So your baby isn’t a baby anymore and it’s time to make the move into a ‘big bed’. When and how you move your toddler into either a custom-size toddler bed or straight into a standard single is entirely up to you, however the process can be both exciting and daunting, for parents and kids alike. When both you and your child are ready, here are some tips for making the big move that little easier.

What Age Should You Transition from Cot to Bed?

Ask around and parents will tell you that their child moved into a big bed at an assortment of different ages. Sometimes it’s for practical reasons, mainly due to another baby coming into the family and the availability of the cot has become an issue, or emotional reasons, such as the youngest in the family transitioning later due to parents wanting to ‘hold on’ a little longer. Most research suggests moving your toddler anywhere between the ages of 2 and 3 and a half, however if you feel your toddler can move into a big bed earlier than this, or that they should wait a bit longer, then do so. Like everything in parenting, what works for one child does not always work for another. Keep in mind however that the minimum recommended age is 2 due to the possibility of younger children being stuck down the side of a bigger bed and risking suffocation.

Reasons to Move Baby to a Bed

There are a number of reasons to move your toddler into a big bed, but these are the most common:

Your child is attempting to climb out of the cot
Your child CAN climb out of the cot
Your child is toilet training, or trained, and needs to be able to get out of bed to use the toilet during the night
Co-sleeping parents may feel a lack of space
You are expecting a new baby and need the cot
The cot has become impractical or dangerous to use

If you are moving your child out of the cot to accomodate a new baby, do so a few months before the baby is born to reduce the risk of resentment from the toddler towards the baby, feeling like they have been kicked out of their own bed. Transitioning to a new bed can also cause bedtime and sleep routine disruptions and you dont want to be dealing with these with a newborn!

Making the new bed safe

Being in a big bed means your toddler can get in and out a lot more easily. Take a few precautions to ensure they are safe in their bedroom and their new bed:

Make sure you place a safety rail against the side of the bed to minimise the risk of falling out. Try and find one that stretches across the length of the bed, as toddlers will learn pretty fast how to wriggle down the bed and get to the end that is unguarded.
Waking up on the floor after a fall is extremely traumatic for some, yet some toddlers do not even wake up. Place a mattress or soft cushioning on the floor next to the bed to prevent injury.
Make sure your child’s room is safe. Keep windows closed and any choking hazards up high. Check electrical appliances, outlets, heaters and fans and try not to have these where your child can access them (ie. ceiling fans, split system heating, lamp cords at a high level).

Settling In To The New Bed Routine

Although getting ready for a new bed is exciting for your toddler, when the lights are out and it’s time for sleep in the new bed, things can get very scary. Settle your toddler in by:

Having a night light
Letting them pick out bed linen, doona covers, pillows etc and allow them to have a couple of (soft) toys with them. Let them help you make up the bed.
Use the bed for daytime sleeps only for a little while as they get used to it.
If space allows, let your toddler help put the bed together. Try and position it where their cot was; this will give them the same visual perspective when they are laying in bed, giving a sense of familiarity and comfort. It can be tempting to change the whole room around and redecorate for the big change, however this change in environment can make things seem strange and scary.
Keep your bed time routine. A new bed does not mean new rules. Keep the existing routine but maybe add a little snuggle time before lights out. Reading a book with Mum or Dad laying on the bed not only provides precious memories, but you warm up the bed too!
Sing their praises – this is a major change in your toddlers little world. Positive reinforcement and encouragement will foster a great relationship not only between you and your child but to their attitude towards life changes also.

Getting Out Of Bed

It’s inevitable, it will happen. Your toddler can get out of bed and come and get you now, so expect a few visits after you’ve said goodnight. Be firm from the start and reinforce that once your in bed, you stay in bed. The only reason to get out of bed is an emergency, not for a drink/toilet/last cuddle/monster in the wardrobe. Take your child back to bed immediately and leave straight away, unless they are inconsolable or genuinely upset about something.

Oh, and now that your toddler can get out of bed, expect the obligatory dead-of-the-night psycho visit! Your child will enter your room quietly, stand at the edge of the bed and put their face into yours until you wake up in such a fright, you’ll consider investing in night time adult nappies. How they could call for you so loudly from a cot and then not even make a sound when they come at you in the middle of the night is astounding!

Have you got any more tips and tricks for moving your toddler into a big bed?