When did you switch from crib?

[updacountry]

My daughter is a very small 28months old. She only weighs 20#. She still sleeps in her crib. It doesn't seem to bother her I just wonder when I should take the front off. It is one of the beds that becomes a daybed, then a twin bed. We are working on the Potty Training but have not succeeded yet. She has not tried to climb out yet, but I don't know why as my DH has taught her how to try to climb in. If she was taller she could do it!

Should I let her stay in the crib until she trys climbing out?

Thanks
Jill

[o_mom]

DS1 was a little over 3 - maybe 3 yrs 2 mos? DS2 is still in at 2 yrs 9 mos. IME, naps become much harder once they are out of the crib, so we held on as long as possible.

[lilycat88]

35 months and only because we tied in getting rid of the crib with getting rid of the changing table. We went cold turkey and PTd in less than 2 days. No diapers...no changing table...no crib (we had a crib and a bed in her room for about 4 days for transition but she chose the bed by the 3rd day I think)

Keep her in it as long as you want and she isn't trying to get out. DD actually still slept in a crib when she spent a few days with my parents when she was 38 months. She loved her crib. I have a friend who has a 4 1/2 year old who still sleeps in a crib.

[hellokitty]

Keep her in the crib as long as you can as long as she is happy. We moved our oldest when he was 2.5 yrs old, more b/c we were ready for him to be in a regular bed (he was potty trained). We moved our youngest at 2, b/c he's the type who would try to climb out. Both kids did really well with the transition and we didn't have to deal with a lot of, "jack in the box" games (popping out of their bed and room).

[HIU8]

We moved DS at 26 months because he asked. Plus DD was due that summer. It worked really well, but DS was ready to get out of the crib.

HTH

[mom2binsd]

I have similar experiences to the PP's

We moved our DD out of the crib at 3 1/2, not because she was climbing out but because DH and my inlaws wanted her to be a big girl, well, she became a big girl who got up and came into our room! She was PT and just wore a pullup at night, which was usually dry, it wasn't an issue. Her crib turned into a daybed and she stayed in that until age 4 and then we bought a mattress (I made the mistake of thinking her crib turned into a twin when it turned into a full/double so we didn't get to use the cute headboard....I had already bought twin everything before realizing this and couldn't return stuff....duh!!! Keep her in the crib as long as she's content and explain to DH why not to teach her climb the crib!

Our DS is 23 months and still content in his crib, I've had to remind his sister not to show him how to climb....he also wears a sleep sack which will help prevent him from climbing out as it restricts his leg movements somewhat. Plan to keep him in the crib as long as possible, it makes life so much easier and there is nothing wrong with keeping them in a crib if they aren't climbing out....no special sticker or badge of honor/early college admission for transferring to a big bed.

What is so funny, I was looking on this site mamasource this morning, same topic came up and the responses were all the opposite to the ones here, they were all putting kids in big beds by 18-24 months....mostly it seems to give the crib to a new baby/because kids were climbing out....interesting how different the responses are and how different each child is.

[belovedgandp]

If she's happy don't mess with it.

I wanted to keep my son in, but he climbed out right when he was 2. Scared him and he refused to go back to the crib. To the point that he fell asleep in our bed for naps and at bedtime for several nights and then I transfered him to the crib. We didn't have a hard transition, but it is unnerving when he could now get out. He'd stay in his room for quiet time/nap, but he'd play with books and peel the wallpaper.

[hez]

Between 3 1/4 and 3 1/2. He slept in our bed for naps sometimes, and we would go get him a quite a few nights a week because he's a cuddler. The transition was actually fairly easy looking back. He still climbs in with us some nights if he wakes up.

He climbed out once at 2. We had a talk about it, and he didn't do it again. Our talk involved a freaked out mom, so that may have had something to do with it ;)

He had been PT'd for quite a while before the transition.

[clc053103]

My huge 30 month old (nearing 40 lbs and 39 inches) is still in his crib. He has never tried to climb out and loves the darned thing. So, evne if we have to fold him in half, it looks like he's going to stay there for a while!

[Momof3Labs]

DS1 stayed in until he was 3.25yo. We would have left him in there longer, but DS2 was due in a couple of months and it wasn't worth buying a second crib. He first climbed out around his second birthday, so we had added a crib tent to keep him safe. Size-wise, he was probably about 40lbs and 42" tall when he moved out. He had given up naps months earlier, and was not PT at all at that time.

DS2 is still in his crib and will turn 2 later this month. He'll stay in until he's not happy there (he loves it now) or until someone else needs the crib (if we decide to have more children). I put the crib tent on a few months ago to deter climbing out, but he's not as determined to escape as DS1 was.

[LarsMal]

DS was only 22 months, but I refused to buy a second crib, and was ready to move DD into the crib at 6 months.

DD, however, will stay in there as long as she's happy!

If she's content, let her be, or at least until you think she'd need to get up to use the bathroom.

[Mamma2004]

Hmmmm, well.....DS is 3 yrs. 8 mos. and is 38-39" tall. We are currently *trying* to convince him that he will soon WANT to move to a big boy bed. He loves his crib - LOVES IT - and I already feel guilty about wanting to make the move and essentially "deprive" him of the joy he feels when he is in that crib!

Stephanie

[StantonHyde]

I am so glad to see this. I was thinking of posting "How long can they stay in the crib?" I moved DS out at 2.5 yrs because DD was coming. DD will be three in June and she has not tried to climb out, is not PTd, and she seems to like it. Somehow, I have this sinking feeling that by this summer, she will max out on the crib. I love the idea of having a contained child :-) and am glad to hear that other people are letting their kids stay in them as long as the kid is ok with it.

