When to dicth the crib/ Pack and play?

Charitie - posted on 07/11/2010

My daughter will be two and she's still in her crib. She takes a long time to fall asleep because she's either playing or talking before she tires herself out. She also moves around a lot during the night and I'm afraid if we take her out now she might fall out of bed. I guess it's really when you feel it's the right time for your baby.

Pamela - posted on 07/10/2010

My son, now 4 1/2, was moved to a twin when he was just over 2 as we had another on the way. My daughter will be 2 in august and I am thinking we will move her into her twin bed around christmas. It really just depends on your situation and how your child naturally reacts to change. My daughter likes to pay bedtime right now in a big bed but I know she will not stay there long. We had 0 problems with our son though. I just told him he had to stay there until I came to get him in the morning and amazingly he did. (certainly not anymore though LOL)

Monique - posted on 07/10/2010

both my son and daughter were slepping in toddler beds about 16 months we stopped using a play pen at a year they could climb out of it

Naomi - posted on 07/10/2010

I have 4 kids, the youngest will be 2 in August. All 3 of the older ones were around 20 months when I moved them from their cribs. And all 3 would get up soon after we put them to bed and would lay at the bottom of the door and cry (we kept the doors closed as well). When they finally fell asleep, we would slowly push the door open and place them in their toddler bed. They usually got up in the middle of the night at first but they eventually slept through most nights. My youngest is still in a crib and I am going to keep her there until at least 2 1/2, unless she starts climbing out. Unlike my other children, she falls asleep right away, which gives the rest of us a much needed good night sleep ;). I have no need to move her (with the other kids we needed the crib for the next baby). What is the rush I figure, as long as she's safe and we don't need the crib for something else, she's happy and comfortable where she is.

Stacy - posted on 07/10/2010

i took my baby out when she was 18 months and put her in a toddler bed... i just shut her door and her room is baby proof so if she wants to get out its fine, and she doesnt come and sleep with me

Jeanine - posted on 07/10/2010

Have a 23 month old and we moved him into a toddler bed at 18 months. He had climbed out of his crib and that did it for us!!

Kasey - posted on 07/09/2010

my son went into a toddler bed @ 11 months. Thats earlier that everyone I know though. I dont like cribs, they remind me of a baby jail lol

Marnie - posted on 07/08/2010

I just moved my daughter out of her crib 2 wks ago. She is not quite 2. The reason we did this was because she would always put her legs through the slats on the crib and get stuck. Her transition was smoother than we could have hoped for. We put her down at the same regular time 830 -9 pm and when she is relaxed enough we lay her down. On occasion she gets up and plays for a bit but she always lays down on her bed when she is tired. She is still continuing to sleep through the night as well. Telling her it was a big girl bed and that she was a big girl now seems to please her. She loves her bed.
Perhaps if you (need) to move your child to a toddler bed, take them to choose a bed, or bedding they like. Play with them and encourage them to lay down during the day on it. Might take a few nights, but being positive and un-apprehensive about the transition will probably help. Not every child is the same, and some will just keep getting out, but persevere and keep putting them into bed. This is frustrating but after a few days it seems to register that this is where they sleep.
I don't think I can offer any advice about how to perfectly train your toddler to sleep in a bed rather than a crib, my kids were rather easy, and my daughter being the youngest one to make the transition, but if you are positive rather than panic and act frustrated, they eventually turn around. **But please make sure the room is childproofed!!!! that is essential!!!!)

