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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

When did you move your DC to a 'big bed' from a cot?

65 replies

littleolwinedrinkerme · 07/03/2007 11:22

DD 2.4yrs and we are trying to decide when to move to a big bed and wondered if there was a guideline? thanks

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TootToot · 11/03/2007 16:20

My daughter was just over 3 years old! She had a cot bed, was happy in it and so we didn't see the hurry really. Soon after she was three, we moved her into a toddler bed so that the cot bed could be freed up for the baby due a few months later.

sassari · 11/03/2007 16:23

12m
15m
and 13m

Mojomummy · 11/03/2007 19:06

My Dd was also almost 3 or just after her 3rd birthday. We tried it when she was 2 yrs & 3 months, but she kept getting out & I didn't ( & don't ) have the time & energy to keep putting her back.

Worked well because she now she is in a big bed, she rarely gets out.

Defo agree with the as long as possible in a cot.

lapsedrunner · 11/03/2007 19:48

Leave it as long as possible, even easier as you use a grobag . If you have no reason to move her (new baby?) then don't.

speedymama · 12/03/2007 08:36

DTS have just turned 3 and we have no aspirations to move them to a bed despite a nursery nurse at their nursery saying that we were cruel to keep them in a cot!

Even my DM and PIL have been furtively hinting that it was time that they were in beds because they were no longer babies. They are both happy in their cots and don't even try to climb out when they wake up in the morning. Why move them just because of some unwritten code?

amidaiwish · 12/03/2007 09:08

we moved DD1 into a toddler bed at 15m as she hated her cot and DD2 was due a few months later so i wanted all changes done and dusted! we never looked back and she slept much better in the bed in her "big girl's room"

DD2 is 18 months now, no intention of moving her out of a cot yet. she is a different character and i think it would be "party time" if we moved her into a bed. she also is good at bedtime and happy in her cot and i don't see any point in disrupting that! Saying that the mattress is on the lowest setting so when she manages to get out then that will be when we move her. The cot is actually bigger than the toddler bed so she certainly won't outgrow it.

Hulababy · 12/03/2007 09:10

DD was 18 months when she moved into a bed. Worked best for us.

Tutter · 12/03/2007 09:13

am having a similar dilemma

ds is nearly 22mo and is quite big - can already tip on the bar of his cotbed (hasn't fallen yet - touch wood)

expecting ds2 in july, when ds1 will be 26mo

can't decide whether to buy a second cotbed (for ds2) or to move ds1 up to a junior bed soon-ish

imaginaryfriend · 12/03/2007 09:13

Dd was very petite and loved her cot so we didn't move her until she was 3. No problems with the transition at all, just lots of nostalgia from her for her 'cosy little cot'!

imaginaryfriend · 12/03/2007 09:14

I have two friends whose kids are still in a cot bed with the sides down at almost 5 and IMO it looks way too cramped.

Hulababy · 12/03/2007 10:32

Cot beds are same size as toddler beds though aren't they? At least one of DD's school friends, so aged 5+, are still in those toddler beds, non extending ones. One is mainly because her room is small. She has plenty of room in it though.

divamumplus · 16/03/2007 21:09

come on ladies lets talk how cope with toddler keep getting up and not sleeping after reading this thread last week dh and i decided to move dd from cot to bed. she had cotbed, so we changed it to bed position. she is 23m, and we thought its best we are expecting no2, and i started having little bump and its hard when she is cot.
the problem now is she is not sleeping at nights untill 10 or later. used to go sleep at 8ish every night, and was good sleeper. now she gets up, and plays around, knocks the door, and after couple attempt opens it, and comes out in landing or our bed room. started feeling whether we did it too early. any ideas? im knackered she thinks its funny. still wake in her room.

staceym11 · 16/03/2007 22:04

the only thing i had to do was rapid return type hting, no talking except 'its night time' and just return them to bed, they soon get fed up! if that doesnt work i dont know! sorry!

mamma2kids · 19/03/2007 12:37

We moved DD (2 in 2weeks) into her bed this weekend.
We had to do the same as when DS went into a bed (at 19mnths). That is to sit next to them until they go off to sleep (with head on pillow next to her if necessary). Same practise if they get up in the night (or just get in with her until she drops off). Also stop or restrict day time naps.
I tried the return to bed thing with DS when he first went into a bed and after 2 hrs I lost my temper so badly that I nearly hit him. It really isn't feasible IMO.

nally · 19/03/2007 12:49

dd1 was 17 months as we needed the cotbed for ds. ds was 2 (nearly 3). dd2 in cotbed now and no more dc planned, so who knows when she will move out of it?

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