Signs that your toddler is ready for a Big Kid Bed
Making the transition from the crib to a big-kid bed can feel daunting and exciting all at the same time. I know when it was coming close for my son to switch to a bigger bed, I found I was almost wanting to rush it as I felt so excited for this new change for him! But please - let me tell you - DON’T RUSH IT. You will be facing new challenges that you never expected.
I’ve put together some “good signs” to look for, along with some reasons NOT to make the switch to a bigger bed.
Here are some good signs to look for:
Your child is over 2.5 years old, and very close to being 3
Your child can understand basic instructions and they know right from wrong
You and your child can communicate well with each other
Your child is already sleeping well through the night
You have a set sleep schedule and routine set up
Your child is unsafely climbing out of the crib despite any efforts you make to keep them in
Here are some reasons NOT to switch to a big kid bed:
You are pregnant and “need” the crib for the new baby - I’m going to let you in on a little secret - newborns do NOT need a crib when they are first born. In fact, most newborns stay in their bassinet until they’re 4 months old. Even then, babies can happily and safely sleep in a playpen for a loooooong time. I would also recommend checking out your local Facebook Buy n Sell pages for used cribs. People are always selling their baby stuff, so by switching your 18-month-old into a big bed to get the crib for the newborn is not a smart move. I like to see the crib-to-bed transition happen closer to 3 years old.
You think that your baby or toddler “hates” the confinement of their crib - Babies and toddlers are on a journey of finding out things that they do and don’t like. Some of which are non-negotiable. If your 6-year old said “I’m never brushing my teeth because I don’t like it,” you wouldn’t just shrug your shoulders and let the plaque build up. As the parent, you would take matters into your own hands and let them know that brushing isn’t negotiable, so either they do it, or someone else will. The same thing rings true for their sleep environment. Lots of the time, babies protest the crib because they are experiencing FOMO; fear of missing out. They know that when they get put into their crib, it means the fun is over and it’s time to sleep - so they aren’t as motivated to WANT to sleep because they would much rather stay up and play with you.
They have started climbing out of the crib - There are a few things I would suggest doing if your child has started crib climbing. Firstly, lower their crib mattress to the floor. Not even the lowest setting, the actual floor. Second, turn the crib around so that the higher wall is facing outside and the shorter wall is facing the wall. Thirdly, find a sleep sack to put your baby in. They sell huge sleep sacks, so I can guarantee you can find one that fits your baby.
Your child doesn’t respond well to discipline and has a hard time listening to you
Your child already struggles with sleeping through the night
You think that by switching over to a bigger bed, your child’s sleep problems will resolve on their own
If your child doesn’t respond well to discipline, has a hard time listening, and they already have some major sleep problems, I can guarantee that transitioning them to a big bed won’t solve the problem. In fact, it could make things much worse. Even for a perfectly sleep-trained child, they will absolutely test limits in a new sleep environment. A child without any structure around their sleep environment will push the limits to the max. The good news is that it doesn’t have to be like this. It isn’t too late to make a change with your child’s sleep habits and I would love to help you!
I also want you to know that if you have transitioned your child to the big bed and you’ve read through this and realized maybe it was premature - you can ALWAYS transition them back to the crib. In fact, I help parents with this transition back a lot of the time. Preparation is key for big sleep change!
-Bailey
