So my question is: my 2 1/2 (31 month) old daughter just potty trained (or is in the process but, doing GREAT). I am wondering if I need to transition her to a big bed so she can start the night process or if we will cause any problems by waiting a bit.
she is trained during the day and wears a pull up at nap and night (it has been one week).
She is not asking for a new bed and I was planning on waiting until she asked or closer to 3. MY son went to the toddler bed first then potty trained closer to 3 (I was pregnant with her and needed to get him out of the crib). I am sure the transition will go fine but, I think I am holding on to her being my baby (she is our last) AND I like knowing where she is.
Is she waking up dry? That is what signal for night training...so I am told. She'll let you know when she is ready for the big girl bed. Our almost two year old let us know by taking a flying leap out of the crib.
Our kids slept in cribs until they were 3, going on 4. We put the side down and put a chair nearby so they can climb in and out independently. (sometimes this required laying down the law about when it's NOT okay to get out of bed!) When we moved to no-diaper-at-night, my husband or I had the job of taking the tot to the potty before we went to bed. They would be sleepy, sometimes sleep through the whole thing, but once we got the pjs down and sitting on the potty, their body knew what to do and they just go. Then, they usually make it through the night with no accidents. We leave a night light on in the bathroom just in case. My daughter (7) soon was getting up to go by herself, and still does. My older son (now 5) usually makes it through the night. If we forget to take the youngest (3, and still in a crib), he wets the bed at about 4 o'clock! The kids all liked the safe feeling of a crib. The older ones will still get into the youngest's crib to play. I didn't feel the need to rush them out of it! But I probably will start moving the youngest to a bed in the next year. Blessings!
Our daughter was day time potty trained before she turned two, but had no inclination to move out of her crib, it was probably about another 1 1/2 years before we moved her into her big girl bed. When she was in the crib, we just put a diaper on her at night (I don't think we changed her out of her panties for naps) since it was easy and then we all just slept the night through. She would go pee right away in her diaper at night and I told her it would give her bumps on her bottom, but it didn't seem to lead to diaper rash, or bother her. When we made a big deal about moving her to her big girl bed, we used pull ups for a little while, but she would treat them like a fancy diaper (too expensive for that) , so we pretty much moved right into panties and she would wake one of us up when she had to go potty...more for moral support than anything else, we would just be in the bathroom (with the nightlight) and tuck her in. She did well even with such a long period between becoming night time potty trained. Just talk to your daughter and see what she thinks she would like to do and what your're both ready for.
I put my son and daughter in a big bed's at 2. I agree with you my daughter was my last and I wanted her to be a baby forever, but we just can't. Take her shopping and have her pick out some Elmo, or Princess sheets. The new sheets might help you with the potty training at night. Make it her own special bed. Good Luck this is only the beginning.
I would wait. Too many transitions at once can confuse her and set her back in the potty training. Most kids are not night trained for some time until after they are day trained, and even then it may have nothing to do with them waking up and getting up and going potty in the night (most kids don't do that). Just stock up on pull-ups for the night until she is dry when she wakes up. And for that, you just have to wait for her bladder size and neurological development to catch up.
Potty training is a seperate issue all together. Night time is when her bladder is capable of holding it and she is waking dry. It has nothing to do with what bed she is in.
I would say at 2 1/2 she is more then ready for a big girl bed. I would get a twin instead of a toddler bed though as they outgrow them fast and double spending. A twin will last her a long time.
When they are asleep they have little control, if she is a sound sleeper then it could take a long time to get her night time trained. If she is completely potty trained during the day, you might just start by putting the crib mattress on the floor to give her an idea of what a big girl feels like.
Both of my kids transitioned to big kid beds in a flash, not one problem. I don't think it is all that traumatic if they are good sleepers and should cause regression.
All kids are different with that and the night time training.
Is she waking dry now? Is she a sound sleeper?
Good luck I would go with your gut if she is ready for a big girl bed but it shouldn't have anything to do with her bed.
Night potty training and day potty training are completely separate issues and they are not related to the crib/bed thing at all. You're just 5 months away from 3 years old, so if you want to wait, just wait for her birthday. They are only small once and we shouldn't be in a hurry to make them grow up. My daughter is our last too and I am cherishing every moment as they speed by at breakneck pace.
