Transitioning Out of Crib

Try putting her on a matress onthe floor, ther is not far to fall if seh rolls off or gets off on her own.

I bought a crib tent for my little climber to keep him in the crib until I felt like he/I was ready to transition him. It is sold through "Tots In Mind" (brand name). My guy is 2 1/2 and still in the crib. I may try to transition around 3. Most people transition before then, but, for us, this has worked well.

I moved my daughter at 18 months and she did just fine. We didn't waste amy money on a toddler bed, we just bought her a regular matress and put it right on the floor until she got used to it and wouldn't fall out. That only took a couple weeks, and then we went ahead and bought her a big girl bedroom set, if you still have concerns about safety after that, they do make safety rails that slip under the matress.

One of my friends got a cat tent to put over the crib and her boys cannot get out anymore. I think you can buy them at Babys R Us. Their original purpose is in case you have a cat and a newborn and you are afraid the cat will suffocate the newborn. They are made of mesh and look real easy to put up.

I took the crib side off for a bit and then I could put it back on if she was wanting it. She really only wanted it for security. Then when we got a bed, we put it up in the corner and lined it with rolled up blankets. then we tucked the sheet tight around them. this made a nest. I would also wait if you can by lowering the mattress as low as it goes. Start making up the crib like a bed tucking in the sheet and using a travel pillow. this gets her used to staying in one spot at night. Lastly, start shortening the night routine. You wil hate having an hour long ordeal. Read her one book of her choice out in the hall, downstairs in a chair or wherever...but not in her bed. Then sing one song, cuddle and talk two mnutes and leave. this will pay off later..especially if you end up with more kids.

We put my daughter in a regular bed at about the same age as your daughter is now because we needed the crib for her baby brother and we wanted her used to her new bed well in advance. It was really smooth. The first 2 nights she woke up slightly more often, but we put a night light in her room and when she woke up, we'd just go in and lay her back down. Sometimes we would stay at her bedside for a few minutes and move gradually toward the door because she was so upset when we tried to leave. But after 2 or 3 nights it was smooth sailing. And I'm curious about why it's not ok for her to sing and chatter to herself? If she's not crying, just let her go for it...maybe that's HOW she puts herself to sleep. She doesn't need the rocking, she just needs to chatter and sing until she drifts off. My daughter will go sometimes for an hour before she falls asleep and I KNOW she is tired because she's had a really long day or has missed a nap or whatever...it's just her way of winding down at the end of the day and sometimes it takes longer than others. Good luck with the transition!

I don't there is a right or wrong time to do it. I always took my kids out a few months before the next child came which put them about 18-21months. If they can get out of the crib, I would suggest switching to a bed so they don't get hurt climbing out of the crib. I just stuck them right in a bed and if you have a rail put it up. I never did so I piled big pillows on the floor for the occasionly fall outs(and it happens quite often) They make it under the bed and so forth. Either have a child lock door handle to keep child in there room or just be prepared to keep taking child back to their room when they get out. They might roam around there room for a awhile but they will tire and fall asleep where ever they lay. Good luck!

Hi H., I'm from Room to Grow, the kids furniture store in Lafayette ###-###-####. We meet tons of parents that are transitioning kids from crib to bed and basically there is no "right" age. When they start climbing out of their crib they are definitely ready to go to something closer to the ground for obvious safety reasons. We have a number of beds with safety rails 90% of the way around to give them more space to stretch out but keep them safe. Or you may want to move her to a mattress on the floor while you decide what to do next. Hope that helps!

We have had to transition the last couple of kids to a bed between around 16 months due to having another child. We have always used a toddler bed. We would just take the crib down and put up the toddler bed and put them to bed in it. Some of our kids would get out of the bed a lot, some wouldn't. They will get up at least a couple of times when they discover that they can. I think the transition can be a bit easier when they are little, because they aren't so attached to the bed as an older child can be. Good luck. Don't worry to much about the transition. It isn't very hard at all.

H., if she doesn't cry and just sings, why are you worried? She may well be a famous singer when she grows up! Encourage it. If she is starting to climb out of her crib, it's time for a toddler bed and a gate across the door. Three stories may be hyping her up, and the rocking til drowsy obviously isn't working. Try putting a little tape deck in her room with soothing music that she can sing to, and tell her when it's over, it's time to go nite-nite, give her a kiss, and let your little singer have at it! Make sure that the tape is used ONLY at sleepy time, and when she hears it, she will associate it with bed and sleep.
Start with putting the toddler mattress on the floor with the blankets, having the rest of the bed next to it putting the crib side down so she won't get hurt if she climbs out. You could have her sleep on it for afternoon naps (probably won't get a nap out of her for a couple of days) so she gets used to it.
Then put her to bed on it at night, putting the crib side back up so she can't get IN. Once she sleeps on the floor (2 or 3 days), put the mattress onto the toddler bed, and VOILA ! Transition made! Good luck, and don't stress. Chances are, there will be little problem. Just be matter-of-fact and make a big deal about what a big girl she is. Have fun!

