Need Ideas for New Baby and Toddler Sleeping Arrangements

J.:

Last year a nannied for a mom of two boys in a similar situation. Her older son was 18 months old when number two was born. She set up the toddler bed with new bedding and matching furniture/wall art in the empty bedroom befor the baby came. When baby came he slept in Mom and Dad's room for about 5-6 weeks (I think)then they moved the bassinet into the room with the toddler bed and the then 19 month old coninued sleeping in the crib in the nursery. When the baby out grew the basinet (at about 3.5 months), they made the big switch and put the toddler in the new room with the toddler bed and baby moved into the nursery and slept in the crib. I know this sounds confusing, but it worked GREAT! It gave the toddler a little extra time to be ready for the big boy bed.

Of course your toddler will be the same age when baby is born, so maybe he will be excited to move into the "big boy room" when the baby comes. That way he will have time in the bed befor baby takes the crib which will lower the risk of him feeling displaced by baby. Be sure to make a big deal about him moving to the "big boy room" a week or two in advance. If they are going to share a room, you can put new stuff (toddler bed and a few wall pictures) of his choice on just his side of the room. Hope this helps!

2 moms found this helpful

HI J.! Congrats on entering the wonderful world of 2 kids! GOOD LUCK ! its hard but rewarding.
My girls are 22months apart.
Katelyn (the oldest was 15months when we put a toddler bed in her room and didn't make a big deal out of it. slowly she started napping on it and eventually didn't want to sleep in her crib so we took it down. and put it back up when her sister was born and she was like nothing happened. I can only hope your transition goes as easy.
With that said I don't recommend buying another crib. your son will be a big brother therefore a big boy in comparison to the baby and this will be a huge setting to show him that.
best of luck to you guys.
V.

1 mom found this helpful

If you don't already have a big boy bed, I would invest in one. Use it at nap time to get him used to it but continue to put him to bed at night in the crib. Once he is used to the big bed it will be easier to make the transition from crib to bed. that is what we did with my girls. They are almost 21 mos. apart in age. Once my oldest got used to the big bed I started asking her every night which bed she wanted to sleep in. Then I just started putting her to bed in the big one but still leaving the crib in the room with her. I did eventually move it out into the new baby's room. All in all this took probably about 3-4 mos. Like you I kept the new baby in my room with me for the first couple of months.

Good luck to you!

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I was about in the same boat as you, except my older son was 19 m/o when I had the second baby. We got him a toddler bed a few months before the baby was born and took down the crib. Because of our living arrangements at the time, we put the baby in a bassinet for the first several months, and didn't put the crib up until we moved into a larger place.

I had encouraged independence in my older son, so he was climbing in and out of his crib anyway, from the time he was about 13 months old, so transferring him to a toddler bed didn't give him any more "freedom", since he could get out of his bed whenever he wanted anyway.

I definitely vote with making the change now, to give your older son time to adjust before the baby comes (although my son's adjustment was quick and problem-free). It will be a lot less change for you to just do it now, rather than buying a second crib and paraphernalia for really just another few months. Right now, you're probably just comfortable with the crib because it's all you've ever known, but even if you weren't pregnant, you'd probably be thinking about making the switch anyway -- either now or within the next year. Money may be tighter for me than it is for you, but there is no way it would be worth it to me to spend all that money for just that short amount of time, and *then* to buy even more to move the older boy to a toddler bed later. Just my 2 cents!

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My second was two and a half before I transitioned to the big boy bed... then he had three months to sleep in it before the baby came. I think this time to have the big boy bed before the baby comes helps older child not feel displaced. My second will be three in May (already) and I just took the rails off the crib to transform into toddler bed (it was made to do this). Things to consider: 1) how ready do you think your son is for bigger bed? How attached to crib is he? 2) Are you ready to parent the "get out of bed" behavior if he is put into a big boy bed? 3) You could always borrow or purchase an inexpensive 2nd crib for 6-9 months if you decide it's better to wait. My first (and only crib) cost an arm & leg, so I know I wouldn't be up for repeating such a large purchase again. And not that your asking advise regarding your new role of SAHM, but hang in there, it's great and it's not great at times...for me it was a difficult transition, but I'm 5 and a half years into it, and yes although I nearly lost my mind (joking but not) it's worth it. So many moms go back to work because they can't deal with it, but in the long run, it's worth going through the transition. It's a thankless job, but the rewards are forever.

