Opinions needed re: crib to bed transition

[Java]

I keep going back and forth between do I or don't I.

Kael loves his crib. He sleeps so well in there and he's totally safe, I don't have to worry about him wiggling off the edge or climbing out. He is such a mover at night that I'm amazed he's actually asleep. I swear he logs on miles the way he moves in his sleep.

Baby #2 is due in May so I have plenty of time to do the transition but I'm worried that it's going to take a while for Kael to get used to the freedom of being cribless. I know he's going to be wandering all over his room and I'd rather "work" with him now before I'm exhausted with the newborn, or even when I'm hugely pregnant. DH will help, of course but he also travels for work so I can't depend on him too much.

Whenever we visit my parents we stay for over a week and he sleeps on a mattress pad on the floor with no problems. I just have to stay there with him until he falls asleep. I'd like to get to a point where we are now with his crib sleeping: bath, book, kiss good night, then lights off. He falls asleep himself in about 15 minutes. He also wakes up at night occasionally. He'll take a drink of water then goes back to sleep on his own. I'd like to see this with the big boy bed. My big fear is DH out of town with me and Baby #2 nursing and Kael screaming from his bedroom!

What have you done, or what would you do?

Thanks!

[daisymommy]

My opinion? Wait until he's really ready (and until you are too). I waited until Joshua was a full 3 years old. I know, I know. That's kind of old to be in the crib. But he was so happy and secure in there. He went to bed so easily, and never tried climbing out. So, I figured there was no good reason to make him leave his crib if even I wasn't ready for the transition issues. I was afraid of somehow "messing him up" developmentally by keeping him in there for so long (all of my friends and family moved their kids out by 18 months old, and looked at me like I was kind of odd ;)). But I got over it! I just decided to do what was right for us.

But you know what? A few weeks after he turned 3 (I just found out I was pregnant, and figured it was a good time now)--we bought Josh a twin bed. I was scared to death and prepared for the worst. But what happened? I put him to bed, he LOVED his "big-boy bed"--and that was it! No getting up out of bed, wandering the halls, playing with toys, nothing! He just went to sleep, slept thru the night, and that was it! This was 4.5 months ago, and things are still going great.

The moral of the story is: wait until they are ready, and things go much more smoothly :)

[barbarhow]

ITA with Amy. We bought Jack a big boys bed about a year ago. He slept in it once (He was about 20 months). and then he would sleep in it or nap in it every few weeks. Then he went through a phase when he had no interest in sleeping in it at all. My plan was to have him out of it when Anna was born. He had a different agenda. We kept Anna in a PNP until 3 weeks ago when Jack began sleeping fulltime in his crib. He helped to dismantle the crib and reassemble for Anna in her room. It was really precious to watch him tell her that she could have the crib now.
Of course a part of me wishes I hadn't spent a bunch of $ on the bumper set for the crib-as I probably should be taking the bumpers off now...
In other words-he will let you know when he is ready.
Barbara-mom to Jack 3/27/03, a Red Sox fan
and Anna 5/12/05, my little Yankee fan!

[sunriseiz]

I totally understand! DD just turned 2 and our next baby is due the end of March. DD had her big girl bed set up in her big girl room (the nursery will stay the nursery) for almost a month and napped in it a couple of times before we decided to take the nighttime plunge last weekend. So far so good. The first night she woke up 2x when our dog went to sleep with her :) but other than that, I guess she was ready. Maybe the fact that she had napped in the bed a few times and had spent plenty of time playing in the room made a difference...I don't know. If we weren't having baby #2, she would have been in her crib until she was 3! Good luck!

[Java]

Yeah, I know Kael's not ready yet and I figure I have until Baby #2 is about 5-6 months old before I need to move Shim (She/Him = Shim) to the crib (about October 2006). That was about the time Kael was moved over due to our fear of him rolling out of the co-sleeper.

I don't know why I'm stressing about it, really. All kinds of concerns have been on my mind lately. It mostly centers around Kael and how he's going to take to the new addition. First he has to share mom and dad. Then he has to share his toys. Then he gets booted out of his beloved crib... The unfairness of it all!

He doesn't like it when I crawl into his crib (for fun!) so I can't even imagine what turmoil he's going to go through when this newcomer invades his space. That's really the main reason why I thought about doing the transition early - to detach him from the crib.

[spencersmommy]

IMO, keep him in the crib. We are having major bed issues with Spence. He was in his crib until about 3 months ago. Just when I was going to go buy baby #2 a crib, he crawled out and we decided it was big boy bed time. Oh it has been hard!!! If your little guy loves his crib, have him stay there as long as you can!! Maybe the baby can be in a bassinet for a few months (DS #2 was in the bassinet for 4 months! LOL!).
Good luck!

[Momof3Labs]

ITA - DS has been in a big boy bed for a couple of weeks now, and it has been pretty easy because he was ready. Of course, he gave up naps in September, so we only have to deal with bedtime!

[kensjen]

I know exactly how you feel, as we have been in the same situation for months. Our baby is due in January, and I have been concerned about the transition.

We decided to wait and I think you should, too. You still have quite a bit of time to do this, and you can always try in Feb or Mar if Kael seems to be ready. Follow his lead, and also do it at a time that will be good for everyone. (ie not right before after baby, or when you are uncomfortably pregnant! :) ) It will make things easier on everyone if the timing is right.

Jonah loves to sleep in his crib, and I am hoping it stays that way until at least March! ;)