Toddler bed at a year?

Jennifer - posted on 10/20/2011

well, as you can tell here, people who did it early only faced their children falling out of the bed. I say wait a little longer, lower the crib side and pad the floor around.... at least then you have a chance of your lil girl not falling from so high up. reguarless, my daughter is 4 now, and she still has instances when she falls out of bed.

Toni - posted on 10/17/2011

my daughter who is nearly 4yrs old skipped the toddler bed we thought it was a waste of money, my hubby made her a single size bed but lowered down a bit higher than a toddler bed but can adjust to higher it later on as she gets higher, she went in that around 15mths we had a pillow beside her and blankets and mattress on the floor just in case

Marlene - posted on 10/14/2011

my 14 month old does not climb out of the crib yet, i want to wait till he is 18 months old.i just wont do it yet for safety reason.

and his crib changes into a toddler bed so i won't need to buy one seperate.

Pamela - posted on 10/13/2011

My daughters 8 months old and judging by how she sleeps I'll probably be waiting well after a year. I agree with everyone else it depends on the kid. I think your daughter will probably need one. My daughter on the other hand is super tiny (she's the size of a 4 month old) and she is a wild sleeper I doubt anything is going to change in 4 months and I don't want her falling out of a toddler bed

Sara - posted on 10/13/2011

My daughter was climbing out of her crib at 11 months old(before she could walk) so I got her bed at about 13 months.. it was hard to do at first because it was different and she was falling out a lot so I put a body pillow along with a bunch of other pillows next to her bed for a few nights and within a week or so she was fine and completely sleeping in her bed and loving it, even telling me when she was ready for bed. lol

Myshell - posted on 10/11/2011

my little guy climbed out of his crib yesterday! i changed it into a toddler bed today. he is 14 mths and the mattress of the crib was on the bottom one. if your gut says to put her into a toddler bed and she is able to get off of the bed safely (on belly, feet first) than i say do it. i was so surprised and scared when he climbed out. he is perfectly fine, but man that scared me. he was suppose to be safe when i put him in there.....go with your gut, just make sure everything is childproof

Kristin - posted on 10/11/2011

my son is 15 months. about three weeks ago i converted my son's crib into a day bed because he climbed out! i was terrified! that night he slept the rest of the night in our bed. the next day we converted it into a day bed. he fell out of bed a few times for the first two nights.we bought one of those side rails for a toddler bed so he wouldn't roll out, but apparently he seen it as a another side to his crib and just screamed!
we took it down the day after we put it up.
we had a hard time at first with him in his day bed. after i put him to bed, he would wake up and scream. he would climbed out of bed and stand at his gated door way and scream and start throwing his stuffed animals and blankets over the gate and into the hall.
he did that for about 3 nights.
now, he is doing GREAT! we go through our regular bed time routine. after i read him his book in the rocking chair, i put him on the floor and he runs over to his bed and climbs in. he snuggles with his pillow as a sing a song to him. when i leave his room, he no longer wails and throws things. he just stays in bed and goes to sleep.
after the first few nights in his day bed with awful results, i didn't think he would ever adjust. but he evenutaly did and everthing is great again!
don't listen to others opinions on your little one. you know her the best. if you feel she is in danger staying in her crib, get her a bed. i would have gotten my little boy a toddler bed if the crib i have didn't convert into a day bed.

Rebekah - posted on 10/11/2011

probably not untill 18-24 months

Jennifer - posted on 10/10/2011

My oldest was in a toddler bed by 9months... she did awesome! We wanted to start early cause we were going to be having another one just after her first birthday! I have two girls and they are exactly 1 yr apart!! We needed the crib for the baby. I say use the toddler bed just put a gate at her door.

