Transitioning DD from crib to toddler bed - Any thoughts?

[AnnetteF]

DD will be 26 months tomorrow and for the last few weeks has not been happy to be put in her crib. She has been napping on the living room sofa during the day and her naps there are longer than they have ever been when napping in her crib (although it seriously limits what I can do while she is napping compared to before when I knew she was tucked safely in the crib). She has asked to sleep there at night and , of course, I haven't let her but she seems miserable in the crib. She used to sleep through the night with no problems but she now wakes up at least once, sometimes twice during the night crying and I'm starting to feel like I have a new baby again.

We are thinking of converting her crib to the toddler bed and seeing if that makes any difference. Of course, I know that once we do that there is no going back. I'm thinking that once she goes to sleep I could put the baby gate across the doorway so she doesn't go wandering around the house.

Just wondering what others experiences have been and if anyone has any advice to offer.

 

[diznygirl]

It sounds like your DD really doesn't like her crib anymore! I think she's old enough to switch to a bed.

Both my kids switched from crib to twin bed at 2 yrs. We used a trundle bed frame - the kind you can pop-up and put down - and just left it the down position so that the mattress was close to the floor if they fell out. In addition, we also used a bed-rail. The kids made the transition so easily - one night was all it took. They were excited by the new bed.

Good luck!

 

[clh2]

Our DD moved to a regular twin sized bed when she was about 22 months. It was the climbing thing that really scared me. I saw her trying to climb INTO her crib,from the floor, because she really wanted something that was in her crib. Yeah - it was out of there faster than fast.

No advice her on moving to the toddler bed - we skipped that step. But - it sounds like your DD just might be ready for the switch.

I did have to laugh at DD - for the first 3-4 months in her "big girl bed" she cried when she woke up, we when in and got her out. It took her a while to realize that she could get out of bed by herself.

 

[megan4777]

We moved DD#1 (will be 3 in June)when she was 21m b/c she could get out on her own.

We talked to her about how great it was going to be to have a big girl bed and we had her help us set up her room. We put a body pillow on the floor by her bed along with some large stuffed animals just in case she fell during the night.

We decided, for safety's sake, to buy a gate that screws into the door frame and locks. It's GREAT b/c her room is right at the top of the stairs and she can't get out.

She was a bit hesitant to begin with but she eventually would just read some books and then fall asleep. She VERY rarely sleeps in her bed She prefers the floor.

Good luck with your DD. I'm sure she'll do well!!

 

[Chickysmom]

How about a new pair of cute jammies to celebrate the "big girl" transition? And don't forget about the night lights, they are a life saver!

 

[Disney Hot Mama]

I think your daughter is age wise ready and from the sound of it maturity wise ready too.

We moved my som from his crib to a twin bed instead of a toddler bed. I was due to have my 2nd in a few months so I needed the crib mattress and the toddled bed just wouldn't do. What I did was to set up the twin bed in his bedroom next to his crib. I let him make the choice of which to sleep. We picked out the bedding for the twin together so it was 'his' choice and he felt more of an ownership in his new bed. For the first week or two he wanted to nap in the twin bed and sleep at night in the crib. Eventually he made the choice to sleep in the bed vs. the crib. It was so funny that when he woke up from his bed he would call for me instead of getting out of bed. It was almost like he still felt the bars of the crib were up. Maybe if you are worried about the height on the twin mattress you can simple place it on the floor. My son never once fell out of bed that I knew of and neither did my daughter.

Good luck with your decision.

 

[GinaGrumpyDwarf]

After DD's 3rd birthday we went to Disney and she slept with me with side rails. my mom transformed her room into a beautiful princess room while we wrer away. we never had a hard time, it was super easy!!

twin bed with 2 side rails exactly like the ones in Disney!! DD thinks i bought them there and brought them back for her!!!

 

[laurietg]

I think you will be surprised how easy the transition is! She definitely sounds ready.

 

[Barb D]

We put the crib mattress directly on the floor. That way if they rolled off they didn't have far to fall!

Definitely a gate at the door.

 

[mtemm]

we just switched the twins over to big kid beds (they were 2 in march). I don't do toddler beds, we just start with twin mattresses on the floors (a month later we added the boxsprings, we'll add frames in a month or so). It was an incredibly easy transition...they were both so ready for it. we talked up their big kid beds and from the first night they dove in them happy as clams.

we did dismantle their cribs before setting up the beds...no going back for us, either. and made sure to really baby proof their rooms...makes sure anything they could get their hands on was safe. we close their doors and since they can't open them yet, there is no wandering.

good luck!!!!

 

[skuttle]

We recently converted DS's crib to a toddler bed. He'll be 3 in July. He did fine with his new bed. He's only fallen out a few times...the first night and then a couple of times afterwards. I started putting his bean bag chair right next to his bed to catch him if he falls. He still yells for us when he wakes up. I guess he doesn't realize that it's okay for him to get out of bed on his own. lol! When we move to our new house, we're moving him up to a twin bed. We've really been talking about how exciting it will be for him to have a "big boy bed".