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Moving from a crib to a toddler bed. - 11/16/2008 5:40:19 PM
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SarahsDaughter
Posts: 48
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At what age did you move your toddler(s) from a crib to a toddler bed (or regular bed)? What were your deciding factors? With each of my children it has varied and I'm curious to know other people's experiences. Thanks.
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RE: Moving from a crib to a toddler bed. - 11/16/2008 6:30:16 PM
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PrincessDonna
Posts: 10209
Joined: 4/11/2005
From: Cow country, Upstate NY
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First...18 months. We moved to a new house and chose then to do it. We put him on his crib mattress on the floor first. He moved to a twin bed at 23 months old. For about 6 months, I had to put him back in his bed a few times a night, but after that, no problem.
Second...2 years. He moved from a pack n play to a twin bed. No problems at all. He was always a good sleeper.
Third...this one is interesting. She never really slept in a crib. Coslept in our bed until #4 came along (she turned 2 a couple weeks after he was born) and then Daddy worked hard to get her to sleep on a mattress next to our bed. At 3 and a couple months, we finally got her to sleep in her own bed in another room. In 3 months, she'll be 4 and we still have to sit where she can see us until she is asleep. She'd still sleep in our bed if we let her. But we don't.
Fourth...is 21 months and still in the crib. He escapes on a regular basis and has to be sat with until he settles down but not necessarily asleep, but shares a room with #3, so this isn't a problem. He's a pretty good sleeper, but needs the boundaries the crib provides. I am not ready to fight to keep him in a bed, so in the crib he will stay for now.
Fifth...is 2.5 months old. Still in a bassinet and will go to the pack n play from there, since big brother is still hogging the crib. Long as she has a full belly, a clean bottom, her binky, and her silky bear to hug, she goes to sleep well on her own.
_____________________________
He fulfills the desires of those who fear Him;
He hears their cry and saves them.
The Lord watches over all who love him,
but all the wicked He will destroy.
~Psalm 145:19-20~
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RE: Moving from a crib to a toddler bed. - 11/16/2008 7:51:54 PM
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zoebob
Posts: 8872
Joined: 4/13/2005
From: land of limbo
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DD1 was climbing out of a crib at about19 months. We moved into a new place about then and didn't set up her crib. We just put the crib mattress on the floor. She got a bed for her 2nd birthday and personalized veggie tales sheets (made by my SIL's brother). Not with her name but he airbrushed them as my bro and sil's present for her.
DD2 also got a bed and personalized VT sheets made by her aunt's brother.
DS by this time a bed and special sheets became a special 2nd birthday present routine. DS wasn't big into VT though so his sheets were Jay Jay the Jet Plane: his favorite show at the time.
None of them had to be pushed into it and all did well adjusting to a bed.
_____________________________
L-R: DD1, Ellies DS2, DD2, Ellies DS1
L-R: Ellies DD1, Ellies DD2, DS, Ellies DS3
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RE: Moving from a crib to a toddler bed. - 11/16/2008 8:27:28 PM
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pbaribeault
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Joined: 4/29/2005
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I moved to a toddler bed as soon as I found that my baby could climb from the floor to the couch. For me it's all about safety - if they can get from floor to couch (say 2.5 feet), then they will very shortly be able get from their bed-level to top-of-crib-rail level (about 3 feet)... but at that point they would be more than 4 feet above the floor if they fell.
If your child just sitting on anything just under chest-high in another room of the house, that's a real falling risk, where some injury is foreseeable. Similarly I think that climbing out of a crib involves a real risk moment, as they are at the top of the rail, high above the ground. So I don't want to let it happen. That's why I move them at the skill of climbing in a slightly easier scenario.
I'd rather they just fall from the toddler bed to the floor (1 foot). Which is less likely to result in injury than a fall from the top of the crib rail. Plus, that fall is unlikely anyways, as I bought a cloth barrier thing to block all but 1 foot of the edge of the toddler bed. (The 1 foot gap is for climbing up & down safely and freely.)
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RE: Moving from a crib to a toddler bed. - 11/16/2008 8:34:09 PM
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PrincessDonna
Posts: 10209
Joined: 4/11/2005
From: Cow country, Upstate NY
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Hmmm...if I moved my kids as soon as they could climb over the railing, it would be between 12 and 14 months for all of them. Yes, I gave birth to monkeys. Only one has ever fallen, and was not injured.
