No one ever wants their babies to grow older, but before you know it, that tiny newborn is crawling, standing, and on the move! This usually results in a lot of change for families and their househoulds…baby gates, door knob and outlet covers, toys everywhere. However, one of the biggest (and hardest!) changes for a mama is the transition from crib to “big kid bed”! This change can feel nerve-wracking (and maybe even a little heartbreaking), but the switch doesn’t have to be so hard on either of you! With a little bit of planning and strategy, you and Bitsy will both love having them in their grown up bed!
How to Decide When Bitsy is Ready
This can be one of the hardest parts of the transition — deciding when it’s time to make it! Unfortunately, there is no one size fits all way to determine if your growing little one is ready for a big kid bed, but there are a few things to watch and be prepared for!
Arrival of a younger sibling. To be quite frank, sometimes the arrival of the new little one can dictate when your first-born switches out of the crib! Maybe your pregnant body can’t handle the strain of lifting your toddler in and out of the crib, or maybe it’s just a space issue, but before the new addition arrives is a great time to make the switch!
When Bitsy hits 36”. Once your little one hits a certain height, and is constantly hanging over the edge of their crib, it can be a great indicator that it’s time to buy a toddler bed!
You have an escape artist. If Bitsy has started climbing on furniture or even in and out of their crib, it’s time, Mama! Once your little one has the capability to get in and out of a low height bed, get that ball rolling!
How to Plan for the Transition
Now that you’ve decided to officially make the switch from crib to toddler bed, there’s some planning you can do to make everything much easier for both you and your Bitsy!
Childproof the room. This may seem obvious, but before you switch your little one from an enclosed crib, ensure that the bedroom is totally safe for them! Make sure there are no cords hanging from the blinds, outlets are covered, and anything hard or unforgiving is removed from the floor in case of fall out. Making sure these things are taken care of waaay ahead of time will help you feel better about the move and avoid accidents!
Make it exciting. This is the biggest thing you can do to ease Bitsy’s transition! Let your little one help pick out their new bed, consistently refer to it as the new and exciting “big kid bed”, and only ever refer to it in a positive tone–little ones will always reflect your emotions back.
Let them get used to it. Before you even transition, move the bed into the room along with their crib. Add their favorite stuffed animals, bedtime stories, and other toys to the bed, and let them spend time in the bed ahead of time! They’ll start to associate it as a happy and familiar space instead of new and foreign.
Stick to your routines. Whatever your typical bedtime routine is, make sure it stays the same even though they’re moving to an actual bed! Read the same number of bedtime stories, keep tasks in the same order, and cuddle as much as you normally would! Maintaining their routines can be a huge factor in Bitsy’s successful bed transition. We would recommend starting your routine a little earlier to start — there are bound to be setbacks, so starting earlier will keep Bitsy as close as possible to their actual bedtime.
Stay consistent. When you decide to make the switch, be sure to stick with it! If there are setbacks, don’t give up, Mama — you and Bitsy have got this!
What Big Kid Beds Should I Be Looking At?
When you’re getting started looking for a new bed, it can seem a little overwhelming! We’re big fans of the floor beds and lower level beds, which keep your Bitsy close to the ground to avoid any hard falls!
RH Baby&Child Keegan Low Bunk Bed – $2,000
Ikea Gonatt Crib and Bed – $200
Etsy Montessori Floor Bed with Rails – $290+
Custom Kids Furniture Sophia House Frame Floor Bed – $200