Hope - posted on 10/09/2011

My son figured out how to climb out of his crib at about 10-11 months, and ended up in bed with me. We have only been getting 2-4 hours of sleep a night because he is up every few minutes crying.
Last week he turned 15 months, and I decided to put his matteress on the floor in my room. He absolutely loves it! Its his own little space and with in this week he has started sleeping nearly all night on his own =)
As a parent it is more about safety. If you know she is able to climb out and get hurt; then it is time to take the next step to protect her-even if it means a mattress on the floor or a toddler bed (as long as you up rails on the side since they are used to just rolling everywhere) then go for it. You know better than anyone else. Best of wishes =)

Donna - posted on 10/03/2011

oh honey do it. thoes things are so much safer. we bought one for my daughter at 18 mos but she too was already climbing out of her crib

Jeannette - posted on 10/03/2011

I'm hoping to wait until my son is around 3 to put him in a toddler bed. He is just about 23 months and he does not try to climb out of his crib. The minute he does start climbing out, I will get him a toddler bed. However I just don't see it being necessary to transition him to a toddler bed right now. He plays and moves and squirms for about a half hour before he falls asleep. If he was in a bed, he would probably get out of his bed to play with the toys in his room. He doesn't mind his crib and I feel good knowing that he is safe and not getting in and out of his bed when he should be sleeping or should he happen to wake up during the night, that he doesn't get out of bed. My husband thinks it is time to switch him, but it will be me, not him, who has to stay up with him if he doesn't want to sleep or it will be me who gets up to put him back in bed. I don't see the rush.

If it is to the point where your daughter is climbing out, a toddler bed is fine, that is why there are safety bars that you can put on toddler beds to keep them from rolling out. However if she is trying to climb out of her crib, chances are she will try to climb out of the bed. You can always try just putting a mattress on the floor for now.

Loni - posted on 10/02/2011

My son turns a year old in 2 weeks and we already have a toddler bed for him. we are going to set it up after his bday. i know people who put their children in toddler beds once they turn 1, and also some who wait until their children are 3. it depends on the baby when they are ready.

Lexi - posted on 09/30/2011

As my pediatrician told me, better she be in a big girl bed younger than average than break a bone or worse falling out of the crib!! We put our sons crib mattress on the floor at around 13 or 14 months (it's all getting fuzzy in memory now, lol). He too had started trying to climb out and it scared me to death. There were some nights he would wander his room a little, more often he'd roll onto the floor and keep sleeping, but he looooved his big boy bed. When we could afford a toddler bed frame for him he stayed in better since it had a rail. He just turned two and is ready for a twin sized bed. Just waiting for tax refund money to go buy it.

Kristel - posted on 09/29/2011

You seem to be doing the right thing regardless of what others think you know you're child is getting ready to crawl up and over that railing. As a safety measure you are getting her a bed, the best thing you can do for her. My daughter never climbed out of her bed so we waited til last week and she is almost two. Probably rare she didn't try to climb out of her crib, but I knew that she definately one of these days was going to try after trying to get herself out of the crib to climb up on me. She loves her new bed so much every night she insists we read to her in it, and we do. It's nice to be able to sit on the floor next to her bed and read her stories instead of reading to her on the floor and then picking her up and putting her into a crib, especially now that I am 7 months pregnant. My husband thought I was a little nuts getting it one night and showing up at home with it, but in reality I knew she, me and the new baby were all ready for her to get her big girl bed. Mother knows best, follow your gut.

Janeta - posted on 09/29/2011

My daughter is fourteen months old and she is still in a baby bed, I plan on getting her in a toddler bed as soon as she starts showing signs that she is going to start crawling out of her crib, If your daughter is already starting to show signs of crawling out of her crib I would go for the toddler bed! (: good luck!

Natasha - posted on 09/29/2011

both of my boys were in a toddler bed as soon as they could walk i wasnt taken any chances of them falling out of a crib i think its a good idea just if thats what ur going to do make sure nuttin is around that could hurt baby and all is good always sleep with ur door open and a baby moniter so u can here if they get up or not wnt hurt at all to start and found its a lot less of a hassle cuz they kno from a young age that when its bed time that means bed not try and get up and play and come out of their room all that time good luck and DO WHAT YOU FEEL IS RIGHT FOR YOUR BABY YOU KNO HER BETTER THEN ANYONE ELSE :)

Raina - posted on 09/28/2011

My middle son was in a toddler bed at 10 months. He could crawl out of his crib and I was paranoid that he would fall and get hurt. He did great!

