the habit if laying down with her. My friend did this and she still has to sleep with her daughter or she will get up in the middle of the night and have to go in to her.i hope this helps. The best to you!

It all depends on how much energy you have & how much energy your daughter has. We have one child who insisted on a big girl bed at 2. We were so proud that she wanted to be like her sister (20 months) older -- but then the battles began - and nighttime out of bed walks and so forth. My son is about to turn 3 in a month. He has tried once to climb out and got stuck. (I also put two tall toys next to the crib, so they look like a mountain range.) He's pretty cautious and hasn't tried since. But I know on his 3rd birthday I probably will have to get him into a toddler bed with potty training and all - but I am not looking forward to the new found freedom of his getting out of bed. (That's why I like to wait as long as possible to give them this freedom. So he has a little more sense.) I know at first, they call to you and don't use this freedom. But then, they are fine with it -- and the mom is a nervous wreck.
Good luck whatever you decide.

My daughter will be 2 in December. She does not try to climb out of her crib. She just stands at the rail calling me when she wants t oget out. When I lower the rail to get her, she holds on to me and throws her leg over the side but she won't do it on her own. I have no intentin of transitioning her until she tries to climb out. She and I share a bedroom at my parents house and as soon as I transition her, my ability to sleep will be no more. I think it i all up to you and your child. If you feel she is ready, go for it :) Good luck

Christopher was 12 months when we got him a bed. It took him a few months to warm up to it, but he loved it at nap time.

My daughter was 16 months.

They both had toddler beds, however when we moved here six months ago, we gave them my old queen and a twin bed. They both sleep on the queen though, except for last night... somehow I was ousted from my own bed! lol! Man I'm tired! :O)

My children are now 23 months and 35 months.

J.

I was waiting until my daughter turned 2 to change her bed, she never got out or anything so I was in no rush, and then one day, right around your daughters age she fell out. And that day I went out and bought her a toddler bed. Her crib was suppose to change with her but it did not have rails to keep her in. So, I took her to the store and she picked out a Dora bed so she was excited to use it and that was it. No problems. So she sounds ready, and if its a good time, go for it. Just talk to her to let her know what is going on and get her excited about it.

Hi M.
We switched our daughter about a month before her 2nd birthday. It worked out great for us. We were concerned before making the swtich because she was a terrible sleeper and we had just started to have some good nights. The first few nights she climbed out of bed a couple of times but the novelty of that soon wore off and she slept better than ever before! We do use the mesh guard rails.
Good luck!
L.

It all depends on you and the child. My daughter got her big girl bed when she was two. My mother-in-law was getting rid of a day bed and wanted to know if we wanted it, so we said yes. My daughter is 4 1/2 and still sleeps in it. She never climbed out of her crib but was started to get to big for it. I found a bed rail that is almost 4 feet long, the longest I could find. It's still on the bed because she sometimes moves around. If you feel your daughter is ready or getting to big for the crib then now is a good time.

J.