when do babies graduate to toddler beds?

[2songbirds]

I did search in the archives for this question this morning, but found only 1 other time it was asked.

My DS is almost 13 months and my DD just turned 3. DD still sleeps with us, and I'm trying to get her out of our bed. We have bunk beds and a toddler bed. I tried putting her to sleep in her toddler bed for a couple weeks, but it was too tiring. It was a constant cycle of her waking to find me, then putting her back in her bed, but she wouldn't fall back asleep. I was thinking if I got my DS to sleep in the toddler bed, she'd want to sleep in the same room with him (her in the bottle bunk bed). Right now his crib is right beside my bed. Is 13 months too young? We do have the top floor totally child proofed and the gate for the stairs is always up. Any suggestions? I have 7 months to get our sleeping arrangements fixed before the next one arrives and needs the crib.

[petanka]

13 months seems little too early to me, but I am pretty sure that there are girls who got their kids out of the crib fast. I had the same problem with my DD and I do not mean to scare you, but she did not start fully sleeping in her room until she was 5! Once you get them used to sleeping with you, it is very hard to get them used to sleeping in their own bed. I finally got her do that when we got our dog who is so big and slept with her and of course took up half of her bed! You may just have to saffer for a while until she gives in. Just make sure that you won't give in before she does. Good luck!

[misseltoe]

13 months is early, but as long as you have the mattress on the floor it shouldn't be a problem.  You do need to make sure that if you have the baby in the bed that it is very low to the floor so that if he falls it is a very small fall.  I know that toddler beds are low to the floor, but most people move their babies to the bed at age two.  But it just really depends on the parents.  Some parents keep their babies in the crib for as long as possible because the baby is happy.  Also, some babies are just not ready for a bed yet.  If you think that your 13 month old is able to sleep in the bed then go for it. If not you may want to consider getting a second crib.  I know this isn't the way you want to go, but a lot of parents end up doing this in the end.  Remember that you do want to move the baby to the bed sooner than later.  Changing sleeping space is a big issue for a child, and you don't want to leave it for right before the new baby comes. The new baby is going to be a big adjustment for your now 13 month old, and if you put a new sleeping arrangement on top of that you may be setting yourself up for trouble.

[AnnieBrooke]

So, if I read this correctly, you have bunkbeds and a toddler bed off somewhere else, and the younger child is sleeping in the crib by your bed, and the three year old will only sleep in your bed?
  
It sounds like your daughter wants to be where everyone is.  If the son is in the crib and you and dh are in the bed right by the crib, why would she want to be banished to the top floor all by herself, or even with a 13-month-old?  If it were me, I'd get one of those pump-up airbeds (the good kind, but a double, not a king, so there is no extra room) and dh and I would sleep for a while on it in the bunkbed/ toddler bed room.  Daughter can figure out that being in the bottom bunk next to the airbed is good and not isolating, and son and crib (or toddler bed) can be on the other side.  

[2songbirds]

Yes, you got it right. However, my 3 yr old DD will only sleep where I am. If I'm on the couch, she comes find me. She'll sleep on the hard floor with me as well if needed.

I was thinking last night of sleeping with her for a couple weeks on the bottom bunk in her room, and bringing the crib into that room too. DS is still having anywhere from 1-4 nighttime bottle feedings. I don't know why, I've talked to his dr about it. I've always let me kids go on their own schedules. I know soon enough he'll be done with them. So.. I need to stay close to him until they end. Also, when the new baby comes, he'll be 20 months old, and DD will be 3 1/2. Should I wait to move him to the toddler bed when he's 18 months?

My DH and I just need our bedroom back. We haven't had our bed by ourselves since I was pg with my 1st. And our bed is only a full, not a queen.

[kcooper]

I have an 11 month old and a 28 month old, both still in cribs.  We have our 3rd on the way, so we're hoping to transition to toddler bed for our 28 month old, but we've never let either of them sleep in our beds, they were both sleeping in their own cribs from the day they came home from the hospital.  As far as the feedings go, my 11 month old will be getting off the bottle by his 1st bday like our first son and like our doc. advised.  We feed him 4 -8 ounce bottles a day plus a jar of fruit, a jar of veggies and some crackers or toast during the day.  Both of our sons slept through the night by 6 weeks old, we gave them no choice and that nipped night time feedings in the butt.  

We haven't tried the bed with our 28 month old cause he has no problem in his crip and he is all over the place, so it'll be really hard to get him to stay in a bed, but we plan to keep a gate on his room when we do so that will eliminate him running out of his room to find us.

