soon going to need to transition to a big girl bed- I am NERVOUS!!

[maisy]

Hi there everyone,

 A little bit of history, we live in a 2 bedroom house and have 2 children, DS 8.5YO and DD 18MO. It is not an option to put them into the same bedroom. There is no way it would work and to be honest I am not even willing to try, DS needs his own bedroom space so I cant take it from him. Wea re on a waiting list for a 3 bedroom house and trully believed we would have one by now, alas we are still "overcrowded" and DD is still sharing with us.

When choosing DDs cot, we had very limited space and so we bought a smaller than average, fairly cheap cot from IKEA.Our thinking was that if we didnt spend very much at that point, when we eventually got our new bigger house we could buy a cot bed which would fit DD until she was much older. Well DD is now getting far too big for her crib, she is a very restless sleeper and is whacking her head and limbs off the bars in her sleep which often wakes her up.

So we are now going to have tp transition to a toddler bed, we have rearranged the room (very badly  a whole chest of drawers cant open as it is so squished)  so we can now fit a toddler bed in. I feel it is too latein the day to buy a bigger cot now but I am worried DD is too young for a big bed. Also she is sleeping very well at the moment and  I dont want to wreck it.

WWYD? I cant keep the cot up at the sa,e time as the bed to get her used to it gradually, it is going to have to be cold turkey. Does anyone have any hints, tips or suggestions for us?

I have read all the info in the FAQs but I still feel really anxious.

Thanks for getting this far, sorry for the novel

x x x x

[SAHNE]

Lee Ann

-Is there room in Fraser's room to set up the Toddler bed for a while and begin to use for naps (since he's at school and not napping) and then when she's doing well with that move it into your room for nights?  Then it isn't cold turkey?  Or somehow make your bed safe and have her start napping there?  Either way, I think she'll be fine to make the switch at her age although there may be some sleep changes for a while, I would bet she wouldn't take long to get used to it, may sleep even better with more room.  Just my thoughts.  HTH.

Steph

[lawnseed]

I agree with pp

[maisy]

Thanks Steph  Now this is the part where I am going to seem really nutso. Frasre actually already has 2 beds in his room, he has bunk beds but they are seperated at the moment. My mum keeps suggesting that I try her in one of those beds for a while to get her used to it, but I htink tis will make it worse as she is also having to get used to sleeping in a different room . Also she isn't really allowed in his room as
1. he doesnt like her being in it    which seems unfair to me but it is his personal space and so I guess it is his right IYWIM
2. he has a lot of toys and most of them are not toddler safe, they have tonsof small parts and there is a lot of lego etc in there too. So my prob would be that I would have to sit in there until she is asleep to make sure she doesnt eat anything when she is meant to be napping.

Haha reading that back it sounds like I am making excuses, maybe one day I will try her in there as he will never know, apart form the fact that there will be a big pink bed guardon one of his beds  I will also need to purchase a black out blind as she needs it very dark to sleep.

Thanks though I do appreciate it  , and letting her nap in there is a popular idea round here (with my mum etc) that I may just try it and see

x x x x

[Jonahs Mom]

This may be a ridiculous idea, but what about switching beds with Fraser? Like he gets your bed and then you and Murray sleep on the top of the bunk (this is where it may be ridiculous since I don't know the size or weight restrictions), and Kirsten on the bottom?
It would free up some floor space too.

Don't feel bad if you want to tell me that is the dumbest idea ever. 

[SAHNE]

Ok, I have to admit I'm laughing... but maybe it could work.... then you'd still have room for the crib for a while.

I didn't realize all the implications of using Fraser's room, but I totally understand your dilema....

[AJs Mom]

Lee Ann
-I think it's good of you to not be letting Kristen in Fraser's room.  He does need his private space where he doesn't have a little sister breaking his stuff and messing it up.
-I didn't do a cold turkey switch, so I don't have advice for you there.
-My only suggestion would be putting the toddler bed in the living room or something where you can read her stories and do her bedtime routine to get her used to it.  Then do the switch.
-Then again, I think lots of people do the switch cold turkey and I'm sure it's gone fine for many of them!
-Did Rina go cold turkey?  Maybe ask her.

Sonja C

[¤ Efka ¤]

I am here, hearing tips as we have to do it one day, and no space in living room for toddler bed either.But all people here usually do it cold turkey so i am hoping for best.

