When did you move your child to a toddler bed?

Hey everyone!  Just a quick question, we're in the final stages of getting the house ready for our baby girl, due February 23rd, and I was hoping to be able to get my son sleeping in a toddler bed by then so she can have his old crib.  I was just wondering when everyone else started their kids in a toddler bed?  I don't want to push him to do something he's not ready for, but I figure if he's okay with it it would make things so much easier.  Also any tricks to get them used to it?

[Trentonsmom]

Hi, I just recently went through the same thing. We have boy number 2 due on January 31st. My son is 2 1/2 and we moved him to a regular bed (twin size race car bed) about 2 months ago. The first night I gave up and put him in the crib, but night 2 we just gave him his pacifier(which is only given for bed time) and put him in his bed. He cried a little but he didn't get up. By the end of the week he was in his own bed and didn't even need the pacifier. The hardest time is nap time because it is light in his room and he doesn't want to miss anything. Just don't give in and have patience.

[jackiemoo]

Persistance!! I started by letting him fall asleep in my bed and then placing him in his toddler bed. I started this at 18 months and by the time he was 2 he was fine with falling asleep in his room. I have a 13" TV w/ VCR, that is his vice. He falls asleep watching disney movies..

[gml24]

oh no naptime!  I totally forgot about that, guess I'll just have to start now :)

[4my3boys]

My son will be 3 in march adn refuses to go to sleep in a big boy bed.  He said that he wants his baby bed and that he is the baby!  So yesterday he told me he was the baby not the one in my tummy, and that it was his bed!!  My hubby wants to buy the new baby a new crib and I said no.  What do you all think?

[*heartagram*]

I had to move my daughter into one at 18 months because she was a climber, even we had the matress the lowest it would go she could still climb out of it.

[jill06]

my son transitioned to a twin bed very easily. We have always had a twin bed in his room so that I had a place to nurse or so that DH could 'cuddle' him when he woke up in the middle of the night. He was used to seeing and being in the big boy bed since the beginning. My MIL started putting him to sleep for naps at her house in a regular bed from about 18 mos on, so it was easy at home. Every now and then he will request to sleep or nap in the little bed, but that never lasts long, in fact he often is unable to sleep there when he asks for it.

[mrs.austin]

i moved my daughter too soon i think. she was sleeping fine in her crib and didn't climb out or anything...but i thought "she's two...she gets a toddler bed" i remember her watching me take out the crib and she was crying "my crib, my crib" if i had to do it again, i would have waited much longer. then again, i didn't have another baby on the way.  my sister has a 2 1/2 year old who sleeps great in the crib and she is due in about 3 weeks. they have the car bed in the room, but i'm pretty sure they are just going to get another crib until the toddler figures out that he's not a baby!

[neparker]

We moved our first, DS, into a regular sized bed when my DD was born.  He was 3 and didn't have any problems.  We moved my DD into a toddler bed at 2.5, and into a regular sized bed at 3.  We never had any problems.

They took with them their favorite blankets and stuffed toys.

[ajemmom]

I moved my DD to a twin bed when she was  20months and she LOVED it!  She loved feeling like a big girl, and we had to get her crib ready for our DS.  The only problem is that she could get out of this bed, unlike her crib, and nap time became difficult. After about a week, she was fine though and everything has been great since.

[Lilu]

We moved our DD when she was 18 months because she was climbing out. She was good the first night. She was getting out after that. It took her at least 2 weeks to stay in her bed. She came out at least 5 times a night. It was frustrating but worth it in the end. You just have to stick to it and keep putting her back in her bed. What we did was the first time she came out we would say "good night, go to bed" After that we wouldn't talk to her, we would gently put her in her bed and shut the door. She threw a couple of tantrums. Some nights it took her an hour to finally go to bed. Nap time was harder for her because she just wanted to play but she got used to it eventually. I just did the same thing and it worked for her.
Also what helped was I bought princess comforter and pillow and a matching night light. And I took the crib out completely but you might not be able to do that since you have one on the way.
A lot of kids are different though. You might have a really easy time. Good Luck!

[gml24]

you guys are making me feel a lot better!  I thought I was in for a complete nightmare. Although it may be alittle more challenging since my son is only 19 months.

[anxiousmomtobe?]

We moved our son at 2.5 years.  I made sure he had his favourite blankies and we made a big deal about how exciting this new bed was.

Very few problems.

[2songbirds]

I moved my DS between 13-14 months. We both love it. I sleep in that room as well with my 3 year old DD on the bottom bunk. When my DS wakes up, he just rolls out of bed and starts playing, letting me sleep a little bit longer. I do have to keep the baby gate in the bedroom doorway though. I wanted to move him out soon since we're having another one in april, and I want him to get used of the change, not to associate it with the new addition