As our little ones grow, they need more independence, and they will want to do things on their own. Moving from the infant stage to the toddler stage is a huge development, and along that comes a lot of changes. One of them being them learning to sleep on a bed on their own.

“When is the best time to upgrade my child from a baby cot to a toddler bed?” You might ask. The most common answer is when they are above the age of 3. But that does not mean that every child must be sleeping on a bed independently at that age because the timing is different for everyone. Some may have already transitioned earlier, while some may still take some time. There is no need to rush, and toddlers can stay in their cribs as it is a safe sleeping environment that they are familiar with.

Eventually though, there will come the day when it is time to make the change. And when the time comes, we must be ready to help them through the transition.

Signs that your toddler could be ready for the transition

While there is no “correct” timing for a toddler to shift from crib to bed, there are certain signs that indicate that it is time. Among them are:-

You have another baby coming
Your toddler has been trying to climb out of the crib
Your toddler is tall enough – crib rail comes up to about mid-chest height while your toddler is standing in it
Your toddler asks to change to a big kid bed

What you can do to prepare for the transition

When you have started noticing the signs that your toddler is ready to make the transition from crib to bed, it is time to get started with it. If you are unsure, you may always refer to a toddler sleep specialist in Singapore who will be able to help you and your child during the process. Regardless, you may prepare the following to jumpstart the change.

Choose a proper bed. Make sure it is not too high, and is lower to the ground. This is to prevent injuries in case he or she falls off the bed when still unaccustomed to it in the initial stage of change.
Let your toddler join in on the fun. Allow him or her to choose their own bedding, sheets, and pillow cases. It makes the change more exciting and something for them to look forward to.
Make sure the house is child-proofed. That means things like no messy wires or cables on the floor, installing side rails in case your toddler falls off the bed mid-sleep, and installing a gate by the staircase if you have one at home so your toddler doesn’t fall down the stairs.

What to expect? How to combat?

Things will not always go smoothly when they need to adapt to something new. So, expect to experience the following, and learn how to deal with each happening.

1. Toddler falling out of the bed

This may happen if there is no side railing installed by the bed. There is some getting used to for your toddler, such as not rolling so much in their sleep. What might help would be putting pillows on the floor to absorb the impact of falling, or putting the mattress directly on the floor so the distance of the fall is not too big.

2. Don’t expect an easy transition – toddler keeps coming out of the room

Your toddler may not be used to having so much freedom just yet. So, he may keep coming out of his room to join you for comfort and company. Or perhaps, nighttime might appear to be a time of adventure. It is a new experience and it could be thrilling for your toddler to be secretly exploring the house at night. You must be patient with him, and you might need to keep putting him back to bed as it is important for him to have a good night’s rest. So, do praise him as well when he manages to do it on his own and let him feel proud of being able to do it.

Conclusion

All in all, there is much to see as a child grows up. It is not an easy journey, and the difficult times can be overwhelming, but there are the fun and cute parts to be experienced in the process as well. However, there may be times when we need help, when we are lost. It is at this kind of time that we may need to sign up for toddler sleep family plan packages in order to access toddler sleep training in Singapore for some guidance.

For infant or toddler sleep family plan packages, or even just for some advice, please do not hesitate to contact me for a FREE 20-minute discovery call. I am here for you to be your aid.