What age did you take the sides off the cot?

**Teeki** · December 31st, 2012, 06:24 PM

I swear this has been asked plenty of times, but I can't find a single thread on it!

DD is 18 months. She's fine in the cot, doesn't try escaping, but DH can't get her in there. No idea why as he's taller than me, but it's just not do-able. This wouldn't be an issue because I feed her to sleep and she won't accept DH if she wakes at night, but it's looking like in the near future it might be forced on DH and DD to work out their own way for anight or two.

I think it would be easier on both of them if the sides weren't there and he could lay her down easier. He could also sit or lay with her better that way.

Do you reckon she's too young? She can get up and down off of furniture safely so I'm not worried there, just wondering if this might cause sleeping issues for her. Would love to hear stories of how kids go at different ages!

**PumpkinZulu** · December 31st, 2012, 06:34 PM

We put DD1 in her cot with the side off (other side in and against the wall) at about 15 months I think. She was totally fine, she's great at getting off furniture. We put another cot mattress on the floor in case she fell out but she never did. A few times she climbed out and slept on the floor mattress but that was it. Now she's 18 months and we just bought her her own double bed

**Teeki** · December 31st, 2012, 06:39 PM

We actually bought the wrong size mattress for her cot the first time, so we have a spare for the floor lol.

Good to hear she took to it well! I can't really imagine an issue honestly, there'd be a side rail, a mattress on the floor, and she's usually already asleep when I put her in there.plus when she wakes at night it's really only maybe 1 in 10 times that she's standing up so I don't know that she'd really notice much.

Only problem may be getting tangled in her sleeping bag, I don't know if we should switch to sheets and quilt.

**Babyluv** · December 31st, 2012, 06:44 PM

We took the sides off when dd was 15months because she was trying to climb out. We also went with bed sheets instead of sleeping bag in case she fell out. We bought a boori side rail which is on her big bed now. It's much easier for comforting to sleep!

**PumpkinZulu** · December 31st, 2012, 06:45 PM

We swapped to sheets and blankets. She coslept her whole life previously. First wrapped, then in a sleeping bag, and then blankets in her cot in her room with the rail off. She transitioned so well, I was really surprised. We found her sleep improved too, from 10+ wakeups a night to 2-3.

**~Hestia~** · December 31st, 2012, 06:53 PM

We took Moo's off later than his friends did, he was about 2.5. He didn't ever try to climb out or anything, it was just easier because I was then feeding his little brother when he woke up every morning. Good luck!

Oh in regards to the sleeping bag, you would be surprised how fast they can move in those things lol! She might be fine to stay in it.

**mummajj** · December 31st, 2012, 06:53 PM

DS went straight from cot to toddler bed which is very low to ground but same size mattress as cot. Occasionally half his body would be on floor and he would still be asleep lol,but he got the hang of it.

**human bean** · December 31st, 2012, 06:59 PM

At about 20 months we took the sides off DD's cot and she absolutely freaked out! Would not settle at all. So we put them back on and left it at that. For her second birthday we bought her a low toddler bed and put it in her room. I was dreading her reaction but she just hopped in it and had no problems from day dot! She is such a creature of habit I don't think a modification was her thing, she needed a complete new concept lol

We used sleeping bags in the cot but if I didn't she would try to climb out so I couldn't wean her off them before moving to the bed in fear she might fall out/over.

Went straight to sheets in the bed and she was fine, just tucked her in quit snuggly. She still insists on a good tuck in now and that's generally the only time she wakes now is to ask us to tuck her back in.

Good luck - you can only try and see how it goes!

**mummajj** · December 31st, 2012, 07:00 PM

Sorry he was 18 months old

**helle** · December 31st, 2012, 07:07 PM

I put my son in a queen sized bed at 17 months for that very reason. So dh could start a bedtime routine with him and lay down next to him to help him settle. He refused to go to bed for dh and it wasn't a good thing with number 2 on the way.
The only think you can do is try. What's the worst that can happen? If it doesn't work out you have a bed for when she will eventually need it anyway

**Teeki** · December 31st, 2012, 07:11 PM

Thanks everyone

Lol Hestia, she sure can go in it when she needs to! I'm more concerned about her getting tangled in it if she falls out, plus she's beginning to outgrow them and I'm not sure I want to spend the cash on the next size if she'll be ok with the sheet and quilt.

PZ, we currently have 2-3 wake ups a night, if that improved even more I wouldn't know what to do with myself!

I think we may as well try it. She has day naps on her little couch in the lounge, and spends plenty of time in our bed so hopefully it won't be a big transition for her. The other thing is we'd like to ttc #2 later this year. I can just imagine me getting her in and out of there with a big belly

**~Hestia~** · December 31st, 2012, 07:19 PM

Sounds like she will be fine, let us know how it goes

**DreamBabies** · December 31st, 2012, 07:45 PM

Great thread. My daughter will be 18 months when our second baby is due. She sleeps in her cot until 2am and then comes in with us until 7am. Only ever wakes the once. We haven't really tried putting her back down in her cot at the 2am wake up. Now is a good time to start. My husband and I are both on holidays so can both try.

I want to put her in a big girl bed on her second birthday. She's pretty mischievous and I'm sure would try to find toys to play with in the middle of the night instead of crying out for us. Lol.

**Teeki** · December 31st, 2012, 07:59 PM

Helle, that's exactly what we'll be doing when we have another that needs the cot, DD will move to the bigger room with a queen size. That way we have a spare bed for guests, rather than two rooms with tiny beds lol.

Dreambabies, holidays sounds like a perfect time to trial it! Wish I'd thought of it while we're on a break but we go back to work on Wednesday.

I reckon I might go shopping with her on Friday and pick out a new bedding set and side rail, then DH can see how he goes with her that night.

**leckert** · December 31st, 2012, 08:27 PM

I reckon I might go shopping with her on Friday and pick out a new bedding set and side rail, then DH can see how he goes with her that night.

I have a side rail you can have as ds1 didn't need it - we put him in single beds when we did a road trip from Brisbane to cairns last year just after he turned 2 and we had no dramas (he's fallen out maybe 3 times in 18mths). Ds2 won't be needing it for awhile if at all.

**Teeki** · December 31st, 2012, 08:31 PM

Oh that would be great leckert, thank you

I can pm you postage details, just let me know how much you'd like.

**Butterfly Dawn** · December 31st, 2012, 08:35 PM

Dd is 18/19 mth. We side car the cot for night sleeps. She has a bed with a low rail around it and she used that for day sleeps before she gave them up.

How wriggly is your LO?

**leckert** · December 31st, 2012, 08:36 PM

Might be easier to organize pick up/drop off as I can't undo it to put back in the box. Barossa isn't that far from me - near TTP (I vaguely remember that's where you are). PM to sort that out will be fine.