My 21 month old can catapult over the railing in two simple movements now. He's like a cat, always landing on his feet. I never worry about him falling.
_____________________________
He fulfills the desires of those who fear Him;
He hears their cry and saves them.
The Lord watches over all who love him,
but all the wicked He will destroy.
~Psalm 145:19-20~
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RE: Moving from a crib to a toddler bed. - 11/17/2008 2:08:46 AM
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Mrs.X
Posts: 2943
Joined: 7/7/2005
From: Newberg, OR
Status: offline
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We got my oldest his toddler bed when he was 17 months old. It was only because we knew we'd need the crib for the baby I was expecting, and we wanted to make sure Timmy didn't get jealous of his little bro being in his old bed. If we weren't expecting a baby, I would have kept him in it until he reached the maximum weight capacity or until he was climbing out of it. Seriously, if you don't have to move your toddler into a real bed, don't. Naps got a lot more difficult after getting a bed that my son can get in and out of.
_____________________________
-Stina
From Sweet Grass to the Packin' House
A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger. -Proverbs 15:1
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RE: Moving from a crib to a toddler bed. - 11/18/2008 3:53:07 PM
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gratefulforgrace
Posts: 242
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From: Near Spokane Washington
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Helen moved to a toddler bed at about 13 months. She never liked her crib and never really slept in it consistently. Moving her to a toddler bed got us between 6 and 8 hours each night before she came to our bed. She still usually ends up finishing the night in our bed (from about 3 or 4am until wake up) but we are working on getting over that before the new baby arrives.
_____________________________
Proud Follower of Christ
Wife of Chris
Mother of Helen and #2 due March 23!
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RE: Moving from a crib to a toddler bed. - 11/18/2008 6:59:57 PM
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SarahsDaughter
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Thanks. I love to hear all the varied responses and experiences. My eldest moved into a toddler bed around 18 mths and it was an easy transition for him. My 2nd went straight to a twin bed at 18 mths. For some reason we totally skipped the toddler bed stage with him, but it wasn't a problem. My 3rd one is the only one who would get out of his toddler bed and we'd have to put him back to bed a couple of times, especially at nap time. My youngest, well, we'll see ...
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RE: Moving from a crib to a toddler bed. - 11/20/2008 6:32:15 PM
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April75
Posts: 253
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My daughter is 15 months old. She is so busy and already screams and cries when it's time for bed. How will we ever get her to stay in a toddler bed? Her room is kind of far from our room. If she gets up at night how will we watch her. I'm scared of this.
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RE: Moving from a crib to a toddler bed. - 11/20/2008 10:39:42 PM
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pbaribeault
Posts: 1104
Joined: 4/29/2005
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Firstly, you would child-proof her room.
Second, you would make the room totally uninteresting for exploring -- nothing to play with, pull apart etc. and if the bed is slightly challenging to get in and out of, that's good too.
Third, you make the bed itself very pleasant -- books, animals, mobile, small quiet toy etc. and the room restful -- dark, but not too dark, nice music etc.
Then you begin training. Decide whether it is important to you that she stay in her bed, or if she remains quietly in her room. When you put her to bed, give her that command very clearly, then stay where you can tell immediately if she violates the command. If the command is "stay in bed" and her door is open, or slightly open you can see the bed (or you could use a mirror under the door, if you close the door). If the command is "stay in your room and don't make any noise" you can range further, and simply place a noisy object where it would fall or be knocked over if she opened the door.
If she doesn't do as you say, you begin to apply consequences. In my case, my dd was happiest with her door slightly open. If she left her bed, I closed the door until she got back in. (We later relaxed this standard to just staying in the room, but we used the bed for her earliest training. Other parents I've known have had the standard at keeping the head on the pillow.) Other things you can do as consequences are turning off the light (if it is usually on) turning off the music, taking away the books and/or toys and/or pillow, blanket, whatever.
(If you have no consequences available, I'd suggest you buy a cheap calendar and sticky-tack the pictures to her walls. Then you can take the pictures away one at a time if she disobeys and return them when she chooses to go back to the spot you told her to stay in.) Although, don't use a true comfort-item as consequences. A lovey and a night-light (if she has one) should not be taken away for misbehaviour, because they contribute to security, which helps kids recover from misbehaving.
