Question about toddler beds...

MommyToAshley wrote: Ashley may be going to a toddler bed sooner than I anticipated. When she stands up, the top of the railing is only to her armpits. (Yes, it is on it's lowest setting)

Here's my question... what do you do about a toddler that sleeps EVERYWHERE in her bed... sideways, at the top, at the bottom, against the bumper, leg on top of bumper, bum up in the air in the middle of the bed... well, you get the idea. She tosses and turns all night long. How is she supposed to sleep in a toddler bed?? I dress her warm and don't use covers because a cover wouldn't last 5 minutes on her. Anyone BTDT? What did you do?

~CrazieMama~ replied: Believe it or not, after the baby falls out of the bed once, there is a pretty good chance that they won't do it again. When my niece (Maddie) sleeps at my house, she sleeps in Brianna's bed. The first time she fell out. After that she has slept in the bed without hitting the floor. She sleeps all over the crib as well. Brianna fell out once as well. But now she can sleep there with no problem. I hope this helps you out.

5littleladies replied: I never worried about my girls falling out of the bed because it isn't very far to fall. Both of them only fell out once of twice anyways.I moved them both around 1 1/2 years old. My problem was them getting out of bed at all hours of the night. Nearly everynight when I would go to check on them they would be playing out in the hallway. It's amazing how quickly they learn to be quiet so you don't catch them in the act.

I'm sure if you move Ashley she will be fine. Just keep a close eye on her-or put a gate in her doorway.

coasterqueen replied: We've been trying to figure out when we are going to do this too. We actually took Kylie's crib apart and put the toddler rail piece on, but after looking at it we were so afraid to do it. If we do it, I am going to use one of those rails that you put on the bed. Hopefully that will keep her in place. Might try that.

CantWait replied: Robbie never fell out of his bed when we switched him, and he slept and still does sleep like a crazy rolling monkey. As for covers all you can do is make sure they have warm jammies on. 9 times out of 10 his covers end up on the floor. You can try tucking the blankey into the sides of the mattress and see if that helps also.

amynicole21 replied: I would just start by putting the toddler mattress on the floor, so if she does fall out she wouldn't get hurt. If she does well with that, then go ahead and put it on the bed frame and use side rails just in case.

Hillbilly Housewife replied: Zach is starting to sleep more and moreo n a matress on the floor now....he's getting big for a cirb too. He can't climb out, and the railing is under his armpits.... but we always go to him as soon as we hear something, just to check...if he's standing at his railing, looking like he wants out, we get him. If he's just playing, we wait...

But he hasn't fallen off the mattress yet!

(knock on wood)

MomToJade&Jordan replied: My neighbors put a cushion next to the bed so if Lyli were to fall out she would land on that. It seemed to work for them. She now has a bed with a better rail. I still get to wait a little longer before Jade gets to sleep in a toddler bed. Her crib converts. So hopefully the transition will be easier on her.

booey2 replied: Sounds like you got a lot of great advice in the previous posts. Thomas is a mover and shaker to. The bed rail has worked great and we used a gate at his bedroom door for the first few months. Now I hear him as soon as he is up and around. As stated earlier they will only fall out once before they realize it is not a good thing to do, if you are really concerned start with the mattress only on the floor and put the bed together later.

jem0622 replied: Lots of great advice. I moved my eldest to a toddler bed when he was 18 mos b/c he fell out. One fall was enough for me, thanks. I just didn't want to risk any serious injury. He did great moving to the bed that early. Probably easier than waiting until an older age. I rigged the sides of the toddler bed (a molded plastic car bed from Step 2) with the tops from these containers I had from IKEA. Then I tucked his crib comforter in over top of the mattress so he would have something familiar. Used the bumpers too. Tucked it down in the sides. I covered the plastic tops with a blanket or two. He did great with this setup. Sounds complicated, but it worked! I didn't have this setup when I first moved him and he fell out during the night a few times and it was too disruptive to him and us. Once I set it up he slept through the night. I would go and get him in the AM b/c he couldn't crawl out. You could just use the rails, I suppose...but it might be too disturbing (materials and all if they roll onto/into it).

Gabe will stay in the crib until he decides to crawl out of it and then we'll move him.

Moving the mattress to the floor is by far the cheapest and easiest way to go if you want to try something new. No fear of falling out of anything, but keep gates up so they don't fall down stairs or go into 'no no' areas! LOL.

Julie

MommyToAshley replied: Thanks everyone. Converting the crib to a toddler bed is just around the corner, I can't believe how it has snuck up on me already!

coasterqueen replied: Let us know how it goes I think it won't be too far for Kylie, either. I'm kinda holding off until Christmas *if* I/she can. So that way I can get her a new bedroom outfit.