https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Tue, 02 Jun 2026 19:08:12 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-bed-when-did-you-start#post-2676984 Mon, 09 Jan 2017 22:29:44 +0000 Mrs. Sunshine 2676984@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My girls are 19 months apart. We had DD2 is a bassinet and then a playpen in our room for about 6 months. By then DD1 was just over 2 and we switched her when we were ready to move her sister out of our room. If you think your oldest will be inclined to leave her room, including in the middle of the night, I'd keep her in a crib. Its easier to juggle to babies awake in the MOTN if they never actually have to interact with each other or see what you're doing. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-bed-when-did-you-start#post-2676965 Mon, 09 Jan 2017 21:40:38 +0000 gingerbebe 2676965@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Mine are 20 months apart. I put the baby in a pack n play with the Dream on Me playard mattress. I already owned both but the mattress is only like $35. DS2 sleeps like a champ in it. DS2 converted to a twin floor bed at 27 months when he figured out how to climb out so I'm really happy we didn't buy another crib. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-bed-when-did-you-start#post-2676964 Mon, 09 Jan 2017 21:39:18 +0000 MrsB2012 2676964@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Dd1 was only 18 months when dd2 was born so we bought a second crib.<br /> Dd2 is 2 now and we are expecting our third soon. We bought dd1 a full bed and will convert that one back to a crib.<br /> I wouldn't rush putting your first into a bed, especially if they do fine with the crib. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-bed-when-did-you-start#post-2676958 Mon, 09 Jan 2017 21:32:55 +0000 LilSprinkles 2676958@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>DS was right around 2 when we switched him to a toddler bed. I wasn't planning on it, but he had climbed out of his crib. We moved him to a twin size bed when he was a little over 2.5 (we moved and decided to get him a new bed). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-bed-when-did-you-start#post-2676439 Mon, 09 Jan 2017 11:49:16 +0000 Mrs. Toad 2676439@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We moved him to a twin bed at 22 months. Baby is due next week. He gave up naps shortly thereafter, very possibly because he could get out of the bed. DS will be 27 months when baby arrives.</p> <p>Our crib doesn't convert and we live in a two bedroom. I didn't want to deal with two cribs. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-bed-when-did-you-start#post-2676406 Mon, 09 Jan 2017 11:13:48 +0000 ElbieKay 2676406@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I would keep the older one in a crib as long as possible. It is so much more convenient to keep them contained!</p> <p>I would buy a cheap convertible crib -- we have the Ikea Sundvik which is probably not that much more than your current crib's conversion kit. Then you can give the new, cheap crib to the older child, keep the expensive-to-convert crib for the new baby, and then convert the older child's bed whenever it makes sense.</p> <p>My son started climbing out of his crib at 26 months. 6 months is a lot of extra crib convenience! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-bed-when-did-you-start#post-2676398 Mon, 09 Jan 2017 11:00:01 +0000 josina 2676398@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Can you buy the 2nd crib that is convertible (without the need for a conversion kit) and give the new bed to DD1?</p> <p>Our toddler starting jumping out of his crib at 18 months so we had to convert then, but I would have preferred to keep him in a crib longer since he now ends up in our bed every night.</p> <p>We will have a 27 month gap, and just moved DS to a 'real' toddler bed this past weekend, he fought it the first night because he wanted 'his' bed but the 2nd night was fine.</p> <p>Otherwise I would keep DD1 in her crib as long as possible and let DD2 sleep in a rock &amp; play / something similar till she needs the crib. It'll give DD1 a few extra months to adjust hopefully to her new toddler bed. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-bed-when-did-you-start#post-2676364 Mon, 09 Jan 2017 10:26:57 +0000 nana87 2676364@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@schubr03: ugh yeah those conversion kits are so unnecessarily expensive! we'd already gotten ours since lo1 had shown signs of being ready to switch like a year before we actually DID switch (i think she climbed out once?) but our ped convinced us at her 18 month well-baby visit not to convert the crib yet. His advice was basically to keep lo1 in the crib for as long as possible. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-bed-when-did-you-start#post-2676362 Mon, 09 Jan 2017 10:23:16 +0000 schubr03 2676362@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@nana87: we do have a convertible crib. That's another option, buy the conversion kit and convert that crib while still purchasing another crib. That's probably the most expensive option, though! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-bed-when-did-you-start#post-2676356 Mon, 09 Jan 2017 10:18:47 +0000 nana87 2676356@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Is your first crib convertible to a toddler bed? I would probably buy a second crib if it is so that you can transition lo1 when she's ready but on her own terms rahter than because the baby needs her bed.</p> <p>We had the same question as you, thoguh we have a bigger age gap. For us, lo1 will be 2y10 months when lo2 is born next month. We converted her crib to a toddler bed in Sept, when she was 2y5m--she was ready, in that she was refusing to get IN the crib: she was falling asleep on the floor and then being transitioned while asleep into the crib, and that was no good, lol. Since she was already in the crib w the toddler rail, we got a toddler bed instead of another crib since it was easier to get her to give up the crib last month now for her new "big girl bed" (and toddler beds are way cheaper than cribs...) She still sometimes wants to lie in the crib though--we haven't put the crib railing back in or raised the mattress yet. She's still pretty jealous and possessive when we say it's going to be the baby's bed, even thoguh she hasn't slept in it in like a month! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-bed-when-did-you-start#post-2676354 Mon, 09 Jan 2017 10:13:07 +0000 ShootingStar 2676354@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We switched DS at 20 months and had no issues. He treated the toddler bed like a crib and never got out of it. But in your case I'd probably be more worried about your older one being confused or jealous that the baby has their crib. At that age you can't really explain it to them. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-bed-when-did-you-start#post-2676349 Mon, 09 Jan 2017 10:09:05 +0000 bushelandapeck 2676349@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Mine are 26 months apart and we opted to buy a second crib. DS wasn't trying to get out of his crib and was sleeping well, so we didn't want to rock the boat and move him before it was necessary. He asked to have a "big boy" bed around age 3 so we moved him then and had zero issues. We plan on waiting with DD as well. She is 27 months now and still in her crib. . </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-bed-when-did-you-start#post-2676346 Mon, 09 Jan 2017 10:05:43 +0000 T.H.O.U. 2676346@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My youngest two are 24 months apart. We chose to buy a second crib so he could keep his crib for a while longer. We got a cheap one ($100) so it wasn't like we are out of alot of money when he moved to his twin bed. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-bed-when-did-you-start#post-2676336 Mon, 09 Jan 2017 09:52:55 +0000 schubr03 2676336@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>So we currently have an 18 month old and another DD on the way. New baby will be born in May when DD1 will be about 20 months. We are considering two options. Which do you think is the better option? Any experience or advice?</p> <p>1. Keep DD1 in crib and buy another crib for DD2<br /> 2. Switch DD2 to a toddler bed and use original crib for DD2. </p> <p>What do you think? TIA </p>