Either a twin or toddler bed, please tell me which you did. I'm thinking about doing this with my toddler since putting him in a crib failed miserably. I worry about him falling out of a regular bed. He sleeps alone in my bed very well, but I have to watch to make sure he doesn't fall off. He did once. Luckily, he only scraped his chin. Do you have any tips? What things did you do to make the change successful?
2006-12-25 02:51:54 · 17 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Toddler & Preschooler
Mommyof3, you must not know how to read. I didn't say how old my son was and I was not asking for anyone's opinion about my son co-sleeping. Only an idiot would roll over on something as big as a baby. Do you roll over your husband at night? I woman here in GA said she woke up on her baby, then confessed she did it on purpose. This question was for parents who already co-sleep. Bully for you that your children slept in a crib, my son would not sleep alone. He has NEVER even seen a crib. IF i decide to have another child, I will do what is best for THAT child, not what YOU think is best for my child!
2006-12-25 05:08:39 · update #1
Mommyof3,
SIDS is a real condition and it has NOTHING to do with suffocating your child.
2006-12-25 05:10:32 · update #2
Mommyof3,
You didn't read what I wrote. I did not say how old my child is. I've done "research" on SIDS and that's NOT what they call it when you smother your child.
2006-12-26 00:32:29 · update #3
I have a 3-year old. He started sleeping fulltime in his own bed around 15 months. At that time, he naturally started sleeping through the night consistently. He was good about sleeping in his crib at naptime, so it was not difficult to transition him to the crib for nighttime sleep.
When we were expecting his younger brother, we got a twin bed with rails on both sides. There is an opening on the foot end so he can get in and out easily if he has to go to the bathroom or get us for some reason. Like someone else said before, he was excited to use this bed because we made it a REALLY BIG DEAL. Fun sheets, fun bedroom decorations, special stuffed animals who "wanted" to sleep there. For about a week when he was unsure about this, we read books in the big boy bed and then let him sleep in the crib.
I also have a 1 year old. He will NOT sleep in his crib for any reason. He will sleep in a bed or on a couch, but somehow he seems to know if we put him in his crib even if he is sound asleep. So who knows how long he will sleep with us. I think that we are going to skip the crib too. When he is about 2, we are going to put bunkbeds in my older son's room (full size on bottom, twin in top). If my younger son is not already sleeping in his own bed by then, maybe he will be more likely to do so if he goes to bed with his brother.
2006-12-25 12:01:03 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
Doesn't it bother you when people bash you for co-sleeping? There's absolutely nothing wrong with it. It's completely natural. I never listen to people when the talk about the "risks". It's very unlikely you will roll over on your child if you know they're there. Anyway.. I do practice co-sleeping but not exclusively. My son has his own bed, he has from the time of his birth. But whenever he's fussy or wakes up in the middle of the night he always comes to my bed. And when he was younger, he's eight months old now, I would take naps with him on a daily basis. I think it's a wonderful bonding experience for either parent. I can't tell you when I put my son in his own bed since that doesn't apply to my situation. I will tell you that I think your child is more than old enough to have his own bed. The sell toddler bed that are barely off the floor. That would be good for you if you're afraid of him falling out of bed.
2006-12-25 09:03:59 · answer #2 · answered by Wiccan~Momma 3 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Congratulations of having a Family Bed! We all shared a bed until our son was 3. When we were ready for him to move to his own bed, what we did was make it a BIG DEAL!!! We got him a single size bed ( What we refer to as the "Cool Kid Bed" ) We made his room up to where he WANTED to be in there. We got him some 'cool' sheets and blankets. At first, I'd say maybe the first month or so, either me or my husband would sleep with him in there. One of the most important things in the change, is that he not only goes to sleep in his own bed, but WAKES up there in the morning. After about a month, we would just lay down with him til he fell asleep, and then quietly slip away. That went on for about another month. After a while, he just WANTED to sleep in there by himself. Kids like having their 'own' space! It takes time and a lot of patience, but it will happen. As to ensure that he didn't fall out the bed, what we did was get a daybed for him, and have him sleep up against the back rail, and then line up a couple of pillows on the open side. I would recommend having the bed up against a wall if possible. Good Luck on the transition!