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Hi J..
Congradulation you and your wonderful family.
What a wonderful opportunity to raise wonderful
children into adults.
I feel you and your dear husband will do well.
Try to find a bed for your older son now.
And let him get used to it before you other son is
born. See how he adjusted to it.
Then you will know what to do further with your
making your mind up.
If he seems to not be ready for a biger bed then proceed
to get another crib for your sweet little boy of the
future.

Just an idea.
God Bless
Vicki W.

1 mom found this helpful

have you considered a toddler bed for"yourbig boy"usethesame mattressand buya new one for the baby/ Local baby consignment, thrift stores usually have used good toddler beds. he shouldcontinue to sleep well ifhe has his same mattress and it wouldsave a SAHM a few bucks. Or ask your family members to buy one in place of a shower gift. good luck.

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I have a daughter who was 22 months when I moved her. Our baby was not born until December of this year. My daughter was content in the crib, as you said your son is. I believe this might of helped with the transition. Because she never tried to climb out of the crib or anything, she knew its purpose was sleep. So When we got her a big girl bed, I made it crib-like. Pushed it against the wall and put a rail on the otherside. There is only a little space for her to get into the bed. She has never gotten out of the bed and has slept perfectly since we got it. (Other then a little disruption when the baby came home...which is normal).
I know others in your situation that have left the older child in the crib and bought a new crib. Financially, it was easier for us to buy the new staff and use the baby stuff for the baby. If your toddler is adaptable to change, try it. We did leave the crib in her room for a few days when we got the new stuff, but she was too excited about her new stuff she never wanted the crib since.
Good luck. Congratulations on your baby to be!

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I have 3 boys, each 2 years apart. The BEST thing to do is do NOTHING in the way of change for your 18 month old. Keep his world exactly the way it is for as long as possible, he's about to have plenty in the way of change in every other aspect of his life, it's important for him to have his cozy crib all to himself until HE is ready for a big boy bed. Buying another crib is the easiest and best way to ease the transition for yourself as well. My middle will be 3 in May and he's still in his crib! And EVERYONE is happier for it.

1 mom found this helpful

My first 2 children (who are now 8 and 6) are exactly 21 mos apart, so we shared your exact dilemma. We hated the idea of buying a 2nd crib just to bridge the gap, and we didn't want to rush #1 (Sarah) out of her crib. As you pointed out, the first month or so, our new baby (Emily) was in the bassinet in our room. We left Sarah in her crib and shopped for her big girl bed. (By the way, we chose to get our kids a REAL bed they could grow into rather than having to repurchase beds at every stage. This will really save a lot of money on beds and bedding over the years.) When we bought the new bed (and side rails), we set it up in her room, but left the crib, and let her transition just as if Emily were not a factor (she's really not). When she was done with her crib, we took it out and put it away for a couple weeks to avoid jealousy or possessiveness issues. Then we asked Sarah if she wanted to "give" her old baby crib to the Emily, and let her "help" set it up. She was thrilled to do this, and very proud to give this special gift to her sister. This whole thing took 4-5 months, I think. So what about the baby? When it was time to move her into her own room, we used her play yard for her crib until the real crib was moved in. (I put a waterproof mat under a sheet that I tucked around the play yard floor cushion.) I know it's tempting and exciting to set up all the new bedrooms, but those first few months are over in a flash, and the baby certainly doesn't care. One other thought... if you really want a real crib for the baby, see if there is anyone you could borrow one from for the interim. Either way, it's not worth rushing your son out of his crib. And don't worry about getting the rooms all set up during your pregnancy... just enjoy your time alone with your 1st... things will never be the same!
Best of luck with your pregnancy and growing family.
S.

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Hi,
I would say if your son is not ready to switch to a bed then don't rush him. It is more of an expense to get another crib but that might work best. Maybe get a large enough bassinet so that your new baby can be in there for several months and then sort of see how your older son does. Maybe you could even borrow a crib from someone until your son is ready to switch. Just a thought. I think if your son is content than don't make him switch too soon. It will be even harder on you when your new baby comes if you older son is having difficulty adjusting to his bed. Make life easier if you can. I stress out about so many kid related things and later discover, it really isn't worth it.
Good luck and congratulations on your new baby coming!

