Sleeping in a Big Bed

I transitioned at a younger age with my son. He was younger than 18 months. (Can't remember if it was 15 or 16 months old). He just cried in his cribe, and wanted to sleep on the floor. I put him in a big boy bed and he did awesome. (Until he got sick and we got into bad habits). I found it easier at this time b/c he wasn't attached to the bed, and it was what he wanted. Also, we had a grow with me bed, so it was simply taking the side off, the rest of the bed stayed the same. On a side note: he was in day care and sleeping on a cot, and he slept in a toddler bed with a small rail from a year old at his grandparents house. He knew from a very young age to just stay in bed. As long as there was a rail he never ever tried to get out, even though he could have easily done so.
Some kids transition better than others. I wish you the best of luck!

Hi Sarah,
My advice would be to keep him in his crib as long as possible. My son will be 4 in May and we just moved him to a toddler bed a few weeks ago. He never tried to climb out and he was happy there. Also, my sister had a horrible time with her then 2 1/2 year old, trying to go to a toddler bed. They had nighttime and naptime battles for weeks. I would keep him in as long as you can.
Good luck.

I have 3 kids and it was never a problem with any of them. I just told them they had to stay in their bed. However, I do recommend leaving the crib up- put it into the guest room for a while, and put his twin bed in the bedroom with his brother. Then, if he gets up, you can tell him he'll have to go back into his crib if he gets up again. As much as he wants to sleep in the big bed, I have a feeling he won't be any problem.

sounds like he is ready to switch. my 16 month old sleeps in a full size bed. if she wakes she comes right into our room and i just bring her back to bed.

It's time to move him. He's ready. If you don't it will back fire and then it'd be harder to get him out of the crib.

I moved my boys early - about 18 months for both. I think it's easier to do when they are little and they aren't quite as defiant. I'd do it now. Is there anyway you can gate him off so that he can only go into your room? I gated them in their room at first then just gated the top of the stairs so that they could only come into my room.

We moved our twins into big beds at 18months and had no problems. Sounds like he's ready.

I just switched my 27-month-old because he figured out how to climb out of his crib. We had said that we'd do it when he showed interest in a big bed or could climb out. We never talked about a big bed, so I suppose your husband could be to blame for that, but if he's ready he's ready.

It seems like your little guy is ready.

Several weeks ago we moved our 2 year old (29 months)over to her big girl bed. The first few sleeps(first nap then bed time) were a little fussy, mostly it was her fussing because she didn't want to nap. By the 3rd day nap time she was going down with out a fuss. We actually have a baby gate across her door, it's been there for a while now. Originally it was to keep the cat from pawing at her door while she slept, but it also serves to keep her in her room until I get her. You can try that, it could also help keep your older boy from getting out and roaming before you wake up. Perhaps if you play it up that it's for the "baby" and that it needs to stay to keep him safe and that he's a good big brother for not climbing over or taking it down.

Just a few ideas. Good luck.

We moved my son to a big bed about 3 weeks ago, he is turning 2 today. My husband did it as I am 35 weeks pregnant and was having trouble getting him over the rail. We have had no problems! He fell out a couple times, but I put a large pillow on the floor so we didn't even know - and he didn't either! He seemed afraid the first couple nights but stayed in bed no fuss. Now he absolutely loves it, and in fact, has only gotten out of bed 3 times without someone being in the room with him - and that was at naptime not overnight. We gated the top of our stairs, knowing if he got up in the morning without us hearing he would just come into our room, which is fine with us. Even at naptime he stays in bed - even the days he decides he's not going to nap and we try anyways! Sounds like he's ready, might as well go for it!

Man....it is awesome when they show they are ready! Your little guy is excited about his big boy bed. Now is the perfect time! My son had a twin bed in his room along with his crib, and he loved playing on it or sitting on it to put clothes on. We started with letting him nap in it. We told him as long as he stayed put and was safe we would let him nap there. Eventually he never wanted the crib again so he started sleeping in it at night. We installed a bed rail and never had a problem.

Hi Sarah!

You're there...put him in a big boy bed! My girls were out by 2.3 and 18 months and we never looked back. I agree with the other moms...if you wait and ignore his wishes now, you will never get him out of that crib later. JUST DO IT!!! :o)

My girls also share a room with twin beds, but we didn't always have it that way, so in addition to the adjustment of a big girl bed, she also had her Sissy in there. We just put the younger one to bed earlier and there was no issue. If Haley wouldn’t stay in bed/asleep by the time Emily was ready, we put Emily in our bed and transferred her into hers when we went to sleep for the night. Either way, once you go big bed do NOT go back to the crib. It is like going back to diapers after potty training: it sends the wrong message!

You will probably have about a week or so of him climbing back out again, but he will learn that if he wants a big boy bed like his brother, he has to stay in it. If he is already showing signs of wanting it, he is ready, whether you are or not. Cribs are for sleeping, not keeping! :o)

I moved my oldest to a bed at about 18 mos. He was very excited about the new bed. At nap time, when he decided that he could just get up, I tried explaining to him to stay, and of course, he was just to excited about this new freedom. So, I picked him up and placed him back in his crib for nap time. He was so upset to not be sleeping in his new big boy bed, that there was never another issue of getting out of bed when mommy said it was time for a nap.

