We believe that almost every mum we know enjoyed creating their baby’s nursery - making the beautiful space you always envisioned for your little one to sleep in was an exciting experience, often one we had dreamed of for some time. For this reason, transforming that beautiful nursery into a big boy or girl room complete with a bed rather than a cot is a compelling prospect. However, if this is something you are beginning to contemplate, we ask that you to take a moment to consider whether the time is right for your little one, not just for you or to free up the cot for the arrival of a new baby.

Moving from a cot to a toddler bed too soon is the biggest cause of toddler sleep issues, so it is imperative to ensure the time is right. If your toddler is not consistently a great sleeper, then moving to a big bed is not the answer to your sleep woes, in fact it is much more likely to make matters worse, not better. With a bed comes a whole new set of possible sleep challenges - without the confines of their cot, your little one will have the freedom to get out of bed anytime that they wish. Toddlers just love attention - the more they can get from mum and dad the better. This may mean they get out of bed a number of times a night or at bedtime to come and see you, knowing full well you will return them to bed, giving them the attention they crave. They may begin negotiating with you, making many requests at bedtime or excuses for getting out of bed (I want water, the toilet, a different cuddly etc), or may expect you to lay with them while they fall asleep when previously they were capable of falling asleep without you in the room.

For this reason we strongly encourage waiting to make the transition to a big bed until your little one is closer to 3 years old, when they are developmentally capable of understanding what we mean when we say “you need to stay in bed”. Before the age of 3 toddlers can struggle to understand the concept of staying in bed ALL night (we mean past the early hours of the morning as well). A 3 year old is much more capable of understanding boundaries as well as bedtime rules and guidelines and are also developing their impulse control.

Moving to a big bed too soon happens all too often. It is not at all unusual for us to see a 2 or 3 week period where our little ones stay in bed all night and sleep well, but this grace period can soon end as our little ones discover their newfound freedom and begin to test out the boundaries. If this happens, often it is best to accept that your toddler is not quite ready to make this big move and to return them to the cot to try again down the track. This should not be considered a failure but instead a realisation that waiting that little bit longer can make the transition easier. 

If you are considering moving your little one to a big bed purely due to the impending arrival of a baby sibling, we encourage you to wait until your little one is ready to make this move and instead consider buying a second hand cot for the new baby. The last thing you want is to be awake all night feeding your newborn and have your toddler getting in and out of the bed as well (you don’t need the extra challenge).

So when SHOULD we consider making the move? There are three times I would encourage making the move to a big bed:

1.   Your toddler is approximately 3 years and sleeps well (remember there is no rush to do this though).

2.   If your little one begins consistently climbing out of their cot and it would be unsafe to keep them in the cot.

3.   When they become physically too big for their cot (many cots convert into toddler beds and suit children up to 5 years).

4.   When they are asking for a big girl or boy bed (if age appropriate)

If your little one is consistently climbing out of their cot but is not yet near the age of 3 there are a few things we can do to delay the move:

1.   Ensure their cot mattress is lowered to its lowest position. Sometimes this will mean that the mattress is on the floor. This is only okay if there is absolutely no gap between the top of the mattress and the bottom of the cot (safety always comes first).

2.   Sleep your toddler in a sleep bag as this will make it much more difficult for them to manoeuvre their way out of the cot. If you toddler removes their sleep bag themselves, turn it around so the zip is at the back or pop a t-shirt over the top of it so they cannot access the domes or buttons.

3.   If your cot is taller on one side than the other consider turning the cot around so that the shorter side is against the wall.

4.   Ensure there is nothing in the cot for your toddler to use as a step to help them out of the cot - cot bumpers, larger toys and pillows (which should not be in the cot anyway) all make great ‘booster’ objects.

When your toddler is ready to make this exciting transition be sure to safety proof their entire room - this means bolting furniture that could be climbed on and toppled and toddler proofing electrical equipment and power sockets.  

Have you made the transition from cot to bed too soon and now are dealing with the consequences? Email us or book in a consult and we will get your little ones sleep back on track.  

Hayley & Katie