1 mom found this helpful

Hi, J.~

I'm a grandma and 'Mom' to 4 grown 'kids', and I'm constantly amazed on here (MamaSource) how today's moms recommend the transition from crib to toddler bed before age 2, but when it comes to potty training, they say that age 2 is 'too young'. I heartily disagree. I let our 4 sleep in cribs AS LONG AS POSSIBLE -- as long as they're content to. Partly, this was to 'contain' them when I needed them to be contained. Anyway, I grew up as the youngest of 4 in a small house with poor parents, and I slept in a crib until I can REMEMBER climbing out of it (it was metal, and the sides were COLD if I touched my inner thighs on them while climbing over! EEK! LOL) If your boy is CONTENT to sleep in a crib, I'd suggest that you get another one for the baby. My babies slept in bassinettes for 4 months each, so that gave longer to make the decision and transition. My kids were farther apart in age, but if they both have cribs, you can make a bigger deal of it when he's older and WANTS a new bed and will have more input in the decision as to when, what kind, etc. since it sounds as if money is not a big issue. (We were poor, too and used borrowed, 'previously enjoyed', gifted, or donated stuff almost exclusively [from bassinette/beds to bedding & clothes], and everyone was happy).

P.S. Oh, not that you asked, but to follow up on my 'opinionated' original comment: I also had all 4 kids fully potty trained BY age 2 with consistent, gentle effort. I think this is more positively enabling to small children than letting them roam free in a house from a toddler bed (which to me is kind of scary). Age 3 or 4 is not too long to sleep in a crib (IMHO).

1 mom found this helpful

Hi J.,

If you want to go the route of moving him to a bed before he's trying to crawl out of the crib, the best thing you can do is co-opt him into the decision by making it seem very exciting to him, and almost making it turn into his idea to do it. Take him with you to the store several times, not just once, to look at bedding and accessories. "Do you want Buzz Lightyear or Barney?" (Just examples - old I know!) In other words, show him things that you like enough yourself to buy but let him choose; by giving him several choices, he feels empowered and "takes ownership" of his new bed. Let him help you remake the room. It's okay to keep the crib in there, even in the middle of the room if you'd like - kids don't care if the layout is odd - until he is ready to try the bed. When he is ready for the crib to go out, get it out of sight, even by dismantling it so that he won't associate it with himself by the time you put the new baby in it. Hopefully this will all work smoothly. But if it doesn't, try not to push it. Having both the crib and the bed in his room for a while will probably get him going with the program as long as you don't make it a power struggle.

Hope this helps some!
D.

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This is what I found on baby center this morning. Funny how the two emails were right next to each other. That is also a real good source of information for expert advise.

How and when should I move my toddler from a crib to a bed?

Expert Answers
Deborah Lin-Dyken, pediatric sleep disorders expert
There's no set time when you have to replace your child's crib with a regular or toddler bed, although most children make the switch sometime between ages 1 1/2 and 3 1/2. It's best to wait until your child is closer to 3, since many little ones just aren't ready to make the transition. Of course, you'll need to move your toddler to a bed when he's simply too big or too active to sleep in a crib anymore. And once he's potty-trained, he'll need to be able to get out of bed to use the toilet.

Many parents make the switch because they're worried that their active toddler might climb or jump out of his crib — and this is a real safety concern. But it's best not to react to climbing out of the crib or any other sudden sleep problem with a sense of alarm. Don't rush right out and buy a new bed the day your toddler first climbs out of the crib. He may not be ready to move to a bed, and it may not be safe for him to be up and about during the night when everyone else is asleep.

Buy yourself some time by lowering the crib mattress as far as possible, so the side rails are higher and more difficult to climb over. And always remove padded bumpers as soon as your toddler starts to climb. In addition, consider installing a crib tent, which is mesh and attaches to the crib rails with Velcro, to keep your little one safe and snug in his crib.

Another reason parents make the switch to a bed is the impending arrival of another baby. If this is your situation, make the switch at least six to eight weeks before you're due. You want your toddler well settled in his new bed before he sees the baby taking over "his" crib. Depending on your toddler's age, you could also consider delaying the switch until the new baby is 3 or 4 months old. Your newborn will probably spend those months sleeping in a bassinet anyway, and your toddler will have time to adjust to the new baby, making the transition to a bed easier when it does happen.

Be sure to base the timing of the switch on your child's readiness rather than on the need to free up the crib, however. Many parents find out too late that it would have been easier to borrow or buy another crib rather than move their older child to a bed before he was ready.

