So, did anybody NOT use a bed rail?

[raynjen]

First, let me say I am VERY sorry to hear of your miscarriage...

From what I've gathered so far most people transition for a reason (baby's due, toddler is a climber, or toddler has literally outgrown the bed). In our case our crib was damaged when we moved and we HAD to convert it to the toddler setting (gate kept falling down). Soooo, don't feel like this is an age issue - you don't have to move her.

If you feel that this is something she needs to do, then I would suggest a gradual process. First off, does she need to change rooms? If she is happy in her room now can you just make the transition there?

If she does need to change rooms perhaps you could transition her stuff slowly to the new room (maybe move the changing station, then the clothes, then the toys, etc.) over a week. Then move the crib. When she seems used to that THEN start using the double bed - maybe for naps first then later for at night.

Truthfully, if I didn't HAVE to move my DD she would still be using a crib. It will be a LONG time before she needs to get out by herself (like for pottying at night) and why mess with what works?

Hope that helps...

Jen in Okinawa
Mom to Noelle (2 1/3)

[Hallie_D]

Oh Michelle, I'm so sorry to hear about your loss. If you still want to move Alia to the new bedroom, rather than keeping her in the nursery, you might set up the room with the bed and move any "big girl" toys and books into the new bedroom. That way she can explore the new room and get used to the bed, and she'll associate the room with good things--but she will still have familiar things in her current room. I was very worried about Elijah's transition, since he had previously slept with us (not in a crib), but for us the trick was the little details he fell in love with--for instance, we picked out a quilt with airplanes and painted stars on the wall next to his bed, and he has been so excited since the first day he saw them that he has insisted on sleeping in his own bed.

It also really helped us that his best buddy, Henry, already had a big boy bed. We were at Henry's house for a play date a few weeks before our move (and Elijah's transition) and Elijah got to see Henry's big boy bed. When he first saw his bed (before we got the quilt and painted the stars) he said "Henry!" and so we were able to talk about how Henry sleeps in a big boy bed, and now Elijah has a big boy bed too! Between Henry, the airplanes and the stars, there was literally no transition for us--one night he was in our bed, the next night he was in the twin bed in his own room. If Alia has a friend who has a big girl bed, you might try this strategy, too.

I hope this is helpful!

BTW, we still haven't gotten a bed rail... :-)

[egoldber]

Michelle, like you, we bought a new bed for Sarah when we got pregnant last summer. After I miscarried, we had the stinking toddler bed, so I decided to go ahead and transition her. Honestly, I am VERY glad we did. Its so much easier on me to have her be able to get in and out of the bed by herself and she now sleeps just as well as she ever did in the crib.

If I had to do it again, I would wait until a period of time when we planned to be home for a LONG time with no travel. We had her in the bed, then traveled, and then she refused to go back to it. We kind of went back and forth between the two beds for about 2 months (more travel involved....). If we had waited to do the transition until no travel was involved for at least a month or two, I think it would have gone much more smoothly.

HTH,