We bought a room in a box at Walmart for $99 and it had the toddler bed frame, a toy chest and a table and chairs with it. The mattress it uses is a crib sized mattress so the same sheets fit on it and we just use regular blankets.
I didn't want to rush our son out of his crib, so we set up the bed (our kids will share a room) and let him get in it every night for about a month or so and one night, he just decided that he would sleep there. He's been in it ever since. He does get up earlier then he did in his crib, but it's OK. I don't think he's quite figured out that he is allowed to play with his toys until someone comes to get him. I keep the door shut and have kid safety knobs on so he can't get out, but he does stand on the inside and knock like crazy!!!
Dawn Quicksell Hipsley
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CHANGEN
Posts: 1646
2/24/08 2:08 A
My parents buy every grandchild a big kid bed for their second birthday... I think Heidi is ready.
ARMY_WIFEY
Posts: 1516
2/10/08 4:24 A
Adison sleeps wonderfully in her crib never fusses about bed or nap time either...i am keeping her in there until she lets me know otherwise that she is ready for a big bed...I have 3 kids 4,20 months,2 months so i need as much sleep as I can get plus if shes 3 or more she will understand that when she is put to bed she is to stay there...we transfered erica to a toddler bed at 18 months bc of the climbing out of the crib issue and thats when she started having sleep issues but I was also pregnant and dh was deployed so that could have some to do with her stress over the transfer.
i caught Gav hanging upside down out of his crib at 14 months...so i changed his crib to a daybed...no guard rails even and he's slept great since....he slept horrible in his crib! He will occasionally get out but i'll hear him and just have to say his name and he'll get back into bed!
Gavin - May 10, 2006 - 8 lbs 4.5 oz
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Knox and Remi - May 27, 2010 - both exactly 5 lbs 15.8 oz and 18 inches long! Perfect!
ISSOEXCITING
Posts: 839
1/31/08 9:41 P
I'm due at the end of March, and had decided that I would buy or borrow a second hand crib for the new baby before kicking Kenny out of his crib. I do have time though cause I plan on using a co-sleeper in my room until the new baby is too big for that. My sister passed along their toddler bed that her kids had outgrown so we set it up in Kenny's room and read stories in that bed for a couple of weeks and then put him down in his crib. He loved the toddler bed and would lie on his tummy with his bum up in the air. Last weekend we fully childproofed his room and let him spend the night in the toddler bed, and he slept just as well as in his crib. He's been sleeping in it every night and hasn't gotten out once. He was not able to fall asleep there for his naps though, and has still been napping in his crib - he tried the first nap in the bed, but got out and after a while was knocking on the door. Dad went in and asked him if he wanted to sleep in his crib and he pointed to the crib and fell asleep in there. I think we've been pretty lucky. I'll take the naps slow - perhaps we'll try again this weekend but we may wait cause he's got a cold. Don't go out and buy a new or used crib until you're sure that you need it, but if you're going to try and get your little one out of the crib for the new baby, I'd try not ho have it happen too close in case he resents the baby for it.
RAINYDAY
Posts: 640
1/22/08 1:57 P
Well, we are probably non-traditional when it comes to beds. I switched Edward from a crib straight to a twin bed at 18 months, and I did the exact same with Eden. Both did amazingly well, I was so pleased. Now, we're just waiting for this baby to use the crib.
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JEN516
Posts: 7703
1/21/08 9:14 P
I got my mattress at BRU for $99, not much cheaper but some. also check out walmart or target for less expensive...
have you considered blanket sleepers? they are the footed fleece one piece pj's. my mom used to put regular pj's on us and then the blanket sleeper over them when it was really cold...she didn't like blankets.
I use regular blankets on my DD, but she barely moves during her sleep so they stay put.
'Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.'
LYDIALAND
Posts: 5161
1/21/08 6:38 P
Lydia hated the crib when she got really mobile and so we moved her to a toddler bed but if you LO is happy in the crib then I saw keep him in there and go the used crib route.
Lydia doesn't use toddler bedding just bigger blankets.
NEANOE
Posts: 3888
1/21/08 5:52 P
Hi. I can totally relate to what you're trying to figure out.
Our DD is still doing great in her crib - falls asleep easily for naps and at night. She is a super active girl and always has been. The idea of toddler bed (and the freedom to get out of bed) frightens me. I think it hasn't occured to her to try to escape the crib yet.
Anyway, we had DS in November when DD was 18 months old. Her crib converts to a toddler bed, so what we decided to do was we found a used crib for DS. We have DD in her crib still and DS in his crib. We decided that we wouldn't convert her crib until she rebels from it somehow (even if she's 3 or 4!!). Then we'll convert her crib to a toddler bed when it's time. Then when DS is ready for the toddler bed, we will move DD into a twin bed and DS into DS's toddler bed. That way we're only paying for a second crib (because we have a twin bed for her for later already).
As far as bedding goes, DD uses blankets in her crib. She has a fleece one that was homemade and a knit one that was homemade (both gifts). Can you sew at all? You could use the fitted sheets you already have and just make some sheets to use as flat sheets by just hemming or surging the edges, and you could probably make matching pillow cases pretty easily too.
MUSHY1127
Posts: 2776
1/21/08 2:44 P
We are in a quandry as to what to do about Leo and his bed. Right now he's happy happy happy in his crib. He goes to sleep beautifully, sleeps for HOURS both at night and nap time, and always wakes up with a smile on his face. He will stop playing at the very suggestion of "night night" and never argues or cries about it.
He turns 2 in June and the New Baby is due August 5th. Originally we were planning to convert his crib to the toddler bed and have him get used to that, then make a big deal out of setting up his "big boy room" with a "big boy bed" for his birthday. That would give him 2 full months out of his baby room so we can get it ready for the baby and his no longer associate it with him.
Now I am panicking. He is still a BABY right now. I cannot imagine him being ready in 5 short months for a real bed. I can't even imagine him in a toddler bed then. I am terrified that I am going to "wreck" his awesome sleep habits and create a monster when I move him. I had resigned myself to borrowing a crib or buying one from somewhere, but then I realized I would have to buy a mattress. I went to BRU today and they are like 150 bucks. I hate to be cheap, but dude. I don't need to spend 150 bucks on a mattress my kid may sleep on for lonly 4 months. But this is the boy who goes from 16 hours of sleep in a 24 hour period to 10 whenever he is not at home in his own bed.
Everyone keeps telling me to put New Baby in a bassinet but I don't like the idea of kicking Leo out of his bed because the New Baby is too big for a bassinet. Also I could not sleep with Leo in our room. Every snuffle would cause my heart to pound and I would jerk awake. It would take me 25 minutes to get back to sleep and by that time he would be up for real.
*****ALSO*****
I bought a Toddler sheet set today at BRU. I was thinking it would be a good diea to get Peeper used to sleeping with blankets and pillows (plus it's like -4 degrees here and his baby blankets aren't doing the job). But I can't help but think they are totally unnecessary. Is there another option? Preferably one that is not 60 bucks for a lousy sheet set.
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