Hi there

Our babies just turned 2 last week and we have another due in November.
We are going to move Mikaela & Oscar into big beds probably this weekend and would be really interested to hear how you went when transferring from cots to big beds.
They are both going to be going into the same room and I know we will probably have some caos but, not sure how much.
Would be interested to see how others have handled the transition and what things to be mindful of.

Thanks in advance.

Michelle

Hi Michelle,
I don't have any stories for you, as we are also moving our girls into beds this weekend! My main concerns are making sure that their bedroom is toddler proof, and we are also considering putting a gate in their doorway so they can't get up and wander the house in the mornings (their room is much closer to the kitchen and lounge than ours, so if they got up I wouldn't hear them).

Good luck, and I look forward to sharing stories with you over the coming weeks!

Jo

Mum to twin girls
Hannah and Emma (8/4/03)

Nee - that's why we're planning on keeping our 2 in their cots until they're 5!!!!LOL

Very interested in how people have dealt with this. Our girls are manic enough in their cots making each other laugh and squeal before sleep - I shudder to think what they'll be like when they can get out of bed as well. Restraints, anyone??!!

Maree

Eleanor 1/8/03
Harriet 1/8/03

ROFL Maree! Our girls sound just like yours. They are absolutely ferral at bedtime - laughing, squealing and throwing their things out of their cots. DH and I are petrified of losing the containment of the cots, but sadly the time has come. o:

Nee - your post has not given me very much comfort! LOL. Good idea to take all the toys out of their room though - I had visions of creating a lovely little play area for them in the corner. Now I'm having second thoughts about that! :confuse:

Jo

Mum to twin girls
Hannah and Emma (8/4/03)

Hi Michelle,

I have a nearly a nearly all positive story for you. We swapped the girls cots for beds in March this year (they were 23 months old). We tried to make the whole thing an exciting and fun experience for them, we all went out choose the beds then talked about it all the time before they arrived. One thing we did which I think helped was that the day the beds arrived the cots were packed away, no transition time, so we didn't have the problem of the girls wanting to go back to their cots. We put the cot mattresses beside the beds for the first couple of weeks (a suggestion from Nee I think!) so if they fell out it was a soft landing.

We have had no trouble with the nighttime sleep, they go to bed and stay there and always have. The daytime sleep on the other hand has been a bit tricky, for the first week we had no trouble but then they seemed to work out that they could get up and play....which they did for hours!!!! They pulled all the clothes out of the drawers, took all their clothes off. Anyway I now put Sophie in our bed for her daytime sleep and Daisy sleeps in Sophies bed. This seems to work for us.

Anyway hope this helps.

Let us know how you go.
Beth

Sophie and Daisy 9/4/03

[color=Teal]I just wanted to wish you all the best. We ordered the boys "big beds" 2 weeks ago and I'm waiting for them to arrive in about a month's time.

We actually took one side off the boys cots months ago, and just put up safety bed rails (the ones you can buy in baby stores) on their cots. So, I'm hoping the transition to their beds will be OK, but only time will tell! ;p

Vanessa

J&C went into beds at 22 months-they were already in a room together. We dont have anything in their room apart from their beds (built in robes)-no toys-very boring and a place for sleep only.

We had the cot mattress on the floor for a couple of weeks cause they did often manage to 'fall out'-quite often went in to find them asleep on the cot mattress.

We have doonas-we tuck one side in and the other is on the side that they get into bed. They are both up against a wall/window.

We have had to be really firm with jumping on the beds/getting into bed with each other (as cute as it is!) and they know in no uncertain terms that they get into big trouble if they do either of these things.

Until about 6months ago we had a childproof door handle that they werent able to open...it broke back then but they still know to stay in their bedrooms until we come and get them out (after our showers).

They turned 3 last week and we got rid of their dummies that they had for night time (swapped for presents!) and theyre actually sleeping even better now as they dont get under their beds in the morning looking for each others dummy.

Good luck-I think the key-as with anything-is to set the ground rules and stick by them-no ifs/buts/maybe's-this is how it is and this is how we do it!



Caz Joel and Cam at 2 1/2years old-now 3 years old

We moved our girls out at 19mths only because they totally destroyed their cots.

Because they were still quite tiny we got toddler beds for them and apart from the 1st few nights they settled and have been fine. They did sleep together for awhile although we'd put them back into their own beds before we went to bed.
That ended when one girl through up all over her sister, since then they know where they go and scream if the other gets into their bed.

Also their room is totally toddler proof, no clothes books, toys, BUT they do rip their sheets etc off their beds and drag them around, wrap each other up then play where's ...then jump up and boo each other quite cute but apart from that it's actually been much better since they moved to their beds. That really surprised us becasue we dreaded the thought of them having room to move.

Their day sleeps have taken longer as one will try to keep the other awake even though they're both exhausted, Ive tried to separate them but they both scream until they're back in their own bed.

One thing I have found really interesting is when one stayed overnight in hospital the other slept in her sisters bed. It's happened quite a few times and they wil not settle for anything. Both girls do it too.