Karin - posted on 09/27/2011

Each of my kiddos are different. We skipped the toddler bed with my youngest altogether, but his crib changed to a day bed. If your kiddo is comfortable with it, go for it! :D

I let my children pick out the sheets, so that they were special to whatever character they loved at the moment, and that made it 'theirs'. When we did it too early, we found we were getting awakened 2-3 times a night. In those cases, we would let them fall asleep with us, & then move them to their bed. Once they were 'big kid' enough, they would go to sleep on their own in their bed.

Angie - posted on 09/25/2011

This is up to you and no one else. You are the one that knows you kids best. My oldest was 15 months when he got his for the same reason. I was afraid of he was going to climb over the rail, get caught and break his leg or something. If it doesnt work, out the crib back up!

Lauren - posted on 09/24/2011

shes prolly gonna fall out eventually if she doesnt get into a reg bed. my daighter has a tin bed. and she is almost 2. but its really low to the ground and has a tiny little side so she cant roll off..but shes able to get down easy

Medic - posted on 09/24/2011

I guess I also don't get the whole gate the door thing either. My kids never have wondered the house and if they do they come right to our room to wake us up. It was just a general question I really was not bashing on anyone, just curious.

Sherri - posted on 09/24/2011

My children sleep 12hrs at a whack even at night Jennifer. However, they wore diapers at night so once they outgrew wetting at night they were out of their cribs. My kids never woke at night to go to the bathroom at 2 1/2. Which is about when they came out of their cribs and my first 2 weren't trained yet. They trained a month before their 3rd birthdays. My 3rd was fully trained but still never woke up at night to go to the bathroom he just made it until morning.



Even if they hadn't been in cribs there would have been a gate in front of their doors so they wouldn't be able to get out of their rooms without calling for me anyways. So really the fact they were in their cribs was irrelevant.

Medic - posted on 09/24/2011

For the few moms that are keeping their kids in cribs till almost 3 how does that work with being toilet trained? My son moved to a toddler bed at 16 months and my daughter at 14 and that is because she happened to sleep in his bed for a nap and refused to go back to the crib. He needed a twin anyways he was 4.5. My son was toilet trained at 24 months....so I am not seeing how keeping him in a crib would have worked...and my daughter at 20 months is in the process of toilet training. I am not arguing I am honestly curious. I do not feel that putting them in a toddler bed is at all making them grow up any faster anyways.

Kelly - posted on 09/24/2011

our daughter climbed out of her crib and fell onto the hard wood floor. no injuries but scared the heck out of us.... she has since slept in her pack and play. there are mattresses that you can buy to fit inside of it by "dream on me" and it fits perfectly. as long as she can fit in there we wont be switching over to a bed yet. she is very active and im afraid she may crawl out of that and wander around at night.

Shannon - posted on 09/24/2011

if she is climbing out, then yes its time for a toddler bed with side rails (until she is used to it). If she is not a climber and is happy to stay in the crib like mine was, wait till she is bigger. My youngest is also my littlest - she only dropped to the lowest level of the crib at 18 months when she finally grew. she is now almost 2yrs and in a big bed (bottom bunk with her big sister on the top) cause we needed the space. no problems.

Brianna - posted on 09/23/2011

mikayla is 18 months and shes had her toddler be cince she was 11 months, she loves it

Betty - posted on 09/18/2011

You're totally fine!

Samantha - posted on 09/18/2011

my son was in a normal single bed at a year old, hes now 3. nothing wrong with it, just make sure u have a bed guard and properly fitted saftey gates everywhere. x

Davaline - posted on 09/17/2011

I also put my son on a mattress on the floor at a young age. I didn't like cribs having two of the collapse with my son in them each time... now i stick to play pens to a year old tops.
if you dont want to be climbing over a bay gate each time try putting a child lock on the door handle.. sorry not sure what it's called but its a safety first item. as well as clear plugs in the outlets. my son loved to take those out and chew on them and stick them back in until i got the clear ones.. then he didnt know they were in there.
As for what your friends and family think.. thats okay to have their own opinions and suggestions but until you have actually tried it yourself, you shouldn't just follow their advice. things are better done first hand experience if you ask me.
I also put a second mattress under my sons toddler bed and pulled it out at night because i did not have a side rail for him. if he fell outa bed he would just roll onto the next mattress a shorter distance from the floor and then onto carpet. lol

