To keep a three year old in a cot?

[meowcatmeowing]

Money is tight and honestly I can’t stretch to a new bed. But I am wondering when it becomes really unreasonable to have a child in a cot? She fits in it OK but probably hasn’t loads of room but then I’m not sure she would in a bed either?

My DS was completely happy in his cot until we gave him a toddler bed for his 3rd birthday. He’d probably have stayed in the cot for longer because he really wasn’t bothered, but we had a new baby on the way in a few months and we didn’t want the removal to be too close to the new arrival.

We did take him out of a sleeping bag at about 2.5 though, as he figured out how to take it off himself and then got cold, so he was already used to a duvet when we transitioned him. It probably took him another 6 months to realised he could actually get out of the bed at night, but we put a stair gate on his bedroom as there are steps between our room and his, so didn’t want him to attempt them alone.

She isn’t even out of nappies in the day yet 😩 being a very stubborn madam with potty training! My eldest wasn’t dry at night until he was four but it might be she is sooner than that - hope so, it will be nice when she’s out of nappies completely.

Pop the mattress on the floor. It's the best ! No need for a bedframe yet

Wow couldn't have done it with mine. Dd2 was climbing out at 10 months and the other 2 by 18 months

If it's cot bed size they go up to 5 years

If you are struggling you can get a 2nd hand bed or you could look into getting a grant, my cousin got help to get a free bed for her son

I think that would be very uncomfortable. I wouldn’t want to sleep on the floor. And there’s no way she’d stay there.

@Salyexley thank you. I’m not struggling in the sense that I’d be reliant on charity or any of the free services, just have a few slightly tight months. I would prefer not to go second hand for a bed if I’m honest, especially for a young child, and it’s the mattresses that are costly!

If the mattress is 20 cm longer than her it’s fine. If not, I’d go secondhand for a month or two until you can afford new, if that’s what you prefer.

@APatternGrammar she’d never stay on it and I really don’t want her sleeping on the floor.

Yes if it's a cotbed you've got loads of room. We used the cot bed (removed the side when she was 2) until my daughter 4 and I was pregnant with her brother, so moved the cot to the new nursery and got her a single bed. She could have got more time out of it if I didn't need to use it for her brother.

I'd do a single bed frame off fb and a brand new single mattress from Emma or Silent Night on sale. Apparently Lidl had some Emma mattresses in
I don't think cotbeds look very comfortable and I preferred my children in a proper bed and mattress from young really just because I thought it was more cosy and roomy.

I'm incredibly jealous. All 3 of mine had started climbing out by 2 😭

We took the side off so there was no risk of him climbing and falling.

It does seem to be the climbing thing that is the reason most people move them and she just hasn’t attempted that (yet!) I was thinking of probably moving her in the summer.

If the cot mattress inside the cot is 20 cm longer than her it’s ok to continue using the cot.I haven’t suggested putting it on the floor.
The size is important, you don’t want to interfere with her growth.

So sorry, muddled you with another poster!

Can’t you take the side off?

We let our small 4 year old in the cot converted to bed till nearly 5 - at that point gave him the spare ikea guest bed. Money tight here too! And hence the delay.

If she isn’t climbing out then leave for a few months but I would take out of gro bag and get her used to duvet

take the side off - that’s what I did but ours was a cot bed so she was in it till she was 4.5 and then moved to a mid riser

My son would have climbed out way before then. He was in a toddler bed from around 2, or maybe even before that. I agree with looking on Facebook marketplace. I have a bed I need to put on there. People just want to get rid of stuff and often don't want money.