We're not ready for this yet, but the topic came up the other night, and I was wondering how you transitioned your toddler from his/her crib to a big kid bed? And when did you do it?

My daughter is 16 1/2 months old and I know this is too early, but when IS the right time? Are there signs (like there are with potty training)? The side rail of her crib comes off so it can be transitioned to a toddler bed... should we do that or go straight to a real bed?

Just wondering how you all did it and when... experiences?

THANKS!

Matthew moved at 17 1/2 months because he was waking up every night screaming his head off and was not easy to get back to sleep. We moved him to the guest bedroom and he didn't do it anymore. I hadn't planned to move him until he was 2 1/2-3, but he had other plans.

I know other people who have switched because their child could climb out of the crib.

Katie is slowly moving over right now. She starts out the night in her toddler bed, and comes back to bed with us anywhere from midnight to 6 a.m., depending on when she wakes up and notices she's alone. :lol: We started this around Christmastime, with the toddler bed in our room. We moved the toddler bed to her room about two weeks ago, so she was just 21 months.

We recently moved Emma into a big girl bed b/c we wanted her transitioned before Little2 came, and we didn't want to have to buy another crib. So she was about 18.5 - 19 months, I think? She was definitely interested in trying a new bed- she'd often climb up into ours and put her head on the pillow. She's in a full bed with rails on either side.

We started by trying out a nap in the bed. She took to it pretty well, so we got brave and tried an overnight. Except for a mishap the first night (she managed to get herself wedged upside down between her bookcase and the bed!), she's been fine. At first she'd get out and play with her toys, so we'd find her passed out on the floor and have to put her back into bed. But she's stopped doing that.

We also wound up keeping her door closed at night- we tried leaving it ajar, but she came up to visit in the middle of the night, or really early in the morning. Now we keep it closed and have the monitor going to hear what she's up to.

All in all it was much easier than I expected!

Caiti was about two. Her and I were living with my parents. We shared the same room. We just up and moved the crib out and the new bed in. I had to lay in bed with her until she fell asleep. That lasted until she was about four. Then, I had to resort to movies until she fell asleep, she was horrible to put to bed, even when she had the crib.

Alyssa made the switch last weekend. She actually went really easy. She had been going into her brothers room and laying with him and watching tv before bed..so I decided it must be time for her to be in a big girl bed. She likes the decision to get up and down. She is 26mo. old. I got the toddler bed out and put it right up against the crib..so it looks as if the crib rail is on one side of the toddler bed. She did great. From the very first night..SHe has never fell otu and really seems to enjoy her big girl bed.

jayne

Ian's still doing fine in the crib. Although he seems to thrash around in there a lot and bang his head on the sides of the crib. I was going to buy him a twin bed when we move in a few weeks. But I don't really see the neccessity yet for the added expense. We can convert the crib to a daybed/toddler bed. So I think we will try that first. It's not like we have someone else waiting to use the crib next. ;)

Oh, but I will be shopping around though, looking for deals on twin mattresses and bed frames/headboards. If I find something I will snatch it up. :)

Emily is 21 months old and has been in a big bed exclusively for a couple months now. Before that she just "sometimes" would sleep in it. It took me a while to realize she slept best in the big bed and always woke up more in the crib. The crib is now my brother's because he is having a baby soon. :) She likes sleeping in a big bed and has done it for so long now I think she has forgotten about the crib.