Big Girl Bed

Most toddler beds only had a small rail on the side. I used a regular bed rail - one you would use on a twin size bed. You have to get the basic kind though - The First Choice Brand from Walmart is the one I have used. The reason is that it is very thin and can be squeezed between the build in rail of the toddler bed and the mattress.

As for the pillow - as soon as I started the toddler bed (much younger by the way) I gave my boys a pillow. I felt like this helped them understand that this is where their heads should be - kind of training them. It wasn't a thick pillow - just a thin one.

Good luck!

If your crib doesn't convert to a toddler bed, then I wouldn't bother wasting the money for one. They are the same size as a crib. Buy a twin mattress without a frame, so it's lower to the ground. They make rails for twin beds that you can buy at any Toys R Us or Walmart. If you put one side of the mattress against the wall, that will serve as your other rail. Then all you have to do is buy the frame/headboard that you want when you're ready to do the full changeover to a "big girl" room. Sometime between 2 and 3 was when my son finally stopped moving all over the bed. She's probably past the stage of suffocating, so you could add one med-firm pillow to her new bed. I know my friend's 19 month old sleeps just fine on her pillow. They also have a bodypillow that lines the floor beside the mattress, just in case she does somehow fall out.

You can get short railings for those beds too. Or maybe one of those big "body" pillows that are long and thick. My daughter went to a real bed as soon as she learned how to climb out of the crib.

before you get the whole bed, just get a mattress and put it directly on the floor until she gets used to it. My son is 4 and still rolls out of bed, although it has happened only twice. He sleeps in every direction so I ended up getting him a queen size bed - this way it will grow with him and I dont have to get another bed in 10 years and it doubles for guests!

They have neted pieces that go right across the side of the bed so they don't fall out. you could try that.

We moved our oldest son to a toddler bed at 20 months. He did fall out in the beginning. We placed pillows on the floor to break his fall. After a while, he learned how to stay in bed...for the most part. He is now three and randomly still rolls out of bed. He can get into some very odd sleeping positions.

Good luck.

Hi, I moved my 16 month old into a single bed because we had another baby due in 2 months (moved her before the baby came to avoid her associating her losing her crib with the new baby). Anyway, I had the same concerns as you about falling out. I didn't want to spend money on a toddler bed, so we opted for a twin bed mattress and let her sleep on the mattress on the floor for a while. When we moved her to the bed, we put up a railing (you can buy railings that fit on beds to avoid them from rolling out.) We have never had a problem. Oh and my son got his leg stuck in his crib too! We had to cut (the crib that is) him out. Good luck!

All toddler beds are low to the ground so falling off is not that traumatic at all. My daughter was around the same age we got her the toddler bed. She loved it! I put extra blankets and pillows on the floor but they didn't last long; she caught on quick. Occassionally, I'd find her hanging off still sleeping...LOL...it was cute and I'd put her back. I did give her a pillow but a very flat one, she used her nursery quilt and sheets still. I didn't give her a sheet on top til 3 and a half. Most toddler beds come w/ covered sideds half way anyways. Good luck!

I bought a very thin breathable bumper at Babies R Us that they can't climb on to get out at this age (mine is 15 mo.) and it's purpose is to keep limbs inside of the crib. I originally bought it to keep her pacifier in the crib -- LOL! But now I know it keeps her limbs inside too because she's all around that crib and it works wonders. Best of luck!!

My ten year old sleeps in a queen size bed, because she still moves all around in bed. Every child is different. We put her in a toddler bed at about 20 months for the same reason. I put old comforters on either side of her bed. She adjusted. We bought a bed that had 2 half rails.

I have found that they are not ready for a toddler bed until they can climb in and out of it. Once they can get on and off by themself they are fine in a "big kid" bed. Yes they might fall out and a couple times I've gone in and she'd be sleeping on the floor but its alright put them back in bed and they will get used to no sides. :) I've learned this by raising 3 kids back 2 back !!

She may be depending on those sides to stop her movement. If that is the case then a new bed may be just the annswer.
I would show her the bed and point out that if she does not restrict her thrashing around that she might fall out.
Maybe until she has control of the situation it would be good to pad the surronding floor in case she does fall out.

S.

Well if it helps to know toddler beds have bed rails and they are low to the ground so even if she falls off she won't get hurt. Good luck. A.

I wanted to get my daughter a regular twin size bed (skipped the toddler bed) and started out with the mattress and boxspring on the floor. She has always moved around a lot at night. It worked great for her. When she did move to the twin size bed at almost 3 years old she did fall out of it once but has done great overall.

Hi J.,
I got my son a 'Safety First' bed rail (extra long) and put the other side of the bed against the wall. I put my pregnancy body pillow along the wall so he would'nt roll up against it and knock his head. I was suprised, but it worked out well and he loves his big boy bed. Good Luck!

Hi J.! Simple solution to that - when we moved our daughter (who will be 3 next month) to a big girl bed - I went to Walmart and bought a bed rail - I think it was like $15. You just put it on the side and it flips up and down and locks into place so they cannot fall out. We love it and our daughter doesn't mind it at all. I hope that helps!!! Take care!

I just moved my daughter, 17 months, to her toddler bed, except its the crib, dropped down, so we only have one side to worry about. they have the side guards you can by. She has had a pillow to sleep on for awhile. She loves her pillow. We don't have the guard rails on her bed right now, I found these big dog beds for my dogs at walgreens for $10, and they don't sleep on them, so they work great as cushion next to her bed if she falls, which she has a few times, but onto the pillows, and she doesn't even really wake up. Of course, she's in our room, so its easy to go help her at night! :) Good luck!