How long in the crib? Toddler bed?

[echoesofspring]

I never expected we'd have to buy two cribs, but DD& DS are closer together in age than I had anticipated we'd have if we had two. DS seems completely happy in his crib and our ped discouraged us from trying to move him before DD arrives. It's one that you can buy a side rail adapter for to make into a toddler bed, but the length doesn't change, i.e. it's not convertible to a twin bed. We haven't bought the adapter yet, and I'm wondering how long kids typically stay in their cribs and then how long they use a toddler bed? Anecdotes? I know similar age children who are in a toddler bed b/c they were trying successfully enough to crawl out of the crib, I haven't seen DS try to do that since I removed the hard sided turtle nightlight he had in there months ago. Though he tries to climb on everything else in our house and last night he tried to crawl into it!

[PZMommy]

We moved our first out of his crib and into a toddler bed when he was about 20 months old. We wanted time for him to adjust to his new bed before the baby arrived a few months later. I figured he would be climbing out of his crib by the time he was 2, so it didn't really make sense to buy a second crib. It went okay, although we had some sleepless nights and naps for the first week or so. We bought a Cars toddler bed for him, and played up the fact he was getting to be a big boy, so it was a happy transition for him.

If you think your first will still need a crib for awhile, I'd just buy a second crib. However, if you think he will be done soon, then I'd move him to a toddler bed. Also you could get an Arms Reach co-sleeper (we used ours with all four sides up like a bassinette), and the new baby could sleep in that for awhile to buy you some more time before moving your older one.

Good luck!

Dawn

[crl]

I caught ds in the middle of climbing out of his crib at about 20 months so we converted it to a toddler bed. He stayed in the toddler bed until he was nearly 4.

Dd is 31 months and still in her crib. I plan to keep her there as long as she isn't trying to climb out.

Catherine

[DietCokeLover]

DD was in her crib til she was 3+ years old. She started climbing out at 15 mos, so we had a crib tent from then on. DS was in the crib til almost 3 years old (also with a crib tent). We only used toddler beds for about a year after that.

[acmom]

We bought 2 cribs - DD was 21 months and very happy in her crib when DS was born. She stayed in her crib until a few months before she turned 3 and then we took the front rail off to convert it to a toddler bed, which she used for another 6 months or so. (She could have used it longer like that, but we were moving so we sold it and bought her a twin for the new house). DS was a noisy sleeper and only slept in our room for a few weeks before we moved him to his crib in his own room - and we all slept better that way. I was really glad we bought the 2nd crib bc it helped give everyone a better night's sleep. It was one less change for DD and one less worry for us as we adjusted to having a baby in the house. If your DC is young and happy in the crib, I think a 2nd crib is totally worth it!

[Dr C]

Mine were both in cribs until almost 3... I moved them out around potty training so they could go to the bathroom at night if they needed to. Neither ever used a toddler bed, went straight to a regular mattress on the floor.
can you beg/borrow/steal another crib for a year or two?

[twowhat?]

DDs finally figured out how to climb out at 3.5, so we converted the cribs to toddler beds.

[rin]

We moved DD1 at 27 months, when she started climbing in/out. I was shocked at how easy the transition was. We had actually been planning to buy a second crib for DD2 (who was 1 month old at the time and still in a bassinet) and convert the crib to a toddler bed for DD1, but we ended up just buying a regular twin for DD1 and using the crib for DD2.

[BabyBearsMom]

DD1 was in her crib until she was almost 2.5yo. She wasn't crawling out of it but she asked to get a big girl bed so we moved her. I bought two cribs for my kids because I didn't want to move DD1 until she was ready and I didn't want her to feel ousted by the new baby. I have no regrets.

[♥ms.pacman♥]

DD1 was in her crib until she was almost 2.5yo. She wasn't crawling out of it but she asked to get a big girl bed so we moved her. I bought two cribs for my kids because I didn't want to move DD1 until she was ready and I didn't want her to feel ousted by the new baby. I have no regrets.

:yeahthat:

Similar thing for me. At 2.5 DS had yet to climb out, but we ended up finding a Thomas bed on CL, he saw it and wanted to sleep in it instead. We assembled it, put in his room, he slept in it all night the first night, no problems at all. No probs since. Naps are a tad bit trickier (maybe 1 out of 3 times he gets out of the crib and stays up for 1/2 hr to reads books, plays in his room) but we have had no problems with him getting out of his room (as far as i'm concerned, as long as he stays in his room for 2 hours and plays quietly, that's fine with me!). Nighttime sleep was not affected at all. IMO things went really smoothly because he was old enough and ready to sleep in a bed. All the stories I've heard of moving a toddler younger than 2yo (or a toddler that wasn't ready) out of their crib are horror stories (wakings/leaving room, kid gives up nap,etc). I personally would not try to transition a kid out of a crib around the time of a new sibling, too many things going on and as PP said I did not want him to feel ousted by the new baby. Also as others mentioned, the LAST thing you want to worry about when you are sleep deprived with a newborn is a toddler roaming around the house at night!

