When to Transition to a Big-boy Bed?

R., it sounds as though your youngster is already making the transition on his own. Bear in mind, your son doesn't know the difference between his crib and a toddle bed or regular twin-sized bed. The biggest issue little ones have with the transition is losing the bars on the crib, which, when gone, can make them feel less secure in their environmnet. (Oftentimes, the younger you transition to a larger bed the better and the child adapts more readily to the change.) To ease the transition, make sure to use bed rails so your toddler will still feel the sense of containment he had in his crib. Since your baby's crib can be adapted to a toddler bed, you already have the bed rails in place. It should be a fairly easy transition, especially if you let your two year old take part in the conversion of his bed from a baby crib to a toddler bed.

Good luck.

My two cents...I don't think the fact that your son is in his crib (versus a bed) has much to do with him not sleeping through the night. Given that he isn't climbing out, I'd leave him be! If you do put him in a bed you may face an even bigger problem in that he will be able to climb out much more easily. If you leave him in the crib you can control the situation much more easily. I'm not sure what you're doing when he awakens in the night, but I would check him to make sure he isn't sick (ie., touch his head and make sure he doesn't have a fever--without picking him up) and if he isn't, I'd leave the room and not come back until morning. If he knows you're coming he'll continue to get up (they learn those bad habits so quickly!!) If you don't go to him, hopefully he'll stop waking up in the night. Anyway, I totally understand your desperation BUT I don't think you're going to do yourself any favors by putting him in a bed out of which he can (and will) climb! Good Luck!

.

Hi R.,

I would have to agree with Andrea C. I don't think putting him in a bed will stop with him waking up at night. I would chalk it up to the teeth. The 2 year molars really bothered my son and I would give him so Motrin before bed and rub the baby orajel on right before he would sleep. I would often have to reapply in the middle of the night and it always seemed to make him feel better. If you really want him in a bed you could start talking to him about it. Ask him if he would like a bed. Talk about how we stay in bed all night. I've just heard so many stories about kids who slept well having trouble with the transition. You could always try. I don't think it would be a big deal to go back to a crib. Good luck!

K.

We were motivated when my son (at about 2 or 2 1/2) when he wanted to get in bed with us in the morning & we were not ready to get up.

I started by lowering the side rail to encourage him to climb out. (he did not ever climb out either)Soon after we went ahead & set up a full sized bed for him. It was a fairly effortless transition as I recall.

We were pregnant again at that point & I wanted him out of the crib for a good 6 months before baby arrived so there was no confusion about who's bed it was.

Some people just put the crib mattress on the floor for a while in case there are falling out issues.

You know in your gut what is best for your family, dont hesitate to listen to yourself!

P

R.,

My husband and I transistioned our son around 2 years old due to the fact that I was pregnant with our second child and I didn't want it to be such a drastic change when the baby arrived. I am not going to lie and tell you it was easy. He had a hard time staying in bed and usually ended up in bed with us. We tried putting the baby gate up at his room door and just leaving the door open, but that didn't work, he would just stand there and cry and scream to get out. When we moved him into his new room with his new twin "big boy" bed after the baby arrived things started getting better. Now he sleeps thru the night and all is well.

I am sure your little one is ready, you just need to be ready for little hiccups during the transistion. Good luck. Moms usually have a hard time seeing their babies getting bigger and growing out of their baby things.

Hi R.!

I think that the others are probably right in saying the waking up is due to teeth. But I differ in opinion about the transition to big-boy bed. I believe in waiting as long as possible to make the change as long as the child is still safe in the crib. If they are they are climbing out or trying to climb out you definitely need to take that into consideration. My son was almost 3 before we made the change and the only reason we bought a big boy bed was because my son asked for it. He came to us one day and said, "Can I sleep in a bed like yours?" So we went online and he picked out his bed, a racecar bed and we ordered and for the next three weeks that was all he could talk about. Once the bed arrived the transition was so easy. He never tried to climb out, he was so excited to be sleeping in a bed like ours and especially the race car! My advice would be wait as long as possible!

Hope this helps!
A.
Enhancing Lives - One Family at a Time
www.HealthySafeFamily.com

I have three children. The oldest we moved into a toddler bed right before she was 2. I too did this because of a baby on the way. We should have bought another crib instead! Napping stopped within a couple months and the night time routine was shot. Our second transitioned a few months after he was 3. His naps stopped shortly after too, but I was ready for it that time. There's no rule book for how old your child needs to be. Obviously if they are using of for a gym and not a bed, of's time. I'll keep our 18 month old in as long as I can. I think you maybe dealing more dad gone and teething. I know it is so hard, but if it were me I would keep the crib. Does he do fine if you let him fall asleep rocking or something and then move him in the crib? Good luck!

I moved both of my children to a twin bed with rails by the time they were two years old. From what you describe, your son does not want to sleep in a crib any more. He has probably realized that no one else in the house sleeps in a crib and so he does not want to either. Just because he has not tried to climb out does not mean that he should still be sleeping in a crib. I would imagine that he is getting bigger and that he may be feeling crowded and baby mattresses really are not that comfortable. He has probably realized that there are more comfortable places to sleep. I really don't see that you have anything to lose by trying a different sleeping arrangement either a toddler bed or twin or whatever bed you have that he could move up to. I know it can be hard to realize that your baby is growing and that he does not need all the baby gear he once needed and sometimes we as parents have a difficult time transitioning from the baby stage. In my opinion it is time to let him move from the crib.