My husband and I transitioned my son into a "big boy bed" at 18 months and he did better than we could have hoped (I was due with our second and we wanted the crib empty for a while so our first wouldn't think the baby "stole" it from him).

Anyhow, we were worried about him trying to get up and/or falling out, so we just placed the mattress on the floor. We made a big deal out of his new bed and let him sleep in either place for naps and nighttime for a few days. We then just quit using the crib altogether (though he did ask a couple of times for it).

The great thing about the bed was that we could lay down with him and cuddle (instead of rock) as a part of our routine. I can't say it was absolutely problem free; I had to take the rocker into the room and rock where he could see me a few times to keep him in bed and on track but it didn't take long. (I've heard of others that rocked in the room a couple nights, then moved towards the door to rock a few nights, and then moved the rocker to the hallway for a few nights.)

We also put up a baby gate in his doorway, behind even the closed door, so that when (not if) he got up at night, I didn't have to worry about him trying to climb our wood stairs and/or roaming all over the house getting hurt. There were quite a few nights where he'd wake up, open the door, and stand at the gate calling or crying for us, and we'd grab him, give him a quick cuddle, tuck him in and head back out of the room.

Hi H.! You sound like you have a sweet little girl! If she is having trouble going to sleep on her own, remember that if you get a bed that she can get out of, chances are pretty high that she will get out and come to you frequently before falling asleep. My thoughts might be this......can you take a side rail off the crib? If not-do get her a "big girl bed" and in that I mean, skip the toddler bed and go to a twin (one less transition) and get the safety side rails. Continue with her bedtime routine and try the "Supernanny bedtime" where you sit by the bed, do not look at her or talk to her and stay there until she is asleep. If she gets out, put her back in bed and say nothing. As time goes on, slowly move away from the bed. OR-you can do this by putting her in her bed and leave. When she comes out say "it is bedtime" and put her back in her bed. Each time after that, say nothing and put her back in her bed. THis can be exhausting but both have worked for us you just have to be very consistant! Good luck and get some sleep ;0)

I put my daughter in a big girl bed when she was a 15 months old & We moved to a new house. I just used the mattress & boxed springs on the floor for quite awile, so she would be safer. It definitely depends on the child, but it sounds to me like your little one is fairly content in her bed, and it won't take too much work to get her to stay there at bed time. Also this makes for just one less thing to transition out of later on. YEAH!

I think it's great that your little girl doesn't cry!!! Even if she talks/plays awhile, she'll go to sleep when she's ready, as long as she's safe.
Our first baby was about 17 months when we put her in a toddler bed - her crib is a bed that transfers into one. We made a big deal out of her getting to sleep in a big girl bed, let her pick out a cute new pillow, showed her how the railing would keep her from falling out, etc... She's always been a good bedtime girl and a great sleeper, so we never had trouble with her climbing out over and over again. 17 months seemed young at the time, but in hindsight it's a good age for the move.
Hope this helps - Good luck!!!

Hi H.,
My daughter is just a little older than yours. She'll lay and talk to herself for up to 45 minutes some evenings. Its their way to practice all of those words they hear all day. If she is content and babbling away I would have no worries. Ours is also swinging her legs around the crib rail, but we are going to hold off on transitioning to a toddler bed for a while longer since it means she'll be able to walk around in the early hours on her own. Have you considered putting on a crib tent? Good Luck!

Ok I have to respond to this one. My daughter is the same age (she was born 2/27/07) and we have just recently transitioned into a toddler bed (it was given to us). She is doing great! It was about a week ago. It was a little rocky at first because this is a younger age to do this, but I have heard of other mothers which have done it earlier. She loves her bed now and can climb in and out which makes her feel like a big girl. I think I would have spent money on a toddler bed just because she can do it herself and we all know they love to do things independantly at this age. I would be a nervous wreck if my daughter was on the verge of climbing out of the crib. I would suggest to go ahead and transition her. I know not every child is the same but my daughter loved it! I also received a very good suggestion from another mom on here. My DD was having issues staying in the bed and she suggested try making a nest out of some blankets around the edges. Sure enough she does not wake up nearly as often. She does wake on average once a night but goes right back to sleep. One night she slept all the way thru! YA!

On the sleeping issue, you are just going to have to leave her in there by herself. If she does not cry, that is great for you. Is there a reason why you do not want her singing to herself? If not, I would let her sing her heart out. She will get tired and she will start to be able to fall asleep on her own. If you keep rocking her she will want that instead. Leaver her in there and she will fall asleep sooner or later. Good Luck! If you have any other questions, please send me a message!
J.

I took my children out of the crib and soon as it looked like they could climb out. There are great toddler beds with safety sides on them. I also put up a gate on my children's bedroom door, so if they got out of bed they couldn't get in trouble trying to roam around the house.

