From cot to bed...when?

[Pentium85]

DS is 18 months. Wakes upwards of 5 times a night, which I'm absolutely fine with, but in laws are saying to turn his cot into a bed to help with this, and it got me thinking, when do they go into a bed other than a cot?
I actually have no idea.

Honestly don't do it until you are ready. I finally done it when DS Was over 2 because he kept climbing out all the time. It wasn't an easy transition

Thank you for that response, you've reassured me to wait a bit as I just don't feel ready yet. He is a daredevil child and if not confined to his cot I have no doubt I would find him swinging from the curtain like a monkey in the morning!

Dd was 2
Ds was 2 ½

I work in a baby room and we try around 18 months but depends on child. Also do you have a full size bed or a juniou bed. Do you have a cot side to go on bed.

@june2007 Cot bed that can have a bed rail guard put on

2 or above. They can get out of bed silently so you need to know they’ll be relatively safe and/or call out for you.

Depends on the child.

#1 was happy in his cotbed and never tried to climb out our anything so we didn't change until 2.

#2 hated being confined from birth (I'm not sure if it's possible but I think she may have been/is claustrophobic) so we swapped to a bed at 16 months.

Son 15 months daughter 10 months - she was like a monkey as a baby she could already climb out then so was safer to put her in a bed (it's still the cotbed but no sides) neither have really messed about getting out again.

I should add that #2 was in my room until 3 so wasn't so worried about her sneaking off although we taught them how to go up/downstairs as soon as they started crawling, closed all doors at night and had a gate across the kitchen so they couldn't really come to much harm if they got to without us.

Dc1 was 18 months when we converted cot to cot bed, it was much easier for lifting in and out and cot was becoming dangerous for climbing out. He loved his big boy bed and new bedding. He had a little ikea pillow I recall and 4.5 tog quilt.

I think when they start to climb out.

DD 22 months and just transitioned over as she was climbing out constantly. I'm currently sat at the side of her in tears, shes always slept well and gone down easily. Wait until you absolutely have to, this has been one of the hardest times as a parent for me.

Forgot to say he never got out so it does depend on the child and is 3 years 11old now and still doesnt get out his single bed.

3 years old * dont know where 11 came from!

DS1 was 34 months old! He was happy and safe in his cot.

DS2 is 22m old and I'm beginning to think about it.

Varies madly. My dc1 was a climber and went into a bed at about 20 months. My twins were almost 3 years as they showed no inclination to get out of the cot and I held off as I didn't want them getting out of bed and pissing about of an evening. In the end they were fine, sleep better than they did in cot, no bars to bang against maybe?

We did it when ds was 17 months. I knew he'd be happier in a bed so didn't see the point of waiting.
We got him a toddler bed that had built in bed guards, didn't bother getting extra ones. Bd was fine and loved being in a bed

Mine is 2.5yo still in a cot!

Ds was 2 years 1 month, he had a cot bed but scaled the sides and got out, so the sides had to come off. Hes adapted pretty well so far, hes only fallen out once and he promptly curled up on the floor and went straight back to sleep! We have a camera monitor with a motion sensor in his room so I've been able to keep an eye on him.

We changed to a bed about 3 months before she turned 2, only because it was getting cold and she kept taking off her sleeping bag, and when she rolled over she often smacked her head on the bars (not that she cared or woke up but it didn't sound comfortable to me!).

She never used to wake or cry out in the night before we moved her though. I was worried she might start getting out of bed etc but she never has, even in the morning she wakes and chats to herself, has never got up until we go in and get her.

She is in a small double bed purely because her bedroom used to be our spare room and that's the bed that was in there.

I would wait if you feel they are safer in their cot.

We changed to a big bed at 22 months as he learnt to climb out of his cot

We did it just before 2; I wasn’t in any rush. I have heard of it making some children sleep better but I’ve got no idea why and there’s no guarantee

Thank you everyone for taking the time to respond! I am thoroughly reassured to follow my motherly instinct that says to wait

I would keep him in a cot as long as you can, whilst mine took to bedtime really well from the first night when we changed over at 22m, he is 2y 3m now and currently throwing everything he can get his hands on over the baby gate and down the stairs. We purposely don't have any toys in his bedroom but he still throws the bedding, teddies and change mat down.

It's actually DS2 (9m) second night sharing a room with him and we have been reluctant to put him in with him incase they disturb each other but figured better now when aren't both up to drive into work

My son is 33 months old and still in a cot. I'm thinking about taking his side's off this week. He hasn't shown any interest in climbing out so I just left the sides on.