Converting to 'Big Bed'- How???

[dna13]

DS will be 20 months when bub #2 comes along. We are planning on putting DS into a 'Big Bed' by the time the baby comes along. I am really just after some advise as to what others have done to make the conversion. What should i do to prepare him for the move etc?

Any help would be very much appreciated!! I am stressing out a bit about it even though i still have a little while to go.

[Aprilsmum]

Great question. I'll be interested in responses you get. :thumbsup:

[Supermum]

My son was 15 months when his baby sister arrived. So rather than buy another cot, we moved him into a big bed at around 14 months … which is quite early. He was the kind of toddler who didn’t like being contained anyway so it worked out for us.

Firstly we took away the cot and replaced it with a single mattress, on a trundle bed, in exactly the same position as the cot. We put up a barrier on one side (the other side was up against the wall) and foam matting around the rest of the bed so if he fell out, he’d have a soft landing. Again, make sure the mattress is in the same position as the cot if you can – it helps them keep their ‘bearings’.

For the first few nights he didn’t even realise he couldn’t get out of it but your son is much older and may go walkabout. It varies from child to child. Some are very comfortable in the enlarged version of a cot without barriers, others like the safety of the cot.

When DS did start wandering we just pick him up and put him back. After a while he got bored with it and stayed there.

My daughter was in a bed at 15 months. Same process – and no issues with her either.

When they were staying put more often and not falling out of the bed we took out the trundle and introduced the ensemble. The barriers remain - DS is 3 and DD is 2.

Good luck!

[Briswegian]

I moved my son at about 22 months.
We bought a mattress and put it onthe floor first so he didn't have so far to fall and bought some buzz lightyear sheets (BIG HIT!).
We left the door open but found that he just ran out and thought it was a really funny game and then closed it and he went straight to sleep.

So make it a fun big kid thing and make sure you have a routine...dinner bath story bed or whatever works for you.

A month or so later we introduced the bed which he was well chuffed with...voila!

My advice would be to move before the bub comes as I presume you'll be puting baby in the cot? You don't want the older child to feel as though they're being ousted.

Good luck!

[Briannabear]

Ive been meaning to ask this question too!
Is there as much of a rush to convert them over if I have a bassinette for the new bub? Or will my DD still feel 'funny' for being 'kicked out' of her bed - so to speak?

[Melo]

Ive been meaning to ask this question too!
Is there as much of a rush to convert them over if I have a bassinette for the new bub? Or will my DD still feel 'funny' for being 'kicked out' of her bed - so to speak?

My DS will be 16 months before the next one arrives :). I'm worried also about 'rushing' him into a bed, a month before next bub is due we will probably start the process but if he is too un-settled we will probably use a bassinette for awhile.. I suppose it is going to be such a big thing with a new baby and being kicked out of their beds aswell.

[jkate]

Aden was about 20 months when we put him into a big bed. I wasnt pregnant at the time, but where going to be TTC soon.

First thing we did was put the bed up into his bedroom, this way he got used to the idea of it being in his room.

Around this time he also started to play up when we try to put settle him down, he even threw his dummy away sereval times, so we didn't give it back. Finally we thought, he is going into the big bed, my husband took down the cot - off topic does anyone know where the bolts are we need them so we can put Travis in the cot :banghead:, sorry - anyway back to the story, the first night Aden went into the bed, he was a jack in the box. As soon as we put him in, out he hop, we just kept putting him back in. Eventually he would stay there for a little while, but once we left he would come out of his room, so I stood at the door, as soon as he came out it was straight back into bed. He finally learnt that I was going to be there so he stay in the room, but then I would go in once I knew he was out of bed and put him back in. I then stay with him, slowly moving away, and out of the room. This happen for a few nights before he just stay in the bed :smiliedance:

Sorry that is so long winded, best advice I can give you his put the bed up first, let them get used to it. And persists, it will take a few nights for them. Once you take them out of the cot dont put them back into it. Lots of talks about being a big boy/girl and all about what is happening does help too.

HTH :)

[poshBecks]

Well...

I started Cj in the big bed for his night sleeps, coz the day ones just weren't working for us.

I would put him to bed & close the door. I had to do cc with him at first. He would usually fall asleep behind the door. Then after we knew he was asleep, we would go in & pop him into his bed.
For his day sleeps we just put him in his porta cot in his "new" room.

Once night sleeps were mastered. We started on his day sleeps. The trick I found with them was to do a similar routine as night. So we would change nappy, read a story & then it was bed. Again he would fall asleep behind the door at first, but after a while he got the jist!!

Cj was the same age as your little one btw!!

Good luck... persistance seems to be the key!!

[dna13]

Thanks for all your replies Ladies!:)
I was thinking about putting the bed up in his room to get him used to it before we actually put him in it. I will show DH all these replies and see what he thinks.

[Baby Girl]

I just want to say that be very careful about how you tell your bub he is going into a big bed - it should never be because we need the cot for the new baby. The cot is what they know and if they think they are getting outed because of the new bub it can open a whole new can of worms.

Get him involved in choosing sheets, doona covers etc and make it fun for him to sleep in the big bed. Give him plenty of time to get used to it before bub comes as a lot of significant changes over a short period can stress them out! What seems like something small to us can be life changing for a 2 year old. If he isn't ready, he'll let you know and you might have to leave him in his cot even after bub arrives.

Good Luck!!

[draught]

My two are 20 months apart. We weren't ready for DD1 to go into a bed when the baby was born and fortunately a friend loaned us a bassinet. At about the 23 month mark DD2 was growing out of the bassinet so we bought a bed and set it up in DD1's room. She immediately climbed onto it and pretneded to go to sleep. We bought sheets and she helped make up the bed. That night we asked her if she wanted to sleep in the cot or bed and she chose the bed with great excitement. The next day I asked her if she wanted the cot anymore and she said no. I then said - if you don't want it anymore do you think that "DD2" might like to sleep in it instead? She responded "good idea" and we moved the cot and that was that. She helped make it up for the baby and never once felt put out - because she was soooo excited about her "big girls" bed.

[melbryan]

My son is 23 mths and was put into a big bed at 20 months. The best thing for us was being able to shut the door without him opening it. He soon learnt that when it was time for bed he had to stay in his room. We say bed time and he walks to his room and gets himslef ready for bed.
We went shopping for some wiggles bedding and two side railings. We tell him how he is a big boy now and can sleep in his room on his own. He does come in to my bed when my husband goes to work but that's OK with me as he gets up within the hour so I can go to work.
He has a dummy and a special blanket which he likes to sleep with. We also have a night light for him so he is not in total darkness. After about 2mths he didn't cry at the door anymore and fall asleep. He is really good now and falls asleep really quickly and without fuss. I find holding him up 1/2 later means he won't cry.
He is in a great pattern now and teh cot is put in our spare room ready for the new baby in two months. Our next battle will be toilet training later this year.
Good luck

[Jel]

my eldest daughter had just turned 2 when we got her her "big girls bed". it was a present for her brithday from grandma and granddad.we set it up in her room opposite to the cot, leaving the cot in the room. she immediately wanted to get into bed and get under the covers "just like mum and dad".at night time we'd ask her if she wanted to sleep in "the big girls bed" and she'd say "yes, big bed". we asked her every night for a few days. we had one of those bed rails up, but didn't need it after about 2 months.we took the cot out of her room after about 2 months, when our youngest had graduated from her bassinet.