Keeping child in a crib...

[vettechick99]

DD has never tried to climb out of her crib. She fits well in it, and seems to enjoy her little sanctuary.

She is turning 3 soon and we are having another baby. She is getting a new room and we have considered getting her a big-girl bed. But do I have to? If she loves it, and we love it, can't I keep her in the crib until she grows out of it? What are the pros to going ahead and moving her over, instead of waiting til she is older?

 

[NAB]

I think the pro would be that it might be easier to get her to a bed telling her the baby needs it instead of , you out grew your bed you have to go to a big bed. She might not want to go then.

We had to move my son out of the crib for my DD he was 3 as well. He was so excited about it too. Plus he was gettng really heavy to get in and out I was ready too. But he was never a climber either.

Let her help pick the bed and exspecially the bedding that is a big part to them. You can make it cozy for her. Heck my dd who is nine you can't even find her in the bed with all her stuff animals.

Forgot to add....our school starts kindergarden at four do you really want them to go to school saying they are still in a crib?

 

[DMickey28]

I honestly don't know. My BFF has a 3.5 year old and while she isn't in the crib anymore she is in the toddler bed portion of the crib so it's the same size. She loves it. I am a fan of keeping them in the crib as long as possible ... but I don't know if you will end up having a harder time moving her as she gets older. I would think as she gets a little older she will want to be in a big girl bed and the transition will be easier when it's her own idea.

My DS is 2.5, he'll be 3 in April. He has been in a big boy bed (first a queen and now a new twin big boy bed in his own room) since June, just after he turned 2. It was more a result of circumstance than anything else but he was also a big boy and while he never tried to climb out DH was very afraid that he was going to.

One thing I have never really understood is moving the older child into a new room. I would think that would cause more confusion when a new baby comes into the big kids old room. I don't know though ... we moved in October, knowing we were having another baby so we picked each kids room based on that.

 

[phamton]

I usually took them out of the crib by the time I started potty training them. I wanted them to be able to get to the bathroom by themselves at night, if needed.

 

[Abbie]

Of course you don't "have to", you can do whatever fits your family best. In our case, my kids are each 3.5 years apart and making the switch from crib to bed just seemed the natural next step at that point. Each child really, really loved watching Daddy take down the crib and helping to get their "big girl" bed set up. They seemed to love feeling that transition from baby to big sister!

From a practical standpoint I didn't want to purchase a new crib when I already had one I loved. You know eventually your DD will be moving out of the crib, with a new one coming, the timing is right.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

You don't have to do anything. That is the beauty of being the mommy.

My youngest loved her crib as well and I forced her out of it when she was turning 4. She was mad but imo 4 is too old to be in a crib. She is 13 now and will tell you she loved her crib.

 

[vettechick99]

Well her crib is convertible so it's not necessary that she move out for the baby. I could tell her that and keep the crib for the next one and just buy her a bed. But she sleeps so well in her crib - I hate to even go through the nights of fighting with her to stay in because I know that she will push it. I think that the longer we wait, the easier the transition will be. Right now my friends with kids her age have all had issues with the transition. So my thought process is if the crib is working, we'll keep her there for a while and go down this road when she is older.

We don't have to make her move rooms, but her room is already set up as a nursery and the other room has it's own bathroom. So when she is a little older she can go potty whenever she wants. I don't think she'll be upset one bit to get a new room. She'll think it's fun!

I don't know. Just wondering what others do.

 

[MickeyShow]

I'm getting ready to move my almost 3 year old out of his crib in the next few months. He loves his crib too and never complains but my biggest reason is that he is potty trained now and 1-2 times a week will wake up because he needs to pee and calls for us. I'm hoping eventually he'll be able to just go himself.

 

[ICF]

Ours were both out of the crib by 2ish....

1 because she hated it and the other because we needed it for his baby sister.

Besides, by 3 they should probably be working on potty training (at least in the near future) and will need to get out of bed to take care of business if necessary.

 

[Mermaid02]

I'd move her now rather than try after the baby comes..... she's likely to feel displaced with the addition of her baby brother/sister and that may make it harder to get her into a toddler bed later.

 

[Abbie]

Well her crib is convertible so it's not necessary that she move out for the baby. I could tell her that and keep the crib for the next one and just buy her a bed. But she sleeps so well in her crib - I hate to even go through the nights of fighting with her to stay in because I know that she will push it. I think that the longer we wait, the easier the transition will be. Right now my friends with kids her age have all had issues with the transition. So my thought process is if the crib is working, we'll keep her there for a while and go down this road when she is older.

We don't have to make her move rooms, but her room is already set up as a nursery and the other room has it's own bathroom. So when she is a little older she can go potty whenever she wants. I don't think she'll be upset one bit to get a new room. She'll think it's fun!

