What age was your child when you replaced the crib with a bed?

[lbgraves]

Neither of our kids climbed out of their crib but since I was pregnant with DD, DS was moved out of the crib at 18 months since the doctor recommended a three month gap to help him adjust. He loved his Blue's Clues big boy room. We had a double bed in he guest room so he has used that. He started sleeping thru the night that very night! He was big & would wake himself up at night banging up against the rails. He was also able to just crawl into bed with me in the morning & go back to sleep instead of crying until I got him out of the crib. Since that worked well for us with DS, we did the same thing with DD. One weekend I finished up her big girl Pooh room & left town for the weekend. She got use to her bed & was weaned all at the same time.

 

[nboicepardee]

We just moved our daughter into a "big girl" bed about 3 weeks ago. She is just shy of 2 1/2. She has a new sister coming in less than 2 weeks so we needed the crib! She absolutely loves it and enjoys getting in her bed so much more. She has done really well with it. I probably would have kept her in the crib longer just because I like knowing she was contained and safe, but now that she is in her bed, I am so glad because I think she was really ready. She looks so cute and tiny in the twin bed! We decided against a toddler bed and she did just fine with a twin.

 

[deide71]

We had to get my middle child out of his crib at 18 months as his baby brother was on the way. We bought him the little tikes racecar toddler bed. We gave it to him for christmas, and made a big production out of it. That night he was set for the cool racecar bed. He never looked back at the crib.

 

[cheerbop]

My daughter never climbed out of her crib but when she was 2 1/2 we put a twin bed in her room and told her she could sleep in it when she was ready. The first night she slept in the bed and never slept in a crib again. I don't get the point of a toddler bed, you only have to buy a big bed in another year or so.

Point of a toddler bed? How about when an 8 month old is climbing out of the crib? A twin bed is just too big for an 8 month old in my opinion. Different strokes for different folks.
You can find a toddler bed for cheap nowdays, and also some of the cribs turn into toddler beds.
PLUS, you use the crib matress in the toddler bed, so you don't have to go buy a twin matress and sheets and rails and headboard etc...YET!

 

[ZippyDooDah]

Don't look at me! We did the toddler bed, then the "big boy" twin bed, and the sleeping bag. He just shows up in our bed some time around 3am. Best birth control I ever tried!

 

[candykisses]

Both my boys were 16 months when they went from a crib to a double bed. They both would climb out, so it was time. I didn't have any trouble with the switch. They loved their big beds.

 

[dbarker]

I had to put my older DS in a toddler bed when he was about 1 yr old. (he's now 18). He was climbing out of his crib b/4 he was even walking. I was afraid he was going to hurt himself. My dad made his toddler bed.

 

[KeepSwimming]

We did things a little differently....when DD was 18 months we converted her crib into a toddler bed. After a few months in that (and noting she never rolled out of the bed), she started sleeping UNDER her toddler bed. No idea why....she wasn't upset or anything, just started sliding her legs under the bed and slept that way.

We decided to try a big girl bed with her and she LOVED it. She was 2 1/2 when we put a twin bed in her room, but she was most comfortable in that and never had any problems sleeping in it.

She started a little earlier then others, but it was a very natural fit for her.

 

[connorsmom911]

My ds is going to be 3 in January and he's still in his crib. He's very tall for his age, bordering 40" now, but he's never even remotely tried to climb out of his crib (other things yes, like the baby gates, wall unit, furniture etc). He's a happy little camper there, just plays quietly usually or calls to us in the morning "Mommy? Daddy? Connor wake up!". We talked about putting him in a big boy bed, we have a twin bed sitting in the basement, and I spent the LONG dollar buying him a Buzz Lightyear bedding set, wallpaper borders and blue and green paint to redo his dresser (my old one from when I was a baby), but it is all just sitting in my closet. I figured I'd just wait until he started to climb out or until we started the potty training in earnest (no way he's ready yet). I'm quite comfy sleeping at night knowing he's not all over the house, but my husband is really pushing the issue saying I'm holding him back and stunting his growth (yeah, ok, right...). I have holidays again at the end of November and then I'm off for a bit at Christmas, so maybe we'll see then (I work shift work, so I want to be home and not on nights when we finally do this). What's the latest you would consider keeping your toddler in a crib? We won't need it for the forseeable future as #2 is still just a figment of the imagination at this point. Am I just a first-time mommy who hates that my ds is growing up?

Tracey

 

[akasleepingbeauty]

DD5 was 3 when we converted her crib into a toddler bed. We then put her in a regular twin bed about 8 months later. She would have been happy to stay in the crib for a while longer (never once climbed out or even tried) but since we could convert it easily we took that route. Switching to the twin bed was quite easy and she has only fallen out of bed once.

DD2 (almost 2.5) is still in his crib. He has never attempted to crawl out and seems quite happy in it for now. Since his crib does not convert to a toddler bed like dd's crib did, we'll have to made a different decision when it is time to transition him. If things continue as is, we'll move him around 3 or 3.5.

I have read that a crib-sized mattress is designed to work for up to a 5 year old child. Obviously not many kids make it that long using one but it does allow enough time to make the transition for just about every kid.

