When to move child from crib to bed??

My daughter is 26 months and I am trying to figure out when to move her to a twin bed. I am due in 11 1/2 weeks, so I will need my daughter's crib soon enough. Here's the problems. My daughter LOVES her crib, and I think she will have a really hard time seeing her little sis using it in a matter of months(I won't need the crib right away after the baby is born, She will be in a portable crib in our room for the first few months, so that buys us some time). Also, I don't think she is ready at all to be in a bed with no bars, she was laying in our bed last week watching PBS, and She fell out and bumped her head on the night stand. I thought to myself, if she can't even stay on our bed while she is awake, how will she ever stay in a bed all night? Also our bed rooms are on a second floor, and I have not been able to find a gate that fits the funky set up we have going on at the top of the stairs(very old house)..I worry so much about her getting up at night or early in the morning and heading for the stairs. So her crib is serving as a protection now too, because often she wakes up 1/2 hour or more before me in the morning and plays in her crib for a little bit before calling for me (I know, how lucky am I to get a little extra sleep in?? She's always done that...I kinda wanted to wait until after the baby comes because our whole schedule will be off after that anyways, and being pregnant, I sure can use that extra 30 min. of sleep in the morning) I really don't want to bother getting a toddler bed, since I will be getting a twin bed anyways, I really don't want to invest in both, especially since she really won't need a toddler bed for too long. I know they have little side panels for small beds for the jump from crib to bed, but are those effective? Has anyone used those? I was wondering when everyone moved there toddler from the crib to a real bed? How old were they and did they do ok in a bigger bed with no bars? What do you think would be the best option for me in my situation, I am just clueless as to when to make the switch, before or after the new baby comes? I would rather wait, since so much will be changing soon enough, I wanted to leave things as much the same as possible for my daughter for now...anywho let me know what you think...bops

[cutiemama]

My DD was 34 months when we made the switch. I put one side of her bed against the wall and have a nice sturdy Safety 1st bedrail on the other side. As for the gates, I called in a baby proofing company and had my gates custom made.

[LosingMyMindInGA]

you could always put a gate in her doorway as opposed to the top of the stairs....as for when to transition...my youngest two RARELY slept in their cribs...they were usually in bed with me...so they've BEEN used to a "regular" bed....My oldest went from crib to toddler bed when she was 3

[deanne11]

My DD moved to a toddler bed at 19 months....in her 'big' girl room....She loved it!
Since we needed the crib mattress for our new arrival due in 4 weeks we bought her a twin bed at Christmas....It was in her room with her but she didn't start using it until about 3 months ago.
2 months shy of her 3rd birthday.

We bought two rails from Babies R Us....I love them....they work perfect for her.  I believe they were the 'especially for baby' ones at Babies R Us.

We also have an older house and we have a gate at the top of the stairs.  Not that it ever really matter...she's been opening the gate on her own and going up and down since she was 2 yrs old.

Try the 'one step behind' catelog for a gate....I believe they had ones that fit into the stairs....but you need to research and 'google'  stair safety gates as opposed to regular safety gates

[deanne11]

It's obviously your choice but I'd go with the toddler bed, she's still so young.....I would even offer to send you ours if you wanted to provide your email and address....we can talk off line.

[lovethebops]

Well, moving her to bed is not something we need to do right away, but eventually. I can keep my newborn in the portable crib for as long as we need to, I was just unsure as to when most people move their children from the crib to a bed. I think I will invest in a good gate for the top of the stairs. In the meantime, I could just put a gate up outside her door. It seems the general age was around 3...thank you for your thoughts!

[have 2 kids]

Guess our's were really young.  My daughter was in a toddler bed at 18 months because she would crawl out of her crib. She loved her "big" girl bed and we never had any problems with her wondering around.  
My son was 2.  We had moved to a new house and his crib was damaged during the transport.  We didn't want to spend the money for a new crib so we used a toddler bed.  He didn't like it at all and kept going to sleep on the floor so we took down the bed, placed the mattress on the floor and we didn't have any problems after that.      

[lovethebops]

I keep wondering why my daughter hasn't figured out how to climb out yet, but I guess I should consider myself lucky! I figured once she figured out how to get out of her crib, that would be a good indicator that a switch was inevitable...but she still loves her crib! I guess it is different for each kid, like everything else! I will just keep an eye on her and let her let me know when it is time (before 3 or around 3).

