Moving 3yo from cot to bed

[BsshBossh]

My 3yo is a petite little thing so has been sleeping comfortably in her cot since the moses basket phase.

But now she's started preschool and is beginning to have her new little friends over to play it's definitely time to move her on to a bed (they're all in beds).

We're buying one of those toddler sized beds that convert to a proper sized single bed when she's taller.

So, practical questions:

• What duvet tog size shall we get for winter (she's always been in a Grobag)?
  
• Shall I just get her a thin adult pillow?
  
• Do you have a waterproof mattress cover for your toddler bed?
  

The bed's got a side rail so no issues about falling out (though obviously it will be a barrel of laughs if/once she realises she can get out of the bed all by herself!).

[WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes]

Hi BsshBoshh,

We are just moving on to the next stage now, our cotbed is packed up for sale n Ebay .

They just need a thin duvet, ours have 4.5 tog singles, each DC also has a fleece blanket which they sometimes prefer to snuggle up in instead of the duvets. I used to tuck the duvet in at the back and side of the bed to stop them kicking it off, DS liked it like that, DD didn't and used to pull it out. That and one thin adult pillow each. I would recommend buying a cheap extra set as spare, duvets and pillows get wet too sometimes when DCs wet the bed and the whole lot has to be washed.

We had a Mothercare cotbed mattress with zip off waterproof cover and a spare cover which fitted the toddler bed. Now my two are on normal mattresses we use Pampers bed mats under their sheet in case of accidents, they are very good.

I think we might have kept each DC in their Grobag for a bit after moving them to toddler bed and then changing then to duvets a few weeks later, once they had got used to the bed. Can't quite remember now. Hope this helps.

[BsshBossh]

That helps enormously, WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes, thanks. And thanks for the tip about Pampers bed mats. Will look into those.

Okay, so:

• 4.5 tog duvet (big enough to tuck in)
  
• Spare set of bedding
  
• Thin adult pillow
  

I thought about keeping DD in her Grobag for transition but DH thinks we should just bite the bullet and change her over in one go. I'm inclined to agree now.

[dinkystinky]

BsshBossh - we got the grobag duvet sets to start off DS1 in his bed at 2.8 years old (helped him graduate from his grobag - kept him in his grobag for the first couple of nights till he got used to teh duvet). A 4.5 tog duvet plus a throw for cold nights was ideal. We have a waterproof mattress cover from John Lewis - not rustly at all and great for ease of mind (particularly when DS1 had D&V bugs)

[BsshBossh]

Thanks Dinky. I've seen those Grobag duvet sets. Thanks for reminding me about them.

[Betsysmummy]

We had to convert to the junior bed at 18 months because DD climbed out and broke her arm, but I will say she stayed in a grobag for a while. It was only recently that we went to a duvet. Initally had a bugger of a time finding junior bed duvets and covers, but eventually i found some at John Lewis.

[Rosa]

I love the grobag duvet set but find that I don't put the pillow in the 'space' as when its zipped up you can't pull the duvet up so I move the pillow down a but so they can snuggle in . They are really great when you are starting off.

[BsshBossh]

If I don't get the Grobag duvet set but buy a normal duvet instead, will it be okay just to tuck it in securely? My DD doesn't seem to be a wriggler but still I don't want the duvet to be kicked off at night...

[Rosa]

I only have 1 set so when its in the wash I put a sheet ( summer) and light blanket - winter over and tuck in... However have do do this after she is asleep as she does not approve !!!!

[Matronalia]

DS has a single duvet on his toddler bed. I put it across the bed horizontally rather than vertically and tuck one end underneath the mattress. The other end that now drags on the floor is heavy enough to weigh it down a little. Because he is little his feet don't stick out the end and the duvet doesn't slip off. If he gets too hot its very easy for him to push it down or wriggle up to the pillow end of the bed.

He doesn't have a pillow yet, but he is only two and sleeps mostly on his stomach. I've made a couple of cot bed bottom sheets in bright colours but if they are still wet in this weather then I slip his mattress into one of his older sister's bright single bed duvet covers and tuck the excess underneath.

[alittlebitshy]

Hi - we're in the process of this too.
My ds is 3y3m but loves his cot. it is time though.
We decided to start with a duvet in his cot to get used to that than next step is sides off cot (is cot bed so turns into bed). We have gone for a single duvet - 4.5 tog. Tucking it in down the wall side and the bottom end seems to be working -when i got and check on him before i go to bed he is all snug under duvet.

This feels alien as although our dd only came out of the cot when she was 3, she had had a duvet for a while- but ds loves all his little comforts bless him.

2 duvets is deffo a good idea - on the first night in a duvet we had an unheard of nappy leak!!!

Also the thing with using a regular single is the duvet cover sets are easy to come by so you can make it exciting by making it all about their favourite character (Thomas in our case)

[WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes]

Yes, regular singles are a bit big for cot beds, but we found it next to impossible to find covers we liked for cotbed size duvets and you will need full size single in a couple of years anyway.

[BsshBossh]

Thanks for all these very helpful comments.

So did your DC transition well from cot to bed - eg any tears of I want my cot/Grobag and any midnight walk abouts/getting out of bed at dawn?

[WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes]

DS was hopeless at first attempt, and did really want his cot back but he was only just turned two, we had turfed him out of the cot to make room for DD. We ended up putting him back in the cot and buying another cotbed on ebay. We took the side off about 6 months later I think, with no problems. Can't remember timings exactly, but he was in a full sized (fairly high) single with no rail by 3.5 years old, we used to keep a rolled up duvet on the floor next to him but he only fell out once or twice.

DD moved out of the cot around the age of 3 without any real problems as I recall. They are 7 and 5 now BTW, that is why I can't remember exactly.

[WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes]

Should add that it was very odd the first time one of them just walked into our bedroom one morning! But no, no real problems with midnight walkabouts etc. Some people do put a stairgate across bedroom doors though, we just had the one at the top of the stairs shut at night.

I remember once though, on the failed first attempt when DS was two, going up to bed and finding him curled up on the landing floor fast asleep against the stairgate.

[BsshBossh]

Thanks WhoKnows. DD is 3.4 so she may be "old enough" to transition with minimal fuss. Certainly she knows all her friends are in bed so that might help.