When to Tranistion to Toddler Bed; When to Potty Train?

We have a crib that makes into a toddler bed and only use it if there is time. Our littlest went into a twin at around 20 months with no problems.

As far as potty training, we use the method in the book Toilet Training in Less Than a Day by Dr. Nathan Azrin. We love it. It works as young as 21 months. I have a friend who has used it with all 5 of her kids, as well as several other friends who swear by it. We've done it right before or right after the second birthday with both our boys with great success. The method also seems to work even with a new baby in the picture or soon to arrive without regression.

1 mom found this helpful

In my opinion, leave them in a crib as long as they will stay there. This gives YOU the flexibility of moving them when YOU are ready. If you are worried about them getting restless, and destructive, each night after they go to bed, put in different toys for them to wake up to. My daughter stayed in her crib until she was 3. She was secure, and happy, and we were in charge of when she got out of bed, which taught her patience, and to self entertain. With my son, who transitioned at 2.5, it was because he was starting to crawl out of the crib, and I was worried he'd fall and hurt himself. Once we put him in a bed, we had to work for about 2 weeks to teach him to stay in his room and go to bed. Either way, I would definitely get them a regular sized bed. They outgrow the toddler/crib size too soon as toddlers.

You'll have to pay attention to your child, because they all transition at different times. My son was 22 months when I moved him to a twin size bed. But my daughter is 22 months now and I wouldn't even think about putting her in a regular bed. She'd never stay in it. I've heard that it's recommended to leave them in a crib until age 3. But I think about 2 is pretty standard for switching to a bed. If your child can climb out of the crib themselves, then it might be time to transition. If you are expecting another baby and need the crib, you might want to think about getting a bassinet or using a travel crib in your room for a while, if you don't feel your older child is ready to leave the crib. If the child is ready, transition him/her to the bed before the new baby arrives so that he/she does not associate the loss of his/her bed with the arrival of the new baby.

As far as potty training goes, you will have to watch for signs of readiness. Like an interest in the potty, telling you when his/her diaper is wet or messy, not liking being in a wet or messy diaper, ability to take of and put pack on own clothings, things like that. My son was not potty trained until he was almost 3 1/2. My daughter, however, is training right now (she's two in August) and doing pretty well. So just pay attention to your child. There's really no right or wrong time to do either of those things. Right now, just really enjoy the time with your baby. The times goes so fast!!

You have to see what works for your child. I am expecting my third and let me tell you, my first two were totally different when it came to these things. My first was potty-trained at 2, and my second is no where close. As far as moving to a bed, you should either do it a few months before the baby comes or a few months after, not right around the same time. Some great books I would recommend are Siblings Without Rivalry and Dr. Sears' The Baby Book. If you need a doula when you do get pregnant again, let me know! I'm in Denver!

It seems that type of stuff varies a lot from family to family. In general, it seems like most kids move out of the crib anywhere between 18 months and 3 years, and potty training is about the same. For us, my daughter got a toddler bed at about 2 years old, and potty trained fully by about 2 years and 2 months; my son is 21 months and is still in diapers and still in a crib, so I am not sure what his timeline will be. Each kid is different! You are still pretty far off from those things, so I would say just take cues from your child as he/she gets older, and see what you are comfortable with when the time comes.

There isn't a huge "real time" on any of these things. Most kids are ready for a big kid bed, toddler bed/twin bed by two years of age. Getting a bedrail helps the transistion as well as baby gating their bedroom. As far as potty training, that is WAY down the road for you. You didn't say if your baby was boy or girl as that can make a difference. Girls typically are easier and quicker in training around two to three years of age, boys around the three year mark. It is totally dependent too on your child's personality too on both those things. If your child has an attachment to the crib, gets up out of bed and isn't a good sleeper then it could take longer. As far as potty training some kids get it right away around two but you cannot push it or force it, they have to have all the "ready" signs, like knowing the urge, being able to pull pants down and up and waking up most naps and mornings dry. Dont' worry, enjoy your baby being a baby and it goes by so fast anyway, with number two it goes by even faster, enjoy every second of them being a baby!!