Its time, he's ready, strike while the iron's hot! If you're worried about him wandering around aimlessly and passing out in strange places, close the door. My youngest will be 2 next week and she's been in her big girl bed since June. Most nights she goes to bed fine, but if she fusses, I just turn out the lights and close the door. She goes right to sleep. Good Luck.

It sounds like your little guy is really excited and ready for the transfer. I would make the transfer while he is still excited about it. Maybe he threw such a fit last night because he felt daddy was trying to give him something special and then mommy wouldn't let him have it. We moved our son to his big boy bed just before he turned 2. He helped dad convert his crib into the big boy bed and has loved the bed he built with dad ever since. We never had any problems with him getting out of bed. He is 3 now and still likes to crawl in his bed sometimes during the day to draw or play with his racecars. We normally let him take one toy to bed with him. Maybe this is way we have never had any problems with him getting up. Who knows...It amazes what kids do and don't do on their own.

If he's interested I'd move move him up. My daughter's both moved to big girl beds around age two and a half and neither ever have wandered the house at night. When they get out of bed, they always come to our room. With the oldest, when I was first worried about keeping her in her room at night, I used to put a child gate up at night to ensure she stayed in her room, that way I could leave the door open for her.

Sounds like the little one is ready for the big bed.

How old was your older one when you transitioned him? Did he "pass out in strange places?"

Each kid is different. Let them do things at their own pace. Even if his brother was content to stay in his bed til 2.5 years is no guarantee that your 2nd will.

I moved my 1st into a toddler bed pretty early, around 18 months, b/c he kept climbing out of the crib and there was no way for me to stop this unsafe behaviour -- the net things they sell didn't work on our crib. Eventually he learned where to sleep, though I am sure it was difficult at 1st... I cannot remember the exact details now. He is 4 years old now... it's funny what you forget. I think that if mothers remembered everything, everyone would be an only child!! haha

BTW, my 2nd is 21 months, and has no desire to climb out of his crib. It is amazing how different siblings can be. Enjoy it. :)

We moved our oldest around that age and our youngest even earlier. I thought for sure we would have issues but we never did, they have their rituals at bedtime and I stay up until they are asleep they yell for us some but never get out of bed. Our oldest will occassionaly come to our room in the middle of the night and I just take her back and tuck her back in thats normally all it takes. It was really a lot easier than I ever imagined. Our youngest (almost three) still stays in bed until we come and get her out in the mornings and after nap. Our oldest gets up when she wakes up from nap and in the mornings. Just explain the rules to him if he gets the big boy bed and go from there. Our girls share a room now the other is a playroom but until a month ago they were in seperate rooms so that if one was up in the night the other wouldnt be. Putting them together made night time much easier, they are comforted by being in the same room and believe it or not they dont talk or play when the lights are out.

we moved our daughter to a toddler bed @ 18 months then to a twin bed when she was a little over 2. Overall, we didn't have much trouble but each child is different. Good luck

Hi Sarah, We recently switched my son, alomst 3, to a big boy bed (first we put the mattress and box springs on the floor for a few weeks, then put the bed together after he was used to it). he was super excited about it, wanted to nap and go to bed at night in it right away. The problem: if he doesn't fall asleep for his nap immediately, he gets up and plays in his room. Nights he stays in. But naps are pretty rare now. I just leave him in there for an hour but I worry about him a little -- last week he had moved his lamp onto the floor, today he was covered in vaseline when I went in there. So I wish I knew how to keep him in the bed. He acts like he'll stay in bed, but after I leave the room I never know what he'll do.

We did end up changing our second child over to a toddler bed a bit earlier than the first (she started climbing out of her crib thanks to her big sister! LOL)But she did OK. FIrst night was PERFECT>>but after that, it was a bit rough because she realized her independence and started coming out over and over and over. We just walked her back and she did fine with that. But, she just wasnt getting that she needed to stay in her room. So, we broke down and put a child knob on the inside of her door...it did make her mad but she eventually got it. Now we could probably remove it, but I am not ready just yet (being on the safe side!) I really didn't want to do that, she is so well behaved and easy but she had to stay in there! Good luck!

Sarah it sounds like hes ready. Put his bed in his room so his brother can get some sleep.

we moved our daughter to a toddler bed without railings (it's very low to the ground) at about 18 months...baby #2 was on the way & we wanted to switch her early enough to not associate taking her crib away with a new baby. i was worried about her getting out of bed & that sort of thing, but it went so smoothly. however, she did get out of bed & often we found her sleeping on the floor. our pediatrician said that she'll soon figure out that sleeping in the bed is more comfortable. within a week or two she was sleeping in the bed. we didn't go in to the room & put her back in every time we heard her get out. we also lock her door from the outside until we go to bed. it wasn't as difficult as i anticipated & she seemed so proud of herself to be in a big girl bed.

If he is ready, let him sleep in a bed. You may have the opposite problem the next time you try to transition him. Every child is different and there are no rules. You know your child and what is good for him.

We moved my son from his crib to a toddler bed around 18 months. We first just put him in it for naps until he got comfortable with it then moved him for night time too. Your son is obvioulsy eager to make the transition. Just tell him that he has to stay in the bed to sleep and if he can't do that he will have to use the crib.