what is the oldest you would leave a child in a cot??

[Morph2]

I've seen threads about moving them out when they start climbing out etc etc. Friends have had various reasons for moving them out, either they were climbing out or they were having child number 2 so needed cot for when they come along, we haven't had any of these so DS is still in his cot.

DS is 2.4 months and in a cot bed (so it wouldn't be any bigger size wise if we were to take the sides off). He sleeps really well in it (except for the last week when he's had a a cold) and when moving to a bed we would just be taking the sides off. Obviously eventually he will have to move to bed but at the minute it feels like we would just be doing it becuase he's at the age where it should be done, rather than any other reason. How long can we get away with leaving him in cot?

[An0therName]

my ds2 is 2.7 and still very happy in his cot - also cot bed - friend of mine moved her dd2 into a bed at 3 - worked fine

[vodkaanddietirnbru]

ds was 2½ years when he moved into a bed, mainly because he was wanting to get up to the toilet in the night and it was easier for him to get there without having to shout on us.

[KateShmate]

Oh you've got ages to go yet! We've had large 3YO's in staying in cots here - like you say, if its a cot bed then the bed will be the exact same size as the cot. As long as they aren't climbing out / hurting themselves then its fine :)
There seems to be quite a lot of people who are desperate to get their children into beds as soon as possible!

[seaweed74]

Dd1 was around 3 when we took the sides off her cot bed as she had fallen out twice reaching for toys! Can't remember exactly as dd2 was tiny and I was sleep deprived . A friend got her dd a bed for her 3rd birthday.

[getrealandgetalife]

my dd climbed out of her cot at 2.8 so we changed it to a bed (took the sides off) and she sayed in that till she was 4.5 . it suited her and she was happy in either bed.

[NimpyWindowMash]

You might as well wait until there is a reason to do it. eg, climbing out, or wanting to use the potty first thing in the morning.
DD is 2.6 and we are thinking of doing it very soon. But 2 months ago we wouldn't have wanted to. She is close to being able to climb out, so it's a safety thing really.

[TheDoctrineOfSnatch]

DS still in his cot bed with sides on at 2 yrs 8 months and happy so we are leaving well alone!

[Ponders]

my DC4 stayed in his cot (large one, cotbed size) until c 3.3, mainly because we went on holiday when he was 3.2 & I was a bit worried about him sleeping in a bed in a strange house & possibly wandering at night.

[Bluestocking]

My DS was very happy in his cot until he was three and a bit - he didn't climb out, so there was no safety issue - and then very happy to move into a proper bed.

[NorthernNumpty]

DS is 2.7 and we took the sides off his cot bed last night, fingers crossed we haven't made a mistake!
We did it because we wanted to be able to read him stories in bed and he getting heavy to lift in and out and he is getting too big for the travel cot when he goes to stay with GP's

[dearprudence]

DS moved from a cot to a full-size bed just before he turned 3.

[steppemum]

I had to move mine out, ds was getting squashed and we needed cot, dd1 we needed cot and dd2 climbed out at 18 months

I would have left them in as long as I possibly could as they dropped their day time naps when they left their cots, and bed time became harder. So if you don't need to, let them stay a while!

[Takver]

DD must have been well over 4 - we'd obviously taken the side off long previously & so she just used it like a toddler bed.

The advantage of hanging on was that it took up less space and then at going on 5 she was then big enough to go into a raised captain style bed with drawers underneath (small house!).

TBH unless there's some particular reason I'd just wait until you either have a need to move him ie another child or until he doesn't fit!

[MoonlightandWerewolves]

Small child here has a cot bed and we took the side off at about 17-18 months IIRC. There were three days or so of doing lots of putting back to bed after the change, but settled back to usual routine after that. Has fallen out occasionally, but we have a nice thick rug to help with the 'bounce'!

[notcitrus]

Took side off cotbed at 3.1 when he first tried climbing out. At 4.1 he still has plenty of room - will get a bed before he starts school though.

[AThingInYourLife]

DD2 is 2.8 and still has the sides on her cot bed.

She shows no signs of trying to climb out, so she'll stay where she is for now.

[GoldPlatedNineDoors]

DD is only 10mo so a loooooong way off needing the sides took off, but looks ever so cute sitting holding the bars looking out when I go in to get her in the morning.

Im hoping to get her one of those beds with the drawers under when she is old enough.

[MarjorieAntrobus]

Oh, don't worry, OP.

I cannot remember that stage too clearly because my DC were v close together and I got a bit blurry .

I do remember that we ran out of space in bedrooms and had DC3 in a cotbed and DC4 in a travel cot. They were 3.11 and 2.6 when we moved somewhere bigger.

[Lifeonthecanal]

My DD is 2.7 and we took the sides off her cotbed 3 nights ago. It has been a disaster and this morning DH put them back on. She hadn't tried to climb out but we did it because in Jan we will need the cot so thought we'd give it a go.

The biggest problem was the afternoon nap which she still takes (and needs). Recently she is more reluctant to go down after lunch, but after 5 mins of protesting she will sleep for 1.5 hours. With no sides on her cot it was impossible to get her to stay in bed, even with the whole Super Nanny style rapid returning.

This morning she was up at 5.20 - today is going to be hard!

I will try it again but not until we have a stair gate on her door. I'm overseas and it's hard to find a wide fitting on, so that is my mission before we do it again.

If they are fine in a cot, my advice is leave well alone!