Some children adjust readily to this change, while others have a hard time with it. Every child is different. It's not unusual, though, for firstborn children to resist the transition. He may be very attached to his crib and all of his associations with it. The move to sleeping in a bed is just one of many changes at this stage in a toddler's life — it may coincide with toilet-training, starting preschool and other pressures to "grow up." If a new baby's on the way, your child may feel possessive of his baby things, including his crib. Later-born children often have an easier time making the switch to a bed because they want to be just like their older brother or sister. They're eager to move from the crib, which is "for babies," into a "big-kid bed." However some toddlers, whether first- or later-born, are just plain ready and relish this change in their status.

To ease the transition, put your toddler's new bed in the same place his crib used to be. If you're using a twin bed, you may not want to make an immediate switch to grown-up sheets and blankets that are tucked in. Your child may find it soothing to continue to sleep with his old crib blanket, even if it's too small. Don't forget to put up a guardrail to prevent your newly liberated toddler from falling out of bed.

Get your toddler excited about having a "big-kid bed" by taking him with you to pick it out, if you're buying it new, or by emphasizing its previous owner if that person is someone your child knows. For example: "This was Cousin Petey's bed and now it's yours! You're almost as big as him now!" Let your toddler shop with you for new sheets featuring his favorite characters, and encourage him to show his "big-kid bed" to visiting friends and family.

Another tactic, although it requires a little more work, is to throw a "big-kid bed" party. Choose a date to unveil the new bed, and talk up the event a week in advance. On the big day, have a party and invite friends and grandparents.

Another strategy is the use of specific "toddler beds". They use a crib mattress, but look more like a regular bed. Many come with built-in guardrails, and some are made in very appealing themes and shapes, such as cars, trains and pink four-poster beds.

If you find that you've made the switch too soon and your toddler is upset, don't give up right away. Encourage your child to try out the bed. If he's still distraught after a few days, bring the crib back.

Some toddlers simply aren't ready for a bed. It takes a certain amount of cognitive development for your child to understand that a bed has imaginary boundaries that he must stay within. If you find that your great sleeper all of a sudden takes a long time to fall asleep at night, gets out of bed many times or wanders around the house, he's probably not ready for his own bed. As with potty-training, sometimes it's worth taking a step back and bringing back the diapers — or in this case, the crib — and trying again later. Just be sure you don't present the reappearance of the crib as a step backward in development or a punishment.

Finally, remember that the switch from a crib to a bed is a milestone in your life, too. It's one more sign that your baby is growing up. Reflect on when you first set up the crib for your little one, and then go have a private celebration of your own.

1 mom found this helpful

Personally I'd consider getting a new crib that maybe converts to a toddler bed for your older son, then putting the baby into your son's crib.

My daughter was 2 when she started climbing out of her crib. It wasn't a lot of times, but often enough to make me worry that she'd get hurt. So we converted her crib to a toddler bed, and that's when her nice little habit of sleeping so well in her bed went byebye. She started getting up often, wandering around in the hall, We had to put a baby gate up at the hallway to keep her from being able to get anywhere in our apartment, but then we'd wake up and find she'd wandered into our room and fell asleep on the floor with her blankets. It was a real challenge and if I had to do it again, I'd leave her in her crib for awhile longer.
We're now expecting #2 and she is much more acclimated to her toddler bed since she's nearing 3 (in 23 days) but still she gets up in the night and wants to climb in bed with us. Now I'm thinking that she'll also want to climb in bed with the baby once the baby transitions from the bassinet to the crib - and that's a whole new set of complications.

Good luck!

Christi

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I would try taking your son to a furniture store that has toddler beds. See if he is willing to try one and if he seems open to a toddler bed. My cousin received a crib that turns into another bed by attaching different parts. I am not sure if the bed is a toddler bed or possibly a twin/full size bed. Have you thought of a twin size bed. You can buy rails to slide in. If your toddler moves around alot he might be safer staying in the crib. If he is a stay still sleeper he will probably be fine in a regular bed. You might want to put the mattress low on the floor though. A low platform bed might be a choice. If storage is something you need you might be able to find a bed with drawers built into the base. Good Luck!

My boys are both 21 months apart also and we put my oldest son in a twin bed about a month before the baby came. We bought the twin bed and just put the mattress and box springs on the floor. This way he could still climb on and off of his big bed and he loved it! He had no trouble with the transition and did not even mention the fact that the baby had his crib. We did lay with him at night and read to him until he fell asleep to help the transition at first, but he adjusted pretty quickly.

