DD moved in just after christmas, so she would have been 19months, and it was about 3 months before DS was due. We had to go cold turkey as there was no room for the cot and the bed, so we took the cot down (DS went into a bassinete in our room) and put just a normal single bed in the room. We also got a bed guard that is long enough to stop her rolling out, but leaves the bottom end of the bed open so she can get in and out. To begin with, we just put a sheet on there, no pillow or doona (but it was the middle of summer). She was also a big mover in her sleep in the cot, but it wasn't as much of an issue once she went into the bed.
The first couple of weeks, I started off by lying down with her on the bed till she was almost sleepy, then after a week of that, I'd just sit on the chair in her room, and then once she was used to it, she'd happily lie down and we'd say night and pull the door closed...this only lasted for a month or so, and then she started not staying in bed - DH would turn all the lights off in the house and sit in darkness till she got the idea that nothing was happening! After almost a week of that, by fluke, we made her a frothy milk, and DH and I sat at the table with her having a coffee, and then, she happily went to bed. So that became part of our bedtime routine, after dinner, books and bath, then we'd sit and have "coffee' as a family. I think the extra attention worked a treat.
She generally gets herself out of bed between 5 and 6 and comes down to us - she'll often launch a teddy at our head, and then ask to get in.
I don't think she ever gave a "I'm ready for a big bed" signal, it was more a case of wanting her out of the cot in plenty of time for the baby to come.
We moved DS inot a big boy bed when he was 14 months, we took the rail off the cot at 13 months as he started climbing and a distant friend of ours lost her child when they climbed the rail and got their bib stuck and choked to death, so I would rather DS fall the 35cm to the floor than 1metre from the rail, or anything worse.
We got a race car bed of ebay 2nd hand for $50 and its great as it has the little sides on it so it stops him rolling out. Haven't regretted it once, he's so happy in it and we have our minds at peace!
Thanks for all the replies. I think we might try in a month or two and convert the cot to a toddler bed and see how we go. He is going to sleep without too much fan fare at the moment so hopefully he will transition well. I need the cot probably by December as Lachy grew out of the basinette at about two months so i expect this one to grow out quickly too. Do you think an 18 month old will get the excitement of choosing his own big boy bed linen etc or is that just silly at that age?
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