Toddlers and Bed
To make the transition easier, gurgle addresses some common concerns and offers useful hints for tucking your toddler into dreamland.
When?
The big question is ‘When’? : While there is no ‘precise’ time for moving your child from cot to bed, the ideal range would be sometime between 18 months and three and a half years of age.Here again, the reasons could vary. Either your child’s sleeping quarters have cramped up or your child has learnt to make his way out of the cot (and could injure himself), which then makes it necessary to move from cot to bed at the earliest opportunity.
Also, if you have another baby on the way, it could be a reason for having to make your child move on to the next level of sleep arrangements. If this is so, try not to make the shift sudden as your child may harbour resentment at the intrusion into his comfort zone. Six to eight weeks before the new baby’s arrival, start getting your child used to the bed. If you’ve not been able to do so then it is advisable to wait until your newborn is three or four months old. The newborn may spend those months sleeping in a Moses basket until then and your older child has a chance to gradually become used to the new equation.
Finally, if you're potty training your child, sleeping in a bed of his own will help him climb out of it easily when he needs to get to the toilet.
Cot to bed -transition barriers
Just like some of us have a favourite pillow or need just the familiar touch of our own bed to zzzz, toddlers have their preferences and in some cases special attachments to their sleeping environments. Firstborns are more likely to resist change while subsequent-born children are more adaptable as they may want to be just like their older brother or sister.
Further, the time period of this cot to bed transition co-incides with a period that involves a lot of other growing-up changes i.e. potty-training, nursery etc. In the midst of all this, snatch him from his comfort zone and there you have a restless, unyielding toddler. Gentle encouragement and reassurance can help put the little mind at ease
Helping your child shift from cot to bed
- Do not spring a surprise all at once on your child one night and relocate him to a bed. Instead mentally prepare him for this change, by frequently talking to him about it for a good week or two in advance. Pay attention to what he feels about it, especially if he has any questions or fears and convince him accordingly.
- If you are shopping for a new bed or covers, get him involved and excited about the event, by asking him to accompany you to the shop. Put the bed in the same place as the cot and allow your child continue to sleep with her old cot blanket, even if it is too small. It will help to have his familiar faithfuls around him.
- Invest in a night lamp so the room looks less frightful or try fixing luminous stars and moons on to the ceiling (just make sure they don’t seem scary to your little one). Leaving the door ajar or playing soothing music can help soothe your little one as he goes to sleep.
- If your child insists on getting into your bed, firmly take him back without fussing and cuddles, so that he becomes aware of what is expected of him.
Safety measures to remember:
Always set up a guardrail to prevent your child from rolling over and falling out of the new bed. If moving from cot to bed was done prematurely and your child’s putting a resistance OR your don’t feel ready as yet to move him from cot to bed, use the cot again for a little while and try again later.Most toddler beds have rails or sides which help to stop your child from falling out of the bed. You can also put a pillow on the floor in case he does make his way out of the bed and at least has a soft landing!
Reassure your child that you are just in the next room and always leave a hall light on so if they do get up in the night they know how to find your room (whether you like it or not). It may also be wise to fit a stair gate over the top of any stairs so that if your child is prone to wondering around at night he won't fall down the stairs.
You could visit our Sleep and Bedtime chat forum to meet and share notes with other mums who have been through or have similar concerns about moving their child from cot to bed. It’s a great way to know more and learn from their real experiences!
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