Everything under the sun changes over time. It is the rule of the universe. So, changes are regular on earth as we go through several phases in our entire life span. But the changes should not happen too late or too early anyway. Besides, we should not make anything happen forcibly as it has an adverse impact on us. If you are going to do something like that, you are sure to face a lot of troubles in the long run. With this view in your mind, you have to think deeply when to move baby from crib to bed.
One should observe closely whether it is perfect timing for the baby to switch from crib to bed. You should not hurry to move your little one. Make sure that your little one is ready for the transition to a new bed observing a few phenomena done by your little one. Keep it in mind that you are doing the change for your baby’s development, not for any pain.
Every child is different from each other. In this case, your baby may also be separated from his cousins. So, you should not come forward to making this change seeing other baby’s transition at a certain age. You need to consider a lot of things so that you can complete the transition process well.
A few critical questions may appear while you move your baby from his crib to toddler bed. They are as follows:
If you are facing these questions frequently, then you can go forward to purchase a new bed for your little one. In most cases, babies take nearly three years to accept the shifting from crib to bed. A few babies may take less time than the others as they are different from each other in many ways. So, consider the below matters while you go with it.
Age of your baby matters greatly
As you can see that there is no exact time for your baby’s switching to a bed, yet it happens in most cases from 1 ½ to 3 ½ years. In this situation, your baby might take less or more time to accept the shifting. So you should not focus only on your kid’s age. Allow him the time. You have to consider every single detail to make the decision accurately.
Safety of the side rails
When babies grow, they become very active and try to do a lot of things like climbing out of the crib. If you see that your baby is trying to come out of the cradle over the side rails or guardrails, you should take the safety measure. But if you observe that your baby is not doing the same thing over and over again, you can use the existing crib for further. There is another option to consider if your baby tries to climb out the crib’s guard rails. You can lower your baby’s bedding by replacing the mattress with a lower one so that the height of your baby’s bedding decreases. By doing this, your baby may not be able to climb out of the crib anymore.
Placing the bed in the same place where the crib was
Placing the new bed where your baby’s old crib used to be is another right approach to make the transition. If your baby sees him in a new bed in a new place, he might not feel as comfortable as in the crib. So, try to place the new bed in the previous area where your baby’s crib used to be. Otherwise, your little one may not sleep as early as he used to sleep in the last crib.
Awaiting the arrival of another baby
This is another condition your baby needs the transition to move from his crib to a new bed. If you are in this situation, you have to prepare your baby to accept the change. But do not do it too fast. By this time, you can do certain things to inspire your old one to take the shift in his new bed. If your old one is not ready to switch to another bed, or too tender to make this shifting, you should purchase another crib for your new baby.
Too big or too small
Babies are different from their growth. A baby needs a transition, whether from a bassinet to a crib or from a crib to a big baby bed depends on their growth also. If you see that the bassinet or crib you are using is not big enough for the baby to move quickly, you should consider buying a new bed. Otherwise, your baby will not feel comfortable at the time of sleeping, playing, or throwing his hands and legs around.
The cognitive system of the baby
The cognitive system does not develop at the same level for every child. It takes a long time for a few babies. On the contrary, a few babies grow it very fast. In this position, if you see your baby is not willing to accept the change you are going to make like potty-training, you should not go further. It may hinder your baby’s brain development.
Other few initiatives to accept the transition
You could inspire your baby by doing a few things so that he can accept the transition. You can throw a simple transforming party to his newly purchased bed decorating with a fabulous theme and a little bit sound system. Buy beautiful baby bedding sets that give a new look to the nursery as well as the baby bed. Besides, there are lots of baby mobiles out there in the market. You may hang new baby mobiles possibly with musical sound over the bed to accept the transition by your kid.
Mentality about Switching
Switching your baby from crib to bed is a new experience for the baby. For this development, you should not insist on your baby to accept the switching though. Instead, you can typically try to shift your baby from the crib to the bed. You should not approach moving in such a way that hurts your baby’s tender mind. He might not sleep well for a few days. It is just a change and of course a development for your baby but not a punishment.
Final thought
You know that babies learn from their tender ages. The process of moving your baby from crib to bed may be daunting at the very beginning, but not impossible. Your little kid may take some time to sleep well in the new place. It happens to all to adjust to the new environment.
If you observe that your baby is not responding well to the new bed you have already purchased, don’t worry. Have patience. Make an effort to change the habit gradually. It is hoped that within three years, your baby will learn the habit of sleeping in the new bed. For further information, read here.