Try making a big deal at the big boy bed and in picking out big boy bedding make it fun. kidds like new things. If you make it special. By doing it now you can see if it will work out.

Congratulations, J.! That's so cool that the boys will be so close. It will seem like hard work for a short season, but then it will pay off for you. Since your son will be nearly 2 when the baby does come into their room, I would make a big present out of a new toddler bed (close to the floor so you don't have to use a bed rail), and have it in the room, but him not sleeping in it yet.. read to him there, make pleasant memories there.. let him get acquainted with it, and wait until about a month before you're due to have him start sleeping there. That way, you would get the most out of his crib for now, and he wouldn't associate the new bed with being 'pushed out' by the baby. They have really cool boy beds that he might really feel special over. The toddler bedding could coordinate with your crib bedding. The only concern I would have (from experience), is that boys particularly seem to get really 'exploratory' and adventurous between 18 mo. and 2 1/2 years old. I would make sure that if he has the ability to get out of his bed, that all doors/drawers you want him to stay out of are baby/locked, cords are hidden, outlets plugged, etc. And as a back-up, a gate at the stairs and a way to keep him out of the bathroom unassisted. Also, you could use this time to train him to your standards of when he has to stay in his bed, how he has to behave if he wakes up early (quiet play, etc.)Some parents train their kids not to get out of the bed, but wait for a parent to come and get them. That may help keep things quiet for the baby. Even without a new baby coming, it's pretty normal to transition to a bigger bed by 2-2 1/2 years old.

Our boys are 23 months apart so we had the same dilema 2 years ago .We took our oldest out of the crib(he too just loved his crib and was content there),got it ready for the new baby and my inlaws got us twin bed with matching twin/crib bedding. It was sooo cute. Unfortunatly our oldest did terribly in the twin bed. It took us over an hour to put him to bed every night and naps were just as bad(at 4 he still would not go to sleep by himself) Baby ended up sleeping with us for the first 6 months and crib just set there as we struggled with our oldest. YOu know your son, some kids do just fine in the big bed before 2. Ours did not. When our youngest turned 2 and crawled out of the crib we again tried big bed and after a week of 11pm bed time and waking up at night we're done...got a crib tent:)...( he is happy as can be in his crib:)) But it's just our experience.

My first two children are 15 months apart, then exactly 2 yrs between the next. Each time, about a month before the baby was due, I'd let the older one start taking naps in bed(with mesh rails), and sleep in the crib at night. Then about after 2 months of that, once the baby was born (and still sleeping in my room) moved out of the crib completely. I didn't put the new baby in the crib right away, just in case there was some jealousy over that -although neither of mine seemed to notice that. Good luck!

J.,
congratulations on the new baby! I had my fourth son this past summer right when my other son turned 21 months as well. My older two there is a 2 year 3 month age difference. I can tell you that with my older two boys, my first son was ready to move to a toddler bed right before he turned two. We had to put some door locks on so he wouldn't get up and run out the door and we made sure his room was secure. He did well adjusting...However with the younger two boys, my third son was not ready and still not ready to move to a toddler bed (he is two and a half now). Thankfully he does not crawl out of the crib yet. He is the type of kid to try to climb his dresser, stick something in the electrical outlet, etc. No matter how I think I have made the room "secure" he assures me that I haven't. With that in mind, we borrowed a crib that was at my in-laws house and put the baby in that for now. We did the bassinet thing for a while, but honestly he just sleeps better in a crib. I'm saying all this b/c I guess you need to determine if your child is ready to move to a toddler bed. It might make it fun for him to have a new bed with new bedding when the baby comes b/c he'll feel special too. Don't worry, you'll figure it out! It may just take some constant adjusting even after the baby gets here, but that's okay...it doesn't have to be perfect. Hope my advice helps (but it is just advice...do what you feel is right, God gives you that mother's intuition).

there is nothing that says he has to sleep in a crib. move your older son into a regular bed and put up a bed rail for your own piece of mind. I personally think toddler beds are a waste of money unless the crib converts. you can also check resale shops for the bed rails. I found 2 recently for 10 bucks at a church sale. I know he is pretty content in the crib, but just tell him you are getting ready for his brother and he will need it now.