H.,
My daughter is 17 months and we just switched her to a twin bed. She is doing really well. We didn't have a guard rail at first, but she fell out twice in a week and so we got a bed rail... it works wonders and she is able to feel like a big girl. I always tell her when she goes to sleep, or getting ready for bed, that she is going to sleep in her big girl bed, because she is a big girl now. I know it sounds corny, but she loves the idea of being in a big girl bed.

In fact, three nights after we got the twin bed for her, she came to her dad and I in the living room and told us goodnight, and wanted to go to bed. That was a real surprise. I hope this helps. Best of luck... and remember they take better to change than we do.

It is probably time, there is no transition stage, it is either get her out of the crib or not. I suggest you even try just putting the crib mattress on the floor and see how she does. Go directly to a twin though with a bedrail vs a toddler bed and save yourself a lot of money.
So, that said, big mistake rocking her to sleep. IF she is wide enough awake to be chatty, singing and so on, I suggest changing her bedtime, her naptime or wearing her out before bedtime. It basically sounds like she is just not tired.
I give both of my kids 15 minutes of that chatty stuff, I hear my son talk to himself and so on, then he crashes and is sound asleep.
If your daughter is going over 15 minutes, DO NOT ROCK HER, you are giving her a habit she may not even need.
Change things up, make sure she is tired when she goes to bed and lay her down awake but tired.

I got my daughter in a twin bed at 25 mos, my son at 26 mos, but the age doesn't matter as much as if she is trying to climb and can, make sure the mattress is on the lowest level possible, then if she still can get out, time to just get her out of the crib...

Hang in there! :) Also make sure her room is really dark, get black out shades (Target, Home Depot, Lowes) so she cannot see around her room, see what she is doing climbing and it will inhibit sleep signals.

Hey...I have 3 kids, but that in no way makes me an expert. I will just share with what we did. My first daughter was 15 months old when we took her out of her crib-I was pregnant and wanted to give her 2 months to get use to the big bed. For the first 10 days she cried her self to sleep on the floor next to the door. It was really hard to hear that...but it was the best thing we did-after 10 days she would either stay in her bed or climb back in to fall asleep....you say she doesn't cry herself to sleep-rather she talks and sings...thats great-that can't last forever so she WILL fall asleep eventually....hope that helps a litte! Good Luck

hi, my first was a climber. I think a gate is unsafe for a good climber. I put the crib matress on the floor then observed if Monika sayed on it or was on the floor in the morning. Much to my surprise, she was always on it so I bought a twin bed and that was the end of that. She did fall a couple of times but I always had pillows there. I did not like the idea of a rail because I wanted to train her to sleep in a regular bed anywhere. Now, I cheat with the rest of my kids and I let the toddler sleep with an older sibling until they are used to the bed. (smile)

I think it's best to keep them in their crib as long as you can. Is her crib mattress as low as it will go? If it's not, you should move it down ASAP. If it is and she's starting to climb, it might just be time to move her into a bed. If you're worried about her falling out of a bed, you can buy bed rails or just put a mattress on the floor.

My son moved into a big bed when he was almost 2-years old because we were expecting our daughter who needed the crib. Our daughter didn't move into a big bed until she was just over 2-years old and that was because she was potty training AND climbing out of the crib (she did it twice in one night and the next day we changed her convertable crib to a toddler bed).

Obviously there are no hard and fast rules about things like this, just do what feels right to you. Best wishes.

H.,

One thought... is there anything near her crib that she could be using as a boost up? I thought I had to move our first daughter out of her crib at 18 months, but then I realize that she was using her dresser, which was right next to her crib as a step up. Once we moved everything away from the crib, she couldn't climb out and she stayed in her crib until we moved her into her own room just before her sister was born. When we did change her into a bed, we went straight to a twin sized. I thought the toddler bed was a waste of money.

As far as the babbling and singing, that sounds like it is her way to get herself to sleep. There is no reason you need to go in and rock her again. Just let her learn to put herself to sleep. If she's happy, just let her be. If she stays up a long time, you need to analyze whether or not she is ready to go to bed at her current bedtime. A lot of kids are going to be too late, which actually winds them up. I have heard that small children should be in bed at 7-7:30pm. I rarely make that, but I noticed that if my kids are ready for sleep by 7:30, they fall asleep much faster than if they are up even until 8. So, is she getting naps during the day? Are her naps too long or too short? If she is overtired, it becomes a cycle that makes it harder for them to get to sleep. If everything seems fine to you, just let her sing herself to sleep. We also had a lullabye CD that we put on every night. It was my daughter's sleep cue.

Best of luck,
S.

wow, long routine! i might suggest skipping the crib for a while and strapping her into her car seat, or my personal fave, the fisher price rocking chair/recliner. My husband thought it was mean for a while, but my son learned to sleep just fine, in fact for a long time he preferred sleeping there because he knew he could get to sleep in it. He didn't realize it was just because he was bored. :D After a while I transitioned him back to the crib, and now he is a great sleeper.