When did your DC move to a toddler bed?

[Krisrich]

And, how long did they use it?

DD1 will be only about 13 months old when DD2 arrives. I'll need a crib for DD1when she's about 3 months and DD2 is about 16 months. Is 16 months too little for a toddler bed? I'm wondering if I can realistically avoid purchasing another converting crib since both kids will eventually be in twin beds, not fulls, if they share a room.

[SnuggleBuggles]

This has come up before and answers are all across the board. I side with the "keep them contained as long as possible!" camp. My ds was 3.5 before he left his crib for a twin size bed.

Beth

[WatchingThemGrow]

With kids close together, you're going to need more gear than other families if you plan on keeping some sanity. At 16 mos is when my first and second started climbing to the top of every piece of furniture in our house. There is no way I could keep them from standing on every table, sofa back, chair, etc. Get another crib or borrow one from someone. Plan on a couple double strollers also. I LOVE how my kids are best friends, but it is crazy to have almost double everything.

ETA: DD was jumping out of her crib at 22 mos, so we moved her into a full-sized bed. DS1 hasn't jumped yet, but our boys will have twins on the floor, then bunks later.

[mom2binsd]

This has come up before and answers are all across the board. I side with the "keep them contained as long as possible!" camp. My ds was 3.5 before he left his crib for a twin size bed.

Beth

Another Beth with the exact same advice. My DD was going to be 3 when DS arrived, we just got him his own crib (a cute 98.00 convertible one from Kmart) and he's 3 1/2 and still in his crib! DD moved out of hers around 3 1/2 because DH thought she should..not the best idea, I think she would have stayed a while longer and not come into our room so much.

I think your little one is too young to be out of the crib though, esp as I assume she still naps, I've heard getting little ones to nap in bed can be very tricky and you'd pretty much have to buy rails.

[Krisrich]

Thanks for the advice. Now that I think about it, with a new one in the house, I am definitely going to need to keep DD1 "contained!" I feel more comfortable biting the bullet and getting another crib!

[mommylamb]

Just a word of caution. A friend of mine has a 26 month old DD and a 3 months old DS. They got their DD a toddler bed so they could move the baby into her crib... well, she isn't ready to give up her crib and refuses to sleep in the big girl bed, so the baby is in the bassinet in mom and dad's room indefinitely...

[C99]

Buy a second crib. I converted DS1's crib to a toddler bed when he was just over 2 and I was pregnant with my DD. I had already bought a second crib for him, so it wasn't that I needed his crib. I was put on bedrest and I could not lift him up and over the side, so to put him down for naps, etc., we had to convert his crib so he could get in it on his own. He basically stopped sleeping (at night and for naps) when that happened. We put the rail back on right after the baby was born and he went back to sleeping happily in it until his 3rd birthday.

[infomama]

Dd1 'graduated' to a big girl bed because she kept climbing out of her crib. No brainer for us. Can't remember exactly how old she was at the time. Dd2 is almost 2, still in her crib and we have no plans to move her. It's all on her.

[DebbieJ]

My DS went straight from crib to twin bed.

But in your case, I'd buy a 2nd crib. Your DD is way too young to not be contained.

[arivecchi]

But in your case, I'd buy a 2nd crib. Your DD is way too young to not be contained. :yeahthat: I recently transitioned DS1 to a bed because he was jumping out of the crib and it has been a nightmare. I miss the days when he was safely contained in his crib.

[LexyLou]

Buy a second crib! The last thing you need is to deal with a non-sleeping 16 month old AND a newborn!

DD2 arrived when DD1 was 22.5 months. I bought a second crib and I'm so glad I did. DD1 showed signs and was totally ready to transition to a big girl bed right around 2 yrs 7 months. She never got out of her bed, not once. I know if I did it earlier, before she showed signs of readiness, it would have been ugly.

I can't imagine putting my kid in a toddler bed at 16 months. DD2 is newly 2 and I have no intention of taking her out for at least another 6 months.