I don't know. Just wondering what others do.

You know what struck me about your initial post is that your DD never attempts to climb out of her crib. That surprised me because mine always did and were little monkeys the way they learned to maneuver out of it! So you might be surprised, you might not have to fight to keep her in a bed. She sounds like an angel!

 

[Christine]

My DD was in the crib until she was 3 1/2. We moved at that point AND had a new baby so it seemed like the right time. That said, she also LOVED her crib, never climb out of it, and on infrequently asked us to come get her to go the bathroom.

DS was our last child, again LOVED his little sanctuary and so there was no rush. He stayed in his crib till he was almost 4. He liked it but he was getting too big for his crib.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

It seems like a good time to make the transition. When my kids (twins) were at that point, I remember reading that their room became their "crib" as opposed to the crib itself, so I just childproofed that room so that it was safe for them if they wandered, with a gate in the doorway (which was right next to our room if they needed us). We got them some really neat toddler beds (Little Tykes Cozy Coupe) to encourage them to stay in their beds, and that actually helped.

 

[Disneycrazy!!]

If she really loves the crib, then keep her in it and buy a new one for the baby. But I do agree with others, she is close to the age to be potty trained and that may cause a problem if she is still in a crib. Does your crib have the type of rails where the front piece is removable, leaving 3 sides up? then it wouldn't be such a big change for her.
My son was sleeping in a toddler bed at 1 1/2. He was a climber and the first time he fell out of the crib was 9 months. He will be 4 in 2 weeks.

 

[zachnsamsmommy]

I don't think there is a 'right' or 'wrong' in this situation. My DS is going to turn 3 in May, and he is still in his crib, and a good sleeper that never climbs out. So I totally understand the hesistation...why mess up a 'good' thing if she is doing well in it?

I keep debating back and forth whether to move my son...I think I will around his 3rd birthday, unless he makes an escape before then.

However, I do agree with PP that suggest now as opposed to when the new baby gets here. She may resent her new sibling if she has to give him/her HER crib. It would be easier now if you are going to do it at all.

Good Luck!

 

[vettechick99]

DD is potty trained (mostly - still won't poopy in potty) but still needs a diaper at night. She still wakes with a full diaper so it'll be quite some time before she's ready for nighttime potty trips.

Abbie, she is an angel! That's why I hate to even move her out. When I put her to bed, if she isn't tired she will lie there and talk to her stuffed animals and sing. But I know if she has the opportunity to get out, she will. And I can make her room safe, but it's still going to be full of toys. We want most of the toys in there, instead of in the living room.

I'm thinking of making her crib into its full size and putting it against the wall so it's kind of like a daybed. Then put up a bedrail. She may see that rail as something to stay behind. And as she gets older I can get rid of it.

Loreli, you are right. I should do any transitioning before the next one comes.

Thanks for all the tips. Great food for thought.

 

[diznygirl]

My son never tried to climb out of his crib. And we had another baby on the way when he was 2-ish so we moved him to a twin bed. It was very low to the floor in case he rolled out. The issues were mine - HE was absolutely fine.

 

[tinatark]

I would use a bassinet for the new baby - that will buy you probably another 3 months - would hate to buy a "new crib" when maybe by the time the new baby is ready for a crib, your older daughter would be ready for a toddler bed.

 

[krcit]

Hmmm, that's a tough one. If you there wasn't a new baby coming I would say just to take it as it comes. However, I agree with others that if you're going to do it I would do it now so it's a non-issue by the time the baby comes. My oldest dd is 3 1/2 years older than her sister. We made a big deal out of a big girl bed and letting her pick the bedding and being a 'big girl' My ds is 2 1/2 years younger than my middle dd, so I needed her out of the crib but she just went into her sisters bed, lol. I had to take ds out of the crib b/c he was climbing so I have no idea how long I would've let him stay. I baby him so much that maybe he'd still be in there(he' almost 9) So I'm not much help, lol! I'm thinking maybe you should transition her now b/c once the baby comes you don't have to deal with 2 kids up at night!! Good luck

 

[mjkacmom]

You know what struck me about your initial post is that your DD never attempts to climb out of her crib. That surprised me because mine always did and were little monkeys the way they learned to maneuver out of it! So you might be surprised, you might not have to fight to keep her in a bed. She sounds like an angel!

Dd13 was only 21 months when ds11 was born, so we just borrowed a crib. My 3 oldest LOVED their cribs - never climbed out (although ds11 could've - I threatened to take away his crib if he did. I think they got their big beds (twin) at 3 1/2. My twins started climbing out around 2 or so. TBH, they were SO good at it that they stayed in their cribs for 6 more months, and they just climbed in at night, climbed out in the morning and came downstairs.