The great bed move

[snowboarder]

Ok so having said I wanted to keep little snowboarder in his cot until he was 12, he is continuing his great escape project and now has vaulted (actually he dives) out of his cot a number of times and made his way to visit me (down and up stairs) in his sleeping bag. So I'm thinking he needs a bed. How do you go about doing this - especially as he's already an escapee type? And from experience how long do they take to get the message STAY IN BED? I'm thinking it's going to be tricky as I currently put him to bed then go and feed the baby - so am not really in a position to keep marching him back - so will need to do at the weekend when husband is around I think.

We're also about to move him into a new room - what do you think - new room and new bed all at once, or is that asking for trouble? Do people use stair gates at the door? Think that would really stress him, but maybe not if all part of new room moment....And keep in sleeping bag? It doesn't appear to impede movement...

[The Nappy Lady]

I'd make it all about being a 'big boy' now. Get him involved in choosing duvet covers etc.

Pick a normal size single bed but lower to ground one if possible & standard single duvet, but put it across the bed with ends tucked well under mattress.

We had a stair gate on the door but only used if we needed to reinforce the message. Use reward charts to big up the nights he stays put etc & if he does play up be tough & consistent - straight back to room, no discussion, no negotiation - just "it's bedtime darling" & tuck him back up & walk away.

He will soon learn.

I'd ditch the sleeping bags as I think too potentially dangerous on stairs, though I know they cope - only needs to go wrong once....

Xxx

[Moos]

Agree - all at once. We moved Moosling to new room, new bed with duvet and made it all 'because you're a big boy now'.

[littleEDfamily]

Took our daughter about 2 weeks to consistently stay in sideless bed.....like you we had no option to go to toddler bed as she was climbing out like some crazy loon and then falling to the ground...

[little h]

hello

We had to put our son in a big boy bed as he started vaulting out of his cot bed when our new son arrived. We were worried he'd hurt himself so took the sides off his cot bed making It into ? toddler bed. He would also undo his grobag to do this and so that had to go too. He Was v excited about the bed but even more so about his new duvet! Unfortunately since then he has repeatedly climbed out of bed in the middle of the night. In terms of actually settling to Sleep, we've now had 3 nights where he's stayed in bed so are really hoping W?'ve cracked that, but It's taken exaclty one month....some nights W?'d be putting him back for 45 mins and back and forth ? dozen times. He can open all the doors including safety gates...not helpful. stickers and reward charts so far havent worked.

Another problem, is that he used to Sleep until 7 or 730 and as soon as h? could get out of bed he stopped....Now he's up at 6, though so far today Is still asleep as i'm sat feeding our 8 week old! This has been really hard as sometimes baby feeds at 4 or 430 and after lots of winding and settling i often get back in bed at 530 or 545 then am up ten mins later to start the day....sigh. Its knackering! This might be coincidental though as seems to be happening with some of ours friends kids too...

Eldest son is 2 and a half by the way.

Good luck, if there's a way to make this easier i'd also like to know!

H

[snowboarder]

Hmm h maybe it's one of the many reactions to a new baby. I do feel really sad for him when he skips into our room in the morning and there's the baby snoozing next to me.

We have just bought a new cotbed for his new room so he'll have to have that with the sides off....ok project new room new bed shall commence!

[Grotty]

How old were everyone's little ones when they made the switch from cot to bed? Expecting no.2 when no.1 is 19 months old. Was thinking maybe easier to do switch pre-arrival of no.2 - or is that way too young?

[Pickle]

I waited until both of my kids were nearly 3, so the transition was really easy.

[crystal7]

E is still in hers at nearly 2.5, new baby due in Oct but don't plan to move her until she's 3 ish (Feb). But she is on the small side...

[Fuschia]

Never had cots!

[Grotty]

what do/did you use Fuschia?

[ryedalema]

We never had a cot with #2 either. Just a nest on the floor as I ended up dropping #1 the last couple of inches and waking her each night (as I'm a short a**e and couldn't reach over far enough).

Now littlest is 18 months and biggest is 4 and they play together in their room until 'the clock goes green', at 6.30. It took a couple of stern weeks, but that was all and now they know the rules - no stair gates (although I contemplated it).

It's the sleeping bag thing though - if she's in that she knows she's supposed to be in her room and 'nest', free her from it and she runs round like an eeyjit.

Not sure to transition out of the sleeping bag - hmmmm.

[sunbob]

We are planning on moving our 2.5 yr old im next couple of weeks. By the way, have seen a nice cabin bed which would really help with lack of space. What do people think of height/safety issues? It has. a good 6 inch lip and could use a side guard too.

[dullified]

I too have chosen a cabin bed as a first bed (one from Next) very low for a cabin bed at 90 odd cm's and has big sides. Very positive reviews from parents of 2/3 year olds (haven't moved my son yet as he's only 25 months and can't escape from his cot). Personally I wouldn't want to go any higher.

http://www.next.co.uk/x471216s1?utm_source=google&utm_medium=product_search&utm_campaign=googleps#747876x47

[????]

We took all ours out at 18 months. Low bed, made a big thing of it including a 'present'. No problem with any of them from night 1.

I also do tell them that when "Daddy closes the door your room is transported to a dragon's lair and if you open the door he'll come in and eat you"