Re: The good, the bad, and the ugly - Transitioning from a crib to a bed?

We're switching C into her new bed this weekend Definitely earlier than I planned/wanted, but her new furniture is coming Saturday and the crib will be going in baby's room.

I'm dreading this, but hoping for the best?

Re: The good, the bad, and the ugly - Transitioning from a crib to a bed?

We transitioned DD to toddler bed (her crib converted) around 18 months. We just took the side down and put up a guard rail. She did GREAT!! Still went to bed at 8 pm and still naps 3 hours a day.

We just transitioned her to a full size at 27 months. We really talked it up before hand. We have the two guard rails on either side. For the most part she is still going to bed at 8 pm. Sometimes she gets out to get her toys. I'll go up to check on her and she'll be passed out on her bed with toys all around her. But she still takes 2-3 hour naps during the day. She loves her "big girl" bed!

Re: The good, the bad, and the ugly - Transitioning from a crib to a bed?

We didn't really have too many problems with Lily. We just made her a big part of picking out the bedding, and other decorations for her room so she was excited about it. And once she saw how much freedom she had in the bed, she wanted nothing to do with the crib!!
As far as keeping her contained once she wakes up.....yeah, that's not so easy. The first morning, she got out and woke us up in bed, so we talked to her about staying in the bed and just asking for us to come get her.
Yesterday morning, she was apparently jumping in the bed and she fell out and that wasn't good.....but she learned not to jump at least!
We keep her toys in the room so she can play in there in case she wakes up before us.

Honestly......she's been a lot easier to get to sleep now that she's made the move.....I think it makes her feel like a big girl, and she loves the freedom she has!

One thing I would totally recommend getting is a little stool to help him get in and out of the bed on his own.

Re: The good, the bad, and the ugly - Transitioning from a crib to a bed?

No nap but thats been since she was 2. She was in a crib until over 3 yrs old. She did great in it, slept 12+ hours at night. She knew how to climb out but didn't. So we kept her in until she started climbing out at bedtime. Honestly, taking the binky away has been way worse for me. She tested me a few times in the begining and got out and came running into the living room. After a few days, the worst thing she did is get books to read in bed with her lantern. No big deal, she went right to sleep. good luck!

Re: The good, the bad, and the ugly - Transitioning from a crib to a bed?

Claire transitioned at 2.25. It wasn't too bad. The first not or so she was scared and for a couple weeks nap time was off. She would get out of bed, out of her room, I would hear her in the upstairs hallway

I threatened to set up the PNP and have her sleep in there. We actually had to do that one night, and after that it has been pretty good-we just have to go upstairs and tell her to settle down sometimes.

I thought nap time was over, but after a few weeks it got a lot better and she still takes a 2 hour nap most days.

Good luck-it's scary so let them loose

ETA: Claire does not open her door in the morning any more (but we have baby gates to block her if she does). She does sometimes get out of bed, but that's only when she gets up in the morning, she doesn't do it in the middle of the night or at nap time. When she does it in the morning, we will usually find her sitting in her chair reading a book.

Also, we still have a video monitor on her-I found this even more important that she can get out of bed.

Message edited 3/30/2010 9:13:53 AM.

Re: The good, the bad, and the ugly - Transitioning from a crib to a bed?

We moved Kaydyn to a toddler bed right before her 2nd birthday. We needed her crib for the new baby.

She actually transitioned really well. She didn't give us a problem at all. We took all the toys out of her room so she wouldn't be distracted.

We close her bedroom door at night, but we've always done that.

Then the stomach virus hit our house and she got sick multiple times in her bed. For about a month she was scared of sleeping in her bed. She would fall asleep on the floor and we would move her to bed.

She's getting better but she still gets out of bed a lot. She doesn't nap as well because she can get out of bed when she wants but she has to stay in her room for 2 hours. It also takes her a little longer to fall asleep at night.

Re: The good, the bad, and the ugly - Transitioning from a crib to a bed?

It was completely random and unplanned, but when the makers of Gavin's crib sent 2 new sides because of a recall, DH decided to leave one side off as he was changing them.

So for now, Gavin is still in his crib, but it's more like a bed because he hops in and out on his own and has been doing unbelievably well.
The first day he fell out and cried for a second (landed on pillows)....the second day I checked the monitor and when I saw the crib was empty, I flew up the stairs to find him sleeping on the shag rug in his room with his blanket

The first week he opened his door every morning (all others doors except our room are closed, gate at top of the stairs) and came into our room. Week 2 he stayed in his crib until I came to get him, and last week he started opening his door and wandering into our room again. This week is a mix.....

Once I get my act together, hopefully soon, we will start planning Gavin's new room and twin bed.......I will update you on his progress!

Re: The good, the bad, and the ugly - Transitioning from a crib to a bed?

josh willbe 3 on may 9th and we just switched last week from a crib to a full bed with extra long rails without a hiccup! we just talked it up and he's totally fine but he was fine staying in his crib too. we tell him to stay in his bed till we get him and he does. we also got him a step stool so he can get in and out himself.

Re: The good, the bad, and the ugly - Transitioning from a crib to a bed?

Thank you for posting this. Kaitlyn is also still in her crib and I'm going back and forth as to when we should change her. Many of her friends are in beds now but not a single one of them still naps and they never fight bedtime.

She still sometimes fights naps and going to bed at night (but she really needs naps and on days she doesn't nap she is extremely cranky and won't go to sleep earlier at night) - and the crib is all I have to contain her. So many parents at our preschool told me NOT to rush it that if they are high spirited once they transitioned them they never slept again. And many of the parents in my preschool have 2-5 children so they have BTDT. As it is we read to her or relax with her and say you have one more minute and she says more minutes mommy - I know if I just put her in bed she will just play in her room all night

I know for my child that if I put her in a bed she will just get up and run around and play and won't stay in the bed. I just don't know what to do b.c she ISN"T climbing out of her crib or even trying to. She will go in at nap time and if she isn't tired will sit quietly in the crib and read books and play with her dolls.

I know I have to do this sometime but I'm not looking forward to it and also need some support.

Re: The good, the bad, and the ugly - Transitioning from a crib to a bed?

Lucas transitioned well..thankfully!

He still naps 2-3 hours and goes down easily at 7:30pm each night...wakes at 6:30/7 depending on the day (daycare vs. weekend).

In the beginning he woke very early (4am) and would come to our room to wake us after a few days of that Rich was firm that Lucas would have to wait for us to wake up. He put a blanket and pillow in the corner and after two days of crying and us ignoring him Lucas gave up.

Now he cries for us when he wakes (which he also did in the crib). I also think he's a little afraid of the dark in his room and that keep him in his bed. I don't want that so we are going to start leaving his curtains open and see what happens.