From crib to toddler bed
Do you know that most toddlers start sleeping like angels the day you put in them in a toddler bed? But for many it is not that easy to do the transition.
First it is important for parents to remember that a crib no longer feels secure as soon as your toddler is capable to put a leg over the railing. When your toddler reaches 2 to 3 years of age you should opt for a toddler bed, one that can use the same mattress that you had in the crib is ideal. The child will feel “less lost” in it, and the bed being much lower is a great plus.
When children spend their first night in their big boy/big girl bed, some will be comfortable with the change right away and others will be anxious and might have a hard time sleeping.
Do you need a pillow?
Children move so much around in the crib, that pillows are usually not necessary, but many experts suggest that when a child is going from the crib to the toddler bed is a good time to give him.her a pillow. Unlike adults babies and toddlers are not uncomfortable without a pillow, they have a flexible body that unfortunately we lose as we age.
To help your child make the transition to a toddler bed, you should prepare him/her carefully. The best way is to announce proudly that soon he/she will be sleeping in a “big bed”, and put the emphasis about the pride you feel about this accomplishment, to encourage your child to make the effort. It would be ideal if you could have both beds in the same room for a while, this way your baby could take a nap in the bed and spend the night in the crib. On the second week he could spend a night in the crib and a night in the toddler bed.
One way to help your baby to be a willing partner to free the crib for a soon to come sibling is to involve the child in choosing the toddler bedding. New pillow cases, sheets and blankets that the child chose himself/herself can make the difference between reluctance and enthusiasm. Most toddlers are familiar with Winnie the Pooh stories and choosing Winnie the Pooh toddler bedding is fairly natural for a child who loves Winnie. From a parent’s point of view, Winnie the Pooh toddler bedding is of excellent quality, hypoallergenic, and colors stay true wash after wash.
Your toddler will be happy to get in bed when comforted with his favorite character. But you are about to discover, that your toddler will find out very quickly that a toddler bed gives her freedom to get up easily and to find a parent when needed. In conclusion be confident that eventually all children must leave the crib and can do so successfully.