Toddler Bed - Sartell,MN

I put my daughter in a toddler bed at 12 months. I just got one with the rails so she wouldn't fall out. She was always climbing out the crib anyways and thought it was definatly safer for her in the toddler bed. What I did was set up the bed in her room and raved about it every day.. and asked her to sit on it all the time.. after a week of reading books on her bed, playing by it and climbing in and out i just took the crib down.. and laid down next to her and read stories.. while she laid in her new bed.. it took about a week, but she really got used to it quickly. she does have more freedom so I had to really babyproof the room, but it worked out great for me!
Good Luck!
the reason I started her so early was that I was pregant again and had another one coming on the way!

E. B
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My daughter went from a crib to a twin bed at around age 2. We put the box springs & matress right on the floor with a bed rail. She had been napping on a cot at daycare for about 6 mos, so she was used to not sleeping in a crib for naps.
We skipped the toddler bed since a toddler bed is just a crib matress & Olivia was 35" tall by the time she was 2.

HI A.,
We have three small children, and two are out of the crib. Something to think about...to save money we bought a twin bed and had them start on just the mattress on the floor. both kids did great with that and never fell out. As for staying in the bed, my son slept well too and we didn't have any problems with him staying in bed. I think he didn't even realize he COULD get out of bed b/c he was so used to the crib. Good luck and maybe think about a twin...then you only have to buy 1 bed instead of a toddler bed AND a twin.

We switched when I noticed my daughter putting her legs up like the beginnings of wanting to climb out of her crib. (I figured it was only a matter of time until she figured it out.) We skipped the toddler bed and went with a single mattress on the floor. (I figured we skipped the extra step and avoided the cost of the toddler bed) We also shoved it in the corner so at least 2 sides were against the wall. Eventually, we added thebox spring and soon, we'll be adding the bedframe...but it's still in the corner.

Hi A.
Is your daughter trying to climb out of her crib?
If she is then I would buy a twin size bed and put the mattress on the floor. I personally think toddler beds are a waste of money for the little time your child actually uses it. If your daughter is not trying to climb out of the crib it is totally up to you when you want to transition. Good Luck :)T.

A., I agree with the other moms about a toddler bed being a waste of money. I have 3 kids and each one of them went straight from the crib to a twin size bed. I didn't put the mattress on the floor. I added a railing to the side. I have a great railing that is actually on both sides of the bed and the sides are connected to each other under the mattress. I have the beds up against the wall on the head side and one of the long sides. My 2 oldest went into the big bed at around 2 1/2 and my last one went into a bed at just over 2. I didn't have any problems with them staying in the bed, but if you are worried you can put a baby gate across the room's door.

Good luck to you.

Hi A., I had the same concerns as you with my son. Let me start with he will be 3 next month and I just put him in a toddler bed 1 1/2 months ago. He slept so great in his crib,bed time was easy, and when he woke up he would just play and sing until we got him out. He never tried to crawl out of it... it was just too easy. It worked, why mess with it? THEN I started to feel funny about my almost 3 year old still sleeping in a crib. I have one that converts to a toddler bed, so I went ahead and dropped it down to a toddler bed and hoped for the best but expected the worse. I expected nap times to cease completely as they did with my daughter when we took her out of the crib (she was 18 months old, I needed the crib for my son. She did great in her big girl bed, however she gave up the naps ever since then.) I expected bedtime to be a huge fight over staying in bed versus playing with toys. So after all my apprehension, he has done more wonderfully than I could have ever hoped for. Bedtime is still easy, he doesn't get out at all and even when we go upstairs to get him in the morning, it takes some coaxing for him to get out of his bed on his own. Nap times are okay, some days better than others but I think he is getting to the age where he doesn't need a nap everyday. He tends to fall asleep easier at night without the nap. Anyway, my story had a happy ending and I pray the same goes for you. Sorry if I rambled too much!! Good luck!

If she's happy in the crib I would leave her there. We put my oldest one in a toddler bed when he was almost 3 because his younger brother was coming. The younger brother moved to a toddler bed at 18 months because he learned to get out of the crib. If she's happy, not trying to get out and you don't have a new baby coming I would leave her there as long as possible. Once they move to a toddler bed you have a whole new set of challenges putting them to bed and getting them to stay there!

