when to move toddler from cot to bed

[mammalicious]

am wondering when is the best time to move my 19mth old toddler from her cot to a toddler bed. if a 2nd baby were to come along, i'd like to be able to use the old cot for the new baby, but worry that there may be difficulties -- with the 1st thinking "its MY cot", with the new arrival creating a regression in the 2nd (told not to even bother potty training if a new bub is on the way?) etc etc.

also as space is limited in hk, how easy is it for a 2 yr old and a new born to sleep in the same room. last thing i want is one waking the other over and over the whole night through.

[hkaussie]

I have asked this question of a lot of people since our cot is quite small and I didn't know whether to get a bigger cot or just a bed.

The consensus seems to be - it is really up to you and your family and how ready your child is. You might be thinking ahead a bit too much, worrying about regression in your daughter when you're not yet pregnant. If your daughter is sleeping through the night, is happy in the cot and there's no reason to move yet, then I would say wait until she gets too big for it.

Here are some reasons to move to a big bed that I have heard:

* Toddler is physically too big for the cot (we are getting to this stage)

* Toddler climbs out over the bars and onto the floor, putting herself at risk by falling from a height.

* New baby needs the cot.

Here are some reasons that you might want to wait:

* Toddler sleeps erratically and usually wakes up at night, wanting company. If this is the case, a bed will only mean she will hop out of bed instead of standing shaking the bars. She could get into mischief in her room, or constantly come out to find you in the living room or your bedroom. Not that that is a problem for everyone, it depends what you can handle.

* Can't afford the expense of a new bed, or want to wait before buying one.

Hm, can't think of any others from memory but that first point is a significant one. That was what made me realise my 18 month old is not really ready to be in a bed without bars just yet.

In terms of normal age ranges, I have heard people moving their baby at 12 months into a big bed, and also others staying in a large cot until 2.5 or 3, so there is a big variation.

With regards to sharing a room, it can be done. One option is to have the new baby share your room for the first 3 -6 months, in a moses basket or other small cot. That gives you a little more time for the older child to grow up just that little bit more. Then once they're in the same room, I think it will inevitably happen that there is some waking up of both the toddler and baby, but you may also find that both are a little more settled knowing they have company through the night.

[loupou]

Before bb# 2 came we moved toddler #1 (she was about 20 months old) onto a bed. We were lucky & lived in a flat w/ 3 bedrooms so toddler stayed in her room and we put the cot in the parent's room to start & then moved it into study/computer room.

Then we did lots of shifting around. bb# 2 got moved out of the cot when he was about 14 months old because he figured out how to climb out - so he got a mattress on the floor.

Main rule : everybody sleeps - doesn't matter where. Toddler might start out w/ mama in the big bed & then get shifted to small bed and later joined by baba if she wakes up crying. Or, may stay in big bed & baba moved into it w/ toddler while mama takes care of baby and ends up catching a few hours on the couch... Or baba may end up in toddler's bed after helping w/ baby in the middle of the night...

[capital]

We moved our child out of the crib when he was 20 months old. I was 4 months pregnant and we moved him because I wanted him to not remember sleeping in the crib when the baby came. This time I don't know when we will move the baby out. He is 13 months now, but we are not planning a third, so will probably keep in there until it is unsafe.

[sophwillsmum]

Unless you are having problems with your child such as them clinbing out or a new baby arriving soon, I would say 'What's the hurry?' Moving a child in to a big bed is not a milestone and if they are happy and sleeping through, and you don't need the cot, why rock the boat? From my experience with my first, the older they are, the more likely they are to understand about staying in bed and respond to bribes, threats etc when needed(LOL) Young toddlers I believe are happier and more secure in a cot. A 'big' bed can be a scary place for a little person. My son is two and a half and still happily sleeping in his cot. I am dreading moving him out as I know from my daughters experience that the days of putting your child to bed and knowing they will stay there will be over. Don't be in a rush to make your child grow up. It happens quickly enough as it is.

[KatBoo]

i am at the same stage - 19-month old and twins on the way!! I've been thinking about this dilemma alot over the last few months too, and in the end decided to buy a cot-bed for the toddler...

1. I don't think he's ready to move out of the cot yet as is a real wriggler in the night and ends up in all sorts of positions.
2. don't want him able to get up and wander about willy-nilly (early mornings or in the evening).
3. as have only 2-months to go before babies arrive, don't want to disrupt him just as chaos ensues.

As we've bought a cot-bed it will eventually be his normal bed anyway so is not a waste of money. Have chosen one that looks pretty similar to his cot, so hopefully he wont even notice the difference!

K