Best age to move twins to big beds (is it acceptable to keep them in cots until they leave for university?)

[glamourbadger]

I've heard so many horror stories about twins moving to big beds! Can I ask you mums who have been there when you would suggest is the best age?

Is it better to get this out of the way earlier or put it off? My DTs are 2 and a half. They are still happy in grobags and can't climb out - TBH my DT2 is so small she will probably be about 5 before she is tall enough .

The real upside I can see to beds is being able to lie next to them when they won't settle which is happening more frequently. I sometimes find myself laying on the floor next to the cot which is ridiculous!

Would appreciate your advice - cheers

Mine moved into beds at about 2.6, but stayed in their sleeping bags for the winter as we didn't want them to get cold kicking off the duvets. I didn't have any problems with them messing around at bedtime, but they stopped napping during the day pretty soon afterwards.

They would get up in the morning and shuffle along the landing in their sleeping bags, but other than that, just stayed put. I think I was v. lucky . Of course, now they're in duvets, they get up all the time .

Moved mine at 22 months - I was away on a conference at the time and DH decided to take the sides off their cot beds - he had a few nights of disruption he said, but when I returned they were settled. We just kept their routine the same - they still had bedtime bottles (ok ok chops, we given them up now!!), so i guess mentally they still wound down at the same time in the same way so were ready for bed.

They gave up daytime naps, but were at nursery full time, so still napped for an hour or so there for 5 days a week, so i wasn't too fussed about no naps at weekends.

They are now 3.10yrs and we have just moved them into bunks pending the arrival of their new baby brother or sister in February - they seem very happy and have worked out a 'top bunk' rota themselves, so minimal arguing at bedtime.

ooooh neerly that's interesting, was thinking of bunks for mine but thought they were too young - but they're a whole year older than yours so we can do it! Yay!

Blimey - I am terrified now, bring on the bolts and the dog restraints! Perhaps I could safety pin them to the bed?

My DT2 sleeps like an angel. DT1 used to be fine but recently has been unsettled going down and started waking up early. It's difficult to know the best way to deal with this. I refuse to let her get up, hence the laying next to the cot holding hands! It's ridiculous but I can't see another way around it, I refuse to have them in my bed. The thought of putting her into a bed is becoming quite attractive so I can lie next to her.

tkband - laughed at the grobag shuffle, isn't it amazing the ground they can cover at speed. Mine once shuffled down two flights of stairs and across two landings. I felt like a very shabby mother .

If only my wee weapons of mass destruction were like that! Let me copy and paste from the other thread:

Mine shared until they were 10 months when DT1 (Little Miss Houdini) taught DT2 (Little Mr Gullible) how to break out of it! I then put them in separate travel cots which they hated until LMH taught LMG how to throw himself against the closing mechanism until the side collapsed.

They are 4.5yo now and end up in the other's bed at some point in the night (better that than mine as LMH wriggles and pinches).

In the end I popped them in big bed(s) and it worked out reasonably well.

duckyfuzz, i had my doubts, but we bought one that can be two singles should the need arise. Once erected we asked them to show us how good they were at climbing up and down the ladder, made them practice in the dark too! (evil parent alert). We then laid down the ground rules, only one on top bunk at a time, no standing, no jumping - if they broke any rules, we would move the beds to two singles and no one got the top bunk....two weeks in and they seem to be sticking to it.

oh that sounds very sensible, they are currently in beds that used to be bunks (from my parents' old house) but DH has lost the bits that connect them so we may have to fork out for new - where did you get yours from?

I am very interested in this thread as I am dreading moving my two into beds. They have always been really good sleepers and don't want to tempt fate but as they are such horrors for touching EVERYTHING! I can only imagine they would trash the room every night once in beds. They are 23mths now and DS was 2.4yrs when he went into a bed which was fine (except he dropped daytime sleepng at same time) But I think the two girls will conspire together to cause havoc. Was thinking of waiting till they are 3 but i am sure that is putting off the event rather than making it better!

Very amused by posters who have got into cots with their Dt's, not sure I would be able to get out!!!!!!

Mine went into beds at 2.2 - we moved house and it seemed a good time to make the switch as they were climbing out of their cots. The first night they were very unsettled but that was a new house as well so really they settled very quickly. They love their room now.

Extra tall stairgate worked for us www.safetots.co.uk/228.html as otherwise they'd never have stayed in bed.

We also had to remove all furniture from their room except beds, some soft toys and some books as they were chucking everything over the gate at bedtime!

One of my girls still often curls up in a nest of bedding by the door, but not in an unhappy way, it's just her thing she likes to do.

ducky - we bought them from a local bed shop, near where we live - whole thing including mattresses were 230 quid, which i thought was a bargin!

fab bargain, will have to research

www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/categories/departments/childrens_ikea/10422/

Ikea worth a look too - we got our DDs' the Hensvik models. They also do extendible beds for toddlers to grow into child height.

I moved mine into beds at around 18 months as they were climbing out quite a bit (even in sleeping bags) and I was worried they would hurt themselves. Probably as my neighbours 1 yr old had broken his arm doing the same.

So went from sharing a room in Cot beds to room each in beds, went from good sleepers to up and down constantly. Was bit of a nightmare. So think the stair gates type idea is a good one, keep them in the room if not actually in bed.