My suggestion would be to buy a toddler bed and put it in the room with your son's crib. If he wants to take his nap on the bed, let him. Gradually let him move himself. As he does, put the new mattress on the crib and the mattress your son has been sleeping on onto the bed. After he has been sleeping in the toddler bed a while, ask him if it is okay if the new baby sleeps in his crib since he is such a big boy that he has moved to the bed. That way he has given his permission and shouldn't be upset that the baby is in his crib. I think he is a bit too young for the regular twin bed tho. Give him another year or two.

My oldest had just turned 2 when I got pregnant with my second. He was a little older then by the time the baby got here. I went ahead and moved him into a toddler bed at about 27 months. It seemed early to me at the time, but he did great. I had been in no hurry to move him out because he was so happy there. We actually borrowed a toddler bed from a friend and then went to bunk beds later. It's such a cost to try and purchase a toddler bed and then a bigger bed later. You seem to use the toddler bed such a short time. You may have less cost involved if you go with s toddler bed now and use the crib bedding for both if you have multiple sheets. I've found that both my boys have favorite blankets and the toddler bedding was a waste of money and just used crib sheets and their favorite blankets. They didn't want the comforters/blankets that matched and so it was easier to just use crib sheets. This way you might be able to let the older pick out something when he gets a little older that he can grow with.
Ultimately, I have found with both my boys if I was consistent when it was time for change they did well. Your son may need a little extra attention at bed time to get used to a new bed, but I agree you don't want to wait until the baby is born. It's much easier to adjust to one new thing at a time.

Good Luck

My son was a little older when I had my daughter and before she was born I told him that he was a big boy now and we were going to let him sleep in the big boy bed. We put a rail between the mattresses and pushed the bed up against the wall. He loved it and thought he was really big. Then when his sister was born, he was happy to give her his little bed. You can also buy a little toddler bed for about $40 if you wish. We later got him bunk beds and he loved them. He slept on them until he was 15.

You might consider getting a toddler bed instead of a twin bed. A toddler bed uses the crib mattress in a smaller frame that sits on the floor. This is a good transition especially if you have your son help but the bed together and he sees that he will still have the same mattress. They make several neat designs for toddler beds; cars, planes, trains, etc. You would need to buy the toddler frame and another crib mattress. Since crib mattress are not that expensive this would help with the cost of a twin bed. Also by using the crib mattress in the new toddler bed the crib mattresses are water proof so you would not have to worry about bed wetting like you would with a twin mattress until your son is fully potty trained. God Bless, B. E.

I also have an 18 month old. I could not imagine taking her out of her crib yet. She is very happy in there an hasn't tried to climb out. My son stayed in his crib until he was 3 1/2. I think it will help you sleep better if he's still happily sleeping in his crib. Hope this helps! Best of luck.

I would put the older child in a toddler bed, but I wouldn't wait until the baby came. You could start by letting him take his naps in the big boy bed so he could adjust. Make it something special that big boys do so he doesn't feel like he's being forced out of his bed. Maybe by bedding of his favorite cartoon character. I did this for my son and he loved it, just remember he can move around the the room on his own now.

hes still young and like you said hes hapy. just buy another crib maybe one that will turn in to a toddler bed then a full size bed. now isnt really the time to switch him around since hes happy and the stress of a new baby is a lot on a little one. good luck and congrats!

I would definitely move him into the bed but I'd start the process now so you have time without pressure. When I moved my daughter from a crib to a bed what I did was put the bed and crib in her room and had her "make friends" with the bed. I then, for about 2 weeks, gave her the choice, each night, about which one she wanted to sleep in. She slept in the bed about 50% of the time at first. She wasn't used to the idea of "covers" so I put her in the bed (with bed rails of course) in her sleeper and she slept that way for the first month until she was ready for the covers. Eventually I put the crib in another room next door (not sure if you can do this). I still let her choose which one she wanted to sleep in, but this time if she picked the crib it would have to be in another room. This was unappealing to her and she soon moved into her bed full time. If you can do this then you can eventually move the crib back into his room (once he's in his bed full time he won't want his crib anymore b/c the bed is obviously more comfortable). GOOD LUCK!

I would get him a toddler bed. I would feel like he's still too young for a big bed but you need the crib....

If it were me, I'd make a big deal out of taking him shopping for a "big boy bed" and let him pick out his own bed, bedding, etc. I'd do it now, tho instead of waiting til he's 21 mos and the new baby is here....otherwise it'll be too much change at once. Get him used to his new bed before the baby gets here.