TeBeth - posted on 09/17/2011

I dont believe in toddler beds. Why waste the money on cribs that convert to day beds if your just buying a toddler bed? Dumb if you ask me. My daughter started figuring out how to climb out of her crib at 18 months. I called my mom and we took off the front of her crib, turned it into a day bed, put it on the lowest setting, and then bought one of those safety rails to go along the side. It works great. Keeps her from rolling out of the day bed. I do want you to know that you will have to be very patient bc your little girl will be walking out of her room all the time now that she has the freedom to move around. Ive been working for the past month to get her to learn that she needs to stay in her bed.

Jennifer - posted on 09/16/2011

I have 4 children and they all started climbing out of the crib around 18 months, i just started leaving the rail down, and that way they were safer when they climbed out. Guess the toddler bed is a preference, i would thing that a year is a bit young, but do what you think is best. You may find it hard to keep her in bed

Amy - posted on 09/15/2011

I would do a twin bed, no sence in a toddler bed as they will move, if she is getting out and falling then yes time to move on. You are mom you do what YOU think is best but I agree with a different bed no more crib if they are climbing out.

Tracy - posted on 09/15/2011

My first son stayed in his crib till he was 2. My second son was climbing out of his crib at 10months...My third son was climbing out of his crib at 11 months... Needless to say it's up to you. My eldest son had bunk beds the bottom bunk was not far off the floor. So son #1 moved to the top bunk and son #2 got the bottom. I didn't have to worry about middle of the night Tarzan tricks any more. When son # 3 came along. Son number one got his own room. Son #2 moved to the top bunk and son #3 got the bottom bunk. Kind of Glad I didn't buy my crib (family hand-me-down) as my 1st son got the most use and the next two hardly used it at all as they went from the three month crib in our room to the big crib in their room for just a couple of months before they moved into the big boy bed. Never bothered with the toddler bed...looked at them and for the short amount of time they will be in them they are not worth the money. Splurged on nicer furniture that they could use till they go off to college.

Kryssy - posted on 09/15/2011

Hi crystal , i know just what ya mean i got my lil man a toddler bed at 14 months wanted it soon my mother inlaw told me too wait but he was climbing almost out i personalty think that if their ready it's time not age that means nothing every child is different . Since i put my lil guys in his toddler bed he just loves it sleep's better and so do i because im not worrying if he gonna fall out get hurt. So if you think she is ready i say go for it

Heather - posted on 09/14/2011

If she's scaling the crib at it's lowest point, toddler bed is the next thing on the menu. Make sure to get the toddler bed rails that go on both sides, the extra long ones that reach about 3/4 of the bed sides. One foot off the ground versus a four foot drop is definitely safer. I'm about to do the same thing as you for my son since he's a climber too and doesn't seem to understand the whole gravity thing yet. I'd rather have him fall off a toddler bed than to fall from his crib because he decides to climb over the rail.

Sherri - posted on 09/14/2011

Love it Julie I was starting to think I was crazy since I kept all of mine in a crib till they were just about 3yrs old.

Julie - posted on 09/14/2011

A crib USED to be called a '6 year crib' becuase children are so secure intheir own bed... nighttimes can be sacrey! They feel so safe in their bed. You will know when she is ready to move to a bigger bed - trust me, she will either get too tall or tell you she'd like abigger bed. PLEASE precious mommie - don't grow her up to quickly - they are little for such a short time! ♥

Deena - posted on 09/14/2011

It depends on the child. If YOU are comfortable with it then go for it. Really, it doesn't matter where they sleep, as long as you can provide a safe environment for her by making her room baby proof, place a gate at the door so she doesn't wander the house. The bigger issue is merely training her to stay in bed. Determination and perseverence is all you need and not to lose your cool. The first night my son was 18 months and I returned him to bed 75 times in 2 hours. I said "It's time for bed, sleep in your bed" only the first time and then I was silent the next and returned to my post at the bedroom door not making eye contact. The next night I returned him to bed 2 times. Then he never got out after that. One time at naptime he got out and played in front of his mirror and fell asleep on the floor in front of the door, I really didn't care where he slept and neither did he! good luck!