2006-12-25 03:03:54 · answer #3 · answered by One Race The Human Race 5 · 3⤊ 0⤋
When he's ready ;-)
Seriously, we usually put our straight into a twin sized bed because I really did NOT want to waste space with a crib, and then put all that work into transitioning into crib, then into bed. We usually do this about 18 months. Some of my friends get them used to a bed in their room, then move the bed into another room when they are used to sleeping in it.
If you're worried about him falling out, start off with the mattress on the floor. When he stops rolling (and it does take practice for them to internalize it) then you can put it on the actual bed. We have a bunk bed set that's transitional, you can make a loft set, or bunk bed, and if you make just plain beds, you can put the bunkbed safety boards on the sides. You can purchase just the safety rails too, if that's a concern.
2006-12-25 03:47:19 · answer #4 · answered by ? 6 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Each child slept in our bed until the next one came along (but not on my side since I would have rolled over on him and squished him since I am a heavy sleeper). The last one was on and off in my bed until grade school (by then his mother was sleeping in his bed downstairs).
So, about age two each child went to his own bed. None of them ever SAW a crib.
2006-12-25 03:05:02 · answer #5 · answered by reb8_98 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Good for you on the family bed!
My little guy is two and he has always slept with us too. Never used the crib either...
Let's see...We took a matress crib and put it on the floor in the corner of his room and had one of the body pillows all around it. I could lay down with him and nurse him. As he got older I never nursed him to sleep, but took him off the breast just a bit before he fell asleep. He would sleep for about 4 or 5 hours and then come to our bed (which has rails on one side). We got him a toddler bed in September with rails. We have a bath, read a couple of books, I nurse and rock him, again removing him before he falls asleep and lay him in his bed. After 5 hours he comes into our bed!!
Good luck, you will know what works for you and your little one!
I have included a couple of links that have been helpful to me.
Merry Christmas!!
p.s. As someone else mentioned, I, for one, am not trying to get him into his own bed. We put him to sleep in his bed because he goes to sleep at 8pm, and I still have some things to do. I am not worried about him going to "his own bed" because I know he will eventually. I have never heard of a teenager wanting to sleep with mom & dad!! I will take all the years he wants to sleep in our bed!
2006-12-25 06:02:35 · answer #6 · answered by seaelen 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
My suggestion: Either get a bed-rail and/or put a bunch of soft pillows or a soft mattress on the floor right next to the bed. Another way of doing it, which might not be very comfortable for you, is to get your kid his own bed, and sit next to him or even sleep in that bed (if there is enough space) until he falls asleep. Leave him with a bunch of stuffed toys and things like that so he wakes up pleasantly.
2006-12-25 08:29:04 · answer #7 · answered by Anpadh 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
My step-son transitioned from co-sleeping when he was 2. He went to a little tikes car bed (see link below) if you set just the mattress without the box spring into the car, then the matress in sunk into the car and so the child is protected on all four sides from falling out which was perfect for him because he turns completely around in his sleep and could have fallen out top or bottom or left or right
http://www.littletikes.com/Toys/Toys-Detail.aspx?Product_ID=3142&&Description=
2006-12-25 12:55:26 · answer #8 · answered by cstoa10 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Co-sleeping is an excellent way for your children to get plenty of cuddle time with mommie or daddy. We are still trying to get our 4 and 5 year olds to sleep in there own beds, but for now we let them fall asleep in our bed and move them to theirs. It last about 4 or 5 hours then they both come back in bed and cuddle some more.
2006-12-25 09:29:39 · answer #9 · answered by Lori H 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I put both of my kids in cribs when they were about 3 weeks old, but I see that your main concern is him falling out of a regular bed.. Get a twin sized bed and at Babies-r-us they have bars that you can attach to any bed.. They're not expensive at all... That will keep you from being worried about him falling out of his bed.. Good luck and have a Merry Christmas
2006-12-25 06:06:43 · answer #10 · answered by Kat0312 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