My daughter is almost 20 months old, she has not yet started trying to climb out of her crib but many of her little friends have – and I know it’s possible that she will do it any day. And it’s gotten me thinking…when exactly do you change a baby from a crib to a bed, and what’s the best way to do it?
I’d love advice from those of you out there that have gone through this rite of passage. Do you have any tips on making the transition easier? Our pediatrician said that when we do make the change, that their is no reason to go to a toddler bed, that we can just go from a mattress on the floor to a big birl bed. And of course that got me thinking about proper little girl beds! I am SO not ready for that.
Of course that did not keep me from looking up kids beds!
Totally off topic, but do you wanna see a CRAZY one I found?
(The bed my daughter will NOT be getting…but would probably love! Also- can you imagine how hard it would be to make a round bed?!)
(And……also a bed she won’t be getting! But ummm…wow.)
Anyway… you experienced parents, or parents that are going through toddler-hood right now… do you have any wise words on making this important transition?
I’d love to hear it!
About Shannon SchmidShannon traded in her sensible NYC TV producer shoes (they were best for taking the subway), for a pair of Texas Cowboy boots when she married her best friend! He's at fault for making this Yankee a Texan! Shannon writes about all things that make a house a home. Her chief blogging inspiration is being the proud & slightly neurotic mom of a preschool age daughter.
You can find Shannon on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram and her new favorite place to hang out, Google+.
My son, almost 3, transitioned at 18 months to a toddler bed. He never attempted to climb out but he was using the crib as a trampoline so we figured to be safe we better switch him. Then we transitioned him again around 27 months to a twin bed.
For us the transition went pretty smoothly. Since we converted his crib to a toddler bed it was still that same comforting place but it was just a little different. Just be prepared, when you do transition the room may end up looking like a tornado went through the next morning. LOL
Toddler to Twin went really smooth. We never did the mattress on the floor, he went right to a regular bed and we just put one side up against the wall and the other side has a bed rail. The bed rail is a must since my son likes to sleep on the edge of the bed. 🙂
Good Luck!
@Mommy P, Thanks so much for the advice Mommy P! I wonder did your son get out of bed a lot at first? Becuase what I worry about most is my daughter staying up all night wondering her room!
@Milk & Cuddles,
The first couple night he did but that was it, thankfully! After that though he was good to go.
.-= Mommy P´s last blog ..Spring Break Week! =-.
i switched jude over just before he turned 2 and actually, even though i was told not to waste my money on a toddler bed, i was glad i did. i felt like the toddler bed was not quite so overwhelming as a full size bed to him and even with a mattress on the floor, babies do roll off. and we had hardwoods! plus, they are so inexpensive, i figured it was justifiable financially to buy one before moving into a full twin!
have you checked out posh tots, too?? oh my gosh, wow!
@kvlm, Oh yeah! Post tots is CRAZY!! But so fun to look through, no?
Thanks for the helpful advice, I worry about her falling too! Just before 2 does seem to be the age…ahhh! So nervous!! Thanks:)
Stopping by from FF! My son switched at about 25 months. I kept him coralled in his crib as long as I thought I could. Plus he was happy there. He just got too big and we needed the crib for his little brother. We never really had a problem with him getting up at night and he always comes straight to our room when he gets up. HTH!
LOL those are quite some beds there! My kids are grown and I truly cannot remember how we transitioned to a bed. I think they were about 2 when they understood the concept of their own bed.
I am here through FF. Stop by my blog and visit!
http://herroyaljoaness.blogspot.com/
Thanks so much for stopping by.
My oldest who is 6 now, went to a twin bed when he was 21 months old. The middle one who is now 3 went to a twin bed when he was 23 months old.
We did not do toddler beds, we took the side of the crib for about 1 – 2 months and laid pillows on the floor just in case, even though we have thick carpet (little overdone but I’m an overprotective mommy). After 2 months and I felt they would not get out of bed then we went to regular twin beds. It was so much easier than I thought. The oldest started climbing out of his crib at 18 months so we didn’t have a choice but with middle we thought it was just time to move him into the room with the older one.
