A New Bed Already?

Updated on February 08, 2007
S. asks from Saint Paul, MN
14 answers

My daughter is nineteen months and she is on the small side in the height category, barely hitting 30 inches. So I thought that I would not have to worry about a toddler bed until closer to her second birthday. However, I went to get her up from her nap today and she was straddling the crib railing! I can not believe that I need to put her in one already. HAve any other mother's resorted to a toddler bed this early? How do I make her understand that she needs to stay in it? Is she ready? She's so little still and she likes her crib, but she can be such a monkey, I am worried about her safety. Please help.

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So What Happened?

Thanks everyone for your help! I knew it was time, but it helped to hear that others had gone through this even younger. We realized that her crib actually becomes a toddler bed with a few adjustments so hopefully the transition will be easy for her. Thanks again!

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K.G.

answers from Minneapolis on

My 2 yr old daughter started climbing out of her crib at age 1 1/2 so we bought a dora toddler bed for her and she did good in the beginning but then she started way up 3 or 4 times a nite. Needless to say we now got her a twin bed and she sleeps GREat but maybe gets up once now. good luck!

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K.R.

answers from Wausau on

My son was in a toddler bed at 14-15 months,he to is on the small side. We didn't have any problems with the transition. My advice would be to get a good quality low toddler bed with slight side rails. The small rails would prevent her from accidentaly rolling out but the bed would still be low enough that even is she did she couldn't hurt herself. I also say good quality both in the bed and matress because if you buy one of the inexspensive metal or plastic numbers you might find your daughter sleeping on the floor one morning. After a few months the bars start to poke through the matress as your child grows and many kids I've learned don't like this and will become restless or just sleep on the floor.

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A.P.

answers from Minneapolis on

My daughter was about that old when she needed to be out of her crib. The place where we know they are safe and will stay with out getting out and walking around. However my daughter had the same problem and we were potty training. My son was on the way and due a month before my daughter turned two. We had a seperate crib for him so that was not the problem. It was she was too big and on the high end for her heighth. We did get a toddler bed and it worked a lot better then I expected. She did have some minor problems in the begining, but everytime she did get out we just returned her to her bed and explained why she was sleeping there now and the importance of staying in her bed. Which was not very often because she thought it was fun. There were a few nights that we let her fall asleep in our bed and then we would put her in her bed. Our bedrooms were on the second level of our house so that was also a concern, we put a gate up in the hallway just past our room before the stairs so that if she did get up she could not fall down the stairs in the dark. We bought a night light and put one in her room and in the hallway and in our room so if she needed to get up at night she could see. Your daughter may also see it as a fun thing and like going to bed in her Big Girl Bed, like our daughter did.Hope this helps A.

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P.K.

answers from Minneapolis on

We moved our daughter to a regular bed at 1 1/2. She was learning to crawl out of her crib. But, we didn't go to a toddler bed, we didn't want the added expense of 2 beds, so we bought her a big girl bed, and she slept on the mattress on the floor until she stopped falling out. Then, we put it on the box spring. She has trouble getting in and out because it's so tall, but...she doesn't fall out. We pushed it up against 2 walls to keep her in at least 2 sides, just in case, but later, all we'll have to do it buy a frame. But, if your little one is climbing out of the crib, you should get her in a bed...she could really hurt herself by falling from the crib.

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A.L.

answers from Sheboygan on

Both of my girls were ready for toddler beds when they were they were about 19-20 mo. They were getting out and crashing to the floor. I got them toddler bed and they really liked it. Both did well when I put them in one they were so happy. And they even kinda liked going to bed. I would say if u are worried about the saftey get a toddler bed and put a baby gate up it u have any stairs up by her room that is what i did and my girls never try to crawl over it they come to my room. Good luck..

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K.

answers from Minneapolis on

S.,
My daughter was not even 2 years old when I put her in a twin-sized bed. She was jumping out of her crib early on, and I was concerned abiout her safety as well, but felt this was the best solution. I am now going throught the same thing with my 2.5 year old son. If you are concerned for her safety, just put her mattress on the floor, then she will not fall too far.

