akc
08-12-2004, 07:46 AM
Hi all -
Not sure how many people are over here in toddler land, but I have a bunch of questions on the transition from crib to bed. Can y'all help me find answers? Maybe you can just answer any of them that you have advice beneath the question. And, should I post this in BB too? Thanks!
OK, here goes:
1) Is it better to just take the plunge and go crib to bed for all sleeping instead of trying for naps and then letting her go crib at night? She has slept in the bed for short periods but always with us and generally then prefers to back in her crib. Everyone always suggests the nap then overnight, but I worry that this gives her an "out" and it will drag on (I'm afraid of this in potty training too! I have no time limit, but we have an infant and it would be easier when we travel to not find two portacribs).
2) I don't understand how a crib becomes a toddler bed (we have a Ragazzi). If you take the sides off and just use head and footboard as they are now, isn't it just open on both sides which is harder in transition than a bed with rails or snugtucks?
3) My daughter is the most active sleeper. She can sit up in her sleep and then flop to the other side which is why I got the snucktucks instead of a rail. I don't think a toddler bed would work for her at all, do you? Fortunately, her big girl bed is a full, so it will allow for the flopping.
4) I don't think there is anyway she'll go under a sheet and doesn't have a blankie, so do I just go blanket sleeper almost all year round (we have strong AC in the summer) and just not worry about it?
5) We have to go on a trip and it is likely that they will not have a full-sized crib, and she's 95% percentile in height at 25 mos so she'll never fit in a portacrib. There is a king option which would then allow one or both hubby and I to sleep in the bed with her, but is it going to be a nightmare to just force the transition? Or, could it be a blessing in disguise?
6) If we start in the bed with her, are we going to create a dependency on that or will we be able to wean her from that later? She's a pretty good sleeper, but I don't want us to sleep in there forever with her AND we both work during the day so we can't nap with her, nor can the sitter. Plus, I don't want to make bedtime take hours b/c she's in the phase that she'll do anything to delay going to sleep.
7) Has anyone heard of putting the crib along side the bed with a secure tie to the mattress to allow the child to climb back in their crib for a while to ease the transition? I am talking about having no ability for the crib to slide, but I don't know if that would just keep her wanting to go in her crib.
8) Any other suggestions?
I'm SO, SO, SO glad that we've had a video monitor all this time because I think it will be a godsend in terms of watching her for the early period to make sure she is safe. We are night people are often up until 1 am which is a big chunk of time and can sleep with it next to our bed to be on top of any situation where she isn't sleeping and unhappy.
Wait til I post about potty training - whooey, the toddler transition is fun! :) Thank you in advance!
Alexa
Not sure how many people are over here in toddler land, but I have a bunch of questions on the transition from crib to bed. Can y'all help me find answers? Maybe you can just answer any of them that you have advice beneath the question. And, should I post this in BB too? Thanks!
OK, here goes:
1) Is it better to just take the plunge and go crib to bed for all sleeping instead of trying for naps and then letting her go crib at night? She has slept in the bed for short periods but always with us and generally then prefers to back in her crib. Everyone always suggests the nap then overnight, but I worry that this gives her an "out" and it will drag on (I'm afraid of this in potty training too! I have no time limit, but we have an infant and it would be easier when we travel to not find two portacribs).
2) I don't understand how a crib becomes a toddler bed (we have a Ragazzi). If you take the sides off and just use head and footboard as they are now, isn't it just open on both sides which is harder in transition than a bed with rails or snugtucks?
3) My daughter is the most active sleeper. She can sit up in her sleep and then flop to the other side which is why I got the snucktucks instead of a rail. I don't think a toddler bed would work for her at all, do you? Fortunately, her big girl bed is a full, so it will allow for the flopping.
4) I don't think there is anyway she'll go under a sheet and doesn't have a blankie, so do I just go blanket sleeper almost all year round (we have strong AC in the summer) and just not worry about it?
5) We have to go on a trip and it is likely that they will not have a full-sized crib, and she's 95% percentile in height at 25 mos so she'll never fit in a portacrib. There is a king option which would then allow one or both hubby and I to sleep in the bed with her, but is it going to be a nightmare to just force the transition? Or, could it be a blessing in disguise?
6) If we start in the bed with her, are we going to create a dependency on that or will we be able to wean her from that later? She's a pretty good sleeper, but I don't want us to sleep in there forever with her AND we both work during the day so we can't nap with her, nor can the sitter. Plus, I don't want to make bedtime take hours b/c she's in the phase that she'll do anything to delay going to sleep.
7) Has anyone heard of putting the crib along side the bed with a secure tie to the mattress to allow the child to climb back in their crib for a while to ease the transition? I am talking about having no ability for the crib to slide, but I don't know if that would just keep her wanting to go in her crib.
8) Any other suggestions?
I'm SO, SO, SO glad that we've had a video monitor all this time because I think it will be a godsend in terms of watching her for the early period to make sure she is safe. We are night people are often up until 1 am which is a big chunk of time and can sleep with it next to our bed to be on top of any situation where she isn't sleeping and unhappy.
Wait til I post about potty training - whooey, the toddler transition is fun! :) Thank you in advance!
Alexa