First of all toddler beds are a waste of money. At 18 months my first had to transition because we had a baby on the way. We went straight to twin bed and put a step stool at the foot so she could get off and of course with a guard rail. She did fine. Toddler beds are not for long and then you have to buy another anyway. Her sister is a bit different. She turns 2 today and is still in the crib. Ironically, she tried to get out of the crib last night and fell. We are having #3 in October and I was hoping by August to transistion her only because we were waiting to buy another twin bed but I think we need to sooner. Potty training: Their little muscles are ready to "understand" the process by 18 months. We used training pants and my now 4 year old was trained by 2 1/2 (with the help of childcare). The second, I am doing on my own and its more difficult with away from home schedules but I am trying to be consistant with training pants and frequent trips to the potty when we are at home. I just want her trained by October. Great that you are getting ready already. Good planning....

Congratulations on your baby! At 4 months old there are a lot other milestones that you and your precious baby will experience before yu even come close to toddler beds and potty training! Slow down and enjoy your baby as s/he is right now! Don't worry too mouch about the future, and don't be in too much of a hurry to have another baby. Your baby's first year of life is so full of new discoveries and so full of joy. Take time to appriciate your baby, s/he will be grown before you know it. That said, I have not even used a toddler bed, I think that they are a waste of money, I have kept my babies in their crib unitl 2-2 1/2 years old and then just put them in a twin bed, some families find it easiest to put a twin mattress on the floor at first so that the child does not have far to fall if they roll off, but my babies were not rollers. As far as potty training, it is so variable. I tried too hard and too early with my first child and it was discouraging and difficult for both of us, she ended up potty trained at about 34 months old. With my second child I was much more laid back and didn't stress over when she would train and I didn't worry about accidents too much (the worst thing you can do is scold a child over accidents) and lo and behold that child was potty trained at about 34 months of age! Some kids are not fully trained until 3 years old or even a little older and that is perfectly normal and OK! I think that many parents stress too much over potty training because they are trying to save money on diapers or because they are afraid of having two kids in diapers at the same time, and while those are valid concerns they are NOT GOOD REASONS to push a child who is not ready into potty training. The more you push a child who is not ready the harder and longer the whole process will be. So there is my emminent wisdom gleaned from being a mom of 2 and a former nanny. Good luck with your baby and remember to breathe in and out and sleep as much as the baby will let you!

My kids are 2 years, 2 months apart. My older one crawled out of his crib around 14 months, so we put a tent on it until he was 2. We needed the crib for baby #2, so we put him in a big boy bed right around 2 years old. But, the baby really didn't sleep in the crib for several weeks anyway. If they are any closer than 2 years, you'll probably need a second crib.
I don't remember having 2 in diapers as being a big deal. We did that for about a year before we started potty training the first. Boys potty train later than girls, and it is a long process. It doesn't usually happen over night. I spent a lot of time in the bathroom, and never could have done it with a newborn to take care of.
Everyone is different, this is just my experience! :)

My best advice about tranisitioning to a bed is to try to wait until they are ready. Obviously if you have to have the crib you might not be able to wait. Those who I have talked to who moved too soon ended up having major sleep issues. Their toddlers would pop out of bed at all hours and even wander around in the middle of the night. We waited with my son, and when he was a little over two, he laid down in a friend's bed and fell asleep. After that he would climb into display toddler beds in stores. We asked if he wanted a big boy bed and he said "YES!!" The first day the bed was in his room, I figured we would take it slow and just use it for naps, but he insisted on sleeping there that night. He did and has been ever since with no problem. From what I have heard, read and experienced, waiting until they are ready for the bed is the key. Good Luck!

when you can't keep baby in crib and either when they show interest in the potty or when you want to

