Mamas of toddlers

[Cellist]

Pregnant mamas of toddlers...

Just wondering what you are planning on doing for a bed for the new baby if you are NOT co-sleeping.

My husband and I were just completely uncomfortable co-sleeping with DS.  We might be able to do it with a different kid of different temperament/activity level, etc. but I'm feeling like I should plan for not co-sleeping, just to be prepared.

I really do not think DS is going to be done with his crib by the time the new baby is born (he will be 2 years, 4 months).  I was thinking of using our pack n play for the new baby until DS feels like he wants to move to a toddler bed or maybe a twin size mattress on the floor.

Does anyone plan on actually getting a second crib, or just making do with other stuff until the crib is free again?  I can't decide.  If I get another crib, it will for sure be a convertible style one that can eventually become a twin or full size "adult" bed.

Maybe someone who's been there, done that can chime in?  Maybe it's super individual?  I have just heard that at 2 and 1/2 years old a new baby can be a rough transition for a LO and I don't want him to lose his comfort zone for sleeping on top of losing the undivided attention of both parents.

[sh118]

Same situation here, and I am also unsure what we will be doing.  My daughter will be about the same age when this babe arrives, and I don't think I want her out of a crib (she is not a good sleeper anyway).  We probably won't co-sleep, but would have baby right next to our bed.  I'm also considering a pack-n-play.

[Bobbys]

i am getting an arms reach co sleeper. I am just not sure if I should move out my son before the baby arrives at 2yo or after and risk him feeling resentful.

We coslept with DS by default. The little man would not sleep in his crib. And so he slept in a fisher price bouncer seat for months until he finally slept in our bed, which worked for only a little while before he became a kicking, flailing sleep-killer. Then we moved him into his crib and he was fine. Since I bf, I have to have my LO near me.

If we transition DS into his new room, he is moving into a regular twin bed. We got my husband's old furniture, so we're not purchasing a toddler bed. I just wonder if 2 years and a few months is too little to be in a regular bed (with rails of course.)

It's an internal debate for me as well.

[CassnBeth]

My DD has been in her crib with one side off since just before her second birthday and will definitely be all the way converted into a toddler bed by the time the baby is born when she is just over two and a half. She loves her "big BIG bed!" and so far it hasn't occurred to her to get out of it. However, it is a hundred dollar IKEA crib so she is just going to keep using it in toddler mode and I am going to go out and buy a second IKEA crib for the new one. I figure two hundred dollars is not so bad an investment in sleeping places all told. And the new baby will go in a pack 'n play in our room for the first few weeks anyway. In fact, I am thinking of getting one of those half-size pack 'n plays for the living room so I have some place to put this new kid down without DD "helping."

[lizsky]

Thanks for this post.  We don't co-sleep either (just not the best fit for our family, although we respond immediately to DDs nighttime needs), and I haven't exactly decided what to do when the next baby arrives.  I do have a mini arms reach, so thats an option at the beginning.  Sometimes I feel like my 17month old DD is so little and nowhere near ready for a toddler bed, but I also know plenty of people who transitioned their little one to a toddler bed prior to age 2.  And honestly, if DD gets to a place where she can climb out of her crib, a low-to-the-ground toddler or twin bed will be safer for her.

I'm a planner, so I want to plan it out now, but the realistic part of me knows that March is still a long ways off and my DD will continue to grow in lots of ways between now and then...maybe by mid-winter we will have a better sense of what will be best.  

[Cellist]

lizsky, thank you for pointing out that we have no idea how much our older LOs will change in the next 6 months or so...you're so right.

We also BF, but I just got up out of bed and went to the baby's bedroom 3-4 times per night once we moved him into the crib.  It was a pain, but the in-between sleep time was better than trying to have him snarfling and grunting and moaning in our room, which kept us up (and our movement and sounds kept him up).

Didn't know Ikea did a sort of convertible crib for only $100.  I agree that $200 is not that much to spend on two little sleeping places.  Maybe we should even look at that; thanks, CassnBeth!! 

[amycorinne]

My daughter will be three in November and we're planning on moving her into a queen bed (our current guest bed) sometime between now and then. Even though I have no evidence to back this up, I feel like having the crib empty for a few months will help her not resent the baby taking over her room. The new baby will sleep in our room for at least the first couple of months in a cradle.

[alyadri]

We transitioned our dd at 1.5 years of age to a twin sized bed....we actually skipped the toddler bed.  Instead of buying a railing, I laid a king sized feather comforter down by her bed and if she fell out, she didn't get hurt.  Her bed sits really low so she would only fall about 6  inches.  I think I can count on one hand how many times she rolled out of bed.  Eventually she learned the sensation of getting close to the edge.  We really didn't have any problems - - but she wasn't really attached to her crib. 