[andibig]

Lee Ann
We did cold turkey with Sasha when transitioning to the big bed at 18 mths.Our situation was different as her sleep was "pants" at the the time.the reason we moved her to a big bed was 1)she was too big for the cot and a fidgety sleeper -2)she tried to get out!!.
so basically i thought i might as well transition her at that point rather than get her sleep back on track and then move her to a big bed.she actually sleeps a lot better in her bed anyway.
if her sleep is pretty good i don't think you'll have may probs.I made sure i kept to the same routine as before which also helped.
ANdrea

PS BTW we have a pink toddler bed needing a new home as DD is getting a new bed

[jennyh]

both of my girls were around 18 months and tbh were fine in a single bed with a double bed guard.we also have a 2 bedroom house so india is still in our room and her bed runs parallel with our bed .i cant put them together yet in the same room.we are on the list for a 3 bedroom too but im not holding my breathe .

[Katie]

leanne rina did cold turkey but shes in hospital right now   

Ok I did cold turkey with tiahnee... at wait for it......... 14 months! But thats because she could climb out of her cot! I look at aliera and cant believe we moved tia so early LOL

we just set up the bed moved the cot into a spare room (because we were too lazy to dimantle it!) but tiahne didnt know it was in thte iykwim  then we made the transition at a night sleep, just put her in (with a rail) and shut the door  she always went to sleep with the light off so i am guessing she went straight to sleep we always joke she was probably too scared to move hehehe.

It worked for us but in saying that Tiahnee always was and still is the most awesome little sleeper (takes after her mum  )

I didnt even think of trying day sleeps first but i wasnt BW'ing back in those days either (wish i was  )

anyway I hope you can feel some peace about whatever decision you make.

I also like that fraser gets hs own space tia does too she shuts the door if she doesnt want aliera in i dont mind cause it's when she plays barbies or drwing etc stuff I dont want aliera into right now anyway hehehe

ok i have rambled on a lot sorry

talk soon

Katie xxx

[maisy]

Thanks everyone,

Katie - I put Fraser in his big bed at 11 months!! He never slept in his cot ansd would spend all night every night in my bed. We moved house just before his 1st Birthday so i didnt bother taking his cot. BUT I always ended up sleeping in beside him. He didnt sleep through the night until he was about 5  He still wakes for a drink but can obviously help himself now.

So because I never did anything even remotely like BW with him, and I have done so much successful sleep training with Kirsten I am terrified to ruin it.

I have been racking my brains for a suitable prop should I need it! LOL so what I have come up with is to stay in the room and do PD with her (like I do in her cot if she is upset)  then leave once she is asleep , then I can use something like gradual withdrawel to get out of the room.

Obviously I am hoping that I will just put her in her bed and she will just stay there and go to sleep  but I think my spirited girl may have other ideas 

I have also tried moving my room around. The problem isnt the size of the room as it is a good size, but before I fell PG we bought some really lovely but massive furniture so our room was very full before DD was even born. I have thought of removing one of the pieces of furniture  but the rest of my house is really too small to take it, however temporarily. 

So I think it is going to have to be cold turkey    I also think I will get it this weekend.

One more thing, the bed I have in mind is a metal frame extendable bed so I am hoping to still be able to use her bumper maybe this will help the transition.

Oh and another thing, should I give her a pillow? I never have and she has always slept on th matress so what kind of bedding should I use??

LOL I know I know, if I didnt have anything to worry about I would worry about that!!

x x x x

[andibig]

Lee-Ann
before i transitioned Sasha to the big bed i started putting a pillow in her cot so she would have that also in her bed.
we just use a normal sized pillow and duvet (single) as DD likes to snuggle in her duvet!!
However you can get toddler sized pillows and duvets (and the bedding).theres quite a few internet companies that do these.so its really up to you what you want to do.
HTH
ANdrea

[kate585]

We are on Day 4 of the BBB (Big Boy Bed   over here.  Obviously, Ryan is older, but we have had almost no problems.  Knock wood!!!  He went right to sleep the first night.  We still have his crib in there, but he hasn't been back in it to sleep (to play, yes, but not to sleep  ).  
Yesterday at nap, he grabbed his blankets and Curious Georges and tried to come and see me.  I told him he had to go back to bed and if he got out again, he'd be in the crib.  Got back out of bed to close the door b/c I didn't close the door all the way, so I let it slide and he went right to sleep.  
As for overnights, he did come into our room at 7:30 looking for us, which is okay with me as it was late.  If it happens at 4:00, we'll have to talk about it.    This morning, I went in at 7:40 and he was sitting in his chair with his blankets and Georges waiting for me.  He didn't have to get out of bed since it's next to his chair.  So, did he get out of bed?  Hmmmm...not sure.  

LOOONG answer to say, don't over-stress about it before it's an issue.  I say go for it and then deal with the fallout.  You may be stressing over nothing.  

One more suggestion.  What about putting a mattress on the floor instead of using a frame, boxspring, and mattress?  You could then push it under your bed when not in use.  And, no need for bed rails since she's only a foot off the floor.  That's what we are doing in Ryan's room and there's no space issue.  He hasn't fallen out yet, but I'm sure it will happen.  

Good luck!!!