[SnuggleBuggles]

Ds2's crib converted to a toddler bed. He turns 5 soon and still comfortably uses the toddler bed.

[cookiemonster80]

Dd1 is almost 3 and still in her crib with the rail up. She can climb out and does when we come and get her ( I actually taught her how while pregnant with dd2 bc I couldn't lift her) but doesn't climb out otherwise- she just hangs out in there and plays with her animals. Not sure when we'll take off the rail to covert it since she's happy now- and we are too! I'm not in a hurry and am SO glad we got another crib for DD2 instead of rushing DD1 out- the first 4 months were hard enough without dealing with a toddlers newfound freedom at night!

[Naranjadia]

My kids will turn 6 in Feb and are just about to bust through the headboard of their toddler bed. :ROTFLMAO::ROTFLMAO: Bad mommy. I just can't decide on beds for them.

They were in cribs until about 3.5, when we converted to the toddler beds.

[echoesofspring]

Thanks everyone! And I appreciate the stories of old kids in the toddler bed. I don't really mind buying another crib if we're going to use it for several years as crib then toddler bed.

[karstmama]

ds went to a toddler bed at 5 1/4. he wasn't trying to get out, and wasn't potty trained, so...i let it slide. :( anyway, then he got a separate toddler bed & has used it almost a year, and went to a twin just this week. he'll be 6 on the first.

[ZeeBaby]

DD1 was 20 mos when we had DD2. We went with two cribs. DD1 was still happy in her crib and she just seemed so small to me for a big girl bed. She is now 4.5 and still in her crib converted to a toddler bed. We are trying to get her to go to a twin but she isn't really interested lol.

[sunshine873]

DD was happily in her crib until a little past her 2nd b-day. She was in the toddler bed (converted crib) until last week when we moved her to a twin sized bed. She is 3.75. She could have been in her toddler bed for longer, but the furniture was mine when I was a kid and we got tired of paying for a storage facility, so we decided to move her into it.

[okinawama]

DS1 was in a crib until he was 2yrs 4months. The only reason we took DS1 out of the crib was because Ds2 wasn't sleeping well in the PNP anymore and I wanted to see if he would sleep better in the crib. DS1 went from a crib into a twin bed, so no advice on the toddler bed.

[JBaxter]

Jack's bed covers to a toddler bed < side comes off> then we could use it to convert to a headboard for a full size bed. Jack was 4 last month and is very happy in his toddler bed.

[roseyloxs]

Both kids were in twin beds by their 2nd birthday. DD moved slightly earlier because we moved before her 2nd birthday and were living in hotels for 2 months. She shared a queen/king with DS during that time.

Once we moved we got bunk beds. We also set up the old crib as a toddler bed in the same room. DD is almost 3.5 now and switches between the toddler bed and bottom bunk as she pleases. Its probably about 60/40 in favor of the toddler bed. Our bunk bed is from Ikea and the lower bunk is the same height as our toddler bed.

I don't know your DS but for my kids the switch to a twin bed was painless. I would probably have the new baby sleep somewhere else for the first 4-6 months. In your bed, in a bassinet, co-sleeper, p&p, etc. Make a big deal about DS turning 2 and getting a BIG bed for his birthday. If he is into it I would get a twin bed and avoid buying a new crib. If he resists the idea then its time for a 2nd crib.

[novmber]

I don't remember when I converted the cribs to toddler beds but my 5 year olds just moved to twin beds and still where fine in the toddler bed

Sent from my ADR6350 using Tapatalk 2

[Pinky]

I'm glad to see that we aren't the only one still in a crib at 2.5. :)

Our DD doesn't attempt to climb out and she sleeps so well, both nap and nighttime so I don't want to mess that up. I figure when she starts climbing out we'll move her to a real bed.

[KDsMommy]

DS was in his crib until he was almost 3, then moved to a toddler bed. He moved to a full size bed around 4.5.

If I were in your shoes I'd buy another crib.

