Transition to big bed

[angelmama1209]

My YDD is 17mo and still sleeps in her crib. The new baby will be here in about 2 months. We've decided to try and transition YDD to the trundle bed in ODD's room now. I just tried to put her down in there for nap with ODD and she totally freaked out screaming. I finally gathered her up and put her in her crib and she rolled over and went right to sleep. Any tips on how to do this successfully? Our next option is to wait until the baby is 2-3mo when we move her out of our room, but I don't want YDD to feel displaced by the baby so I'd rather do it now, but I'm just not sure she's ready. HELP!

[angelmama1209]

So we tried again at bedtime and DH layed with her until she was almost asleep. As soon as he got up, she sat up and started screaming, terrified. He put her in the crib- rolled over and went to sleep. Is she just not ready? Should we keep trying this week or give it up until after the baby comes?

[doodah]

Is it really that big of a deal to leave her in the crib if that is where she is happiest? My dd had a few tough nights moving from a crib to a day bed. My dh was the best and just rocked her and comforted her and put her right back to bed. She did cry for a few nights but eventually realized that this new bed was permanent and now she loves it. We sold the crib the same week that we bought the bed so we HAD to make it work. Good luck to you!

[angelmama1209]

The problem is the new baby coming. I was trying to have the transition done before, but it looks like I'm going to have to wait until after when we move baby into the nursery. She will be 22mo then so I'm hoping she will be ready.

[NATTYBATSMOM]

Yeah, I would just wait. We didn't even move my daughter into a regular bed until she was almost two and a half though she would sleep in a regular bed here and there. The crib is probably comforting for her and gives her a sense of security.

One option I have read (for a little later) is to have her pick out her sheets and stuff for the new bed. This gives her a reason to want to transition but again, I would wait a little bit.

[charisma3458]

I'd just wait. Before DD2 was born I tried transitioning DD1 into a toddler bed and I realized that she was not ready. DD1 was around 18 months old at the time. I wanted the same thing, to have her transitioned before the new baby came. She wasn't ready though and I didn't want to have to take care of a new born all night and have a toddler getting up and out of her bed during bedtime. About two months ago we needed to buy a new crib for DD2 because she was in the porta-crib and it was getting too small for her. We were at Babies R Us looking for a crib when I saw they had a Tinkerbell toddler bed on display. I showed it to DD1 and she automatically climbed into the toddler bed and said she was going night-night. So we risked it and bought the toddler bed for her instead of buying DD2 a crib (she would then use her sisters crib). It ended up being a lot cheaper too than having to buy a crib. I had DD "help" DH put the Tinkerbell bed together so that she could get excited about sleeping in her big girl bed. We set up the bed next to her crib, just in case she wasn't ready to transition. Everything went so smoothly! She never asked to sleep in her crib. I left her crib in her room for 3 days just in case, then I asked her if we could give her crib to her sister and she was fine with it. She didn't cry at all with the transition. She only got out of her bed if she wanted more water and then she'd go right back in bed. Personally, if she's not ready then don't rush it and just wait to transition her until she is ready. Once DD1 was ready it was such an easy move to the toddler bed.

[angelmama1209]

Thanks! I think we'll just wait.

[CamilikinsMama]

Could you make it a longer transition, instead of just going straight to the trundle bed in another room? Could you put the trundle in her room near her crib for a few nights. Let her play on it when you there with her, just so she's used to it. Then try either naps or bedtime on the big bed. Then naps and bedtime. Then a couple weeks before the baby comes more the bed back into her sister's room? Just a thought. I have absolutely no experience with this, as my DD is 13 months old. Good luck!