Moving toddler from cot to bed

rchddap1

Sorry, shouldn't laugh really....couldn't resist.

Dormouse

Wow, I didn't expect so many replies in such a short time -- thank you so much, everyone! :T

In a way I'm glad there's all sorts of different opinions out there, but then again, it means I've got to make up my own mind about things. :rolleyes: I'm leaning towards the idea of a smaller bed, due to lack of space, and also we are planning to hopefully have more kids, so it would get used more than once.

Although the comment about room for soft toys in a big bed makes sense!

I've seen the Ikea bed and loved it, but unfortunately we're miles away from the nearest Ikea. I've also seen the Argos one, and quite like it, too.

Am definitely going to get a bed guard, no question about it.

My little boy was in a grobag until about a month ago, but now has a big boy duvet and loves it! We thought it would make the transition to bed easier.

He's also a good little sleeper and settles by himself, so hopefully it's not going to be too bad. Three nights of 'training' sounds fair enough, I guess (she says now -- just wait what I'll feel like when it's all happening!).

This is one of those things that I'm really looking forward to, but also means that my little baby is growing up .

Thanks again everyone

Becles

My eldest went into an adult single bed at 18 months. I'd found out I was pregnant, so wanted to get him used to a bed before baby arrived and didn't want him to think the baby had kicked him out his cot!

My second child was in an adult bed at 10 months partly because he used to climb and partly because he was a restless sleeper. He used to stick his legs out the cot bars then turn over, then wake up with pins and needles in his legs!

I just put them straight in adult bed to save the expense of buying a cot or junior bed.

Both handled the swop into the bed well. We did have a few nights at first where they got back up again, simply because they could! All I did was firmly put them back in their bed and say in a stern voice "it's bed time now, good night". They soon got used to the idea that they had to stay in bed. Once they learned to tell the time, I got them a clock each, and invented the "7 o'clock rule" where if they wake early, they are allowed to play quietly, but if they wake me up before 7am I'm allowed to get cross with them

Let your son choose his own bed (within reason!) and he'll settle better in it. Also let him pick a duvet cover perhaps with his favourite character on, so he relates to it as being his. Tell him he's a big boy now and cots are for babies really. Also make a thing of telling relatives/friends when he's in earshot and really praise him for going into a big bed, so he knows you are very proud of him.

Sput2001

We compromise with our 3 year old. He must sleep in his own bed, but he can come in with us in the morning. Mind you, morning used be at sun up, but sun up is now halfway through the night.

We have a low-wattage lamp in our two-year-old son's room, connected to a 24-hour timer switch. If he wakes up and the light's on, it's ok for him to come in with us, if it isn't then he has to stay in bed. He got the hang of that pretty quickly. Currently the light is set to come on at 6am. Make sure you get a very low wattage bulb (e.g. 15w) so the light coming on doesn't wake junior up.

We used a cot-bed, so the transition from cot to bed was relatively smooth for us - just remove the bars, lower the base and that was it. We just put a duvet on the floor in case he fell out, but it's quite low to the ground anyway, so he never got too much of a bump. Again, he got the hang of it pretty quickly anyway.

We got a travel bed-guard for when we're away, which means he can sleep on an ordinary bed. It makes life so much easier than carting a travel cot everywhere!

Js_Other_Half

Would this be of any help?:-
http://www.holidoze.com/holidozefinal/Slumber_Bumper.html

skylight

I moved all 3 of mine out on their 2nd birthday's.

They had mini beds - the junior ones, but not like the cot beds - someone else mentioned a "Shortie" from Argos. All had bed guards.

The only real issue we had was with the last one (now 3) She used to sleep in her cot in a "gro-bag" and although she was in a bed with a guard, she had to sleep on top of the duvets in the gro-bag. Only lasted a few weeks though.

But with all of them, I decided which bed was going to be bought, but took them out shopping to "decide" which one to get a few weeks earlier. And re-inforcing the "Big-girl now" until then. They were allowed to pick their new duvet covers (for the duvets, also make sure that they are not too heavy!) and were promised an extra bedtime story if they stayed in bed all night.

Lots of fuss in the morning if they were still in bed - but again, as long as you have a stair gate at the top of the stairs, this shouldn't be a problem - just make sure the crayons are well out of reach in their bedrooms!! He'll probably stay in bed all night long anyway. If he is still getting up in the night, try cutting out or down a daytime nap for a few weeks and see if that helps??

From a safety point of view (and the morbid stuff - sorry) - shut the bedroom door - should always be shut in case of a fire and smoke. When he's 3, give him a fire drill so that he knows what to do and not to hide, and get a smoke dectector in his room!

plumpmouse

I've just moved my little boy (20 months) from a cot to his bed (cotbed) due to him suddenly last thursday climbing out of his cot.

He has really surprised me how well he has adjusted. He settles himself really well and in the morning stays in bed until we go into him. He knocks on the wall when he wakes up to let us know that he wants us.

He has fallen out twice once in the middle of the night and then again tonight just after falling asleep.

Was going to post to ask about cot bumper so may as well ask on this thread.

Has anyone used the one that JS has provided a link for???

Good luck and your little one may well surprise you as to how well they do.

Viz_2

We had our daughter in the first crib for about 6 months. Then we decided to go for a cot bed.
She was in the cot until she was about 18 months. We then took the sides off as she somehow got her leg stuck ( above the knee ) between the rails, and as you can imagine, became hysterical.
When as a bed, the matress was less than one foot from the floor. We had a spare duvet and folded it up to provide a cushion if she fell out.

All in all it went well and has been going to bed peacefully ( most nights ) on her own for about 4 months now.

We hope to move house later this year and will probably buy a new full size single bed then. Our daughter will be 3 years old at the end of June.

Smudge32

I can recommend the IKEA bed too, if that helps (probably not if you live miles away!).

On a slightly different point, does anyone know any good stairgates that stop 2 year olds getting out? Mine's reinforced with bits of string at the moment, but he's figuring that out too!

Dormouse

Smudge32 wrote:

On a slightly different point, does anyone know any good stairgates that stop 2 year olds getting out? Mine's reinforced with bits of string at the moment, but he's figuring that out too!

Our stairgate is a Lindam (the cheapest one in Argos I think ) and my almost 23-month-old can't open it (he tries!). Quite a few adults have problems with it, too

Dunno if a 2-year-old would figure it out though You have to press it on both sides while lifting the handle up, so you need both hands.