We keep our babies in our room for the first 4 months so feedings are easier....are you not planning to have the newborn room with you for any significant length of time? If you are, a second (but not so preferable) option would be to wait about a month after the baby's born and a couple months before it goes into the crib....and try to change your eldest to a toddler bed at that time....

Good luck with whatever you decide!

Hi J.! This was my exact situation a few years ago as my first 2 boys are 22 months apart. I recommend keeping your toddler in his crib not only b/c he's content there but also for your sake as a soon-to-be mommy of a 2yr old boy and a newborn. With the sleep deprivation related to having a newborn, the last thing you want to deal with is a toddler who won't stay in his bed, etc. My situation was unique in that we moved right after my second son was born and the boys had to stay in the same room. We were given a second crib from a friend (along with bedding), so I used the bedding I had picked out for my newborn and then the borrowed bedding for my toddler. You're right in that the baby will be in your room for awhile (ours always slept in the pack & play for 2-3 months) and that will buy you more time to decide if you want to move your toddler to a big boy bed. I now have a third son born 25 months after #2 and although he has his own room now (we've moved again!) my second son still sleeps in his crib and he's almost 3. He's so happy there and I hate to disrupt the peace. The two older boys still share a room as I think they'd be very lonely without each other. I've been long-winded with this response but the bottom line is that you have to do what you think is best for your toddler. It can be a difficult transition to move to a big bed and compounded with the arrival of a new baby brother, it might be a lot for you & your husband to handle. I suggest asking around to see if anyone has a crib you can borrow, or have so they can both be in cribs for awhile. Good luck & congrats on your 2 boys...I love my 3 sons!!

Absolutely move him to a big boy bed! I would even take him shopping, just for his bed. It will help him to feel like he's the big brother now and help him in his new "job!" Congratulations and good luck!

MOve the older one up to a toddler/twin but do it before the baby comes. If you buy another crib, you will have an extra crib you won't be using in less than 6 months. My 21 month old is in a twin bed with a bed rail and she does fine. Hardest part is teaching her to stay in the bed. Stay beside the bed, no interaction, but when the little one gets up put him right back into bed. Don't say anything. After 2-3 nights your baby will get the message to stay in bed. no fun being up!

Our son was 2 1/2 when our daughter was due so we had to move him to the toddler bed by 2 yrs old to give him a few months transition time in case he did not like it. I would suggest moving him to the toddler bed soon and that way he has time to transition, maybe if he does not like it he will have a few months to get used to it. You can also use this as a "new 2 year old big boy bed"!!! Let it be part of him turning two!!! That will get him excited about it. You can tell him that his 'baby brother' will need his crib and that since he will be the big brother now, he can 'give' his baby boy crib to his little brother. Play it up so he is excited by it. If he does not like it at first, you have a few months to get him used to it. It will be much easier for you in the long run and as soon as you go buy another crib, he will be ready to get out of his bed......he will be fine. :o)

I would advise you to keep move him out of his crib and let the baby have the crib. By this age, he is big enough to sleep in a big boy bed. That would save you the expense of a new crib and you can just reuse the stuff for the nursery.

IF you take your son shopping for a new bed you might make things easier on everyone. If you use the "being a big boy" approach, but leave the plastic on the new bed, I'm sure he'll be happy and so will you. When kids think that they are getting the better deal they don't put up such a big fight.

I moved my daughter to a twin bed at 14 months and did fine with it. I skipped a toddler bed totally I think they are a waste of money. You might want to start the transition before the new baby comes that way she doesnt feel like the new baby is taking her bed you know?

I also have two boys. About 2 months before my second child, I moved his older brother out of the crib and into a toddler bed. The transition was gradual: sometimes he would nap in the toddler bed and sleep at night in the crib, but he really liked sleeping in his "big boy bed." (He also started crawling into bed with his dad and me. It's sweet, but it's a really hard habit to break.) I would get new bedding for your older son...the baby won't care! Good luck!

We bought our son a twin bed and used the crib for the baby. The bed we got for our son is the one we intend for him to use from now until he leaves home, so we got a good one. We gave him his new bed about the time I was 5 months along, so he would have plenty of time to adjust. He loves it.

Yes, it is time for your 21 month old to come out of the crib, he is at the age now that he can climb out. Also it is time for potty-training, plus he is walking and saying words. He is at the age to feel like a little helper with the baby in the crib he once slept in. you will enjoy the new role the 21 month old will display for you. Just keep a good routine for them both and your days will run smoothly.