There's no telling with your little one of course, but I kept my first born in her crib until she was 3 and moved up to a normal bed. She never tried getting out, she just called for me. Actually, now that I think about it she was able to get out of her crib by herself but, even then she still just called for me. She never did use a toddler bed.

When ever you feel confortable. My son I had to put into a toddler bed when he was 15 months because he was climbing out of his crib (with the bar up). One day I caught him ontop of his dresser.. He was put into a toddler bed the next day. My daughter was 23 months when I put her in a toddler bed. We moved into a new house so I thought, new house, new bedroom, new bed!!! It made her feel like a big girl. Not every child would be able to do that. It just really depends on the child when to move him/her into a toddler bed. If you think she would be scared, I would put the toddler bed in her room and let her pick where she would like to sleep. SLowly work her into it. If you think she will not have a problem, then just take the crib out and put the toddler bed in. You are really the only one that knows if your child is ready or not.. Good luck.

My older DD didn't transition out of the crib until almost 3. We waited as long as we could because she wasn't one to crawl out of the crib. We then went right to a twin size bed and put rails on the side. It took her a couple days to get used to, but overall was a pretty painless transition. We didn't see a need for a toddler bed.

We moved our son straight from a crib to a twin size mattress and box spring on the floor at 28 months. I saw no point in spending extra $$ for a toddler bed. He went and bought special themed sheets for his big boy bed and made a celebration out of him moving into it. We talked about expectations ahead of time and repeated them regularly for a couple days. But we were lucky that he loves to sleep and had no trouble adjusting. We did leave his crib set up for a couple weeks and he really liked getting in it once in awhile for a "visit".

I don't know about manufacturer's instructions, but unless she's really too big for the crib, or you're thinking of another baby, I have many many friends who have kept their well-sleeping child in a crib until about 3! We only took our son out because he woke up bouncing and screaming--it was easier to have him come to us when he was waking up than to have him constantly scream for us. Also, we put our son straight into a twin bed at, oh, way less than 2 years, and I think he's fallen out of bed twice since then (he turned 4 on Monday). We just put pillows on the floor when we transitioned him.

A.,

My daughter is also an excellent sleeper and we moved her to a toddler bed on her 2nd birthday, because her little sister needed it. She absolutly loved it and stayed in her bed just like her crib. We also began potty training on her 2nd birthday so it worked out.

Pros:
She loved her new bed
She can get up to use the potty in the middle of the night
Made room for baby #2

Cons:
She can get up on the middle of the night
She HATES her crib now and will not go back in it.
She is beginning to become a good staller at bedtime.... I need a drink, I have to go potty, I want one more book, etc.

FYI, I follow the rules of the Nanny 911 off of TV; I have a 1/2 hour bedtime routine, put her to bed, if she gets up I pick her up tell her to go to sleep and lay her down, ever time she gets up after that I just pick her up (important not to say anything) set her in bed cover her up. It has been 5 months and I only had to pick her up once without giving her the attention she wanted.

Hope this helps.

M.

We put our now two and a half year old into a toddler bed on his 2nd birthday. We made a big deal out of him being a big boy. There were a couple of nights when he didn't want to stay in it right away, but he does really good now. He'll still get up once in a while when we have a bad thunderstorm come through. It's nice to snuggle with him once in a while though.

I agree toddler beds are a waste of money. Our 4 year old son went from his crib to a twin bed just after his second birthday. He was a great sleeper just like your daughter and did just fine. He fell out once or twice and that was it. I started tucking in his covers on the side that was open and that ended that. I'm just about to put our 24 month old daughter into a twin as well as we're expecting #3 this fall and I want her adjusted long before the arrival. She also is a great sleeper and I pray the transition goes as smoothly as it did for her brother.

I'd go for a twin and nix the toddler bed and just give it a try. After a few nights you'll hardly remember her in a crib! Best of luck!

