Toddler Bed Transition

I just switched my 2 year old daughter out of her crib and into her twin bed. What I did, was take the crib out of the room. I am due in July with baby#2 and we completly took apart the crib and put it away in the garage. But, before we did that, for about a week I would talk to her about it. I would tell her that her crib is no longer her's anymore and that she is going to sleep in her big girl bed now. She doesn't even try to get out of it. Now with in the last 2 weeks, she is completly day time potty trained. But, I wouldn't try to switch her bed and potty train her at the same time becuase that might be too much growing up at once. So, for us, it worked better to do it one thing at a time.

hey,
I agree with the other moms about not trying to do 2 things at once. I really don't think that the fact that your daughter still sleeps in the crib effects her potty training. Another mom mentioned potty training at night, so she needs to be in her toddler bed. I wouldn't even work on that until she gets the daytime potty down. My daughter just turned 3 and she still wears a pull up at night, and she has been potty trained since before she was 2. I was really lucky and she mostly just did it on her own. During the summer I let her run around naked most of the time. She went once or twice on the floor, but figured it out and went in the potty and we were good from then on out. The last couple weeks we have been working on night time, but shes a pretty good sleeper and usually waked me up, so getting her up and to the potty before she goes in the am is the hard part. Hopefully when I go back to work in a couple months we;'ll figure it out. I'm really not that worried about it. Anyways, I am getting sidetracked. What I would suggest is getting her potty trained, then if you want her to sleep in a toddler bed (which she will need to do before you work on night time potty) start working on the big girl bed. Let her pick out which one she wants... and then do the night time potty. hope that helps!

Hi J.. I think this is a great question. I personally, have never broken in my kids on 2 things at once. Like, breaking the bottle and binkie, for an example. My son has just been broken off the binkie about 4 months ago. (Thanks by the way to the mother's here). Now, I'm breaking him off the bottle slowly.
I think it wouls be better to finish the potty training first. I seriously believe that trying to do 2 things at once will hurt her chances of succeding. When she gets comfortable with potty training (not to be confused with "mastering" potty time), then you should move her into a toddler bed.
Speaking of the toddler bed, it is also my belief that parents are the ones that are most bothered by toddler beds. Its scary that your daughter is growing up so fast. You need to stop worrying though. She will be safe, happy, and most likely really enjoy the new big bed. If she really has a problem or anything, let her know the "you are so big thing!!" Tell her what a big girl she is. Get her whatever comferter and pillow she wants. That will help big time. Anyway, what I'm really trying to say is I don't think as switching to toddler beds are problems.
Lol. Sorry that was a novel and all. Good luck with this. Best Wishes, T.

I moved my first 3 kids very early to big beds, but needed to because their new sibling needed the crib. My suggestion is to not spoil a good thing. If your reason for the transistion is mainly potty training, than I suggest you wait. 2 of my kids were completely potty trained during the day, but still needed a pull-up at night time b/c they were such sound sleepers, my other daughter never once had an accident at night since she was potty trained. My 3 1/2 yr. old still wears a pull-up at night, but has been potty trained for a year & a half. I think it all depends on the child. Is she dry at night?

I saw the "if it ain't broke" comment. I'd agree except I accidentally transitioned my son into a toddler bed. We had a toddler bed in his room for a while even though we continued to use the crib. He'd show interest by laying in the bed after baths and stuff. Well, my husband deployed and there was no way I'd transition him while I wasn't getting good rest to begin with. Soooo, my noisy neighbors caused me to get creative and move his crib away from the window. I switched the location of the crib with the toddler bed. When I tried to put him down in the crib that night, he cried! He wanted to be in the toddler bed. Imagine my surprise when that was all she wrote for the crib (except the one time I put him down for nap in the crib when he was sick and then he wanted back in, big mistake). I took the mattress and support out so it's only a shell of a crib (I can't take it apart and so it must stay until Daddy's home). So, I guess my advice it to consider one of the cheap beds you can just put in her room to see if she's interested. Leave it in there and let her get used to it. See what she thinks. Or, put her crib mattress on the floor and see her reaction to that.

If the potty training isn't going so well, give her a break. She may be getting frustrated. Try again later, you might be surprised!

Good luck with both! But, there's nothing wrong with her still being in her crib!! So, if it ain't broke and you're not worried, then don't fix it! :-)

if you have the room i would put the toddler bed in there with the crib. So she can get use to it but still have the comfort of her crib. just remember that change sometimes will delay the potty training

If it ain’t broke, DON’T fix it! She will tell you when she ready to escape the comfort of her crib. My son HATED his crib by about 15 months, but one of my nieces happily stayed in hers until she was close to 3 years. I wouldn’t worry about the crib inhibiting her ability to potty train. My 2 year old son is also potty training, and I HONESTLY don’t think him being in a youth bed gives him ANY advantage in that area. The only advantage it gives him is HIM deciding when he’s ready to get up in the morning. I WISH my son would have been willing to stay in the crib longer. He wouldn’t go to sleep in it anymore and would wake up when I tried to put him down in it after he was already asleep. If you’re not ready for her to come “visit” when she wakes up at 4:00 am for no apparent reason, then don’t take her out of the crib.

I’m sorry that I sound so emphatic about this, but you probably don’t see how GREAT you have it right now. I wouldn’t take it away unless you’re having another baby, she physically outgrows it, or she starts to complain about using it.

Take care, J.

my daughter is 3 and has been sleeping in abig girl bed since she was 2 i think the bed makes a difference with potty training it helped my daughter and she has been going potty since a few months before she turned 2 and once we got disney princess for her bed she was excited, if she has to go in the middle of the night she calls for me, but i also have a gate in front of her door because i have a two story house, she does very good i think you should let her pick out sheets for her bed, and also let her pick her panties they both help

We put the toddler bed in the room with the crib and put his stuffed animals in it. We told him that he was going to sleep in his big boy bed and his animals were going to sleep in his crib until they were old enough to sleep in a big boy bed. It worked and it only lasted a couple days because he decided that his animals were big enough to sleep with him and they didn't need the crib anymore so we took it down. Just an idea that worked for us.

Hi J.,

I think it depends on how comfortable you feel with your daughter being able to leave her room at night. Potty-training can go faster if you have your child in underwear at night as well as during the day, but she needs to be at a stage where she can wake up when she feels the urge to go, and take herself to the bathroom. If you don't think she's quite there yet, there's no need to rush her out of the crib.

C. : )

Dear J.,

Just don't try to do two things at one time. If she is happy in her crib, then try the potty training first. Then when that is established talk it over with her about a toddler bed. She may like to be able to get out of bed and use her new skill of going to the potty. C. N.

Gosh, you and I are going through the same things! I feel for you. I hope we get some wonderful advice on this because I would like to know too. Keep in touch on your progress.

For sure put her in a toddler bed. Or if you cant buy one, lower the rail so she can easily and safely climb out.