My 16mo old just got out of her crib today. I found her crying and hanging off the other side of the crib. She has had a nap today, and hasn't done it again but I am now thinking I need to do somthing about this so she doesn't fall and hurt herself. The real kicker is I am due to have my 2nd daugher in 2 months. I was kind of hoping the toddler bed wouldn't have to come into play until the new baby was born - I guess I was wrong. My daugther is a good sleeper, but I can't see the task of teaching her to sleep in a toddler bed being easy. What are the next steps I need to take, and is there sleep in sight for this already tired expecting mother?
Sounds like she's ready. Probably better, too, so she doesn't feel the baby took her bed. We just switched and believe it or not, our son if very proud of his bed. He'll even put himself to bed now (21. mos.). Something I never expected. Make it a special thing for such a big girl, and she should buy it. We have our son in a bunk bed on the bottom so we he is very low to the ground, but he feels like he's big man on campus! GL!
I think you should move her now. We had a similar situation with my daughter before my son was born, and we chose to move her before he was born so she wouldn't resent him for "taking" her crib. We got the toddler bed, and made a BIG deal of letting her pick her own sheets, etc., and it was a good move. Good luck!
Hmm..When I switched my not yet 2 year old to a toddler bed I had a talk with him about how he is not allowed to get out of bed unless mommy or daddy says he can. I also told him that if he got out of bed by himself we would take his new bed away. It worked great, he was a good boy, but he always has been.
Give it a try, what could it hurt? Better to find out now, really.
Good luck!
K.
I would recommend getting a bed - toddler or a twin (we got a twin and box spring and just put it on the floor. It worked great for both my girls and now we don't have to buy another bed in a year or two) and putting it in her room for her to see for a week or so. If you do a story or something like that at bedtime, maybe sit on the new bed. And talk it up - oh, you are such a big girl, you get to go to a new big girl bed. We did a "countdown" (in two days you get to sleep in your big girl bed - yeah!) The transition with both my daughters was very simple. We moved my first daughter at 15/16 months since I was ready to put my newborn in the crib and we didn't want to have to get a 2nd. Once the second began to walk, she was really intersted in her sister's bed, so we moved her at 14 months and she loves it. I think she sleeps better in the bed! Good luck with the move! And congrats on your second one!
