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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

Moving from bed to cot: when did you do it and why?

29 replies

RemoteControlledChaos · 13/09/2013 23:56

Just that really... DS is 2.3 and playing up big time at bedtime and I'm wondering whether taking the sides off his cot would be helpful or not.

When did you make the change and what made you do it at that moment?

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Original poster

RemoteControlledChaos · 13/09/2013 23:57

Whoops from cot to bed! Good start...

OP posts:

tywysogesgymraeg · 14/09/2013 00:09

Dd2 was born when DD1 was 20mths. Dd1 got turfed out of her cot cos we needed it for the new baby.
We had a few issues with the old getting out of bed and coming back downstairs malarkey but sorted that out fairly quickly by being firm and returning to bed with no fussing/cuddling etc.

ThisIsMummyPig · 14/09/2013 00:12

DD1 about 2, because I wanted the cot for DD2
DD2 about 2 and a month, because she potty trained herself but couldn't get out of the cot without crashing.

When we did it both times we painted the room, got new bedding, and made a big fuss though. Neither of them ever got out of bed, other than to go to the toilet.

Original poster

RemoteControlledChaos · 14/09/2013 10:26

Thanks for your replies. Two success stories! I need to give it some thought...

OP posts:

Idislikemymil · 14/09/2013 10:28

18 months here - with a bed guard. Just didn't seem to like being in a cot. Started sleeping through the night when she went into a bed.

tywysogesgymraeg · 14/09/2013 10:37

We didn't bother with a bed guard, but did put a few pillows/cushions on the floor for a bit.
Both DDs fell out of bed a few times when they first moved from a cot, but they never woke up. We just found them on the floor in the morning. I figured they obviously weren't hurting themselves.
Oh, and font bother with a cot bed. You only have to replace it, and the bedding after a few years. Our DDs went straight to normal beds.

sophj100 · 14/09/2013 21:52

I left my youngest in his cot-bed until 2.5 years old, as I simply didn't want him going into his brother's bedroom and waking him up! He was happy enough there and being a cot-bed, rather than a cot, it was big enough. I only moved him when he discovered the route out, on his own and we were due to go on holiday, where he would share a room with his brother, so wanted to continue this on our return.

I didn't put a bed guard either but like tywysog.., I put a few pillows on the floor, just in case. He also fell out a couple of times but it was a soft landing and I just scooped him up and back into his bed. They now share a room and we have gained a study!

Alanna1 · 15/09/2013 18:46

When she refused to sleep in it, telling me she would rather sleep on the floor. Just before she was 2.

Misty9 · 15/09/2013 19:19

When he was 22months as he went from self settling to sleep, to a screaming mess at bedtime so we thought it might help. Big mistake. He's now 2 and we've contemplated putting the bars back on (cot bed) many times! We now have to sit with him until he's asleep, he wakes and comes to our room 5.30ish, and if he wakes in night there's no getting him off again in his own bed so he joins us. Had enough.

Can't put gate on his room easily but moving soon and may try that next.

Good luck!

MERLYPUSS · 15/09/2013 21:05

Mine went into a single bed about 18 mths I think. I seem to remember they were too big for sleepsuits and were in pjs. Put the pillow halfway down with their feet at the end and a bed guard. DT2 fellout twice. DT1 has only ever fallen out on hols - last month! (now 5ys)

33goingon64 · 15/09/2013 21:12

I was about to ask exactly this question OP! DS (only child) is 2.6 and in recent weeks has gone from being a dream to put down to crying and wanting to come into our bed. We wondered if a bed would help... Especially as we go away at weekends a lot and he hates his travel cot so much we've started pitting him into beds wherever we are.

fluffandnonsense · 16/09/2013 12:33

We have literally just done it! I was expecting hell as we live in a bungalow so she can easily wander out but actually it's been fine! She's been sleeping through and only fell out once (DH has now put the little toddler side on!). Last night she made a rather huge fuss and didn't got to sleep until 9:30 but we would have nights like this when she was in her cot anyway do not really any difference. We are on night 5 now and I'm glad we did it as I have another baby due in Feb so want to get her settled sooner rather than later. She was 2 in July :)

ChazDingle · 17/09/2013 20:45

DS 3.4 is still in his cot!! (its a cotbed so plenty big enough). We keep saying we really must take the sides off but haven't got round to it yet, will prob do this weekend. He moves around so much though he's gonna end up falling out, i'm not worried from the point of view of him getting hurt as its only a low bed but thinking he's gonna roll out of bed and get cold and then wake up

RandallPinkFloyd · 17/09/2013 21:04

About a week after DS turned 2.