MELANIE - posted on 09/14/2011

I put my oldest in a toddler bed a week after her first birthday. I love it and know that she would have climbed out of the crib soon after her first birthday.

Joannie - posted on 09/13/2011

i am a mother of 3 and i put my kids in their toddler bed at 1 yrs of age all my kids did that try to escape from their cribs.it is nerve racking knowing they can fall and really hurt themselves.there are some cribs that turn into a toddler bed all u have to do is buy the rails.just teach her not to jump on the bed like my son and he landed on his back and he was bruised for a few days.good luck.

Hope - posted on 09/13/2011

My son is 18 months now, and we put him in his toddler bed at 12 months and have LOVED it! He won't hurt himself falling out, he can get up and come into our room in the morning if he wakes up first so he doesn't have to start his day crying to let us know he's awake, and we have things pretty baby proofed, so he can't hurt himself walking around. We got some flack too, when we did it, but have not seen downsides to it. the getting up after putting him to bed was something we had to deal with, but now he stays down. Do it and enjoy the benefits!!!

Melissa - posted on 09/13/2011

my son did the same thing, so I really do think it is safest to switch to a toddler bed, he fell a couple of times in his attempt to climb over. So now he sleeps in his toddler bed and it took a couple of days for him to actually stay in his bed but whenever he would get out we would just take him back to bed and tuck him in. or some days we would just wait there in the room for a little while for him to fall asleep and it has worked wonderfully for me. :)

Delia - posted on 09/13/2011

Started the process around 2 years of age (first taking naps in the big girl/boy bed), then trying out nights.

They had cribs, but preferred to sleep in our bed up to that point and beyond. It has made for very sweet mornings and some very happy secure kids.

Bonnie - posted on 09/13/2011

I put my son in a toddler bed at 14 mths. He refused to sleep in a crib so it was either stay awake all night, put him in my bed or put him in a toddler bed.
I have had issues with him getting up but I put a baby gate at him door to stop him wandering the house. In the beginning I had a playard set up and if he didn't stay in his bed I put him in the playard. It took him 2 trips to the playard to realize he wasn't allowed to get out of bed.
He is now 17 mths and when I put him to bed at night he lays down and falls asleep with less problems then my 4 year old.
Everyone says kids don't come with manuals, but they are the manual. If this is what is right for your child then do it.

Katherine - posted on 09/12/2011

My son moved from our bed to a toddler bed around 2 years old, or so. He was ready, and we took a long time preparing him, so it was a really smooth transition.

