Transitioning to a Toddler Bed - Cincinnati,OH

Updated on July 16, 2013
L.J. asks from Cincinnati, OH
5 answers

So my 18th month old son is now able to climb out of his crib. I was really hoping that this day wouldn't come for at least another six months to a year. Yes, I know, wishful thinking. But now that it is here, I'm at a loss as to what to do.

I know at daycare he sleeps on a cot and for the most part when it is time to lay down he does. But that's at daycare and not at home. Sometimes when it's time for bed and he's really tired and doesn't want to go to sleep he will fight it. It was okay when he was confined to his crib, now that's not an option.

We don't have a toddler bed for him yet. Well-we do BUT I am due in 2 months with my second child so that crib will most likely be used for the second child. But I do have a trundle bed that we can use and this weekend my husband and I are going out to get railings for the bed.

But how do you start making that transition?

The other question I have is, how do you make sure that the room is 100% baby/toddler proof? Kids will get into anything and I want to make sure that his room his safe for when he decides to fight going to bed and goes into destruct-o mode. I already know the obvious, make sure things are bolted to the floor/walls, plugs are covered, hide cords, put the door thingys on the handles, but is there anything that I am missing?

Any advice will be great. And if he does sleep better in his crib I am fine with making that into the toddler bed (it's one of the ones that transitions). I do have a second crib I can use for the baby if need be. I don't want to rush this transition because things will be hectic enough when the baby comes so I'm trying to do things right.

Add in:

He climbs out of the crib every time, sometimes multiple times in one day if he doesn't want to go to bed. I thought it was hysterical having him climb out with me standing there. What we have been doing right now is laying down with him on the couch or in bed with us until he falls asleep (we co-slept with him as a baby) and then once he's asleep we move him, and then we leave his bedroom door open and ours and all the other doors are closed and we have the gate up so he can only go to our room when he wakes up. And I hear him when he wakes up so I'm typically waiting for him to come into the room all smiles.

What can I do next?

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G.B.

answers from Oklahoma City on

Screw the shelves and furniture to the studs with L brackets. Make sure hubby cannot move them if he leans on the front. Even with the drawers open he cannot be able to move the furniture a tiny bit. Kids will climb on stuff and if it's not anchored to the wall it can flip over on them.

Make sure each and every toy, doll shoe, car, hair barrette or decoration is not a choke hazard. If it will slide through a toilet paper tube it is a choke hazard and she can choke to death on it.

Even Hot Wheels cars can be a choke hazard. They are long and narrow, they can be chewed on and when they are wet they slide very easily.

Take all the cords to any item and make sure they are behind the furniture if possible. If she has plug ins in her room get the plastic plug covers and use them in each socket. She can poke stuff into the plug and get shocked or worse.

Make sure there is nothing she can wrap around her neck, like a necklace or tie or belt sash. Kids can get these around their necks and accidentally get them too tight.

If she can get out of her room you MUST keep the bathroom doors ALL shut and secured where she cannot open them. Kids are top heavy until they are at least 3. Their neck and back muscles are just not strong enough to pull their head out of a bucket of water or the tub or the toilet. They will drown.

She can get into the kitchen drawers, under the kitchen sink, etc.....if she is able to get out of her room during the night she has free access to the house and every door knob.

So being smart about what looks like fun to her is important. If you google child care regulations then open the states child care regulations books you can look at their sections on choke hazards and safety. Many things in there are things I would have never thought about being dangerous.

1 mom found this helpful

L.A.

answers from Austin on

We just took down the crib and put a twin mattress up against the wall.

Later we moved her to a full sized bed.

We had a gate (mesh, so she could not climb it. Later we had to stack 2 with tall slats, she was an escape artist) . on her bedroom door..

And the room was child proofed by covering all plugs, no cords that she could pull on.. (on the blinds they were knotted up high. The lamp cords were behind her dresser. Her furniture was not able to be pulled down on her. the doorknobs had covers.

We just got down on our hands and knees to check it all out.

When she would wake up, she would stand in her door way at the gate and shake it. She was barely 11 months, when we had to transition, she could hoist herself over that crib in seconds.

The day she fell by pulling herself over the tall railing and landed on her head, was the day I put my foot down and said, "I do not care how young she is, she is going into a bed"

1 mom found this helpful
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P.K.

answers from New York on

Does he climb out every night or was this a one time thing. If only one time, leave him in crib. If he does it everyday, just put him in trundle bed, cover him kiss him good night. Put a gate up. As far as child proofing, common sense works. You know all the usual dangers.

1 mom found this helpful
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F.B.

answers from New York on

We did sleep training using the Ferber method, it worked for us. Ferber and Super Nanny both recommend the many boring returns to bed routine, until your kid gets to understand that coming out of bed will only result in his being returned to bed.

As for the transition to the toddler bed. I have to admit, we were absolutely holding our breath. He has actually been amazing about staying in bed. We've got a toddler gate at his door, to "keep" him in his room at night. It wouldn't really stand up to his shaking on it, but he hasn't tried to break free as yet.

Thankfully, I can have that peace of mind.

Good luck to you and yours,
F. B.

1 mom found this helpful
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❤.M.

answers from Los Angeles on

I think I would pack the crib away for you new baby to come since he can
climb out of it.
I would put the crib mattress or trundle bed MATTRESS (only) on the floor against a wall w/one of those railings made for kids on the other side
of the mattress.
The key is to keep your bedtime routine the same & not make a big deal of the "difference".
Put a nightlight in.
Keep the bedroom door open w/a baby gate up in the doorway.

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