Get the American Pediatrics book on child development. Also look at What to Expect the first year and What to Expect the toddler years. Those will help you with milestones. Generally speaking, once a toddler is able to crawl out of the crib on his own and/or when he is able to crawl into and out of bed --- he is ready for a bed. I wouldn't waste my time with a toddler bed. Just transition to a bed. For my children, they were ready to transition around the age of 2 years old. Potty training is really dependent upon when the child is ready to potty train. Generally, after 3 years of age. You can tell when the child wakes up in the morning regularly with dry diapers. Also, when the child no longer likes to wear soiled diapers. When the child can communicate with you that his diapers are soiled. And when the child shows an interest in you using the toilet and an interest in himself using the toilet. So, if you get pregnant now, you will need two cribs and you will have two babes in diapers. I, personally, waited to have the 2nd child. Those thoughts mentioned above are part of the reason. I have a 5 year old and a 1 year old. They are 3 1/2 years apart.

Our son was born 2 weeks after our daughter turned 2. I didn't want another crib, and I didn't want 2 in diapers either. We moved our daughter to a bed when she was about 18 months. We didn't bother with a toddler bed, we just bought a real bed, and kept the mattress on the floor while she got used to it. We started potty training at 22 months. We used a method that we purchased from easypottytraining.com. It was totally worth it. She was potty trained in under a week...never once wore a pull up, never wet the bed, and very few accidents.

Every child is different, but when I was taking child development classes a few years ago, they said that the average age for a girl to be potty trained is 35 months (almost 3 years old) and for a boy it is about 6 months later. This means that about half of kids will train before this age, and about half after. The important thing is to watch your child for signs of being ready. And don't push too soon.
As far as transitioning to a toddler bed, I would wait until the child is at least a year to 18months. I moved my kids out of the crib when they started climbing out, which was close to 2 years old.
Please remember also that kids tend to regress on skills that they learned in the last 6 months whenever there is a major change in their life -- and having a new sibling definitely falls into that category. So with you planning on having another so soon you may just want to wait on the other transitions for your little one, even if it means 2 cribs or 2 kids in diapers.

I transitioned all 3 of my children to a twin bed with gaurd rails at age 2 (meaning they had their 2nd birthday and off to the big bed they went)...not for any other reason other than I could and wanted to get it done with. We never had a problem with any of them. I started taking my two youngest daughters potty once they started showing interest. With my first, the term 'potty training' implied too much to me and I thought that's was exactly what I was supposed to do...train her whether she wanted to or not...I thought it was up to me to know when and how. Instead, it turned into a hard power struggle that taught me to lay off. My second daughter just decided one day to get on the big potty and go. I had a little potty for her sitting in the bathroom, but she never cared for it and I never pushed her...just had it available. She never used it...no once. But, once she decided to get on the big potty and go, that was it...training done. She had a few accidents here and there as she learned control, but no big deal. She wanted to go potty so she learned how really more on her own than anything. My 3rd daughter has had a little bit of a harder time just because we have such a crazy schedule. I carry a portable potty seat with me all the time...sometimes she uses it, sometimes she has an 'accident'...but she is well on her way because she wants to be. There are no definite timelines for any child...they are all different. As your child grows, if you pay attention you will know when she/he is ready.

Here's another good source for information about EC (elimination communication): http://www.timl.com/ipt/

I started to do it with my now 3 1/2 year old and it was awesome to have him not sitting in dirty diapers all the time. At 5 months old, he would even stay dry through naps!! Then he got really focused on learning to crawl and I totally dropped the ball... and totally regretted it later. He trained at 3 (he still wears a diaper at night although *most* mornings he wakes up dry).

My almost 4-month-old baby and I have been working just a little bit on EC and will continue to do so (and maybe even build up to full-time EC). And I plan to stick with it this time... it's *so* worth the effort!

As for the crib... I'd say to keep 'em in it as long as you can. Once they're in a toddler bed, then you have to try to figure out how to keep them *in* the bed. Obviously you'll have to move them once they start climbing out, but maybe you'll get lucky & yours won't!

Best of luck & enjoy your little one!

We transitioned all our kids to beds at around 15-18 months. For me they needed to be able to walk, that way they would have the sense of boundaries. Potty training depends on the kid. My first potty trained at 2 and the twins are just now exhibiting signs of readiness and they are 21 months. If you wait until they are ready then it will not take to long. Our first potty trained in 1 week without ever wetting the bed. Good Luck!