Hi A.,

I don't think there is a right or wrong answer as to when your daughter can/should move to a bed. We moved our daughter to a toddler bed at 22 months. She loved it at first and wanted to stay in her bed all the time, but she is a very restless sleeper and she kept falling out of bed or hitting her head on the wooden security rails. She is now 27 months and is sleeping in a twin size bed with the box spring and mattress on the floor with a fabric and mesh securtiy rail and it works great! She loves having her big girl bed and the twin size gives her extra rolling space. When we first transitioned her we put the bed exactly where the crib had been so the room would look the same in the dark and let her pick out her new bedding. We put a baby gate in the doorway so if she did get up so couldn't roam the house. I don't want her to think staying in bed is a punishment so we don't tell her she can't get out of bed.

Good Luck,
Megan

A.,

My first two moved to a toddler bed at 17 months out of medical necessity (I had a "no lifting" order.) Baby #3 stayed in until 25 months. With baby #4, I will probably move her about 24-26 months.

To get them to stay in bed, shut the door and turn out the light. If they try to open the door, use a baby gate, a baby lock or flip the door handle so it locks on your side. If your child is a climber/destroyer, put the dresser in a locked closet or remove the handles and put the books/toys out of reach or in containers that she can't open.

She may sleep on the floor in front of the door for a few nights. When she is asleep, just pick her up and put her back in bed so she wakes up in the right place. She may roll out of bed a few times. I never had a kid roll out of bed more than 3-4 times. They catch on quick. Just be consistent, don't go back to the crib, and she will get the idea.

S.

This may get some bad feedback, but we taight both our on and daughter how to get in and out of the crib on their own with the side down. They both loved sleeping in their crib and by the time they were old enough and getting independent this is the route we took. The crib side being down was enough they wouldn't fall out of bed but allowed them to get out if they needed us instead of having to cry or yell for us. We moved to big kid beds clser to 21/2 - 3yr. Just be the judge of when you feel she is ready for the change. My son actaully moved rooms at the same time and he refused the big boy bed, so we took apart the crib, moved it to teh new room, he slept in it a day or two, then moved to the big bed! Oh, well...it made the whole room switch much easier for him! Good Luck.

A.,

We had our oldest in a toddler bed at 20 months. He was fine in his crib and never tried to get out, but I was VERY pregnant with my second at the time and couldn't keep bending down to put him in the crib.

He did great just moving to the bed. I say just try it and see what happens...seems like she is already good with staying in her crib. You can get a cheap toddler bed from Walmart for like $50 and use your crib mattress in it....or maybe find one on craigslist.

We didn't move my son out of his crib until about 30 months and we moved him into a full size bed. He was involved in the whole process; he took the crib apart with daddy and went to the store with him to pick out a matress and brought it home. When I got home they were jumping on it and having fun. He helped me put on the sheets and everything. We pushed the bed up against the wall and prayed for the best. He stayed in his bed and did not get out for about a week and then we would just put him in without saying anything and leave the room. We also bought a book "My Big Boy Bed." and read that for a month before we made the move. All went well with us; hope it all goes well for you!

Why mess with a good thing? I made the mistake of removing my daughter, who slept happily in her crib, from it around the age of 2. She wasn't as secure in her toddler bed and immediately stopped napping. My son, however, will be staying in his crib for as long as possible. As long as he's happy, sleeping well, and safe, he'll stay.

Why mess with a good thing. If she isn't trying to climb out I don't think she needs a toddler bed. We moved my oldest to a twin (skipped the toddler bed like a lot of others) when he was 19 months because he had learned how to climb out of his crib. I miss the days when I could put him in the crib with some books and toys to shower. My youngest is 16 months (today) and is still in the crib where he'll stay until I absolutely need it for #3 due in October.

We put our son in the toddler bed at 20 months because he was climbing out... One thing you can do if you want to keep them in the crib longer is trying a crib tent that goes over the crib so they can't climb out. Since your daugher doesn't object to the crib, you may as well leave her in there for as long as you can... When we did put him in the bed, it took a few nights for him to get used to it. We ended up reversing the lock on his door so he couldn't get out at night. He didn't like it at first, but after awhile he accepted it. Just go with what works for you!

