When to Go to Toddler Bed?

I feel like she's too young for a toddler bed. I would wait until she's around 2 and until then this might be a great transition time to put her in a crib since you will be moving the room around from one location to another. Keep the rails up at full height to prevent her from crawling in and out and falling. I would also take "daddy" into consideration and see if you can work this out with the baby so he's happy too. I know the saying is "if momma ain't happy, ain't no-one happy!" ... that can also go for the daddy. Good luck on the move!

My advice would be to get her sleeping in her own bed as early as possible. It may be inconvenient for you for a few nights but if you stick to your guns and get her to go to sleep in her OWN bed, she will learn that is her space. If you don't do it now, it will only get harder later. I know this from experience and I had the best advice ever from the pediatrician my children saw in there infancy and as they became toddlers. She told me to always put him in his own bed at bedtime (which should be a consistent time each night). She said that he may cry and that it is fine to let him but to come back if he had not quieted down after about 5 minutes. Don't say anything...just lay him down and cover him and go back out. Wait ten minutes and return, then 15, etc. The first night was the hardest but he was asleep soon after my 3rd visit to his room. The second and third nights I waited ten minutes and went in and before the next 20 minutes were up he was a sleep. After the 3rd night I very seldom had to go in and settle him down after initially putting him to bed. It was the best thing I could have done for me and for him (and my husband, too). I have remained childless in my bed ever since (other than the occasional bad dream nights -- and even then I try to get them back in their own beds). Your child will be more independent and secure and you and your husband will be more comfortable and have the privacy you need and deserve.

I would put the mattress on the floor, thoroughly baby-proof her room, and gate it. I tried taking the crib side off and my son just fell out on his head because he expected the side to be there. He was on a twin bed by 16 months old. The fewer transitions the better, and in a new home you could still snuggle with her while switching her over to her own bed on the floor. My husband is home during the days and often put our son in bed with him in the early morning so they could both get a few more hours of sleep, even though he was spending the night in his own room.

I don't think you need to reassemble the crib. My son slept in his own toddler bed at an early age because little brother came along 18 months later. We had to get him used to the bed before baby came so he wouldn't think he lost his crib to the new baby. Our pediatrician said it would be fine when we asked him. We did have a rail on the side and a big body pillow on the floor in case he fell out, but the transition went pretty smooth. We didn't keep the toddler bed long and soon just got a twin mattress for him and just set it on the floor. My son was sleeping alone in his crib before though. It may be a bit of a struggle but your daughter will be in the same room so that should help transition her. I know plenty of kids who are school age and will still sleep at the end of the parents bed on a pallet of blankets just be in the same room.

Once my son was able to start climbing out of his crib it was time to get him his own bed...I figured it wouldn't be long between a toddlers bed and a twin so I just bought him a twin bed and now they have rails that you can put on the sides and they work my son has been in his own bed (twin) with the rails for the last two and a half years (he's 3 1/2) and he loves it. Plus its safer the bed is real low to the floor and he has no problems climbing in and out. My neice is a year older than my son and my brother and his wife bought her a toddler bed and because its so lite she moves it everywhere, the idea that they can move there beds scared me so thats why i went to the twin right away. hope this helps

I think whatever you do with the crib, you're daughter is going to hate it compared to sleeping in the bed with you and your husband. If you put the mattress on the floor or make the crib a low toddler bed, I'll bet you dollars to donuts she will be out of that crib/toddler bed and into your bed in a flash. If you plan on ever having her sleep in her own bed in the future (it is completely up to you and your husband), I would say this move is a good opportunity to transition her into her crib, set up as a crib with the side all of the way up to keep her in there. The transition to her own bed is going to be difficult (atleast in my experience) with a lot of nights of crying and repeated waking up with crying, but eventually, she should settle into her own bed. It is just a matter of when you want to do it, and the longer you have a kid in the bed with you, the harder it will be to get them out :). They just get too accustomed to having you right there all night. My 10 year old step daughter still sleeps with her mom when she's at her mom's house! I don't know about you, but I definitely want my kids out of my bed by 10!

My daughter hated her crib at about 15 mos, and that is when we started with a mattress on the floor she LOVED it. If yours has been walking for a while or you think she can handle getting in and out of the toddler bed without a problem I would set her crib up that way. There is absolutely no reason to reassemble the crib entirely if you don't honestly think she will even sleep in it. No stress mama :-)

My son went from crib to adult size bed at 22 months. We skipped the toddler stuff completely. I appreciate the idea of the family bed, but never could do it myself.

Best,
S.

I run a babysitting business with about 30 families. Over half of them have kids in the toddler age. Most of them converted between 12-18 months. I have seen a few before and few after. My daughter did at 10 months. She never got up and didn't try to wander. I have a family that waited till 3 for their other. Really just depends on your daughter and how she adapts.

It will be obviously up to you and DH on what you decide to do, but I can tell you that my 18 month son just transitioned from his play pen (he was in a crib, but when we moved, I didn't want to set it up again) to a mattress on the floor. This has worked fine. The first night, I had to lie down with him a few different times to calm him down because he was really upset that he didn't have his usual sleeping place. But once he finally fell asleep, he hasn't really had a problem since then. Occasionally I'll come in to check and he'll have rolled off onto the floor, but he'll still be sound asleep. I haven't had to worry about it since there's not too much distance to roll off of. :) Of course, my son was already accustomed to sleeping on his own away from mom and Dad, so you may find it helpful to transition with the crib first, but that will depend on your child.

Crib til 3 unless she can climb out!

I would say crib, we moved our son to a toddler bed at 22 months and he was ready then. Also you might want to check out state law in OK, but I think anyone over the age of 6 months has to have their own room in an apartment regardless of if they sleep with your or not.

It is time for you and your husband to have your bed back. At 13 months and moving into a new place is the perfect time to transition her into her own sleeping space.
Good Luck !