Switching To A Big Kid Bed

One of the most common questions I get asked as a baby sleep consultant is, “When should we move him into a big kid bed?”

My favorite answer to this is, “Later,” and there are a couple of reasons why I say that.

Number one is because there are so many other priorities when it comes to your baby’s sleep. Establishing a bedtime routine, teaching independent sleep skills, getting your baby accustomed to a schedule, are all things that should take place before you worry about moving him out of his crib.

Believe me, it’s going to be a lot easier to make the transition once you’ve got a good, skilled sleeper on your hands.

The other reason I tell parents to wait as long as they can is because, unless you’ve got a new baby on the way and need to make some space in that crib, there’s just no reason to push it.

Toddlers will inevitably notice that they sleep in a different bed than their parents, or their older siblings, and will ask why.

Once they’ve shown some interest, and feel like they want to make the switch, I’m all for it. But don’t look at it as some kind of developmental stage that your child should reach at a predetermined age.