If your daughter does not exceed the height limit for the crib and does not try to climb out, you might want to leave her in the crib a little longer. However, when you do make the transition, I suggest making her a part of the change (picking out sheets, watching you put in the new bed and saying bye-bye to the crib). Make sure you talk-up the "big girl bed" so she sees from you that it's something to be excited about and proud of and has no anxiety attached. You'll need to tell her ahead of time what your expectations are: stay in the bed, etc. and it should work fine. If not, you have to be ready to stand firm and put her back in repeatedly until she gets the idea. We did this and never had any problems getting our son to stay in (well, sometimes at naptime.)

A., both of my kids were around two when they started toddler beds. One was a little younger because we needed the crib again, and the other was a little older - but not much. They both did great. Just make sure you have a bed rail to start. Even if they won't hurt themselves if they fall out, it gives them a sense of sequrity at first. If you are worried about early morning wandering around, make sure they know that they MUST come into your room first or if they need anything in the middle of the night.
OR, put up a baby gate in their door way for the first couple weeks.
Have fun with it!

My rule of thumb was to leave them there until they did start trying to climb out. My boys both started climbing out early, 11 months. I did buy a toddler bed which was shaped like a car. It was a fun transition for both of them and they did great. My daughter stayed in her crib until after she turned two. Then when she started emptying her dresser drawers every morning she woke up and making a big mess for me everyday we moved her into the bottom bed of our twin trundle bed. She is still there at almost three because she is not interested in the top bed at all. I have seen a ton of toddler beds at garage sales for less than $10.00 and they do not take up as much room as a big bed. So if space is an issue than they are worth it to buy one. My oldest stayed in his toddler bed until he was almost 6 and all my kids are tall for there age. My four year old was in the same toddler bed for about a year, but then we bought bunk beds for my oldests 9th birthday present and he has done fine in the bottom buck. Plus, because the bed was so cute we were able to sell it last year at our garage sale for $40! I spent $115 originally and got five years use out of it, and my nephew used it for a year as well. Well worth the money when you look at it that way. My neighbor is trying to get rid of her toddler bed. It is in my garage right now since we are planning a garage sale together once school gets out, but if you are interested I can find out what she wants for it? Good luck with the change! I think your daughter will be fine whatever you decide to do:)

We got our daughers' toddler bed for her 1st birthday and then set it up in her room a few months later, opposite her crib. She eventually got curious and started playing in it during the day, practicing getting in and out. Then we started putting her in it for nap time, and then we would give her an option everynight at bedtime, when she was almost 2. We'd say "do you want to sleep in your big girl bed, or the baby crib tonight?" And some nights, she'd pick the bed! Eventually we just took down the crib and that was that!
Good luck!

since she's just about 2, you may consider skipping the tod bed altogether. My boy was 26ish months when I put him in a big boy bed (twin). He only fell out once. You could just put the mattress on the floor, so when she rolls out she just has a small bump on the floor.

I have a convertible bed, so I put my daughter in the daybed at 19 months. I was nervous as well, but she actually did great. You can always get the toddler bed and put it next to her crib for a little while, as a type of transition period for you and her.

We moved our daughter out of her crib shortly after her second birthday because we needed the crib for her brother. She would have happily stayed in the crib longer and I would have been happy to keep her there. She also gave up naps shortly after the move to the big girl bed, but she also gave up her nuk and potty trained right around the same time - busy month!

If you don't have a crib that converts to a toddler bed, why not just go right to a regular bed? We moved our daughter to a regular mattress. She has a queen-sized bed, which is a lot of bed for a little girl. However, we like that it is easy for us to get in her bed to read stories and help her get to sleep if necessary. We have the mattress on a box spring on the floor, no frame. We never bothered with bedrails and she has only fallen out twice. The first time she fell out of the bottom of the bed, so siderails wouldn't have made a difference.

The first few weeks in the big girl bed were great - she didn't realize she could get out. Once she figured out that she could get out of the bed, it made naps and bedtime a little more challenging for a bit. We have a baby gate that keeps her contained to the bedrooms/hall/bathroom if she gets up in the middle of the night.

Why are parents in such a rush to get their kids out of cribs? I've always heard it is best to keep them in their cribs as long as it is safe, preferably until they are three. I say save money by skipping the toddler bed. Did you have a toddler bed when you were little? I didn't even know about them until I had kids four years ago. I think they are just another way for companies to make more money.