Recently, I snuck in Claire's room with camera in hand and raised the shade so I could snap some photos of how cute she is waking up in her crib. She's such a great sleeper and wakes up in a fantastic mood, but definitely loves time to wallow in the bed before getting up.Our plan is to move her to a twin bed (with rail) before the babies arrive. I'm so worried she won't transition well because this girl LOVES.HER.CRIB. Loves it.
Any advice for me to make it as smooth as possible for an 18month old...hopefully the babies will give me until that time?
11 comments:
If she loves her crib, I'd leave her in it. I so wish I'd done that with our first. Our second came when she was still little enough to be in the crib and we rushed her into a big girl bed thinking she was so grown up. We were wrong. I wish I'd let her be little a little longer. Cribs aren't that expensive... and they grow up so fast anyway. Just my thoughts. I know you'll figure out what's best for you and your family! :)
I'd totally keep the crib for her, April. She's going to have so many adjustments already and that would be just one more that probably isn't really necessary.
I put T in a big bed at 18m too because of Carson's arrival and it was probably a poor choice on my part. He never went back to being a good sleeper and would wander constantly whereas C didn't get out of his crib until almost 3 and is the best sleeper of the bunch :)
We transitioned our little guy about a month ago when he was 18 months and it went fairly smoothly. We put the mattress on the floor in his room and let him get used to playing with it (and jumping on it) for a few days, lying down next to him on it before nap times and bed times then actually put him to bed in the cot. Then one night my husband just lay down next to him for a bit longer and left when he felt ready to and while the little guy was still awake and he's never wanted to go back to the cot. I think he'd had a pretty full day and was on the tired side and that helped. I personally would have left him in the cot a bit longer but he was obviously ready himself. Just give her a bit of time to get used to the idea and don't rush it.
I think you should leave her in the crib too, just because you really don't want her taking off around the house on her own when you think she is sleeping and you are taking care of twins. And if you do want to put her in her own bed I think you should start with a toddler bed with her own crib mattress and sheets with that familiar smell and feel from her crib.
Every child is different, so what my work for one may not work for the other there is no way of telling, its kind like live and learn or trial and error. You just need to do what is best for you and your family.
I have no 18-month-old, but I know people who do. I would suggest a gate on the door and a room that's pretty much empty except for the bed. That way she can't hurt herself if she "escapes."
My little one (18 mos.) loves her crib too. I'll probably take my time transitioning her because she behaves so well in there. Reads, daydreams…she has no desires to escape or be adventurous. I love that photo. So adorable.
I usually move my kids to a big kid bed when they're two. I have a 18 month old right now and he loves his crib too. I'm waiting until September to move him. I'm alway sweating bullets about it, but we're going to be needing that crib anyways.
Hopefully it goes smoothly for you. When we moved my older boy, he stayed in his bed. He was three and still calling for me to come get him out of bed in the morning.
I would leave her in the crib - when they can get out of their bed on their own, it's a whole new ball of wax. I wish I had left my son in his crib for as long as he wanted to be in it or when it was a danger (jumping out, etc.). I moved him at 2 and it was too "exciting" to him to get out of bed all the time - made it harder for him to get a full night's sleep b/c he was playing so much.
Here's what I did...before my twins were born (and I needed the 2nd crib) I put the twin bed in the room with my son's crib. I gave him the opportunity to sleep in either one, but he had to stay in which ever one he chose. The twin bed was good for naps because I usually laid down with him (I was tired too!) and it got him used to sleeping in the twin bed.
In the first couple of months with the twins, I didn't need two cribs because they slept together in the same crib. Depending on how big your boys are, you can do that too. Mine were around 6 lbs. each when they were born and I think that they slept together for 2 or 3 months (until they started waking the other one up). And by that time my biggest boy was out of the crib and ready to give it to his brother! Not sure if you plan on using the same crib, but I just bought another like the first since it was still in great shape and they use them for such a relatively short time.
I agree with what others have typed-if she loves it and isn't trying to climb out of it-leave her in it. I wish my youngest would've stayed in his crib longer. He was a climber and we were always worrying what he'd get into or where we'd find him when we woke up. Kinda disconcerting to say the least!
Best Wishes!
Suz
I have a P.S. to add to my post. I agree that if she is happy in her crib and not trying to climb out, keep her there.
The problem that I had with the twins was that they didn't want to stay in their crib...I had to buy two of those things that look like a net tent that goes over the crib to keep them in there! They still could get out if I didn't rig it to keep the zippers shut! But after they moved to twin beds, I don't think I had any issues with them staying in bed.
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