Tips and Tricks for Moving From a Crib to a Big Bed
Sleeping comfortably in my crib!
I am truly amazed at how fast my little man is growing! It is hard to believe that two years have passed. We have reached so many amazing milestones. One of the next milestones will be moving from a crib to a big bed.
Honestly, I will keep him in his crib as long as it continues to be safe to do so. The reason for this is that his sleep is very important for his sanity and let’s face it mine as well.
How do I know he is still safe? He does not climb out. He is in a sleep sack which prevents him from climbing out.
I realize he cannot stay in a crib forever, so here are the 7 tips I will use when he is moved to a big bed:
- Remove any furniture that is not safe. His book shelf which is very tall and not anchored to the wall will be moving out. He is adventurous, need I say more?
- There will continue to be no toys in his room. This drives home the point that his room is for sleeping.
- His books will remain in his room. They will be in a container that is easy to remove if the books are preventing him from going to sleep.
- I will include him in picking out the bedding for his bed and accessories ( lamp, wall art, etc). I will guide him to bedding that is not overly stimulating but catches his attention. I can foresee his current sea theme (my choice) changing into a sport themed room (his choice). I am sure to shed a tear or two when I am removing the sea themed items and I will make sure he does not see that! This is exciting, not sad.
- He has a crib that converts, so he will “help” us convert the crib to a bed. If we were looking for a new bed I would include him as much as possible.
- I will positively reinforce him the next morning when he stays in his bed. I will reinforce with words, gestures (high-five, “pound it”) and even develop a sticker chart if required.
- If he is struggling with staying in his bed, I will simply take him back to his bed with no words until he stays in bed. I will repeat the key phrase we use for him to go to sleep, which is “it’s night night.” If he continues to leave his room, I will shut the door and hold it shut for a few seconds then let him know the door will open up when he is in bed. This worked like a charm when he slept on an air mattress when we were visiting family. I am not a fan of leaving a door locked.
Have fun celebrating this milestone with your little one!
Enjoy and happy sleeping,
Brenda