[jd1419]

Does your crib convert to a toddler bed--if it does you can try that for a little bit before buying a big girl bed for just her.  And when the new baby comes you may find that she is going to need something special for her--so that may be the ideal time to pickout bedding and a new bed.  My boys will sleep in their bunk beds on the bottom together but not alone--so no answer on whent o switch them.

[tatorbug40]

We moved my daughter at 22 months from a crib to her "big girl bed"...  you need to make a HUGE deal out of her moving-  how much fun it will be, etc...  my daughter never learned how to climb out either... once we moved her we had about a week or two where she'd get up right after we put her in bed-  but we did a good job of never giving in and just putting her right back in...  and it didn't last that long...  I think if you make a big deal out of the big girl bed, and if you won't have one already, maybe you could let her help pick it out...  explain to her that the baby needs the crib-  I know my daughter is SO excited for her little brother...  at first she will say things are for her, but she quickly understand what is for him and what is for her...  good luck!!

[caseysmom4]

we moved my daughter at about 16 mos. We had a crib that converted & we got a rail for the side, but she kept getting out of bed & playing and we were afraid she was going to somehow hurt herself or get out of her room at night, so my mother bought us one of those playyard gates (the sides can be attached together to be completely enclosed or you can take pieces off to make your own design. We put that around her bed with a few feet in front if she does get out and attached it to hooks behind the bed on the wall where she can't reach. That has worked great. She's getting used to being in the "big girl" bed, but she still can't get out to wander in the middle of the night.

[tmv]

There really isn't a set age, every child is different. Definitely, if she's climbing out(which I don't think she is since she likes it so much) of it, then you could advance her to a toddler bed bc of safety concerns. But, my 2 kids were so comfortable and secure in their beds that my ds stayed in his until 3 1/2-4. My dd was around 4 1/2, then her bed converted to a toddler bed. It is a big adjustment. My sister moved her ds out at 18 months, put a gate in front of the door for safety, and he cried every night. It really angered me bc they would have to wake up and cover the poor fellow up with a blanket bc he would fall asleep in front of the gate. Grrr.(Sorry, it obviously isn't the first thing that I've disagreed with her over, lol!) You could try a toddler bed in the same room while the crib is up, and see if she'd try it out a little at a time. I understand your point in getting her out of it bf baby. Good luck with that and let us know how it's going!

[NataliesMommy]

My dd loved her crib too and actually got out once.  She must have thought it wasnt the greatest thing to do cause she never did it again.  We talked about a big girl bed for a few weeks then got the rails and she got to pick out her special bedding.  Pink or purple were her choices at Target.  I wasnt sure she was ready but she absolutely loves it.  Dont even tell her that the crib will be for the baby.  Just make the big girl bed a huge benefit for her.  Good luck.

[tmv]

Oh, just wanted to add that you could call it the "big girl" bed, and the crib the "baby" bed to differentiate. Pick out a cute comforter, new pillow or something to make it exciting and different from the crib.

[mommy2aj]

i have a boy and i have been told that says it all. before a yr old ds climbed out of crib and onto bookcase and was stuck between wall and bookcase. ds was scared after that and we thought we were safe then when ds was about 15 mo we walked in on his straddling the rail watching tv. this happened couple more times in the next few days so we decided for safety it was time to convert to toddler bed. ds fell out of bed 2-3 times in the beginning, we kept some pillows on floor just in case. the hard part was the conversion. once the rail was off the crib ds would come and go in the middle of the night. the first night ds did not go to sleep until 7am. the next night at 3am dh had to raise his voice to make ds stay in bed. after that we did not have a problem, we did have to put the gate up on door to ds room.

i suggest transitioning before baby comes so dd is used to sleeping in "big girl bed" already. this way you are not up w/new baby and also dd during the night.

good luck!

[taysmommy]

i wish my dd would at least sleep in a crib! shes 19 months and still sleeps with me, but we do have a toddler bed, (in the living room at the moment...dont ask long story) anyway we have been putting her down for naps and occationaly when we sleep downstairs she will sleep in it as well, were hoping that will get her used to it, because i only have 6 weeks 4 days (yup the countdown has begun) left until hayden gets here and theres no way the four of us will fit on my queen size bed.....my dh doesnt want to kick taylor out yet, he suggested getting a shaq size bed and just having our kids sleep with us forever lol ....