I'm trying to figure out what we're going to do with our son who will only be 17 months when we have the new baby.  Dh and I have talked about getting bunk beds for the two little ones and using the crib for the baby.  We co-sleep as long as we can, but we only have a full sized bed so it's pretty tight. 

Maybe it would be easier to transition nap time to the new bed - - making it a gradual change??

[CassnBeth]

IKEA has made me a liar! They have zero cribs for sale right now and rumour has it that they will continue to have no cribs until at least December and maybe longer. Curses! maybe I will be buying DD a twin sized bed because the IKEA cribs are the only stationary side cribs that my short little self can lower a sleeping baby into.

[Dandy Lion]

Originally Posted by CassnBeth 

IKEA has made me a liar! They have zero cribs for sale right now and rumour has it that they will continue to have no cribs until at least December and maybe longer. Curses! maybe I will be buying DD a twin sized bed because the IKEA cribs are the only stationary side cribs that my short little self can lower a sleeping baby into.

They recalled all of their old cribs 2 months ago, but their 2012 catalog does have a lot in there. They pulled the old ones down from their website too, and for a while there were none. At least they put some back on their website. I was planning on doing an ikea crib too because I don't want to spend a lot, but I'm a little worried I might not find one.

[Kyamo]

Originally Posted by Dandy Lion 

They recalled all of their old cribs 2 months ago, but their 2012 catalog does have a lot in there. They pulled the old ones down from their website too, and for a while there were none. At least they put some back on their website. I was planning on doing an ikea crib too because I don't want to spend a lot, but I'm a little worried I might not find one.

Oh my gosh.... I was planning on getting an IKEA crib too.  Thanks for the warning.  
 

[TriciaRawks]

We have a Pack 'N' Play in addition to DS's crib and he's already trying to climb out of the crib so we'll be setting it to the next setting (taking off the front piece and replacing with the side rail.

[Cellist]

DS is actually interested in a bed now, so I think we will give him an option for the next several months - do you want to sleep in a bed or in your crib?  And see where that goes.  I still feel like we have a long time before we'd need to consider two cribs.  Lucky you, TriciaRawks, that you have the kind of convertible crib you can change into a toddler bed!  Brilliant!! :)

[TriciaRawks]

Oh, I forgot to say what I had to say clearly and concisely. I meant we'll use the Pack and Play bedside for the first couple of months and then see what we feel is right for baby at that time.

[Cellist]

LOL, Tricia, that is exactly how I read your post.  Guess it was clear enough for me...ha!  We are thinking of doing the same thing if DS is not ready to give up the crib by the time we "need" it.

[catters]

When DD came along, I really loved the Arms Reach Co-Sleeper.  I had a crib for her, though, as DS was still in his (not yet two when DD was born) and she transitioned to her crib at around 5 months, but we continued to co-sleep until she was about 10 months or so.  But I plan on using the co-sleeper again with this baby, even though I'll be transitioning DD to her "big girl" bed in a few months (she's over two, now).  

[lunabin]

We were not cosleepers, but DD slept in the bassinet attachment for the pack-n-play right next to us for at least 2 months.  If the crib we had was still deemed safe, we would absolutely use it again.  But, it's has a drop down side and will be replaced for DC#2.  BUT, we already moved DD to her toddler bed just after she turned 2, and it took about a month to transition.  I imagine at 2years, 4months, your DC could already be moved - plus you may have a couple of months after DC#2 arrives to cushion that time.  

We are thinking of actually moving DD to a twin or full sized bed before #2 gets here, and then let her help set up the crib and new nursery as a way of helping her to "welcome" the new baby.  Unfortunately, we have some room arrangements to consider - but that's for another post.  

[berlinmama84]

We Co-Slept with my son ( who will be 2 in May) up until a few months ago when we got him is own queen bed off of freecycle & put it in his room.
He never slept in his crib& is a very active sleeper who moves around alot & it was obvious he needed his space.
I was very worried about sleeping arangements I'm due with baby #2
in june, somehow it just worked itself out & since my son has had his bigger bed he started
sleeping thru the night. He has off nights like when he is sick or teething where he will wake several times but for
the most part he sleeps great now. I LOVE when he comes in our room in the morning with a big smile & climbs into bed for cuddled & some morning nursing. I have a bassinet that we will put next to our bed so I can nurse & have our baby girl close, and we are planning
on co- sleeping again.( I like to wait to bring baby in our bed til they are 1-2 months).
I'm still nursing my son although it is just a little here & there, I think at this point its mostly just a comfort thing with him.
I wasent planning on tandem nursing but I wont deny him if he wants it, I figure if anything it may help comfort him & make him feel secure with all the new changes happening.