How to Transition Your Child From Crib to Bed
When and How you should transition your child to a bigger bed.
Cherylyn Feierabend
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How to Transition Your Child From Crib to Bed
A listener recently wrote in and asked about moving her son, who is just over two-years-old, into his big boy bed. She says, “The change is a nightmare because he doesn’t want to sleep there and wakes up crying in the middle of the night. If I don’t sleep in his new bed, he won’t fall asleep. Do you think I should move him back into his crib again?” My answer to this question is that she should definitely not move him back to the crib. Once you’ve made your decision, stick to it! If we all just kept taking that step backward, we’d never be moving forward. You CAN do this and so can your son.
How to Prepare for the Transition from Crib to Bed
Hopefully, you haven’t already moved your son back to the crib, but if you have, you can start over by making some preparations ahead of time before you try again. Start by preparing your child for the move. Let him know that he’s going to be moving to his big boy bed. You can go to the store and let your son choose some new sheets for new bed. The idea is to get him excited about the move. In the days before the move you will need to go over the childproofing in the room. Make sure that the outlets are covered and that any large furniture is mounted securely to the wall. If he already plays in his room quite a bit, then you’ve probably childproofed it well, but it’s a good idea to go through the room to double-check for any possible hazards. Your child will be getting out of his bed on his own now, and he’ll need to be able to see where he’s going. If the nightlight is dim, you might consider a small lamp to brighten the room a little more. You may also want to invest in a gate. You can put the gate in your child’s doorway and let him know that it is there for his safety. This way his door will remain open, but he won’t be entirely free to wander.
What to Do on the First Night
When the time comes for your child to sleep in his new bed for the first time, stick to your normal bedtime routine. If you always read him stories before bed, continue to do so. Now you can snuggle up on the bed with him during story time. If picking up toys is not already part of your routine, now is a great time to start. Have your child help you put away any toys around the room. That will decrease the chance of someone stepping on or tripping over something in the middle of the night. If your child has a favorite doll or stuffed animal, you might want to have him put his “baby” to bed while he’s getting ready to go in his own bed. Sometimes that will help to take a child’s focus off of the changes in his surroundings and also make going to bed more fun. You child might want you to remain with him longer than normal the first night. Try not to give in too much. If you stay longer the first night, be sure to cut back each night until you are only there for the length of time you desire. It’s wonderful to spend time with your child, but your child needs to fall asleep on his own. Always leave the room while your child is still awake. If you stay until he falls asleep every night, then you will be creating a pattern that will become harder and harder to break the longer you do it.
Additional Tips from Other Parents
I’d like to share a few quick tips I’ve heard from other parents.
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Don’t do it too soon: Don’t move your child to the big bed too soon. If he is content in his crib, his size isn’t an issue, and you don’t need the crib for a new baby, let him stay in the crib until the move becomes a necessity.
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Take the crib down immediately: Once you’ve moved the child to a bigger bed, take down the crib right away. Your child is less likely to ask to sleep there if it’s gone.
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Do it before the new baby comes: If you need the crib for a new baby, moving your older child to his new bed a couple of months before baby’s arrival might help to alleviate any possible jealousy issues.
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Start with just a mattress: Consider starting your child out by sleeping on a mattress on the floor, then moving him up to the bed.
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Use a railing: Once your child is sleeping in a regular bed, be sure to put a railing on the side to prevent him from rolling off the bed.
I have one final quick and dirty tip for you before I go. If you do not want your child to sleep in your bed with you, don’t let him. Once you let your children sleep with you, they could very well want to stay there. That is fine if you are comfortable with a family bed situation, but if you aren’t, be sure you don’t give your child the option. Sleep is important for everyone’s health and well-being. The more comfortable each individual in the home is at night, the better chance you will have of everyone getting a good night’s sleep.
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Boy in Bed image courtesy of Shutterstock