Shifting your toddler’s crib to a proper bed is challenging. While parents feel excited about welcoming their newborn to a permanent place in their bed, they feel a bit nervous. And that nervousness comes from worrying about the toddler’s safety.
Sometimes, relocating your toddler from a crib to your bed may interrupt their sleeping pattern. While some toddlers feel safe and happy after shifting to their parent’s bed, they may find adjusting to this new setup extremely difficult. Although a toddler bed transition is a very normal process, the parents should be more considerate and careful regarding the timing. Ensuring your toddler is ready to leave their crib’s comfort and shift into a new bedding setup is crucial.
What’s the Perfect Timing for a Toddler Bed Transition?
As we said, a toddler must be physically and emotionally prepared to shift into a new bedding setup. Research studies have revealed that toddlers are to go to their parent’s bed at 2 or 3. However, this age parameter may slightly differ from toddler to toddler. Also, some other factors can influence this bed transition process.
What Factors Can Influence Toddler Bed Transition?
As parents, you need to be more careful about your toddlers’ physical safety and emotional well-being. While some toddlers start climbing their crib very early, some may take more time.
However, parents should have a strong eye on their toddler’s movements as they may indicate whether their toddler is ready to shift with you or needs more time. Here, we list some important factors that significantly influence this sensitive process called toddler bed transition.
Toddlers’ age:
As parents, you can expect this bed transition process to happen around 18 months to 2.5 years. Some parents wait for their toddler to become two and a half years old, and then they prepare for this bed transition arrangement. However, some toddlers may take longer to adjust to this new setup. In rare cases, toddlers find sleeping in the new bed difficult. We advise waiting for your toddler to show some sign of readiness to avoid such sleep disturbance. Such signs indicate they are ready to leave their old bedding setup and sleep with their parents.
Toddler’s safety:
Keep an eye on your toddler’s movements. See if they can climb their crib. If you see your toddler capable of climbing their crib, then that’s it. The time has come when you should make space for your little one in your bed. However, if your toddler is two and a half years old and still not trying to climb the crib, you have more time for this bed transition.
Toddler Producing the Signs of Readiness
When toddlers sleep in their cribs for a long time, they develop a certain kind of attachment to their crib. Now, all of a sudden, shifting the toddler to a new environment can cause separation anxiety in the toddler. As parents, you might see some signs of separation anxiety in your little one. Such signs include crying, sleeplessness, weird restlessness, and temperament issues.
Normally, these signs go off after a week, or, at maximum, it can take the toddler two weeks to adjust to this new environment.
On the other hand, if your toddler sleeps peacefully in this new bedding setup from day one, it means your toddler is ready for this bed transition. So watch the signs carefully and consider your toddlers’ needs.
Toddler’s equation with their siblings:
Bed transition may become more challenging if your toddler has an elder sibling. Here, the equation your toddler shares with their siblings will play a big role. If they share a warm bond, this toddler bed transition process will be easier as your newborn will feel the joy of sleeping beside their siblings.
How to Smoothen Up the Toddler Bed Transition Process?
Once you become confident that this is the right time for a toddler bed transition, you must look for ways to smoothen the entire process. Worry not. Here are some effective tips that can help you make this bed transition successful.
Build a strict bedtime routine
You must establish a strict bedtime routine if you want your little one to adjust to this new setup faster. Make your toddler sleep at a particular time. Such discipline will ease their anxiety and make them habituated to this new arrangement. Remember, consistency is the ultimate winning strategy. Sleeping at a particular time will influence your toddler’s biological clock and make them sleepy every day at that particular time.
Bond more with your kid
To smooth up this transition process:
- Make sure your child feels a secure attachment towards you.
- Show warmth, be more attentive to your child’s needs, and hold your patience tight. Your toddler may throw some tantrums at the beginning of this bed transition.
- Be gentle with them and allow some time to get things to the right place. This beginning transition stage will pass soon, and you will see your child sleeping peacefully in bed.
Surround Your Toddler With Some of Their Favorite Soft Toys
If your toddler has soft toys in their crib, bring them here in your bed. Surround your toddler with some of these known soft toys. This will make your toddler feel safe and relaxed. This way, you can offer that much-needed comfort your toddler will seek at this new transition stage.
Choose the bed wisely
Do not compromise with your child’s safety and comfort. Make sure your toddler feels safe and comfortable in this new bedding setup. Also, ensure your toddler doesn’t outgrow the bed. Keep the bed size a bit lower to avoid serious risk factors. Such wise considerations will lead to a successful bed transition.
Final Take
This bed transition process will be challenging for the parents and the child. So be gentle throughout the process, follow the above-listed tips, and you will eventually find out if your little one is ready for this transition process. We hope this process offers some remarkable memories and unforgettable joy.
I’m a passionate DIY decor specialist with a deep love for transforming spaces into personalized havens. With years of experience in crafting unique home decor, I thrive on creating stylish and budget-friendly solutions that reflect individual tastes.