Cynthia - posted on 09/12/2011

When you have an explorer, teach, guide, but don't inhibit. Just as putting a one year old onto a mattress on the floor to protect their brains, and bones, is one method of protection at this stage and a sanity saver for mom and dad. Parenting is a learned response it progresses in stages as much as your child grows and develops in stages. Protections that last a life time start in our response to their behaviours from birth onwards. Creativity, ingenuity, innovation, honesty and integrity (yes really) come in our response to keeping our children safe while not inhibiting the stages of their development. So we extend our childrens boundaries to just a little beyond their capablities, while keeping aware of they may grow beyond those boundaries faster than we might like or be able to cope with.When I look back the times I struggled most with my childrens active exploration of their enviroments, were the times I grew most as a parent as I learned to lead them in the directions they were meant to go. What have I gained all these years later? Children who are not scared of the world but have skills and attitudes which keep them safe as they explore it.
The time for training comes when they actually acquire and understanding of WHY they are not allowed to do something. All the NOs in the world will not stop a 7,12, 18, 24, years stop climbing out of their cribs to explore, to be proactive in coming to you for your company, your hugs, your ability to go. Think about this do you really want to stop your child from coming to you for your love, and ability to help them? NO you want them to keep this behaviour as long as possible while you teach them at each stage the skills they need to navigate this enviroment, this stage, of physical emotional and intellectual development, if this is the kind of child you have! If you stop them, trap them, prevent them from being who they are they will soon and permanently stop coming to you for aid in becoming the kind of person they are meant to be. Believe me I know, I was one of those kids you was told no don't do that no no no. I stopped going to my mum for ANYTHING by the time I was fourteen, because I knew I would be told no. I am not all I could be because of the deep internal inhibitions placed there by my mother in the first five years of my life. My mum got what she wanted control, a child who would give her no trouble, only those areas she permitted encouraged grew, I'm and avid reader because when I read she knew where I was, do I have initative, have I gone out and explored all the other interests I've ever had but was discourage by fear of punishment and restriction no. Its very hard for me to push my boundaries, to even approach my boundaries because of those inhibitions.
As a parent we must tend to today but we must also look to the future. Our children are not possessions, but beings on a journey and it is our job for a short time to prepare them, to give them skills, and tools at the appropriate stage of their lives. To use and old quote, we must give them roots and wings. We will not always be here one day we too must fly beyond our present existence and leave our children to the future. If we are so granted that time.
If you take my advice you will have a wonderful and enjoyable time parenting your children and you will not be making a rod for your own back as your children try to navigate childhood and the teen and early adult years, they will come home and you will hear you own words coming from their mouths not as a condemnation, but as advise they give to others that they learned from YOU.. The Best of my mother in me were those times she gave me wings. and the worst are those where I am still imprisoned. What kind of adult do you want your child to be, and what kind of person do you wish to be remember as one who gave skills, love, hugs, appropriate boundaries, understanding, justice, forgiveness, mercy? you may think I am going overboard crib to floor infancy to adulthood in five minutes, but growing up is a chain of events, of habits both our own and our childrens which we form in the first three to five years of life with our child/ren. In todays world being part of the solution or part of the problem comes down to parenting today.

Jill - posted on 09/12/2011

Just remember, once you put her in a toddler bed, it's all over at that point! :) she will realize how easy it is for her to get out of bed and you will end up sticking close by her bedroom door making sure she learns to stay in bed. if she is learning to put her foot over the rail of her crib, teach her "no", lay her down and keep doing it until she learns that she cant do that. just because she has her foot over the rail, doesnt mean she's trying to climb out but you need to teach her right away that that's not good. are all her needs met? is she putting her foot over the rail b/c she's not tired? try wearing her out a little more before bedtime or read books to wind down.

my dd was changed to a toddler bed when she was 15 months old only b/c my husband insisted on it. once she got into a toddler bed, my "free" time in the evenings were dwindled down to nothing b/c i was sitting in the hallway until she fell asleep. (thank you hubby!)

my second daughter went to a toddler bed until she was a little over 2 years old. she was happy in her crib so i wasnt going to change it. we only changed it because we moved and didnt want to put up the crib and take it down again.

I've had friends who put an extra crib mattress on the floor near the crib in case their child tried to climb out. added a little extra cushion. is there too much light in her room? maybe put a night light in the hall instead of inside her room? it's also a phase. she's learned to be mobile and once a child learns something new, that's all they want to do... move! be patient and she'll learn that her crib is for sleeping, not for playing. good luck!

Connie - posted on 09/12/2011

my daughter use to do the same thing! so as soon as i possibly could i got her into a toddler bed. i would rather be constantly putting her back in bed than making a bunch of trips to the er because my baby tried to climb out of her crib but fell out instead.

Keri - posted on 09/12/2011

We have what many manufacturers call a "lifetime crib." It goes from crib, to daybed, to full size (yes, a FULL size mattress fits on it). Although our son was still "small enough" for the crib, at 15 months we turned it into a daybed pretty much because of the reason you have. With the daybed, there are still 3 walls keeping him in, and the mattress is only about 18 inches from the floor. He's also a rather still sleeper - doesn't move around much - so I wasn't worried about taking the other crib panel off. He is 4.5 years now and we are taking steps to get him ready for the full size bed. We're currently a little strapped for cash, so instead of investing in new mattresses for a bed we weren't sure he'd like, we moved the futon from our office to his room. He's been sleeping on it for about 2 weeks now and his only problem about going to sleep in it is that he wants Mommy or Daddy to lay with him. I think if you really want to do this, there are panels I guess you'd call them that you can buy and hook to just about any bed. They help those children who roll around stay in bed.