If you do what is best for your child and your family, it will work out fine.

 

[DisneyPhD]

My ds is going to be 3 in January and he's still in his crib. He's very tall for his age, bordering 40" now, but he's never even remotely tried to climb out of his crib (other things yes, like the baby gates, wall unit, furniture etc). He's a happy little camper there, just plays quietly usually or calls to us in the morning "Mommy? Daddy? Connor wake up!". We talked about putting him in a big boy bed, we have a twin bed sitting in the basement, and I spent the LONG dollar buying him a Buzz Lightyear bedding set, wallpaper borders and blue and green paint to redo his dresser (my old one from when I was a baby), but it is all just sitting in my closet. I figured I'd just wait until he started to climb out or until we started the potty training in earnest (no way he's ready yet). I'm quite comfy sleeping at night knowing he's not all over the house, but my husband is really pushing the issue saying I'm holding him back and stunting his growth (yeah, ok, right...). I have holidays again at the end of November and then I'm off for a bit at Christmas, so maybe we'll see then (I work shift work, so I want to be home and not on nights when we finally do this). What's the latest you would consider keeping your toddler in a crib? We won't need it for the forseeable future as #2 is still just a figment of the imagination at this point. Am I just a first-time mommy who hates that my ds is growing up?

Tracey

Here is my feeling on this. You are doing the right thing for you and your family. I think children today are pushed to grow up WAY TOO FAST. Let him stay in it as long as he is comfortable. My friend told me her son said "You know mom, I am not a baby anymore I want a big bed." It was time. Take your cues from your son. Many people move their kids because they are ready early. Every child and situation are different. There isn't anything wrong with staying in a crib, it sounds like it is working for you. I think DD would of stayed in her forever, but liked me to lay in bed with her and I wouldn't fit. If it is working, why change it? He still won't be in a crib in elemetry school, or have his passifer or be in pull ups so it will happen all in good time.

Good for you for waiting for his signs that he is ready to be potty trained also. I think it is much better to wait for them to be ready and push it and be dealing with the issue for years.


There is nothing wrong with hateing that your DS is growing up so fast. I happens fast and it will happen no mater what you do. Enjoy the time you have.

 

[Goofyzgurl]

My oldest dd was around 18 months. She loved it and stayed in bed. Now our youngest dd is 19 months and I would not dream of coverting her crib to a toddler bed right now. She is way too mischiveous. I know she'd be out of that bed in the middle of the night getting into something.

 

[kidshop]

My ds1 was 2 1/2 and ds2 was 34 months old. I'm a big fan of the crib and I am all for using it as long as possible. Dr. T. Berry Brazelton has a nice way of putting it that I can't remember off hand, but the jist is that the crib is comfort and security to a child and there is no reason to rush them out of it, even over 3 years old. I switched mine when I was certain they would stay in the bed/room otherwise and have never had a problem with wandering.

ETA: We have the Step 2 yellow car toddler bed. Ds1 slept in it until he was 6! We got him bunk beds when we moved the month after his b-day, but he still fit in it fine. He is in the 25% and was 42# at his 6 year check up. Ds2 is similar in size, so I have no doubt I will be using the toddler bed a LONG time. And it is so darn cute!

 

[TinkerbellMama]

We never even bought a crib so I have no idea when/how we are going to try to transition him into his own bed. Probably when he asks for one! LOL

 

[Befferk]

For my son (now 3 1/2), we put him in a bed shortly after he could walk (1 yr old). We tried the toddler bed and that didn't work for us, the way the rails were designed he still fell out every night (our crib converted to the toddler bed). So we went with the twin size mattress and boxspring on the floor and bought a mesh side rail and that worked perfectly. Of course now he will only sleep on the couch I agree that every child is ready at a different age. Good luck!

Beth

 

[crisi]

Our son was very young - fifteen months...

His sister is 13 months behind him, so she needed the crib when she outgrew the bassinet.

We also did a lot of cosleeping with him, so he wasn't using the crib. And he was a climber, so when he did use the crib, I worried.

He was gated into his room.

 

[HM]

First child was just under 2 years old when he moved to a twin, so that his sister could have the crib. It took him two weeks to figure out that he could actually get out of bed to see what we were doing . Second child was 17 months (she was a climber), so we had to take her out.

 

[ChrisLei]

My son was a little over two, my daughter was 3. My son I had to change him sooner than I would have wantedbecause he learned how to climb out of the crib. I was afraid he would get injured ifI left him to do that. But my suggestion, as long as they fit in it andare not climbing out I would keep them in there as long as I could! LOL

 

[pooh4evr]

Both our girls were around a year old DD1 was in daycare and they switched the kids from cribs to cots at naptime at 1 yr and DD2 walked at 91/2 months and was climbing out of the crib (daredevil). We started with naps in their twin beds with rails and gradually moved to nights. Now they are 4 and 2 and are pretty good about staying in their beds.

 

[mishtb]

WOW I guess my daughter was really young compared to everyone else. she hated the crib so we set up the toddler bed and gave that a try.. she was 13mths old... now our problem is she tends to climb out in the middle of the night and sneak into our bed.....