Transitioning from a crib to toddler bed
My daughter is 24 months old and still sleeps in a crib. I would love for her to sleep in a toddler bed I think it would be easier all the way around but am running into a few issues and need some help working through them. First is all the bedrooms are upstairs and there is no door to her room or at the top of the stairs, I am sure you can see why this makes me a little nervous, does anyone know of a gate I can get specifically for stairs? The other is recently she has been having a cow when it comes to going to bed which is a whole nother issue in itself but I know it's not going to be as easy as laying her in her bed and turning off the lights I instantly picture her hopping out of bed as soon as I have turned the corner and I know it's going to be a struggle. Any suggestions, how did you make the transitions, am I pushing the issue too early?
Different for all, I'm sure
We had Luke in a big-boy bed when he was 18 months, however, when we told him it was bedtime, he stayed in bed! I'm not sure I would have been comfortable making the switch if he was likely to get out of bed, roam around the house, or have be near stairs. We've actually been very lucky that he's taken new adjustments really well....I am sure it won't be this easy with the baby, he's complete opposite of Luke :)
We actually had both the crib and his new bed in his room for quite some time. We started out with nap time in his big bed around 15 months when he started walking. We also simply put the matress on the floor, so it wasn't so big and overwhelming. Try starting out with nap time and see how it goes. We also skipped the toddler bed completely, and went straight to a twin bed....no need to store a toddler bed, we only had to BUY one bed, and we only make the transition to a new bed once!
We have one of those swinging baby gates that is actually screwed into the wall. When you close it and push the handle down, the gate expands tightly in between the rail post and the wall. It's pretty secure, I think. Our stairs to the basement are right in our main walkway from the living room to the kid's bedrooms, so we walk by it a thousand times a day, and I never worry that it's not secure enough. We got it at Babies R Us.
If you think it's too early, or she won't adjust well, then keep her in her crib for another month or two (as long as she isn't dangering herself by climbing out or something). A month or two when they are that little can sometimes make a big difference in how ready they are for big changes! All kids are different...I don't think there's a "right" age...whenever you feel she's ready. Good luck! :)
Jessica
~ Mommy to Luke and Shawn
Cribs are the way to go...
I don't know how everyone else feels but I love my son's crib! I am not looking forward to the day when he gets to freely decide whether or not to stay in bed. I will take advantage of it for as long as it is appropriate. I often have moments of thinking that it would be so cute to see him sleep in a toddler bed, give him more responsibility, independence, etc. Then I think of how many times my sister has to retuck her children into bed and I think, that can wait. Matthew is twenty-one months old now and I often joke that he'll be on his honeymoon and he'll ask his wife why there are not bars around the bed in his honeymoon sweet. You know they do have larger beds with cribs that they sell for children who are challenged and need extra safety. Scary but I wouldn't go that far. No, as long as he fits and they are no safety issues, it will be a crib for us!
Crib for us
Our son is 20 months well 21 tomorrow and he's still in a crib and does not complain so for safety he will stay in a crib until he try to go out of it.
We do have a wood gate for up-stairs from Evenflo that's screwed in the wall for better safety and one down the stairs also from Evenflo but it only snap for the cousin when he comes over.