For no particular reason other than he seemed old enough and that he likes playing on his own for a while when he first wakes up so I thought he might like being able to get out and play with some of the bigger toys. It's a cot bed anyway so it was only a case of taking the sides off anyway.

He doesn't have proper bedding yet as he's far too much of a wriggler so he's still in a sleeping bag and doesn't have a pillow. He has a bed guard on the side as I don't have carpets so he could hurt himself if he fell out due to the afore mentioned wriggling!

He's been fine, no difference to his sleeping habits whatsoever buthe does really like it. He took one look at it and said "Randall Jnr's bed!" then jumped in and went to sleep.

My plan about him playing with his toys in the morning didn't work though, he won't get out of it until I go in to get him up

stella69x · 17/09/2013 21:08

When they started climbing out so the fall from top of cot rails was further than from a bed! Around 18 months for ds and 2+ for dd

breatheslowly · 17/09/2013 21:15

About 22 months - DD started looking like she might climb out.

greenbananas · 17/09/2013 21:37

Ha! Reading your thread title, I was coming on to say that we never did move from bed to cot. Ds1 went straight from the family bed to his own bed (we are weird co-sleeping hippy types )

A friend who is not a weird co-sleeping hippy type still has her three year old in a cot. The child still fits in it quite comfortably, is happy, can't fall out, and the mum can't see the point in changing things until her dd is totally ready. Her dd can climb out of the cot of she really wants to, but doesn't tend to bother.

If I had gone the cot route, I think I would change to s bed when the child was old enough to choose their ownbedding (even if this was horribly tacky spiderman or Hello kitty etc)

Barbeasty · 18/09/2013 18:20

Around 18 months when DD could undo her sleeping bag so it was easier to climb out.

We have a stairgate across her door so she can get out and play if she wants. When potty training we put 2 potties in there incase she woke up late.

Jinty64 · 18/09/2013 19:41

Mine all slept in cots until just before their 4th birthdays. Only ds1 ever climbed out - we just left the side down.

Bunbaker · 18/09/2013 19:54

As soon as DD could hook her leg over the side of the cot. It was quite a drop and I was afraid she would fall. So we bought a bed and a side guard because she was such a fidget.

There is no right age, just a right time.

HeyJudith · 18/09/2013 20:11

26 months, as toddler climbed/fell out of cot (was fine but gave us a shock!)

I got a toddler bed with built in side guards.

We put a baby gate on the door to prevent any night-time wanderings.

Also we baby proofed the room at the same time (ie inserted plug guards, took blinds with cords off windows, attached drawer stops on chest of drawers, took nappy bin out and the nursing chair so they couldn't be climbed on.)

bonzo77 · 18/09/2013 20:16

2y8m when we wanted to get DS1 ready for the arrival of the new baby. Hoped to have 2 months to get the hang of it. Fortunately he was fine, as baby came a month early. We used a bed guard, but removed it after a few weeks as it made story time and making the bed difficult. He only got up once, and I was very clear that its not on. He still asks permission to get out of bed nearly a year later!

BearPear · 18/09/2013 20:18

The week before DD was born! We heard a thud from upstairs and found that DS had learnt how to get out of the cot - pretty much no choice then to put him in the bed! He was 23 months old

Bunbaker · 18/09/2013 20:23

Unless you are short of space don't waste money on a toddler bed. Just buy a full sized bed that will last longer.

BikeRunSki · 18/09/2013 20:24

Both at 19 months, because that is when they started climbing out and crashing . Both are v tall and were begining to get a bit too big for the cot anyway. DS didn' t have a bed guard because we didn' t have one. We put the cot matress on the floor by his bed it' s really low anyway) in case he fell out. He only fell out 3 or 3 times.

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