When to Put an Toddler in a Toddler Bed

Hi M.-

These are exactly the reasons that I took both of my kids out of their cribs around that age. They just stopped sleeping as well. I moved them both onto an air matress on he floor for a couple of months. It was very convenient because I didn't have to worry about them rolling off or rolling into crib rails (that's what used to wake my son) or the hard mattress(my daughter was uncomfortable). The air mattress gave me a chance to transition them to sleeping in a big bed by themselves. Plus provided me the opportunity to lay with them while they went to sleep, avoiding the getting out of bed battle. I hope this helps.

When both my kids were a little over 2, they went to a twin bed. I wouldn't even bother with a toddler bed.

Don't listen to anyone who tells you any "should's" in this area. Every child is an individual, and there are no rules when it comes to this. I have four, and every one was different. Follow your mommy instincts. If you feel your daughter is ready for a bed, and that she would be happier in one, make the switch. But remember, too, that there is nothing wrong with her taking her naps in your bed, or joining you in the early morning hours. Those are bonding experiences, and the closeness you build now will pay off in a multitude of ways down the road.

We switched our son to a full size bed at 17 months because he had become so used to sleeping in a larger bed (we had been traveling for 2 months and when we got home he refused to sleep in his crib). We started him off with just the mattress on the floor, and after 2 months, put it up on a frame (just a mattress on a platform bed, no boxspring to keep it lower to the ground). We keep his bed in a corner with 2 sides against the wall, he's almost 3 and he's never fallen our or had any problems.

On the other hand, he has friends who are still in cribs at 2.5 and 3 yrs old, all kids are different, so whatever works for your daughter is what's right.

why don't u try putting her crib mattress on the floor and see if she'll nap there longer..and then just start out that way? my son is a 32 months..and still is in his crib but he loves it..i read that you should keep them in there til they're 3...but if she's napping better in your bed i would try the mattress on the floor or i would just get her a toddler bed now.

I would wait. At her age I think it is unlikely she will stay in her bed. You don't want a 19 month old roaming the house at night. We tried taking my daughter out before she was 3, since we had a younger child and didn't buy 2 cribs, but she wasn't ready and didn't stay (we had to borrow a crib for her). My son is almost 3 and until he climbs out on his own or gets longer than the crib mattress, I'm keeping him in there.

All three of my kids were in regular beds by the time they were two. We could never afford "Toddler Beds" and just moved them to regular twin beds. My third child was the only one we used side rails on. We just didn't make a big deal about it.

we put our daughter into a toddler bed at 18 months (her crib got recalled so we returned it and bought a toddler bed). shes only gotten out a handful of times. she sleeps in it all night and through out her naps. she also like your daughter gets into my bed in the morning (we share a room so she wakes up and comes to me). she has only fell out two times but that was with her crib (it was a transitional crib and we didnt have the side rails on.) we bought her a little toddler bed and she does just great shes been in it for 2 months and when we get our own place we will probably put her in a twin bed or maybe even a full bed at 3. really watch your childs cues if you think she is ready for a toddler bed then try it out for a week and if she does ok then keep her in it. don take the crib down till your sure :)

Hey Maria-
My husband and I have five kids and each of them is very different. We are big believers in everyone in their own time. There isn't a certain age that makes it right. When our now 3yr old was 19mos, she just kept asking to sleep in her big girl bed- so we let her, and she's been there ever since. We have a 19mos old right now who loves being in her crib. You will know when she's ready. I also agree that you could probably bypass the toddler bed and go straight to a twin. Let her try it out during nap and see if she responds well. In any event, best of luck to you!

I'm not sure what the rule of thumb is. But the day my daughter turned 2 years, she was moved to a big girl bed. Maybe if she wasn't so big in her crib (she's a tall kid), and we weren't expecting our 2nd child two months after her birthday, we might not have rushed it. But it worked well for her and she never had a problem transitioning.

I realize that you have already commented about keeping her in the crib for a bit longer but wanted to give you my 2 cents as well.
We have had many little people (foster kids) come and go from our house and almost all have been at this stage at one point in our home. We tend to take kids 5 and under only. It is suggested (possibly even required- I can't remember) by the county that the children move out of the crib by 2. I have a little guy right now that turns two in a few days. We set up his toddler bed and took down his crib a few days ago. We put on "new" big bed sheets and prepared him for it the best that we could. He has done beautifully. One of the issues that I saw come up quite a bit in the comments was about the children wandering at night due to the freedom. We have that solved in a couple of ways. The kids go to bed early and we are readily watching to be sure that they stay in bed, we have a baby monitor in the toddler room to listen at night, and we have a baby gate set up to not allow them to wander. This has all been working for us for quite some time. It only took 2 nap times to help our current little guy to understand that he had to stay in bed and not get up and play. HE loves his bed. So... just do it when it works best for you and you are comfortable with it.

