When to move to big bed

[Kassiasmum]

My dd is 15months and i am wondering when other mums put there kids into their own big bed. I just couldn't see her staying there she hates going to bed so much. Any help much appreciated.

Tracey

[sopolicha]

I left both my son and daughter until they were past two. I never had any problems with them coming back out once put to bed. But every morning I end up with a nice cuddle in my own bed from my son, who just climbs in which is nice.

I only moved my son out because he could climb into the cot and it was only a matter of time before he worked out the other way, which was bound to end in disaster.

[Rell]

I moved my daughter into a bed a few mths befor eshe was 2. At first she had her day time sleep there and then we moved on to night sleeps aswell.

[draught]

We put DD1 into her big bed at 2 years - but only because we needed the cot for the baby. We were lucky - she already had a fascination with beds so the day we set it up she climbed in, pulled up the sheets and sat there reading a book for some time in the afternoon. I was worried that she might fall out but it has only happened once and she didn't even wake up - we just heard the thump and found her asleep on the floor. It does mean that she wanders around in the night though - at different stages we have found her watching TV at 3am, playing in the bathroom with the taps at 4am, and appearing beside our bed demanding breakfast - anytime from 3am onwards. The general rule of thumb that many parents use is when they are able to climb in or out of the cot. I have friends and relatives who have happily kept their toddlers in cots until 3 - and we probably would have if we didn't decide not to buy a second cot.

[mumof2girls]

I put my girls into beds when they were one as they never liked cots in fact my oldest refused to sleep in one at all and slept in her pram for the first 4 months and then on a matress prefered this to a bed.

All the best :)

[Mighty'smum]

We put our eldest daughter in a big bed at about 20 months - but we started with a mattress on the floor for a couple of weeks. If you're worried about them wandering/not staying in bed etc, an idea that a friend used was to put a safety gate on the door. That way they can't get out of the room (sort of becomes a big cot) but can see you etc. It took a couple of nights but her girls settled into it easily. Was never a problem for us as both our girls sleep with the door shut. :)

[Graeme]

Jasmine moved onto a matress on the floor when she was two and a bit. After a couple of weeks sje moved to the bed. We didn't have problems with her getting out of bed, but she still waits for us to get her out of bed and she is 4 1/2!
Good luck
Graeme

[madvoice]

I bought one of those cots that converts to a bed. I'll probably do that before I put my daughter into an adult sized bed. Its good to see that the age is relatively the same for converting. My friend put her daughter in her own bed at 18 months as she needed the cot for her next child. it didn't take her daughter long to become accostomed to it. They did use side bumpers for the first couple of months though just to be safe.

[maybe1more]

Im yet to put my 23month old son into a bed yet! I will soon but i know once i put him into a bed he wont be a baby anymore! There not babies for long :( Hopefully i fall pregnant soon the i can keep my son in the cot untill the next one arrives(fingers crossed) so i dont have to pack the cot away :D

Mum to Connor 14/07/03 and trying to concieve bub#2

[emsybee]

I have just put my 14 month old into a bed 2 nights ago and we are not having much fun at all!! I have got a safety gate at the door so he cannot leave the room but is has taken up to and hour and a hlaf to get him to sleep each night. He keeps climbing out and standing at the gate or palying with toys in his room. I am wondering if anyone can give me advice on the best way to deal with this. Should we just leave him to his own devices and hope that he will put himself to bed or should we keep goiung in and putting him back to bed. So far we have been going in and puttin ghim back in but then you get to wondering if you should leave it a set time before going in or if you should stay in the room to make him stay in bed. Also is playing quietly ok?? I'd prefer him to go to sleep but my husband reckons we should let him play. Sorry for all the questions but I dont know where to get any help from. Can someone recommend a good book on this topic? What aout completely barracading him in his bed?