[Happy Mommy]

Hmmmmm....do we see a pattern here? I have never met a parent who was happier when their child moved out of their crib. All of our friends who moved their children at an earlier age have told us to wait as long as we can. And we have...

Our daughter is 3yrs 9 months. She is potty trained, but still wears a pull up at night. That is the only issue we have right now, because we feel as though we shouldn't take the pull ups away until she can remove herself from the bed to go to the bathroom at night.

She would definitely be up at all hours if she wasn't in the crib, and her naps--that she would love to give up-- would become non-existent if she had free reign in her room.

And...she loves her crib. At this point, until she tells us she wants a big bed, or it seems inappropriate for her to still be in a crib, we are keeping her in it as long as we can. :) :)

[Moneypenny]

I agree to keep her in the crib as long as she is happy. We took the side off DD's crib shortly after she turned 3. We told her that, just like the crib, she needed to stay in bed until an adult came in. The one time she tried to sneak out during nap, she slipped in her stocking feet on the floor and bumped her head on her bookcase, so she became convinced that a grownup needs to be in the room to get out of bed. I wish she hadn't bumped her head, but it sure is nice to know she won't be getting out and wandering!

[sidmand]

My thinking was that I had heard many people say they wished they had used the crib longer but no one ever wished they had tried a regular bed sooner! I was hoping/thinking I would leave DS in there as long as possible. It would be nice not to buy a new crib for DD, but his crib is pretty stuck in his room (and turns into a full bed technically), so our best solution does seem to just borrow another crib and leave DS where he is.

We figure he's going to have so much transition anyway and he seems perfectly happy as is, why mess with it. Plus, although he's tall (he was 38-39" a few months ago!) he's the type of kid who unless you show him *how* to do something, he doesn't do it. And I don't intend to show him how to climb out!

I was just thinking he could stay in it until college if he wants. :) I know that won't happen. But he's also a VERY energetic kid and I think he will definitely get out of bed without being contained. I could be pleasantly surprised, but we'll wait. He isn't PTed, he isn't asking to get out...it's easiest for everyone right now!

Oh yeah, FWIW, DS is 32 months right now.

[Gena]

We moved DS into a twin bed when he was a little over 2. He wasn't exactly climbing out of the crib, but would exit it by somersaulting over the side rail and landing on his head.

[hillview]

With DS we got him a big boy bed at 2.25. He stayed in his crib with a crib tent and then a couple of months later he wanted to sleep in his big boy bed. We let him. We kept crib in the room so it was another option if he couldn't stay in his bed. We only got the big boy bed b/c we have new baby and wanted to eventually have the crib for him (DS#2 stayed in the pack and play for several months). DS#1 loves his big boy bed. He is not potty trained. He is 2.5 years. If your DD likes the crib and there is no reason to move her I'd stay with the crib as long as you want. It is SOOO much easier to do naps and night time.

/hillary

[lmintzer]

We were on the late side for Jack (2 years and 11 months) and very late for Joshua (3 years and 11 months). Both boys' transitions were nearly seamless. I think later is the way to go--really. Those I know who did it early had lots of problems.

Neither of my boys ever climbed out of the crib, and neither asked for a big boy bed. We introduced the idea in both cases when the timing felt right.

[infocrazy]

DS1 is 30 months and is still in his crib. He slipped once climbing out, while I was fortunately in the room and wants me to get him out. He LOVES his crib though. We used my SIL's crib and when DS2 came along, we bought DS1 (21 mos at the time) a crib from IKEA that is low to the floor in case he does start trying to get out and converts into a toddler bed, to justify the purchase :-). He really has no interest though in climbing out and we often have to go get him after his nap because he just likes to chill out there. I enjoy his long naps, and he certainly still needs them so I have no interest either.

DS2 will be another story. He is a monkey. DH and I joke that he will need a toddler bed before DS1!!!

His sitter though will need to transition him soon though to a toddler bed because he sleeps in a PNP at her house and he touches end to end. No complaints though! Once she wants to move him we will start it as well.

[stefani]

DS is 4 years and 5 months... and is still in his crib :-)

He is completely potty trained so he will holler to get us to take him out (very rarely and DH is the one in charge usually, LOL). The thing is that he can get in and out by himself (he will do that when playing) but he won't do it at night (we no longer pull up the side, so it is low, but it still has the side).

We'll keep in there for as long as he doesn't complain about it. He is also 40 inches tall but still fits in it no problem. We will probably take off the side when he goes to Kindergarten (at age 6).

[niccig]

DS was 3yo in Dec, and we took the side off the crib 2 weeks later. He's potty trained and wanted to sleep without his diaper for naps. He had climbed out once before and hurt himself - not badly, but that and DH's reaction were enough that he never did it again. He could climb into it to play, but then would call for you to get him out. His friend told him to climb out and DS said that he wasn't allowed to do it by himself.

We've had no problems with the transition at all. Naps were shorter for a couple of weeks, but they're back to normal. We also have a lamp on a timer that turns on at 7am and at about 2yo we taught DS that he could only get out of bed when the light is on. So far, that is still working and he only gets up once the light is on - once he did get up at 6.30, pushed his chair over so he could reach the lamp and turned it on - but we made him go back to bed until 7am, so he hasn't tried that again.

I say, if she's happy and you're happy - don't mess with sleeping arrangements.

[nfowife]

My DD is just about 34 months old and is still in her crib and loving it. I don't plan to transition her until June. We are moving to Italy for 2 years and I don't want to bring her crib over there so we are going to have a toddler bed in her new room. DS will still be in his crib the entire time we are there, if necessary we will get a crib tent or turn his crib into a toddler bed.