Karen - posted on 07/08/2010

I agree with Barbara!!! My daughter, too, will be 2 in August. She is actually not ready for a toddler bed. I think that you can tell when they are ready and if you are questioning when your child is ready, I would say your child isn't ready. Reason I say this, my first daughter, she was ready at 20 months, I could tell because she was not a wandering child, she would stay where she was put down and she pretty much was able to do things on her own before 2. My second daughter, well she wasn't ready until after 2.5 years because she was still learning to listen to me about staying when I told her to stay and not move. My third daughter, who will be two soon, well she is extremely ROAMING AND ACTIVE! I wouldn't put her in a toddler bed yet!! She listens but has selective listening and I know that if she was in one, she would not stay in bed, she would get up and down and up and down and come out of the room or get up and play! She definitely is no where near ready for a toddler bed!! I would say when they can successfully listen to you and not get up and roam around a room after being told to stay or sit still and not move, such as when I vacuum or sweep, I tell her to stay on the couch, she is constantly under my feet. My first daughter would sit on the couch where I asked her too!! So that is what I mean when I say stay where she is told too. But like Barbara said, don't rush it if the crib is working. If you were having issues with the crib and the baby is asking for a bed, or not doing well in a crib, I would try a toddler bed, but at this point, let the child be a baby a bit longer. They are only this age once, I, for one, do NOT want to rush this last child of mine out of her crib, I want to enjoy the "baby" she is for a while longer!! Toddler beds mean growing up that much quicker!! Good Luck!

Barbara - posted on 07/07/2010

My son will be 2 in August. He still sleeps in his crib and hasn't made any attempts at climbing out. I don't plan on switching to a toddler bed until he does. Use your best judgment as every child is different. If your child is trying to climb out and you think they could fall, then maybe it's time to switch. If not, I wouldn't rush it. Don't mess with a good thing!

Shelly - posted on 07/07/2010

I have two kids, my daughter was out of her crib when she was 20 months. She did great moving over. However my son is 22 months now and i have put him in his sisters bed when she has sleep overs and he doesnt like to stay in bed. So i am not planning anything yet. He goes to sleep fine in his bed and doesnt try to get out so i agree with the other moms why rush it if they are doing fine.

Jennie - posted on 07/07/2010

Every child is different, my first was out of his crib at 11mths but my second was out at 18mnths. I put them into beds when they started to climb out or showing signs of it, I decided with my second that it was time for a big bed when he was climbing back into his crib, he loved his big boy bed and we never had problems form day one, If they get out of bed you just need to stay consisntent at putting them back in their own beds.

Amber - posted on 07/06/2010

mine converted from her crib to a toddler bed around her first birthday. and since she has been 20months old she has been in a full sized bed with the bedrails you can buy at Walmart and a stepping stool. She does fabulouse with it and has never fallen out. GOOD LUCK :)

Also my daughter has gotten into the routine of playing or reading after we lay her down, but after half an hour or so she puts her self back to bed.

Any time something is new they will want to test there boundries. just remember they are still learning and im sure yours will learn to go back to bed after exploring.

Stephanie - posted on 07/06/2010

Funny - I've been wondering the same thing. I'm inclined to agree with Pamela on this one. My daughter sleeps well, goes down well, and wakes well in her crib. I'd hate to change something that works for no good reason. I don't have another one on the way to have a need to switch either. I just know that around 2 most toddlers switch to a toddler bed. I think I'm going to keep using her crib for a while.

Elizabeth - posted on 07/06/2010

she decided that she was ready this weekend. She started to climb out now the trick is to get her to lay down in a normal bed, it took like 2 hours last night.

Margo - posted on 07/04/2010

My little boy is still in a crib and I plan to leave him there until he starts to climb out. This guy takes his sweet time falling asleep every night and I don't imagine putting him in a regular bed would be easy. One thing a mom I know did to keep her kids in their room after switching them from the crib to the bed was to put a baby gate in the kids' doorway. This way, you can still check on them but they can't get out

Pamela - posted on 07/03/2010

my son is 23 months old and i'm expecting #2 in 4 weeks. my Son is still in a crib and quite content to stay there, i don't plan on moving him until he can get out! if that means i have 2 in cribs so be it! don't rush, i find that i have peace of mind knowing he is safe if he wakes up and i can't get him right away, or if he wont sleep at night at least he is contained! i'm worried that he would want to come sleep with mommy everynight if i took him out right now. so in other words... i have no idea when to take your baby out of a crib! :)

Clare - posted on 06/30/2010

My son is 22months, we moved him into a big bed this last weekend, he did so well, no fuss really so very proud of him. We kept his usual night time routine and put him in bed instead of the cot

Nichola - posted on 06/30/2010

do you mean a cot? if so my son came out of his when he was 18months and is now in a normal bed with bed rail and he sleeps so much better. my first son came out of it when he was about 2- 2 1/2yrs hope this helps