Stop Sleeping in Crib?

My son was about 18 months old when he transitioned into a twin bed...it worked for us to offer a reward if he slept all night in his big boy bed. My son felt it was a big deal to be rewarded just for sleeping!

My son is 22 months and I'm due the end of september. My DH and I decided when we found out that we were having a new baby that we wanted DS to stay in a crib. We went out and bought a convertible crib, one that goes from crib to toddler to double bed. that way it will las thim into his teens. although it was expensive we thought it was a good investment. He's going to have ebough changes when the baby comes that we didn't want him to feel like he gave up his bed for the baby.

Hello I was in the same situation as you. My daughter was about 18 months when I was due with my son in December. I put her in the toddler bed when she was 18 months and she did the same thing and till this day she is now 3 and still I go in there in the midlle of the night and she is on the floor. I think that you should keep up putting her in the toddler bed and she will get use to it. I felt that if I left her in the crib until the baby was ready for the crib that she would feel that I was kicking her out of her bed for the new baby, I knew she was going to be going through enough as it was. I have no regrets about doing it I thought it was a great move. There was no jealousy at all between them even till this day now my son is 19 months old. Hope this helps..

J.

My son is 2 and we are expecting another in October. We are keeping him in his crib and the baby will be in a bassinet. He would be up and roaming around if we took him out of the crib and that scares me. If you have enough room, try to get another crib at a second hand children's store. We may end up doing that in the long run! Good luck!

hi.
based on experience, she is too young. i tried this with my son and it backfired. he kept getting out and coming to my bed. now with the baby coming you will be surprised how often you will get a nightly visit from here. if it is financial and you need the crib, try it later when you transition the baby to the crib.
best of luck.

hi. well, i had a baby when my daughter was 18 mths. she stayed in her crib and when she was almost 2 we transitioned her crib to one side with just bed rails. our son his his own crib. just recently (shes 26 mths) shes started sleeping under her bed. so, i just dissasembled her bed and put her mattress on the floor. she sleeps on it fine.so, its something you could try and then have the crib for the baby. my daughters not all jealous and just adores her brother. has from the start. so, dont be concerned too much about jealousy. just make sure the new baby has new bedding so its a different crib. ;O)

if you find her under the bed, then keep with it.. she'll eventually figure out it's more comfy to stay in the bed than sleep under it. Did you use bed rails?? that may give her more of a "crib" feeling and she'll stay in it

Hey, I had Amaya in her big girl bed when she turned 2. That was her birthday gift, the bed and the new bedding. You have to try and make a big deal out of it. When Maggie comes I am sure things around the house will be a little bit easier. Just like when your transitioning Maggie from the bassinet to the crib.

I am a Mom of 3 and my last 2 are just 13 months apart. I had to transition her into a toddler bed when I needed the crib for her new baby brother. I transitioned my daughter into a toddler bed by the time she was 10 months old. I had both the crib and the toddler bed set up when she was 10 months old, and she could walk. I used the toddler bed mostly for naps until she was comfortable with the bed. Then when I could I put her in the toddler bed for the night. There were times when she needed the crib, just so she would stay there. By 11 months old she was ready. I've even had the days with her sound asleep on the floor. Happy, just on the floor. I had to keep putting her in the bed, even if she slept on the floor first. It was like she was testing me to see if I would go and put her back in the crib. I was reminded just to be happy she was safe, and sleeping. After that I never did put her back in the crib. I let her know her crib was for the new baby, her brother. I even bought a baby doll to put in the bed-to simulate her brother being there. This helped her understand the baby needed the crib, like she needed her toddler bed. When she went to bed so did the baby doll, and soon her brother. She helped a lot with putting the baby to bed, and was proud that when her brother was born he went in the crib. And she got to help same as with the baby doll. I thought for sure she was going to fight to keep the crib, but she was already used to the routeen of baby goes in the crib-I go in the bed. It was so difficult, it's always difficult to use a toddler bed for the first time. I knew I had to keep her in the bed, especially since we had a baby at home and she couldn't go back to the crib. I know putting your child in a toddler bed is hard, and each kid is different-ready for things at different times. But when the need arrives you've just got to do it. Keep telling yourself this is for the best. And it will eventually work out. By December I'm sure you will have things all worked out. Keep trying, even if it's tough. Hope this helps you.

Hi L....

One thing I can tell you is that whatever you're going to do, keep trying, be consistent, and don't stop just because she doesn't take to it right away. Some things are harder for kids to adjust to, but give it time, she'll get used to it. If she has a hard time with it, then make it a rewarding thing, meaning, make it something exciting and fun. Make a big deal out of it, like she's reaching a milestone (which she is) much like going potty in the toilet or drinking out of a cup instead of a bottle. If you show excitement and energy around it, she will draw from that.

Hope this helps....

R. :)

HI L.. In my opinion, your daughter is too young for this Toddler bed. You figure, when you have the new baby in Dec. he/she will be in a bassinet or cradle for a few months, so that gives you plenty of time to keep your older child in the crib. You may actually have any easier time transitioning the older child once the younger one is ready for the crib. You will be including the older one in with taking care of the baby, something that is very important for a positive experience for an older sibling. Wait it out, less stress for you. It will all work out. Good luck.

my youngest went in a toddler bed on her first birthday.