Parenthood has many challenges through every stage of your child's life and it starts as early as birth. First it's how often to feed your baby. Then it's how to stop your baby from crying. Next it's how to get your baby to sleep through the night and on and on it goes. Once you make it through the first year parents usually have established their routine. They've gotten answers to their most pressing questions and everything is going fairly smoothly until that dreadful moment when you hear....thump! Oh No! Baby has catapulted himself out of the crib! This happens more often than you think and it's a sure sign that your baby is ready to graduate to a big kid bed. Hopefully you'll come to this conclusion before your baby has to play superhero and try to fly from the crib.
Signs your Baby is Ready for a Bigger Bed
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1. When your sweet angel is caught trying to climb the crib walls, it's time for a big kid bed.
2. When your toddler becomes extremely active, this is a sign.
3. If your child is potty trained then that's a definite sign that a big kid bed is needed for those late night trips to the bathroom.
4. There's no standard age limit for the transition to big kid bed, but it generally happens between the ages of 11/2 and 31/2.
5. If your baby can talk and asks for a big kid bed then it's definitely time!
Important Preparation for Transition to Bigger Bed
1. Baby Proof the Bedroom: Make sure that your child's room is baby proofed because even a 3 year old can get into trouble with light sockets, spring doors, blind cords etc... Consider placing a lock on the closet door at this time so that your free roaming toddler can't pull everything off the shelves when he's loose around the room.
2. Safety Gate: If your child is younger than 31/2 when you transition him to a bigger bed, you might want to place a child safety gate on his door so that if he gets out of the crib he can't wander around or out of the house in the middle of the night.
Things that Make the Transition Easier
1. Convertible Crib: If your child has a convertible crib then the transition to a bigger bed will be simple, because you'll be able to convert the crib to a toddler bed when your child is ready. Keeping the same bed in bigger form will make your child very comfortable through the transition. DaVinci makes beautiful convertible cribs that convert all the way to a full size bed, letting you keep the bed through toddler and teen years as well.
2. Use the Same Crib Bedding Set: If you have purchased a toddler bed then you should be able to use your child's crib bedding set on the toddler bed mattress. This will add an air of familiarity to your child's big kid bed, making it easier for your child to get used to the change. A toddler bed with safety rails will also give your child that added security, keeping him safe from falls.
3. Guard Rails: If your child is transitioning into a twin size bed then I'd recommend getting some safety guard rails for the bedside. This will ensure that your child doesn't roll out of bed in the middle of the night and will continue to provide your child with a crib like feel, but still allow him freedom of a bigger sleep space.
4. Special Stuffed Animal: Consider taking your child on a shopping trip before the bigger bed transition. Have him pick out a cuddly stuffed animal that he'll now get to sleep with every night in the big bed. This will make him excited about the change and he'll look forward to his first night of cuddles with his new furry friend.
5. Bedtime Routine: On the first night of the transition from crib to bigger bed, start a new bedtime routine with your child. Do something fun, yet relaxing, right before it's "lights out!" each night. Read a book, tell stories, play with toys, cuddle, do something fun so that your child's thoughts of the new sleep space will be good ones.
The End Results
Once your child has successfully graduated to the bigger bed there might be an adjustment period. Don't worry, it won't be forever. If your child has a little trouble getting used to the new sleeping arrangements, think of ways to reward him for going to bed happily. Get new pillows or blankets for the bed and make it a space that he'll feel so comfortable in that he'll be begging to take a nap. And remember to stay calm and joyful through the transition because if you're calm your child will be calm and happy as well.