Advice needed with moving my 2 year old to big bed as new baby on the way

[becmac]

Hi, I really could do with some advice. I have a little girl who will be 2 in July and a baby due at the same time. My dilemma is, do i attempt to move her into a big bed before the baby comes (she seems a little bit young at the mo) Or do i wait, the baby will be in the moses basket for a few months buying me some more time and letting my daughter get used to her new sibling. However, will this be all too disruptive for her???

I'm so confused and still have potty training to worry about, I should have thought harder about the age gap before getting pregnant

Don't think about potty training until newborn is at least a few months old - most children are at least 2.6 before they get to grips with it. And I would definitely leave her in her cot for a few months too, until you really need it for the baby.

The only problem I would think you might have would be if she does feel bad about losing her cot.... I suppose if she is the kind of child who loves to be 'a big girl' and you make the new bed exciting (let her pick duvet covers etc) waiting until the baby needs it will work but if that back fires and she does become jealous of the baby you will find it hard settling her in a bed.

My DD was 1 year and 11 months when I moved her into a small bed... and she seemed so little and young but she never tried to get out of it and loved it straight away, DS2 was born 4 months later and because the cot had been dismantled and hidden when it came into use 7 months after she had left it she has always refered to it as his cot.

And on another note I never thought she would be jealous, she was given so much attention when DS came along and special presents were given and normal alone time given... but she still went through a very jealous phase.

HTH x

I had a 23 month age gap between Ds1 and 2.

I agree with Octavia, forget all about potty training for now, it'll me much easier when she's a bit older.

DS1 went into a big bed with bed guard a couple of months before Ds2 arrived. It was a complete non event and he didn't figure out that he could get out on his own for about a year!

Ds2 was also in a bed around h is second birthday as he and DS1 were desperate for bunkbeds (all Peppa Pig's fault!) so on that basis I'd go for it.

2 years is a great age gap - mine are 4.6 and 2.7 now and they're best mates!

I'm in the same boat as you, but due in August.

My plan is to move DD to her new room and new bed in the autumn, perhaps three months after DC2 is born, as we won't have the chance to do it before (family staying and need the room!) and I want things to settle down a bit before any changes. I'm also hoping as she'll be a bit older I can play the 'big girl' card more and let her help choose things for her new room.

I'm also leaving potty training - don't want to force too much all at once, and though I'd love to only be changing one bum at a time, I'd rather wait till she's ready and get it done in a week.

Two sets of nappies isn't that big a deal, especially with the summer coming and the ability to go bare-bum in the afternoons!

As others have said I'd definitely leave the potty training well alone until the baby is at least a few months old and everything has settled down. Re the bed, I have exactly 24 months between my DDs and I decided to move DD1 to a bed with a bed guard when she was about 22 months so she'd have adjusted by the time DD2 arrived. She totally loved the bed and it really wasn't an issue. We did put a stair gate over her door to prevent her running around the house, but to be honest with DD1 it was hardly needed, she was totally fine with the bed and rarely got out of it. DD2 went into a bed at 18 months as she was a climber and that was a bit too early and a bit of a pain, but even at that age it only took a couple of weeks until she adjusted, although for quite a while she regularly fell asleep on the floor and had to be picked up and popped into bed. DS recently went into a bed at 25 months as the cot has given up the ghost and broken after the onslaught of 3 little terrors, he was so happy about the bed, but it took him about 10 days to adjust (by which I mean not being totally over excited and hopping out at 4am and running around) and his normal good sleeping is now resumed.

DD was moved into a Junior bed at 18mths. Theres 21mths between the girls and didnt want her to think Baby was taking her bed. Plus didnt fancy being up at night with a newborn and up and down putting her back in bed too. I was thinking to give her a few months to get used to it before the unsettling of having a baby around. I didnt need to worry as she never got out of bed... although knew how too.
Even now at 2.10 she only ever gets out for a wee!

re potty training.. I would just wait and take your lead from her.
DD1 decided a fab time to start was when DD2 was about 2 days old! She obviously didnt had read the bit about not starting during periods of change! She wasnt quite ready though so we held off and she cracked it in a week at 2.2yrs.

Dont worry about the age gap.. Its Lovely! My girls are now 2.10 and just turned one. Its so cute seeing them in fits of giggles together. (When their not fighting of course! ) :)

leave the potty training

in relation to cots/beds. try putting child in bed at bedtime and if they get out tell them calmly they will be put in travel cot/cot if they get out again. follow through if they do and leave them in cot for rest of night.

next night start again in the bed. if they get out warn them that you will put them in travel cot/cot. continue as above.

should take a few days.

Don't think about potty training!
We moved DD into her big bed at 21 months - had previously had her day time naps in it for few weeks. No probs whatsoever. DS arrived 3 weeks ago so cot is about again but she refers to it as babys bed.
I am thinking potty training when baby is in established sleeping pattern but pre weaning - 3-6 months old. DD was 2.1 when he arrived and I think it will be a nice project for us then!

My son was 2 when he moved into a full sized single bed with bed guard. He adored it from day 1! He is very tall and really needed the space.

My daughter moved to a bed (again, full sized single with bed guard) at 16 months. She refused point blank to sleep in her cot. She is 21 months now and loves her bed... We don't even own a cot now! But, my daughter is a total diva!!

ds2 was 18months when his baby brother arrived and has decided to potty train himself! he's still happy in nappies most of the day and i did part time potty training over several months with ds1 so will be doing the same this time again.
he's still in a cot but very nearly ready for a bed. i've got the matching blankets and pillow cases out for him and he's very excited by the nice new things in his bed, now just need to get him to stay put! ds1 was ready for a bed and very settled so we bought him a new cotbed a few months before baby arrived. he spent a few months in it as a cot, then we turned it into a bed shortly after baby arrived. ds2 is a totally different kettle of fish and we're keeping him in his cotbed as long as possible!

My DD1 was 2 when she went into the big bed because DD2 was due. I had the same concerns as you - and it was only because my mum offered to buy it that I went for it. We had a junior bed, and she was really really excited about it. I put the spare duvet folded up on the floor next to it in case of accidents. She probably did fall out a few times but it was never a big deal because the bed was so low.

Definitley leave the potty training though. Even if it works, siblings tend to regress once a new baby is born and once they work out that you have to put down the baby to deal with accidents you will find it a complete pita!