You will know when it’s time and then make them feel as comfortable as possible.
.-= Ashley´s last blog ..Honesty & Guilt =-.
Hi, all three of my children stayed in the crib for ever. It seems so long ago since my youngest is fixing to enter Kindergarten, but they were each around 2 1/2-3 years old {I think}. Our son was switched when we needed the crib for baby #2. He went directly into a twin size bed that we also slid up against the wall. We had a rail for the other side. With the last two, we had a crib that turned into the toddler bed. Neither one wanted to sleep in it after we switched it. I would suggest going for the “really big girl bed” {twin}! Might save ya a few bucks in the long run.
Thanks for stopping by Three Beautiful Children. I will follow you through feeds!!!
.-= Jennifer´s last blog ..Past few days… =-.
It has been so long ago but I think it was just about 18 months for my oldest son and about 2 years for my younger. That castle bed is just adorable!
Hi…..I’m following back from Friday Follow….you’ve got a great blog here! 🙂
Happy Easter,
Elaine
.-= Elaine´s last blog ..Bacon Quiche Tarts on Easter Morning =-.
Hi, thanks for following, love your blog! My son who is now 2 1/2 was in a toddler bed early because he climbed out of his crib. We did (and still do) put a baby gate in his doorway to keep him from wandering around at night…for some reason he does not try to climb over that.
Hi, thanks for following, love your blog! My son who is now 2 1/2 was in a toddler bed early because he climbed out of his crib. We did (and still do) put a baby gate in his doorway to keep him from wandering around at night…for some reason he does not try to climb over that…oh and Im following you too!
I have a bed ready for my 2 year old…AHHHHHH It’s hard.
I have to make the room cute and my 9 year old will be in the same room… I have done it before but it is a lot of work.
I am following you too 🙂 Don’t forget to enter my give away. I will contact you if you win. I know, we can be busy 🙂
Frenchy
Thanks for stopping in! I am following your awesome site now also.
We transitioned right around two. I took the side off the crib with an added side rail until I knew she got she up and down concept. We were going to go right into a regular bed but a toddler bed sort of fell in our lap so we used that. I put it by her bed a few nights first, to warm up to it, let her play with it in the day and then she jumped right in and loved the princess bed. Now we can have her sleep in our bed, any bed & height and she won’t fall off. I think you do what is peaceful to you and transition slowly- – – you could do a regular bed and install a move able side rail for $20 or so- then once she gets the hang of it you can take the rail down. (our Ped also said we could skip the tot bed.)
Thanks so much for the comment on my blog 🙂 I am so glad to know Im not the only one who avoids shaving in the winter (lets face it all year around) hehe. I have an 18 month old little girl who is still in the crib and Im not ready to move her yet. I am not sure if Im waiting for a sign or what. I know I am skipping the toddler bed completely and going right to a twin mattress which will then be on a bed once she gets used to it. My son (who is now 6) didnt go into a big boy bed until he was 2 1/2, the main reason was bc we had a 2 level house and i was so scared he would fall down the stairs. He never climbed out of his crib we just moved and converted him once in the new place. All kids move at their own pace 🙂 Those beds are gorgeous though and fit for a princess! Hope you have an awesome weekend and I hope we become great blog friends 🙂
xoxo,
Lindsay
P.S. I’m a new follower!! yay!!
Thanks for stoppping by and saying hello! I have 3 little ladies that live at my house, so I have done this transition a few times. We went straight to “big-Girls” beds. The reason-I didn’t want to have to switch from a toddler bed to another “big-girl” bed. This was made for a much easier time for them and for us as well.
It only took about a week until all was well at our house again.
Good luck!!
I just made sure my kids had a bed that had a rail (similar to a bunk bed) so they didn’t fall out of it. I also used a baby monitor so I’d know if they went to sleep or were messing around. Worked for us!
Hi, this is Jacki from “What’s a Mom to Do?” @ http://whatdoesamomdo.blogspot.com/ and you started following me a couple of weeks ago and I followed you back. Unfortunately, I have lost all my followers, posts, and other things since the other day and have been spending a LOT of time trying to rebuild my blog.
Would you please re-follow me? I would appreciate it!