Hope this helps!
K.

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J.M.

answers from Minneapolis on

All kids are different. But my boys were 15 months when they went into a bigger bed they ended up in a twin size bed sitting on the floor because it was available. My daughter didnt until almost her third bday. No matter what you do you can not make her understand to stay in her crib. You will just have to get her into a bigger bed so she is safe from falling.

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C.M.

answers from Sheboygan on

Hi S.,
Check to make sure you have your babys crib mattress set to the lowest position, also eliminate any toys from the crib that your toddler may be using as leverage to be able to climb the crib. If you have already set it to its lowest position and your toddler is still able to straddle the crib, then yes, it is time for a toddler bed. You dont want to take the chance that little Miss Monkey will fall out and get hurt. The only really down side of a toddler bed is that if your baby wakes up in the middle of the night or earlier then you in the morning she will have the ability to get up and move about the home. Double check to make sure you have your home totally baby proofed in case that happens, especially gates on stairways. Dont put it past your toddler to get out of the front or back door either, make sure door locks are well out of her reach and include the height of a chair or somthing she may be able to use (push) to reach a lock. Make sure you have a night light on in case she gets out of bed in the middle of the night, but limit the lighting so it directs her to your room insted of another room in the house. I know there are these door alarms on the market now that wernt available when my kids were little. Install one on her bedroom door and when shes asleep close the door. If she opens the door the alarm will sound and you'll hear it. I'm so happy for you and your daughter...a big girl bed!!!! FIRST, ....Remember, check to make sure you have the mattress at its lowest position! lol, believe it or not a lot of people dont know that it is ajustable to suit your growing baby for just that purpose!
C. M.

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C.L.

answers from Duluth on

As soon as they are scaling the crib sides, it's time for a new bed. We had a crib that converted to a toddler bed and our daughter couldn't STAND it in the toddler form! We had so many sleepless night with her either sleeping in our room since we didn't care at that point where we slept, we just needed sleep, or she'd sleep on her floor and want me with her! Finally we just gave in and brought the full size bed from our guest room into her room (she was 2 yrs, 3 months at the time), ever since then we've all slept great.
Good luck
C.

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A.S.

answers from Minneapolis on

My oldest started sleeping in her toddler bed at 18mo. (more out of necessity-didn't want to have 2 cribs!) anyway, she did just fine in it! I'd say go for it!

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B.H.

answers from Minneapolis on

I took my daughter out of the crib shortly after her first birthday because she was a climber. That's the biggest reason for a toddler bed they aren't safe in a crib cause they're monkeys and they're to little for a big bed so toddler beds work out great. They outgrow toddler beds around age 4 usually too... It's crazy my daughter is 5 and has had a crib, toddler bed, and now her big girl daybed.

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A.D.

answers from Minneapolis on

My daughter is 17 months and she's been in her toddler bed since she turned a year. She's been quite advanced from the start- she walked at 7 months, however she learned how to jump on her bed before she turned a year so I constantly had her holding on to the edges of the crib trying to climb out-. I don't think its to early.

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M.S.

answers from St. Cloud on

Ya sounds like she is ready, I have three kids and thats when I moved them when they started climbing the crib, first into toddler beds, then the regular twin bed, for hieght reasons.
I heard you just need to keep putting them in the bed intill they learn that's where they are gonna end up, becaues Mommy/Daddy kept putting them back in there. You could also use child's gates in the door frame, so you can still see/hear her. Hopefully she doesn't start climbing that, also.
Good Luck-
M.

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H.K.

answers from Minneapolis on

I put my son in a toddler bed at his 1st b'day. he was a climber too. Be careful as to what kind of toddler bed you get...the metal one can still be dangerous..learned the hard way. Anyway until I found a cheaper toddler bed made of the durable plastic(less dangerous for monkeys) I had put his toddler mattress on the floor. Joey got used to sleeping on the mattress without rolling off by the time we got him a good car bed.

Good luck,
H.

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