Have just transitioned DD into a bed at 21 months in preparation for DS arriving in a couple of months. We just got bunk beds from IKEA with a trundle bed underneath, for the first month just pulled out the trundle in case she fell out (the bunk is only about 30cm from floor anyway - we decided against rails) - found her on the trundle asleep a few times, and now don't even pull that out - sometimes her legs are dangling out, but she has fallen out of a slightly higher bed while on holiday and didn't even wake up. She loves her new bed and has gone to bed better than did in cot - we lay down next to her and read three stories then kiss her and teddies and say good night leave room and thats it. We haven't found her wandering about overnight, but DH did discover her in our room once when she was meant to be having a day nap - I use the monitor still so I can hear her if she wakes up, and normally I get up if it sounds like she gets out of bed (often I hear her 'reading' to herself in the morning). I ask her in the morning if she has slept well, she always says yes and really seems to like it - she is often laying across the bed or upside down etc though, but I just cover her back up with the doona before I go to bed.
mimatron you said bunk bed? So who sleeps in the top bunk, or is that for when new baby is older?
Coz I do have a spare room, but if I have another girl, I think it's nice for them to share eventually, and saves me moving house when I have a 3rd! Maybe i should invest in a bunk bed instead of buying a new bed (if DD doesn't like the double we already have).
I have my 4 year old on top... we brought the bunks just before Christmas so she was 3 years 8 months. I thought I got the low ones (off ebay) but they werent that low! They have railings all around the top and we havent had any acidents from the top- just a few mid ladder ones at the start where they (Miss 4 and Miss 2) would fight. It doesnt happen anymore! So Yeah... I have Olivia up top, Rebecca on the bottom (she is 2) and Amy in the cot all in the same room. I was thining if we do have #4 we would get another set of bunks and put DD2 up top... by then she would be around 3 and a half- 4!
I think the double would be fine to start off with. Do you really need to move house? We only have 2 bedrooms and an office. It is tight but for the moment its fine and I can see it being fine for at least another 5 years or so! (hopefully) Personally I dont think that its essential for kids to have their own rooms at this age. I tell you what though... I love hearing them at night having chats and when they wake up they have chats too. Its really nice.
That would be so lovely hearing them chatting away together! It reminds me of when I was a kid, there were 4 of us in one room, and it was a lot of fun actually.
I'm definitely going to let them share a room I think.
Thanks so much for the tips ladies!
Oh and if anyone has any extra advice, please bombard me. I need all the tips I can get!
What about breastfeeding? Will DD get mad that I'm constantly holding and feeding the new baby? Will she be bored at home being houseridden?
What about at the hospital? Do I bring DD? We don't really have anyone to babysit.
DH will have to take her home at night for sleep and then I'll be all alone in labour! What did you guys do?
Glad I could be of help!
Breastfeeding.... I expressed for 8 weeks then ff. You just have to make sure you have snacks/activitis for dd to do while holding/feeding bub. Plenty of one on one time with dd while baby is sleeping will relieve boredom and maybe some special outings for her and your dh.
As for the hospital.... I had my mum to look after them. Do you have any neighbours/friends you can drop her off to while your in hospital? Where abouts are you? If your close by me.... I would watch her when the time comes!!! Also when I had the baby I made it that dd1 and then both dd1 and dd2 came in first before anyone else to meet their new sister.
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