Welcome back to my blog, Lainey lovers! If you’re new here, check out the 70+ blogs I’ve already written. I’m sure you’ll find something to tickle your fancy.
Today’s blog will be about how we transitioned Lainey to a toddler bed.
*Let me start off by saying that Lainey has been sleeping on her own, in her own room since she was 2 months old. I am almost certain this is what helped the transition. If your babe hasn’t slept on their own yet, I suggest reading my first blog about sleep training to find the best method to the madness.*
Transitioning to a toddler bed is always bittersweet. However, it can also be terrifying for some. I constantly battled with myself on when we would take the leap, because up until we did, she had been sleeping soundly in her crib without any issues. It was one day close to her birthday I decided it was time. I was terrified. What if she won’t stay in it? What if she gets up 50 times a night? What if she hates it? Honestly, I laugh at myself now for thinking it was going to be such a hard transition. We started out with putting her in the bed for nap time. We waited until she was very sleepy to try, because we knew had we done it prematurely, things wouldn’t have went well. I recommend starting out with naps at first, just to give it a test run. Also, we had to remove her crib entirely or she wasn’t happy and would cry. Small changes for us are often huge changes for them, so always keep that in the back of your head. When putting her in the new bed, we took all the toys from the crib and placed them into her big girl bed for comfort. I would definitely suggest using their favorite lovey when transitioning. For Lainey, she has several, including 2 plush blankets. If your littles don’t have a lovey, I would try a shirt that has your scent, so it’s comforting for them. Luckily for us, she took to the new bed like a champ! My biggest fear was now bed time, because she now knew she could get in and out of her bed without a second thought. I would like to add that she was not climbing out of her crib at this time, either. If your little one is happy and content in their crib, you do not have to transition at all. We made sure to keep her busy as a bee the rest of the day, so that she would fall asleep fairly easy that night as well. She has been on a schedule for as long as she remembers, so that’s also a factor in why it was easy for us to transition. The biggest role you will play in the transition, is being consistent. Consistency is key in getting them to learn and do what you want them to do. If they continue to get out of bed, keep on them. Put them back to bed, remind them that it’s bed time and tuck them in, kiss them on the forehead and let them be. Lainey likes to sleep with a sound machine, as well as a soothing lullaby from her baby monitor. Those are also great options to try with the transition. However, it’s not 100% necessary. If your little one doesn’t seem to do so well, and they’re absolutely hating it, you can always try again later. There’s no rush to a toddler bed. After all, we want our babies to be comfortable and happy. As long as you stay consistent, with time they will grasp the concept of a big girl/boy bed. If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please leave them in the comments below and I will be more than happy to answer them for you! I hope you enjoyed today’s blog, as I enjoyed writing it.
Love, Lainey & Mommy. ❤
laineysmommy 