Thanks so much! (Also, you will notice on my blog I placed your button in my blogroll.)
.-= jacki´s last blog ..I am So Proud of Myself! =-.
Oh how we are struggling with this right now. My son was in a toddler bed at 15 months…hated it and then in a regular bed by 18 months. He hated his crib too. Now my daughter is totally attached to her crib. We set up the toddler bed and she loved it, slept in it, etc. Our woopsie was we left the crib up – someone was suposed to come and pick it up and did not – and when I told her it was going to another baby she became attached. My son never tried to climb out as much as he hated it, but she has fallen out once – the main reason I put the toddler bed up – and now just climbs out all the time. I have been lazy and too tired to deal…I know it will just take a few days and it will be OK. We are actually just going to get rid of the toddler bed and the crib and give her a regular bed.
.-= Holly ´s last blog ..I’m Tickled Pink with Gerber Days =-.
Thanks for stopping by my blog and becoming a follower!!
Scooby is a climber. He figured out how to climb out of his crib long before he was ready for a toddler bed. I’m talking like 13-14 months of age. It was way early. We ended up converting his crib to the toddler part, then turned the open side to the wall. It worked like a charm for a few more months, but then he figured out how to climb out the other side too, so we had to break down and turn it out so he wouldn’t get hurt. It did take a week or so for him to get used to it, but once he did, he did great. I only ever found him out of his bed twice. It was weird because his head was under his crib skirt and his body was sticking out. Totally weird! Freaked me out too!
.-= The Drama Mama´s last blog ..Feel Good Friday-A Feel Good Kinda Week =-.
We transitioned Lennon to a toddler bed when he was about the same age as your daughter. Please be aware though that not all of the side rails they sell for them are safe. We had one that slid under the mattress, one morning when I went to check on him he it had slid out and he was trapped under the netting of the rail, so please just be careful with what you choose. That was Terrifying!
Hi Shannon – thanks for the visit! I’ve added myself to your follow list.
The round bed is gorgeous, but it would certainly be a pain to make every day.
Thanks for stopping by and becoming a follower of my blog. I am excited to be following yours now too!
And I was thinking that exact same thing the other day. My LO is only 13 months old but I am excited to do a big girl room for her!
.-= Sandra´s last blog ..So where is my award? =-.
Thank you for stopping by my blog last week! Sorry the response is a little delayed, but I’m playing a little catch-up today. Your blog is adorable and so full of life and information. Unfortunately, I haven’t had any experience with the topic of this post but I have slept in a round bed before! The secret is special sheets 🙂
My lil guy is also 20 months old. I changed him from his crib to a toddler bed once he started wanting to climb out of his crib which was bout 13M. We were lucky bc he only got out of his bed one time. We put a baby gate up at his door so he couldnt wander the house at night if he did get up. They say if you let them get involved in picking out the new things for their bed that it will make the transition easier. Good Luck!
We are trying to decide wether or not to make our lil guys bed into a full size.
.-= Lindsey´s last blog ..Wordless Wednesday =-.
Goodness Gracious! I want that first bed for myself.
I cried when my kids went to the big bed…..mainly because I couldn’t trap them any longer (in crib) during naptime : (
It was great chatting with you the other day! We actually just moved our 16m old to a toddler bed. We moved her older siblings out of necessity when they were 15m old. My hubby made the point that the other kids moved so easily, while our friends have struggled moving their 2 year olds, maybe there is something to moving sooner rather than later. We got A a bed and she stays in it – it was a breeze switching her over! Hope you have an easy transition too!
.-= Rachel´s last blog ..Make your Own Spa Mask =-.
Hello from ff and adventuresinmomville.com! I have a 21 mo old son and had the exact same question! We have another little boy coming in 3 months and I just think it would be easier to transition before he gets here. The crib converts into a toddler bed, so we’re trying to decide what would be better…toddler bed or twin bed? I’m wondering if I need to lay with him for the first few nights while he goes to sleep, etc? hmmm…can’t decide! lol…I also picked out an extravagant bed with a slide (cedarworks.com). I LOVE that castle bed! I want one!!!