Too Young for Own Bed?

[Myah's Mom]

Hi everyone,
Hope everyone's babymaking is going well.. Usually I am posting with a miscarriage-related quandry, but today I am looking for opinions re my 14 month old. Myah has NEVER slept through the night in her crib, with the exception of an occasional night.
Recently, once hubby and I were back at work, we decided to let her come in with us once she wakes (around 11, religiously).Now we're stuck....
Here's the thing: we just got back from travelling, and had her sleeping in the bed on her own (with lots of precautions in case she fell, of course). She slept like a LOG, and we were away from home!!!! She also sleeps very well if I was to take her with me for the odd nap in our bed, too, so I am wondering if she just prefers a bed. She looks so much more comfortable. She sprawls across the whole bed-it's kind of funny, really.
Is 14 months a little young to be thinking about a toddler bed?
She's just starting to walk, but she still seems so young to be in her own bed. However, if it helps her to sleep....
I was also thinking that if the bed was big enough, I could just come to her for a while to soothe her, and sneak back to my own bed after. Also, I found that for those few nights, getting her to sleep was a breeze! I usually rock, sing, read, etc, and these nights, I tucked her in, read her stories to her, and she was out like a light before the 2nd story was read!
Has anyone else had this experience? Is she too young for this?
I appreciate your help, ladies, and baby dust to all.
(I o'd this weekend, and am hoping for the best)

[Myah's Mom]

Meant to say-use this as an open forum if you like!

[nanakay]

we put our ds into a twin bed long before we had intended...mainly because i noticed that he was getting up in the middle of the night and climbing in bed with us...and it seemed to be more that he liked our mattress not our company.
it had gotten to the point where he was coming in our room every night...so we put up the twin bed (with the guard rails on both sides to prevent fall out) and he hasn't come in our room but maybe twice since. (that was about 6 months ago)

so i say listen to your instincts....there is no magic age when they should go to a big kid bed.
~nanci

[Myah's Mom]

Thanks so much Nanci...
And I thought she just wanted to cuddle, but maybe it is just the mattress!
I'm going to have to pass thing along to hubby, bc he's not exactly convinced!
Thanks so much....
Lisa

[tresmathews]

Dd loved her bed from the moment we put it up. She was about 20 mths. She slept so much better in her big girl bed than in her crib. I would say go with your gut. and if you are worried about her coming out and roaming the house just put up a baby gate.

[Christie2004]

Our youngest seemed to like the "big boy" bed his brother had and wouldn't stay put either. (I think he was around that age).  We put a mattress on the floor to prevent falls and a baby gate in his doorway.  He loved it.

[Stacie30]

toddler bed probably wouldn't do much good...because it's the same crib matress...and if it's just because your bed is more comfortable that will never work.

my son did the same thing yours did (he was a little past 18 months if i remember right. i was afraid of him falling out so i did a twin mattress and box springs with the safety rails (the ones that fit between mattress and box springs)and i put it right on the floor (with no frame) he was big enough he could crawl in and out of the bottom of it....and it worked like a charm. looked a little funny- but hey whatever works right?

[Kassimom]

My neighbor just went through this EXACT issue. She got a twin bed and put it up and her DD has been sleeping in it ever since. She put one side up against the wall and got a rail for the other side. Babies R us sells rails that actually tilt down to make it easy for you to lay with them then swing it right back up with little effort.

[qw]

They have siderails at Walmart. Here is a link to a picture of what I am talking about, but like I said they sell them at Walmart:  http://baby-safety-products.babycatalog.com/baby-safety-nursery/secure-lock-bed-rail-09100?source=Overture&ovchn=OVR&ovcpn=safety1st&ovcrn=baby+bed+rail&ovtac=PPC&OVRAW=baby%20bedrail&OVKEY=baby%20bed%20rail&OVMTC=standard

[qw]

BTW, I think we paid around $ 20 for the siderail at Walmart.

[Angel4JohnnyB]

My older son moved to a twin bed at about 14 months......it was a wooden car bed that was built up on the sides (no need for safety rails) and he loved it and more importantly 'slept in it'....I did use a baby gate to keep him contained should he get up before anyone else in the house........
He never liked to be confined to a small space so would never use his crib.
The twin bed was also great because it was big enough for me to climb in with him to sooth him to sleep and then get up and leave.
I agree with whoever said you wouldn't solve anything getting a toddler bed.......it's the same size as a crib just not as confining.......
Personally I would just skip the toddler bed stage and save a bit of money going with a bed that can be kept for a long while.
My son had his car bed until he was about 5 then he went with a twin bed up off the floor.......I don't think he has every fallen out of that bed.
Best of luck to you,
Vikki

[Myah's Mom]

Thanks so much, everyone- I really appreciate your comments. I guess I'm bed-shopping this weekend!

[Kassimom]

Also, one more suggestion. If you plan on shopping for a twin bed, take your DD with you and let her play and browse the beds herself. Obviously you will pick the bed out, but it lets her feel like she is choosing and let's her know the big change about to be made in her room.

Also, the same neighbor who just put her DD in a twin with the lift up and down rail, also bought a step stool for her DD to get in and out of bed easily.