what age did you move your child from crib to toddler bed?

Question

How did he/she adjust?
Our daughter is 27 months. It worries me to think of her being able to just get out of her bed anytime she wants (especially in the middle of the night).

Answer 1

WHEN MY SON CLIMBED OUT AND WOKE ME UP AT 2 1/2, I DECIDED HE WAS OLD ENOUGH FOR A BIG BOY BED!

Answer 2

Our daughter was about 27 months old, but I wish I would have done it sooner. I didn't even think about it until she climbed out of the crib one day. We went and bought a toddler bed after that, and then she wouldn't stay in the toddler bed. We went through an awful time where she wouldn't stay in bed and go to sleep.

She did get out of her bed at night as well. I don't know if she was sleep walking or getting up to play, but we would find her in weird places in the morning. I would say if you are worried about her safety, put a baby gate in the doorway of her room, and leave the baby monitor on.

Answer 3

My daughter is 15 1/2 months old, and she moved from my (and my husband's) bed to her toddler bed last week. She's doing awesome, she sleeps through the night just fine. I didn't expect it to go that well, but I thought she was ready, because she was showing signs. Since she never slept in her bed as a crib, I didn't want to put her in a crib, it seemed too confining. She's fine with a toddler bed. We did put a baby gate on her bedroom door, and planned on closing it, so that she doesn't have free reign of the house, (but we don't have open stairs, and it's already thoroughly baby-proofed) but we haven't shut the door because she doesn't wake up until her usual time (11 AM) so I'm already up, and we want her to be able to get to us if she really needs us, she's not really a crier, she'd rather come find us. You could put a baby gate on your daughter's door, if her room is safe. We got the kind that has a swinging door, so we wouldn't have to put it up and down each night/naptime. If your daughter is happy in the crib, don't worry about it- there's no 'set' time that a child needs to be in a toddler bed, but you should at least begin to think about it, get her room safe, etc. Good luck~

Answer 4

With both of my daughters, I used convertible cribs (had to replace the first, though, since the rail got lost during moving! I was NOT happy!)

With my oldest (now 5 1/2), I changed it around her second birthday. She hadn't really liked to sleep in her crib since we'd moved when she was 8 months, and I was trying to get her OUT OF MY BED!!! She did fine, getting in and out, except . . . she still preferred sleeping with Mommy! lol She didn't stay in her own bed at night until she was around 27 or 28 months, then she was fine with it! When she was a little over three, and I was pregnant with my second, I gave her a twin bed for Christmas . . . a REAL "big girl bed!"

With my second, I actually dropped from the crib to the toddler when she was about 15 or 16 months old, because, at that point, she was already trying (sometimes successfully) to climb into and out of our bed and her sister's. So, I figured that, before the little monkey took a header over the rail, I needed to make a change for her.

The hardest part, though, as you've already said, was keeping her in her bed and in her room throughout the night! The first night after I'd changed her bed, her father was working an overnight shift, and her sister was at my ex's, so it was just the two of us in the house. I put her to bed, and later went to bed myself. I'd lit a couple of tealights in a wall sconce (well out of any reach and safe!), and figured that they would only be burning for a little while, so I'd let them burn down while I slept. Well, around 3 am, some . . . sense or something woke me up (that "Something's not quite right in my house" sense Moms have!) I woke up, and there, in the candlelight, was my daughter, staring at me with the biggest, CREEPIEST grin on her face! (Yeah, she's my angel, but, at 3 am, by candlelight, a foot from my face, she was creepy!) I put her back in bed, put something in her doorway that she couldn't get over or around, and, the next day, got a gate for her doorway!

So, long story short . . . if you think she's ready for a "big girl" bed, but are worried about her roaming, use a gate! She'll be safer, and you'll sleep easier. Just make sure there's nothing in her room that she can get hurt with (there shouldn't be, anyway!), and you'll be alright!

Good luck!

And, incidentally, because I'm due in July, when my daughter will be 27 months, and I need her crib again (as a crib!), I'm actually planning on taking the next step, and moving her into a twin (bunks with her sister)! She already sleeps in her sister's bed a lot of nights, preferring to snuggle with "Sissy" to sleeping alone . . .

Answer 5

my daughter was small and tiny she moved from the crib to bed when she was 2 and we put a bed rail up to help her feel safe.
My son just turned one and has gone into his bed just fine and by choice, we have not had any issues but he is also about the same size my daughter was when she was two.
we had some trouble keeping autumn in her bed but once she got used to it she stopped getting out and playing with her toys.
it really helped as well with her potty training she stopped needing diapers to sleep in and would just wake one of us up to take her potty.
each child goes at their own pace, you could test her if you have the space for the crib and the bed.
(my own went right into twin beds we don't think toddler beds are wise or economical)

Answer 6

We have a convertable crib that we changed to a double bed when our son was 2.5 years old. We considered doing it sooner only we too didn't want him to start getting out of bed. Luckily, despite the new freedom, he stayed in bed -- still does and it's been a year already. Tips: Buy bed rails, (the best kind are the ones that fold down for bed making or just sitting -- check 2nd hand stores first); make the bed and room inviting for your child (never a place of punishment); and should she ever get out of bed, escort her back without saying a word, tuck her in and only say "bedtime" and leave promptly.

Answer 7

Mine was a little over 2 years. Sometimes he doesn't like his big bed and I wonder if we wouldn't have done better with a toddler bed. Anyway, we put a childproof doorknob cover on the inside of his door so he couldn't get out. It worked really well. He's 3 and potty training at night so we finally took it off last week and so far he's stayed in there.

Just make sure you have one of those skeleton keys for your house in case she locks herself in (when, not if). They are often found/kept on the top of the doorframe.

Answer 8

My first was 25 mo. when we put him in a big bed, b/c we had a new baby coming soon. My 2nd we moved him the month he turned 3 b/c he never climbed out. Now my third just turned 2 this month, and as long as she doesn't climb out I would like to keep her in her crib until she turns 3.

Answer 9

I haven't had my baby yet, but I basically raised my niece. We changed her to a toddler bed when she was 2 because she figured out how to climb out of the baby bed. As long as they still fit comfortable and it isnt dangerous, then about 2-2 1/2 is about the age I would say.

Answer 10

We did no longer have a baby mattress. All my young toddlers went right now into the two a twin or finished-length mattress. The mattress replaced into pushed up against the wall and had a rail on the different edge. youngster #a million moved at 19 months to unlock the crib for infant sis. youngster #2 moved into the completed-length mattress with vast sis at 18 months b/c she in no way slept properly in the crib besides and replaced into asking to sleep together with her sister. youngster #3 moved right into a twin mattress at 22 months.

Answer 11

My son is 32 months..he is still in his crib. We have tried it without the side ont he bed...didn't work well...first of all it took forever to get him to stay in bed...secondly he was up twice in the night...once because the blankets ahd fallen off, and the second time cause he was scared. I didn't like the fact that he could just be in the house. He still sleeps in the crib...