Eventually she will internalize the idea that you will catch her, and you won't need to watch so closely, but you should still use a baby monitor, and set up a loud-ish sound for if she exits her room at night. (Another idea: if you do want her to stay in bed, you could put a crinkley-sounding baby-toy blanket or something right where her feet would touch down as she exits the bed, then you would hear if she got up.)
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RE: Moving from a crib to a toddler bed. - 11/21/2008 7:35:08 AM
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manda59
Posts: 6171
Joined: 9/22/2005
From: Hampshire, UK
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quote:
ORIGINAL: April75
My daughter is 15 months old. She is so busy and already screams and cries when it's time for bed. How will we ever get her to stay in a toddler bed? Her room is kind of far from our room. If she gets up at night how will we watch her. I'm scared of this.
What's your bedtime routine like for her? Is she already in a toddler bed or still in her crib?
_____________________________
"Manda is right"
mvic, January 2009
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RE: Moving from a crib to a toddler bed. - 11/21/2008 8:40:47 AM
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PrincessDonna
Posts: 10209
Joined: 4/11/2005
From: Cow country, Upstate NY
Status: online
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For a 15 month old, I personally would wait. There is no need for her to be out of the crib yet. Some kids need those boundaries around them until they are old enough to be reasoned with to stay in bed. It's not something you need to rush.
_____________________________
He fulfills the desires of those who fear Him;
He hears their cry and saves them.
The Lord watches over all who love him,
but all the wicked He will destroy.
~Psalm 145:19-20~
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RE: Moving from a crib to a toddler bed. - 11/21/2008 9:37:23 AM
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Row1
Posts: 250
Joined: 12/2/2005
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2 1/2 yr old is still in bed-with-bars. I don't know what you call it - must be taller than others because he is pretty agile but has not figured out how to get out yet.
There are times, in the casual mornings, or after being put to bed, where he just sits in there, seeming all secure and comfy, and talks gently to his little stuffed animal friends, or sings to himself.
When we go in to see him, sometimes he wants us to pat or hug over the railing, or have the teddy bears snuggle or tickle him for a while, cuz he is not ready to get out.
I think the crib thing is just reassuring and comfy for him. I know it is time to upgrade to a regular bed, but I hate to change this sweet part of his life.
:(
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RE: Moving from a crib to a toddler bed. - 11/21/2008 7:00:14 PM
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SarahsDaughter
Posts: 48
Joined: 2/15/2006
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quote:
ORIGINAL: April75
My daughter is 15 months old. She is so busy and already screams and cries when it's time for bed. How will we ever get her to stay in a toddler bed? Her room is kind of far from our room. If she gets up at night how will we watch her. I'm scared of this.
April, I would suggest that you address the bedtime meltdowns now while she's still in the crib. Get that sorted out and then when you move her to the toddler bed that's one less hurdle to overcome.
How do you respond to her when she screams and cries at bedtime? The fact that she does it routinely means that it is probably being reinforced by the parents. Are you giving in to her when she cries and screams?
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RE: Moving from a crib to a toddler bed. - 11/22/2008 1:25:29 AM
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Mrs.X
Posts: 2943
Joined: 7/7/2005
From: Newberg, OR
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quote:
ORIGINAL: Row1
I think the crib thing is just reassuring and comfy for him. I know it is time to upgrade to a regular bed, but I hate to change this sweet part of his life.
:(
Awww.....well, if he's not trying to climb out and he hasn't reached the maximum weight capacity, don't worry about it right now. That's the only time babies NEED to be moved from a crib to a real bed.
_____________________________
-Stina
From Sweet Grass to the Packin' House
A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger. -Proverbs 15:1
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RE: Moving from a crib to a toddler bed. - 11/22/2008 9:01:12 AM
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manda59
Posts: 6171
Joined: 9/22/2005
From: Hampshire, UK
Status: offline
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quote:
ORIGINAL: Mrs.X
That's the only time babies NEED to be moved from a crib to a real bed.
Unless of course they're at the stage of being ready to be toilet trained and need to be able to get up to go on the potty.
_____________________________
"Manda is right"
mvic, January 2009
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He moved to a twin bed around age 4. 
