adjusting to a toddler bed

[lotuseener]

W have an 18 month old boy and we just got him a toddler bed with a guard rail on Monday. We would have prefered him to be a bit older before we made the transition but he had already started trying to crawl out of his cot and he was trying to flip his cot over too!!

The problem is he HATES his new bed. So far nap and bedtimes have been a hysterical mess with lots of tears. We've just had to let him fall asleep with us and put him in his bed after he falls asleep, but that is usually after a long battle of trying to get him in bed. He also wakes up at first light now and comes into our bed ready to play, and then he's miserable for a nap by 8am.

I expected him to have a little adjustment period but I didn't expect he would be terrified of his new bed.

Have any of you been through the same with your toddler? Any advice how to help him feel comfortable and secure in his new bed?

Thanks!

[jelliebelly]

18mths sounds a bit young to be moved to a toddler bed imo. A grobag type sleeping bag in a cot might help him to stay put a bit longer.

How on earth does an 18mth old try to flip a cot over? - I could hardly move ours myself!

[belgo]

We also had to move dd1 out of her cot at age 19 months after she ended up in A&E having climbed out of it. And no a gro bag sleeping bag would not stop her!

We just put a mattress on the floor rather then getting a special toddler bed. It took a while for her to get used to it, but she had all her toys and she was quite happy with the new arrangements.

[lotuseener]

The cot has been given away and the new bed is in his room, so I'm not asking you or anyone if you think he's too young for a toddler bed, I'm asking if any one has had any experience with their toddlers adjusting to theirs.

He's always hated grobags and I've never ben able to put him in one.He gets very upset because they prevent him from standing up. He's tried to flip his cot over by standing in it and grabbing on to the rails and rocking it so hard that it knocks against the wall. It's the wall from the cupboard blocked part of it and prevented the cot from flipping over.

I might add that my 18 month old is the height and weight of a 3- 31/2 half year old.

[Jelly76]

Hi I am trying to get my 2 1/2 year old daughter to swap to a toddler bed, she needs to change as the baby will soon need the cot (12 weeks old at the moment) She is throwing a tantrum at bed time, but I have a stair gate on the door so that she can't come out of the room. I figure it could well take a few days for her to get used to it, as she loves routine and hates change, but I keep going to see her every now and then, gently but firmly saying its bedtime, and time to sleep now. Hope I manage to sort her out, has your little one settled now?