[BabbyO]

We were in the same situation. Our boys are 26 mo apart and I thought Stachio wouldn't be done with his crib because he seemed totally content to be in it. So we ordered a new crib for Peanut. Less than 2 mo before Peanut arrived Stachio started crawling out of his crib and we had to convert it to a toddler bed.

So in hind sight we could have used the crib for Peanut and gotten Stachio a twin bed. However, I'm glad we got Peanut his own crib. Stachio had to move rooms and keeping his bed the same was one familiar thing that we could move to his new room and I think it helped the transition.

I guess I'm ok with having 2 cribs. Both convert...so we'll be ok...and given Stachio's room layout...I like having the smaller toddler bed. We also didn't get a crazy expensive crib so it didn't bother me much - especially since Peanut has gotten SO many hand-me-downs. It is nice that he has his own bed.

That is my 2 cents. If you can keep your older one in a crib longer, do it. If you get a crib and he decides to crawl out before #2 arrives...its ok.

[MoeJoe]

Just to add our situtation: I had bought a convertible crib for DS1, when DD1 was born- they are 19 months apart- I got another convertible crib. When DS1 turned 3 we bought him a toddler bed to get his crib ready for the new baby.
So now we have:
-almost 4 yr old in toddler bed- he loves it, but moves around TONS and probably better off in a twin bed already. We're just not buying it so soon...
-2 yr old in a convertible crib- doesn't climb out, but would absolutely love to be in a toddler bed. We would not do it so soon cuz she'd NEVER stay in bed then!
-and 3 month old in a convertible crib.

Not sure I'd do the same thing if I'd have to do it again, but it's not too terrible. I think I should've gone with a twin bed instead of toddler, cuz of the two convertibles... but whatever it is, it is.

[echoesofspring]

Thanks everyone. Crib #2 is purchased! I feel much better about this knowing that since they are convertibles, we'll probably be using them for more than just a couple of years.

Now to figure out the double stroller ;)

[YouAreTheFocus]

DS is newly 3 and still in his crib (and fully PT). Someday we'll take the front off. If I have learned one thing from this board, it is "if it's not broke, don't fix it!" :)

[indigo99]

DS definitely could climb out if he wanted to. I've discouraged it the few times he started to though so he's still staying in for now. We HAVE to potty train soon though, and I'm debating whether we have to convert to the toddler bed before we do. I thought about switching him when DS2 came along, but I'm so glad that we just bought another crib. Our second was much less expensive (Graco), but it's been fine.

[hoodlims]

At 20 months age difference I would just get the full size Arms Reach Cosleeper and use it as a crib or PnP until around 6 m of age.

[peanut520]

dd was never a climber but we switched the crib to a toddler bed at 24 months since dd didnt want to wear pull ups at night and wanted only her big girl underwear. we went to a from the toddler bed to twin bed at 30 months.

[newg]

DD1 was in her crib till 3 (we switched to make her feel more like a big girl, so she wasn't in a crib like her baby sister)....and at 4.5 she's still happy in her toddler bed (front crib rail taken off w/guard rail)....Her bed then converts into a full bed; so she'll be using this bed 'till she leaves for college :)

I bought the same type of crib for DD2.....though I think I'll be lucky if she makes it to 3, as she's already attempted to climb out a few times.

[nfowife]

My two are 21 months apart and I got a second crib. My oldest DD loved sleeping in her crib and slept well. I did not want to rock the boat on that especially with a newborn who probably would have crappy sleep. I bought a cheaper (than DD1's) crib and it served DS very well.
DD ended up staying in her crib as a crib until about 3y4m, when I turned it into a toddler bed. I really didn't need to do that, she was fine in it as a crib still, but we moved and it was fine. She is very much a "pleaser" and wasn't the type to wander. She stayed in the toddler bed until we moved again when she was 5. She's tall for her age and slept just fine, not cramped or anything. Now she's in a twin and it is fine too. Her 23 month old sister is in her old crib and loves it too! No plans to move her to the toddler bed or regular bed anytime soon. DS's crib did not convert to anything else so when he was 3.5 we moved and I got rid of the crib and moved him to a twin. He also would have stayed in the crib longer but did just fine in a bed too.

[elephantmeg]

my kids are 25 months appart. DS was in his crib until he was 3.5. Then we transitioned him into a twin. Then his crib was recalled and we returned it for the full purchase price! DD was in her crib until 2-2.5? Then we converted it to a toddler bed. She's still in it (they share a TINY room and we are STILL trying to finish our upstairs for DS to have his own room. She'll trade a crib for a double bed! (She'll be 5 in March and is TALL for her age-maybe 3.5 feet tall?).