From cot to bed

[ebn_d]

Hi all,

after a some what failed attempt last night to change DS into a toddler bed, i thought id ask
When others did this?
How did you know when it was the right time?
How did you go about it?
How did it work?

Basically HELP

[HotI]

What happened when you tried it? Where does your son usually sleep?

I have recently moved DD at 17 months, and have been surprised at how well it has gone. She was in a side car cot (cot with only 3 sides up against our bed) and would crawl into our bed sometime during the night.

She has moved in to a kingle single bed with a side rail. She can get on & off herself with a little step.

It took us a little while to get the proper mattress, so the bed was set-up with just a single mattress and as i was getting her room ready she would often play on the bed. She had a couple of naps on the bed.

When we got her mattress, we made the bed up with the new sheets etc and checked it out a few times during the day. DD pretended to lie down and we tucked her baby in. She has a drink bottle holder at the end with a drink bottle of water in it. i show it to her each night, but she hasn't found it herself in the middle of the night yet.

I still BF her to sleep, and then DH or I carry her to bed. Sometimes, she wakes a little but we can just rub her back and she goes back to sleep.

We decided the first night that if she woke we would try to resettle in her bed each time until 12 and would then bring her into our room. Surprisingly, she slept until 3am! At that time, i brought her back into our bed. Over the past week or so, she has been easier to settle each time in her bed. If she wakes, she calls out and we go in pretty much straight away. At first, we might have to pick her up and cuddle her but now, she lays back down when we go in and i 'ssshhhh' and rub her back and then sit for a little while to make sure she is back asleep.

2 nights ago, she slept 11 hours with only one wake up. This is amazing for her, better even than when she was in our room.

She has a nightlight and at the moment we have a heater in her room.

hope some of that helps.

[OceanPrincess]

2 nights ago, she slept 11 hours with only one wake up.

HotI, that's fantastic Well done DD!

We did much the same as HotI. We made the bed up, played in there and on the bed for a while before attempting sleep. Put her in for two day sleeps and then went the whole hog.

She's quite independent though... I think it'll be harder with DS.

[ebn_d]

thanks ladies!

HotI- he is usually in his own room in a cot, he is very independant, he went down fine at about 8, slept till 10, then was between our bed and his bed until 2, never asleep. at 2 i went in and laid next the bed for bout 20 mins and he didnt wake up again till 5.30 when he resettles quickly and then up at 8.30am. he usually goes from bout 8pm till 7am, with a couple of wake ups if that

will have to jsut stick to it and se how he goes

[HotI]

Is the cot also the toddler bed? if they are different, you could start him in the toddler bed, and then if he wakes and won't settle try the cot.

If they are the same, its a bit trickier.

Some nights are better than others, so you get a good night tonight.

[ebn_d]

yeah they are the thing so bit harder, i was thinking of maybe getting the portacot out and giving him the option, the type fo kid he is it wont take him long to realise the bed gives him more freedom.

His down for his nap fairly easily, had a dirty nappy bout 10 mins after i put him down, changed him they put him back in the bed, he came the door a few times, saw me standing down the hall (waved an adorable cute wave atme) but i jsut told him to go back to bed and i loved him.within about 15mins he was in bed, cuddling a teddy, blanket up to his chin. YAY!

now for tonight...

[BeautifulMadness]

With my first Ds he moved into a big boy bed when was 2 years old to make room his baby brother.

it took some getting used to but just kept reminding him its his bed and his only and he is such a big boy now and made a really huge thing out of it. like going shopping for sheets and doona covers.

With my 2nd DS i dont think he will have any problems he loves sleeping in beds espeically his brothers sooo its not such a bad transition

just gotta stick it out

[Life is Good]

Sorry, don't have much time to read everyone's responses, but here is what we did this past weekend.

We moved DS into his new "Big Boy's" room. Popped posters on the walls and made it look fun. We talked it up a great deal.

We popped his Kind single mattress on the floor (off the ensemble for now) and put on a cool new doona cover.

We moved in his same night light and did everything else the same. Same comforter, same bottle on milk etc.

It was honestly the best thing we have done. I think we waited far to long to do it (he is 2.2 years old). He is sleeping like a champion in his new bed. He is bordering on a 3 hour afternoon nap as I type this!

We haven't moved too many toys into his room yet because we still want to keep the sleep association as opposed to a place to play.

Just make it all fun and exciting.

[Maruschke]

When we moved DD1 to her big girl bed, we dismantled the cot and told her it couldn't be put back together, as she was too big. Then we used some lackeys to position all four sides of the cot around her new single bed. One night at a time we took away a side of the cot, until it was just her single bed remaining. She barely blinked. Worked well for us .

[Butterfly Dawn]

Funny how we worry about doing it and the kids (mostly) blossom once the move has been done. We found there were very tears and even when sick they want to stay in the "big kid" beds not in mummy and daddys bed