Hi M.,

I would suggest to keep her in her crib as long as possible. If she already likes sleeping with you then once she has the freedom of a big girl bed it will be so hard to keep her in it. We tried to convert my oldest daughter at 20 months to a big girl bed so that we wouldn't have to buy a second crib for my second child. It was our biggest parenting mistake. She wouldn't stay in the big girl bed and didn't like it at all. I would wake up in the morning and find her asleep on the floor in the hallway. So we gave her back her crib and she was in it until almost 4!

Good luck!
G.

Hi M., keep her in her crib until at least 3 years old, even 3.5. The reason she sleeps longer in your bed is because it is special. Her own bed won't be anymore special than her own crib. The best way to get her to sleep in her own bed is to stop bringing her into your bed when she wakes up at 4:00 and just go in and tell her it is still nighttime and to go back to sleep. She will cry and fuss, but it won't last but a day or two and she will learn to stay in her own bed. If you don't do this now then you will have an even worse problem when you do put her in a toddler bed.
Good Luck
K. Smith
Sleep Consultant and Parenting Coach
www.theindependentchild.com

Our daughter was 15 months when we switched her over to a toddler bed. We need the crib for her brother in a few months. We moved her early so she didn't feel pushed out her crib by the baby. We took her to pick out the sheets and used a safety rail. The first week she would come out every so often. One morning we found her asleep in her doorway! (one of my fave pics of her. If you have a two story house make sure you have a gate for the stairs or her doorway.

I would suggest leaving her in the crib for a while at least 2.5 years, if she isn't climbing out. Does the crib turn into a toddler bed? Does one side come off completely? That might be easiest for her, the same bed, just more freedom.

We kept our son in his crib until sometime after he was 3.

Of course, we travel a great deal, so he had slept in many beds (from about the time he got too big to sleep in a drawer...about 9 months...one of the most convenient places have an infant sleep, just don't shut the drawer! ;) to the time we finally moved him.

We kept him in his crib, primarily because it was the safest place for him to go on time out. And no, there were absolutely no resultant sleep problems, if anything his crib became his "safe place", where he could be as upset as he wanted until he calmed down. He also frequently slept with us in our bed, and like I said, had slept all night in real beds while we traveled since he was about 9 months old.

A note on toddler beds: They're a waste of money.

It's far far far more sensible to buy whatever size bed you'll be having him sleep in for the next 10 years or so. Put up a railing, or start off with just the mattress on the floor, and gradually build up.

We chose a double, so we can lay down with him for storytime/bedtime/reading-under-the-covers-pretending-to-camp-time/etc., and so he'll still be able to use it as he grows. <laughing> Of course, I slept in a twin until I moved out...but we also had 3 twins in one room. Our son's going to be an only, so space isn't really a big deal.

Good luck

My daughter will be 3 next week and still in her crib-mind you it is a convertible crib and is huge. She is content in there and never tried to get out or never even stood up in it unless it is when I come in to get her. I figure she has plenty of room and she is comfortable and content and the older she gets the more she will understand the concept of staying and sleeping in a bed. Although every child/parent is different so I think you should do what you feel is right for your child and family. L.:)

My older 2 were in big kid beds around 16 months. My youngest got the railing taken off the crib to turn it into a toddler bed around 19 mo. They all slept better out of the crib confinement. Good luck!

This is the exact age my son went to the toddler bed, and it worked (somewhat)! He felt much more comfortable being able to get in and out on his own and would go consistently down for naps in the bed with me sitting next to it, and would go to bed easily - he still ended up in our bed halfway through the night... but now at almost four yrs old he's in his own bed all night!:)

My oldest son (now 11) would sleep in his crib, then he would wake up and I would go get him at 4 am and he would finish sleeping with us (sounds like your situation). I converted his crib into a toddler bed at 22 months. I kept a nightlight on in the hallway, and if he woke up he would come into our room, instead of us going to go get him. We never had a problem with him wondering the house. Our 2nd son (now 6) climbed out of his crib at 18 months. I did not trust him to be in a toddler bed at that time (he also never slept with us at that age). We ended up buying a crib tent for him, and ironically, he stayed in a crib until he was 3.5 years. He eventually destroyed the crib tent, and I put the side of the crib down so he could climb in and out. Our now 20 month old daughter sleeps great in her crib and has never tried to climb out, who knows when she'll graduate to a toddler bed. So, you can see, they are all different. It sounds like your daughter is a lot like my 1st son, and she'll probably do ok in a toddler (or twin) bed now. It sounds like she wants to be with you, so if she wakes up, most likely she'll come in your room. I can't remember when my 1st stopped coming in our room, but they do eventually stop.