To change to the BBB or not?

[~ Vik ~]

So, ds is going to be moving out of the infant room and into the toddler room at his daycare July 5.  In the infant room they sleep in cribs in a separate sleep room - there are babies from 6wo up to 18mo old (Dylan is the oldest at 19mo, but we are waiting for the space to open in the toddler room) and all sleep at different times.  In the toddler room there is a set nap time (which luckily is roughly when Dylan naps anyway and all the children sleep on cots in the main room with the lights dimmed. 

Dylan is still in his crib at home.  He hasn't tried to climb out of it yet, but is a bit of an adventurer so I'm sure it's only a matter of time.  He is a good sleeper with a solid bedtime routine, generally STTN from 8/830pm to 7am unless something is wrong.

My question is, should we take the next month or so and start transitioning him to the BBB at home?  Do you think that this will make the transition to the cot in the toddler room easier?  I don't want to change beds at home too close to the transition at the daycare - I think that would just be too much going on at once - so if I don't do it now I'm likely looking at not doing it until September/October when he's approaching 2yo.  Is that too late?  Any tips for a smooth switch over?

Thanks for any help!

[anna*]

I wouldn't worry about it, and would let daycare handle his transition there. At Stan's nursery they have 12 toddlers all just lay down on mats on the floor in the main room and nap. There's nothing I could have done to help him with that, but once they are toddlers the need to be part of a group and do what other kids (especially bigger kids) are doing is so strong, I bet he won't bat an eyelid.

I definitely don't think that 2 years is too late to change to BBB, I know lots of toddlers who are still in their cots at 2.5 and even older!

[*Amy*]

my lo is still in his cot and shows no signs of venturing out of it! (i bet you I have just jinxed myself LOL)
he is quite an adventurer too but he just loves to his cot!

[Shdef]

Scotty only changed at almost 4 years old and I am very greateful for this. Honestly, cots are a blessing, the kids sleep better in them. And the BBB training is completely different and you'd have to start from scratch. I'd say if it ain't broke, don't fix it. 19 months is still very young and he'll understand that things are different at day care anyway.

[Mashi]

I agree with anna and Steffi - I think that cots are great and I am not even anywhere near thinking about a BBB for my DS. I think that unless there is a real reason why you need to put him in a BBB then I would keep him in his crib for now.

[Mom to M&M]

I agree too! DD was in her crib until she was a little past three. I really think part of the reason her move to her BGB was so smooth was because she was truly ready and old enough to understand - we really didn't have any of the getting out of bed, taking hours game stuff...

We might have to move DS sooner than that (he's quite long) but will wait until he's getting uncomfortable in there or (hopefully not) trying to climb out...

[becky1969]

Another supporter of waiting! LOL! My son transitioned at 3.5.  We were so glad we waited because it was a breeze at that age -- he was old enough to reason with and you also have reward charts as a motivational tool at that age.  We ended up not needing any extra motivation -- he was ready and excited! The best part he was old enough to understand 'rules', and even now at age 4.5 he waits for me to come up to let him get up in the morning -- no running into my room or down the stairs or anything.    I told my husband he'll probably wait every morning in the dorm room for his college room mate to tell him it's OK to get out of bed! LOL!

[Shiv52]

agree on waiting too!!!  We had a few weeks of climbing out of the cot ages ago but it passed (thank goodness) and am so glad I've kept her in her cot.  Will be in there for as long as I can keep her there!  Ours is a cotbed though so loads of room!

I don't think it will affect his transition at day care. When my DD stays with my sister (couple of times a month only though) she sleeps in a bed and manages fine.  I think they learn quickly what happens for sleep in different places!!

[~ Vik ~]

Thanks so much for the replies everyone! With that unanimous advice we will definitely be waiting And that's such a good point Anna, about kids wanting to do what the other kids are doing. So happy that I asked!

Another quick question, since we have the bed, would it be worthwhile to set it up in his room anyway? to expose him to it? Maybe for story time? (or for mommy to sleep on when he's sick, instead of the floor ) His room is big enough for the bed and the crib, though it would be a bit tighter. Or would it be more of a nuisance?

[shivi]

hi!

we had a nightmare with the BBB transition, it went on for 9 mths plus. Ours was a kind of forced decision - Oscar was so active, big and heavy that he broke the slats under the mattress. He was 23 mths at the time....so we went out and bought him all new furniture (the blue stuff from Ikea) and moved the baby stuff for Emma (who we were TTC LOL - don't you love the planning>!>).

In the end, we set up the travel cot in his room and after an E but tired W (of which we had SOOOOO many), I'd pop him in there. (The original cot was waiting for the mattress base to be replaced  - E now sleeps in it). But it was no fun until Oz finally decided that HE was ready for the transition at 2 yrs 9 mths when uncannily E was around 2-3 weeks old, not the ideal time for transitioning in anyone's books but he's been happily going to sleep every night (also had the getting out of bed till 9-9.30pm and falling asleep on the floor by the gate at his door very often) since at 7ish (but we still get EWs but there you go).


My two are very long kids - Oz scaled his playpen at 1 yr 8 mths. Emma is more of a climber and can get out of the bath herself if given half a chance - same height as him at this age but longer legs. But in the cot they sleep(slept) in sleeping bags so there is no issue with climbing.

Unless we have another baby and need E's cot she will stay in it till she asks in a perfect sentence (in two languages LOL) for a BGB!!!! And that's a LOOOONG time away.

S x

[MasynSpencerElliotte]

since we have the bed, would it be worthwhile to set it up in his room anyway? to expose him to it? Maybe for story time? (or for mommy to sleep on when he's sick, instead of the floor )

Masyn has always had a bed in her room besides her crib, came in super handy for NW's when I was pg with Spence and was like a couch for story time so we could all cozy up.  She transitioned to the bed at 2.5 with no issues at all, and we had Spencer in a BGB at 16 months (and at 22 months still will not get out of bed unless I turn the light on and tell her too  )

[Shdef]

We've always had a bed there, too. For story time and to play.

[~Karen~]

Ethan is still in cot at just over 2.5 and until he starts climbing out, he's staying in it!  I do think it depends on the child though.  DD was an angel baby/toddler and she went in BGB at 18 months (we needed the cot for the baby!) and was absolutely fine and never tried to get out.  She's only started getting out of bed recently as I told her to take herself to the toilet in the night if she woke up and to stop waking me up!

[Tweakster]

We had a few weeks of climbing out of the cot ages ago but it passed (thank goodness) and am so glad I've kept her in her cot

This is interesting because our paed told us the same.  Oh he will climb out and probably only once or twice, especially if he falls doing it lol.  And she said there was no need to hurry him to a BBB. I hope we can keep Finn in there too because with the whole EW inclination he has no way I want him out and about at 4 or 5 in the morning!!!

But his daycare reports say 'Finley likes to climb on the change table' and he's climbing on the sofa these days and even trying to scale the stove lol.  So it's only a matter of time.

[Mashi]

Our cot lowers so low that *I* would struggle to climb out of it -- like 6 inches from the ground.  I always thought that all cots/cribs were like this, but the number of people that write about their 18-24 month old climbing out of the cot shocks me.  So is my DS's cot just odd that it has a level this low or   I could keep him in there until he was 5 and he would not be able to get out!!