[AndiJ78]

I co-slept with both my boys until they weaned at 14 and 15 mos respectively. Neither of them slept in their crib, they both went right to toddler beds in their own rooms within a week or so of weaning. We had great success in using a gimmick toddler bed, the big yellow VW looking one : ) My boys have always been climbers, so getting in and out was a breeze for them, but to be safe I put a big horse beanbag thing they have on the side in case they tumbled out. We had great success with that.

Of course, we have employed the use of baby gates on the doors to keep them from wandering down to our room. I couldn't imagine having a room full of babies ; ) Hopefully you guys can find something that works for you soon.

Andi

[StarASH]

My ds is 2 1/2 and is still sleeping in his crib. He loves it, so we decided to wait until hes around three to try the toddler bed. We've asked him about it, and he keeps telling us he likes his crib. He has no sleeping probs, so we're just gonna let him decide when its time. Every kid is different! :)

[jd1419]

I wish I could also get my boys to sleep in their beds.  They are 2 and 3 1/2.  We have toddler beds for both of them and I have now gone out and obught Superman bedding to get them to like their beds.  I am hopping that by buying a TV to put in their bedroom they will like that and fall asleep in their room.  I wish I could give an answer but I am also clueless, if you find anything else that works please let me know.

[deanne11]

guess i'm surprised you have a 13month old in a crib next to your bed.  my little darling, love her dearly but she was in her own room, own crib at 3 months....the first 2 months she was in a bassinet at the end of our bed but we decided before she was born that our bedroom and bed was our sanctuary.  (although she gets to sleep with me when Daddy has to go overnight somewhere....we just don't tell him..LOL)

anyway, she just turned 2 and we transitioned her to her toddler bed at 19 months.

[2songbirds]

well, you see, I never planned for my 3 yr old to sleep with me. She did sleep with me in the beginning while I was trying to breastfeed for the 1st couple weeks. Then she did go in her own room in her crib, until she got bronichitis/croup. My god did that virus scare me. She made it back into my bed and 3 years later, never left.

My 13 month was born a month early and was in the NICU for breathing problems. When we brought him home, his breathing was so loud and congested I wouldn't leave his side. His breathing constantly woke me up, and when it didn't, I shot out of bed to make sure he was breathing. That's how he stayed in our room. Plus, it's nice not having to go very far in the middle of the night.

I love having my babies near me at night, but we're running out of room. Especially to have 5 people (the new addition) and 2 dogs all sleep in the same bedroom is a little ridiculous.

[deanne11]

just to let you know when we did put our little one in a toddler bed...she loved it!  she stays in it at night...we thought she'd get up and run everywhere but she doesn't..

she also got a brand new room...going from the nursery to a big girl's room...

bright painted walls and pictures....it made her world to see her very own bed and room....never did she want to go back in the crib.

2 dogs too...LOL  God Bless you.  We have a 2 yr old, 1 dog and another little peanut on the way...I can't imagine 3 babies and 2 dogs and a husband!!! God must be watching over you and blessing you as a mother and a wife...LOL

[viclshaw]

My daughter went in to a toddler bed at 9 months, because she screamed everytime I put her in her cot!  Never looked back, but it is personal choice.

[Lilu]

My DD went in a toddler bed at 18 months because she was climbing out of her crib half of the time. We bought her the crib that changes into a toddler bed so we just decided one night to change it to a toddler bed. Then when she turned 2 we bought her a twin bed and she loves it. I hated the first little while with the toddler bed because we had to keep putting her back in bed when she got out. I think next child we will just buy a twin bed and start with that. I personally like the twin bed better.

[have 2 kids]

my daughter was in a toddler bed by 14 months because she would crawl out of her crib and we were scared she would get hurt.  We never had a problem with her wandering.  My son stayed in his crib till he was 3 1/2, ridiculous I know but he loved it and would cry and scream when we attempted to change him over.  I think it's a personal decision.  You could always try and see how your 13 month old does.
Now- this is my experience story so please don't be offended.  
My daughter had a pacifier until she was almost 4.  I never believed that it would really harm her teeth because they looked perfect.  NO ONE ever told me it was her permanent teeth that would be harmed if she had a pacifier or bottle after 12 months.  She is now 10 and has a retainer and may eventually need braces.  The orthodontist took one look at her teeth and said to me " you must have let her have a pacifier or bottle for several years"  
Again I'm not being judgmental but from a mom who knows please start weaning him off the bottle.

[2songbirds]

That is so crazy!! I didn't realize either that the permenent teeth were the ones affected. My DD just turned 3, and it wasn't until recently during this summer that I threw away all of her pacifiers. I let her wean herself from the bottle at 19 months, as I was expecting her little brother a couple months later. My DS hates pacifiers, thank god, but he's addicted to those bottles (and baby food), and doesn't like to eat our food yet.

Thanks for the insight. Something else for me to work on.