It’s that piece of furniture your baby easily outgrows. As much as you were excited to buy it, your baby’s crib is the one piece of furniture that doesn’t really stay long in your home.
In just two or three years, you’d have to prepare your baby for the big switch. From the cute little crib, your baby would eventually be transferred to the big bed.
The decision to make that big switch relies solely on you. There really isn’t an exact time or age when you should make the switch from the crib to the big bed. That really is up to you to decide on.
Nonetheless, making that switch is a huge leap for your little one. There will be some adjustments. You can’t expect your baby to make a smooth transition from the crib to the big bed.
You need to help your baby adjust to the changes. To make the big switch a lot easier for you and your baby, there are 8 doable tips you can follow.
Here’s the list of 8 doable tips to help your baby switch to a big bed:
1. Assess for readiness. Ideally, the best time to make the transition is when your child asks for it. Try not to rush the transition based on input from others or external pressure. Toddlers do know when they are ready to move on.
2. Shop together. Changing from the safety of a crib to the strange new world of a bed is big. Allow your child to play an active role in making the transition by allowing him to choose the bed and new bedding.
3. Placement. Consistency is always essential when introducing big transitions. Try to place the new bed in the same place (or as close to it as possible) as the crib.
4. Comfort items. Coveted toddler blankets, loveys, a favorite stuffed animal, and other comfort items should all make the transition. The most important factor is that your child feels safe and secure in his new bed.
5. Safety items. You want to focus on the safety of your child. Invest in side rails for both sides of the bed, even if it is pushed up against the wall (toddlers can get accidentally stuck between the bed and the wall).
6. Routine. Maintaining consistency ensures safety and comfort for your child. Try not to travel until your child has truly adjusted to the new bed.
7. Empathy. Show empathy to your child, tell him what it felt like when you switched to a bed, let him know that you understand that this is difficult and that you will be there for him every step of the way. Patience is everything during these major childhood transitions.
8. Books. Books are always a good idea when preparing a child for a big transition. “Big Enough for a Bed” (Sesame Street) by Apple Jordan and “Your Own Big Bed” by Rita Bergstein are great books for toddlers preparing to make the transition.
Making that big switch from a crib to a big bed is definitely a milestone for your baby. However, it cannot be done overnight. So don’t expect your baby to adjust immediately. You have to give your baby some time.
Suffice to say, you need a lot of patience as well. Transitioning your little one from the crib to a big bed should be done gradually.
It’s also quite exciting to transfer your little one to a big bed. After all, it’s a milestone for your baby. Aside from that, it also gives you a good excuse to shop for new stuff for your baby.
However, that shouldn’t blind you from doing tip #1 carefully. You should use your better judgment to decipher if your little one is all set for the big bed.
When you have carefully done your assessment, you need to seriously follow the rest of the tips for a gradual and less stressful transition. Following the rest of the tips is the only way for you to help your little one transition to a big bed.
Katie Hurley, a Child and Adolescent Psychotherapist compiled the 8 doable tips. For more information on how you can make the big switch from your baby’s crib to a big bed, you can read Katie’s full article here.
So are you now ready to help your little one transition to the big bed?