A.,
My only advice is to keep your child in a crib as long as possible. I hear so many stories from frustrated parents because the kids aren't staying in bed. My daughter is 2 next Monday and she's still in a crib. My pediatrician is fine with it. She's potty training now and has been for a few weeks.

the ages vary a lot for these two things. most people i know keep kids in a crib until they can climb out themselves, which can be anywhere between 1yr-3yrs, depending on the disposition and physical ability of the child. but just because a 2 yr old doesn't climb out of their crib doesn't mean you can't move them to a bed. my oldest was able to climb out of his crib, but learned to stay in it after getting scared a couple times while climbing out. but then we moved and had to put the crib in storage while living with family temporarily, so my son moved to the available toddler bed at 19 months. it was hard at first because he loved his new freedom and got up a lot. but at the same time, i was pregnant and glad to not be lifting a 30 lb kid into a crib anymore. i think our second son was just barely 2 when we took the rail off his crib for climbing.
same with potty training. depending on their physical ability and interest in it, i've known kids who started at 18 months and others who had no interest until they were 3. some kids take years to be fully potty trained and others can do it in a day. my oldest showed some interest and ability for potty training a little before 2 but i was pregnant so i didn't push it. he took a long time to be comfortable doing #2 in the toilet and wasn't completely potty trained until he was 4. my second started before he was 2 because his brother was doing it, but he's 2 3/4 now and not fully potty trained, even though he does use the toilet often. both kids regressed a little in potty training when i had surgery 9 months ago, so be prepared for regression if you decide to start potty training before the second baby is born. also keep in mind that potty training involves a lot of bending and squatting on your part, which can be difficult late in pregnancy or shortly after a c-section. good luck!

One of the baby books suggested switching from crib to toddler bed when the child was old enough to ask for it, which would tend to fall around 3 years old. I think it was Happy Baby, Healthy Sleep Habits by Weisblutt (sp?). I think I switched my oldest and my twins around 2. Both of my twins would climb out of their cribs around this age and only one could climb back in to go to bed, so we transitioned them for this reason. I've had friends who did keep them in cribs until 3 and have heard of them being transitioned early - like 18 months. The sterotype of potty training is girls will train while they are 2, maybe 2 1/2 and don't even try with boys until they are close to 3. My kids followed the sterotype pretty closely. Good luck!

Have you heard of www.diaperfreebaby.org? Check it out. I've been doing Elimination Communication part time with my 2 yr old since he was 11 months. I know his pee and poop patterns pretty well that I can put him on the potty when I know he needs to go. It's better than having a smooshed poop diaper that you have to wipe up when your nose is only about 3 feet away from the poop. And, if you are ever stressed doing EC, step back and put the diapers back on. It's not supposed to be stressful. Also, you don't have to do it all the time; we do it part time.

It is hard on your body to have your kids close together. That doesn't mean you can't do it - just wanted to warn you. You should talk to your midwife/ob and let them know your plans. they'll give you some good info...and make sure your body's good to go.

>crib-toddler bed
Keep your child in the crib as long as you can. When your child climbs out it's time for a toddler bed. Know that a child with excellent sleeping habits in the crib will suddenly have awful sleeping habits with the freedom of a toddler bed.

>potty training
around 2 yrs for girls
around 3.5-4 years for boys

It's different for each kid...and more of a headache the earlier you start.

I don't remember when I put my daughter into a toddler bed but it was probably about 1 1/2. As for potty training, it is very hard on you when you have two in diapers at the same time (my mom did that). You would want to potty train as soon as possible. With my daughter, she was potty trained at 2 1/2. It took about 3-4 days.

I'd put the older child in a big bed about 4-6 monthes before baby #2 is schduled to arrive (keep #1 in crib as long as possible...it'll usually keep him from waking and wandering at night)

Each kid is different when it comes to potty training. Some kids are ready at 18 mos.. and some not until they're 3. I'd read some of the past request for more ideas. You're the mom and ultimately you know what's best for your kids.

J. B