Moving into a Toddler Bed

If both crib and bed fit into her room, let her continue sleeping in her crib . Tell her that she can sleep in the "big" bed anytime she wants to -- but leave the timing
up to her. Perhaps she just has to get used to the idea. It's a big step.
In addition: if she still takes naps, you might suggest she go to the "big" bed for her nap -- but make it a suggestion. Again the idea is to help her adjust to the new situation.

We took the side off my son's crib and lowered the base so it was only about 6 inches or so off the floor - he went from crib to bed and back a few times but eventually settled into his new bed

If your daughters crib mattress will fit in the frame of the dora bed which most crib mattress will fit in toddler beds have her help you move her crib mattress to her big girl bed and if you already have a mattress put that one aside for now and tell her her crib mattress will help her be able to sleep in her big girl bed and when she feels ready for the big girl mattress she can let you know.

Monica, my suggestion would be to have the toddler bed in her room but continue to let her sleep in her crib but with the side DOWN. She's big enough that she should be able to climb in and out without hurting herself and if you try this, you might find that at some point she'll get curious about the bed, climb out of her crib and try it out. You know how they are at this age - they want everything to be THEIR idea!

Good luck!

Will you be needing the crib for another baby soon? If not, you could take off the side rail (the one that goes up and down) and turn your crib into a toddler day bed. I did that with my youngest and she loved it. She actually stayed in it until she was too tall for it and then moving her into a regular twin size bed, with side rails, was no issue at all.

If you do need the crib for another baby soon I would say switch the mattressess (if you haven't already) and then try again. If that doesn't work I would give it some time and your daughter will make the transition when she is ready. Usually when you least expect it. Good Luck!

hi ,
I also have a lovely 18 mnth old daughter.Actually we moved her to toddler bed at 15 mnths.Now she is quite used to it,although at times she comes to our bed in the middle of the night.We have placed her bed next to ours.Since her's is low so my husband has placed blocks to raise our daughter's bed to our level and tied it well to our bed.The toddler bed has a side rail which keeps her off from falling.She gets on to her bed using her stepping stool.In this way she doesnt feel that she is away from us ,until she grows a lil big to sleep by herself in her room.All the best to u and ur family.

I agree with the advice posted. If you make the bed fun, she will hopefully want to stay in it. Try incorporating the actual bed in as a toy. Talk about the Dora aspect, make up Dora stories that include her bed. If she still fights it, leave the bed set up as a play toy for her to play in for about a week and the newness of the bed should begin to fade away.

I would suggest using the matress you had in your daughter's crib in the toddler bed.

Hi! I am in the process of doing that same thing with my 2 year old. What my friend suggested is to first start out by making the new bed space fun and familiar. Start out by bringing your child's favorite toys and playing there in the bed, and reading stories to your child in the new bed. This is a new space for her, so take your time and let her get used to it. Good Luck!

We moved my son into a toddler bed when he was 2 and 3 months. We had just has a new baby and wanted him to get used to a "big boy bed". We took the transition slowly. He would sometimes take naps in his toddler bed and then sleep in his crib at night and once he regressed to his crib all together. We talked to him about the big boy bed, showed him other children big kid beds and let him make some decisions about when he wanted to sleep where. It took about three weeks or a bit more until he was fully sleeping in his toddler bed but he really owned the choice. We also didn't want to puch him because he had so many other transitions to deal with i.e. new brother and school. Good luck!

I may not be the perfect mom to give advice about this but here goes. My daughter is 2 and about 2 months ago I changed her crib into the convertible toddler bed. My daughter feels more comfortable sleeping with me and her father and I already know that is bad but it makes her go to sleep the entire night. I have occasionally layed in bed with her until she fell asleep. I have also watched a movie in bed with her to make her more comfortable in the big girl bed.Now she starts off in bed in her own room but ends up being in my bed. Good Luck it has not been easy for me but hopefully it will be easy for you.

If she is happy in her crib, why make her move? She will, soon enough want to sleep in a big girl bed, or grow out of her crib. My 2 1/2 year old loves her crib, and has no desire to sleep in anything else. She sleeps good and she is happy and it hurts NOTHING or NO ONE to keep her comfortable. Dont worry about what anyone else says, you are the one who lives with your daughter and she should decide when she wants to move into a big bed not you. People try to push their kids to be to the standards they want them to be at, and thats why most kids are on ritalin and are horrible out in public. Bad parenting is the biggest problem in this country, and the worst part is the parents are still too selfish to put their kids needs and wants before their own.

Let her be happy in her crib, she wants to be there dont push her or she will push back. If you want to see evidence of kids pushing back, go into a walmart and see the bad parents and the products of their bad parenting.

Try to make her new bed a game. she may be frightened without having the bars around her that give her the feeling of being safe. Another solution is to put bed rails on either side of the bed this might help. Let me know how this works out. Signing D.

My daughter would take naps in it but wasn't ready to sleep all night. So we just left it up in her room and waited until she wanted to go in. We needed her out of the crib for her brother who was due when she was 14 months. We just started early enough before he was born.

For my 2nd we put the toddler bed up in the nursery for a while so my son could get used to just seeing it there. Eventually he got used to it and moved in on his own. Then down went the crib.

Time was the only way I could do it. No other persuasive tactic worked. Two year olds do it when they are good and ready.

I have yet to get my almost 2 year old into it. Not sure how it's going to work with him.

A.