My son is 21 months and sleeps in a crib. We will be needing the crib for our second child in a couple months. How do you know when a child is ready to move from the crib to a big bed? How do you go about it?
Get the new bed, get some new books and make it a "fun place" to read or play. Usually they will feel comfortable and crawl under the covers if you allow it. Make it the last reading or cuddle time of the night - rarely do the kids want to go back to the crib (even if they fall out). Put a pillow of the open side of the bed, under the covers and tuck it in or get a rail.
Then, have him help make the crib up for the new baby!
We always moved our kids up to a bed when they started climbing out of the crib - just couldn't stand the thought that they might pull that stunt in the middle of the night. :-) With two of our kids, that meant they moved up to the bed earlier than we really wanted, and I'm pretty sure that was around 18 months. They did just fine with it, however. I do remember moving furniture (like a dresser) next to the bed to stop them rolling out of it at first, but they adapted just fine.
Since you're expecting another one soon, I would suggest getting Big Boy out of the crib well before Baby arrives, so that he doesn't feel like his turf is being stolen by his new brother. There will already be some adjustment issues, so if you can separate the crib being taken away from the older one, from the actual arrival of the baby, that will help. Make a big deal about how he's the big brother and that he gets a new bed, and maybe even get some different sheets and blankets for the crib so it doesn't look like "his" anymore. If you can pack it away out of sight for a couple of months, so much the better.
First, do not transition your older child to a bed very near the time of the new baby. You either need to do it now and let it get well established, or wait (as another person suggested) until after and use a bassinet in the mean time.
I transitioned my daughter to her toddler bed (she has the convertable crib) at 16 months- it was probably too early, but she did well for the first two weeks. She goes to bed really well- we have a really well established bedtime routine and she puts up absolutely no fight at bedtime, and she goes to sleep completely on her own. I bought a rail for the side of the bed so she wouldn't fall out, and it left just enough room for her to crawl in and out of the bed. She LOVED her big girl bed and we had no problems for two weeks. Then she started getting up over and over and over- I don't put up with much, each time I put her right back to bed with no communication or reward for getting up, but eventually she would get up and fall asleep on the floor behind her door- moral of the story- the hype we used worked even for her, but she was too young so now shes back in the crib. Make sure you set very strict limits and back them up. Put him in bed once according to the normal routine, then if he gets up guide him back to bed without any comforting or conversation. You may have to do this several times. Then if he gets up in the night (and he eventually will) guide him right back to bed again like before- keep in mind that this is often where parents cave and let the kid come to bed with them.
Good luck- just be firm but positive and don't put too much pressure on the little guy. Having a new baby sibling can be pretty hard on a toddler!
You'll have a few months after baby is born before he really needs the crib anyway. Pack n play w bassinette or bassinette is better for the young age. Then you can can wait to move your older child to toddler bed. Once he has adjusted to new baby and he can help pick out bedding for his new bed!!!
My daughter hated her crib and would climb out at 12 months. So I bought her a toddler bed and she's been sleeping in it ever since. I would just make sure to put paddng on the floor in case she fell out.But the beds usually have a rail and are low to the floor. I think 21 months is definately time for a bed. Let him know that the crib is for babies, and that his baby brother would LOVE IT! Start the whole "big boy" thing to get him excited. When the baby comes,just associate the crib with the new baby,and he'll understand that he's a big boy and should be in a big kid bed,and not with the baby in a crib. Good luck!!
I moved my first son to a 'big boy bed' when he was 18 months because his little brother needed the crib. For my second one we transitioned him to a toddler bed at 2 and a big bed at 3. Neither did any better or worse than the other, neither neccessarily seemed ready or not, we just made sure to hype it up that it was a big boys thing and they both loved it. One reminder is that once they are out of the crib you lose all control of them, just make sure you think he is old enough to come to you if he wakes up in the middle of the night instead of getting into trouble.
Have you thought about transitioning your big guy to a toddler bed? They are low to the ground - and have built in safety railings on either side. You can find them anywhere (WalMart, Target, etc.). My boys loved them - and then they moved up to twin beds when they turned 4 this past year and were getting too long for the crib mattresses.
Hoep this helps! Good luck with the new little guy, too!
A.
we just did it cold turkey when our son was a little over 2. We attached a railing so he wouldn't fall out. We made a big deal over the big boy bed and had no problem! He loved sleeping in it and actually didn't think he could get out because of the railing. Good luck!