I sometimes wonder if it's harder for the parents to adapt to the kids moving out of the cot and into a big bed.

Hi Michelle, my response is a positive one too, our going to bed routine is generally pretty drama free now. It was very tiring in the beginning but we were firm and stuck to our routine. A lot of the stuff has already been said in previous posts; so I'll only add that my boys don't like us to turn the light down as we leave the room, so this was a good consequence if they acted up. We'd tell them if they didn't snuggle into bed we'd turn the dimmer light down and that worked for them. We turn the light down after they've fallen asleep.

We also found that once they stopped having a daytime nap, bedtime became even easier as they were really tired and ready for sleep. Each night we change into PJs, brush teeth, read stories in their room and leave them to sleep by around 7.30pm. They are so used to all this now that they are almost always very good.

Now if I could just get them to calm down in those crazy couple of hours around dinner time I'll be okay?!

Maycee



Maycee (35)
DH (33)
Twin boys (4/12/01)
DD (7/10/03)

I too am watching this thread very closely. We ordered the girls beds on the weekend, and will have them ready for them in about a month. I really am not looking forward to it, but have to bite the bullet at some stage.

The girls always sleep with the door closed (and a night light on), so at least they won't be able to get out of the room. They do however have toys in their room, and I was hoping to avoid taking them all out - what do you think my chances are. I forsee frustration in my crystal ball ... hopefully it won't last long.

Keep the tips coming!

Cheers

Kate
Alicia and Sophie 2/12/02

forgot to add to my post earlier.....we also took the light globe out of their light....this was after 2 consecutive mornings at 4am when we we woken to lots of giggling/lights on/playing trampolines on the bed!....much harder to jump up and down in the dark!



Caz Joel and Cam at 2 1/2years old-now 3 years old

Yes I do miss that 'click, click, click, click, click, click,click........' NOT!!!!!!!!



Caz Joel and Cam at 2 1/2years old-now 3 years old

[color=Teal]Ohhhhhh, the click, click, click, click, clicking used to drive me crazy! The boys can't reach the light switch, but we have 2 double power points in their room, so they kept clicking those! But, I found a wonderful invention that a mother (yes, it had to be a woman!) came up with that covers the whole power point and now they can't click any more:-

http://www.mickyhaha.com.au/prod_range.htm

Well, I must admit to it, we didn't end up going to big beds this weekend.
Next weekend for sure.
It wasn't entirely because I was a scardy cat, you see, my hubby went to put the beds together and they didn't give us enough screws. So he had to go down to the warehouse, they opened up several other of the beds that we bought and they were also missing the screws - so they ended up getting them out of another entirely different bed.
So next weekend it is, will keep you updated.
Thank you for all your tips.
I guess I won't have an issue in relation to the light going on and off as the fuse has blown in that room and we haven't had it fixed yet - maybe best to leave it for a few weeks ....
I'm also interested in that powerpoint cover, not just for the bedroom but for other parts of the house. We currently have these "childproof" fittings which just fit in to each powerpoint but both Mikaela & Oscar are quite ok with getting these out, may have to have a trip to Bunnings.
Will keep you posted.
Michelle

[color=Teal]Michelle, best of luck this weekend! I ordered beds for the boys a few weeks ago, so we'll be in your shoes soon!

We've got the power point covers on a few power points throughout the house. They're great for peace of mind!

Well, we did it.
Sat night was an absolute disaster. As soon as we put them in their, Mikaela screamed the house down so I gave in after 5 mins and put them back in their cots. Oscar was quite keen in there but then when his sister wanted out, he did too.
So, I tried again yesterday at lunch time, again a disaster but a different type. They had fun destroying their wardrobe and pulling everything out of their drawers. At one point I went in to tell them off and to go to sleep and Mikaela was running around with a beanie on her head and Oscar had a beautiful orange hat on, I had to hide my mouth to tell them to get back in to bed as I couldn't stop laughing!! After an hour or so of this going on, I gave up.
We have now put some dowel in the doors to hopefully stop them opening them but any ideas on the childproofing of wardrobes would be a great help.
Then thought we'd give it another go last night and bang, Mikaela was happy as anything, lied down and was snug as a bug, Oscar on the other hand wasn't happy.
They were both so tired from not having their lunchtime sleep.
Oscar doesn't scream as loud as his sister so I could handle it. He cried for about 5-10 mins then it all went silent. We went in after about 30 mins and Mikaela was where we left her and sound asleep and Oscar was down the wrong end of the bed but asleep.
But then at 9.30 Oscar was screaming again so gave him a cuddle, asked if he wanted a drink, couldn't settle him at all. Then told hubby it was his time to go in. Hubby opened up the bedroom door, sat on the bed and oscar bolted, he wasn't staying in that room any more, he escaped to the lounge room and then we gave him lots of cuddles. We then put him back to bed after he calmed down and he was a little unsettled but not too bad.
Didn't hear another peep for most of the night.
Then when hubby was leaving for work this morning (4.30am) Mikaela was right in the middle of the bed on top of all the covers and Oscar was on the mattress in the middle of the two beds.
They slept until 6.50am.
So hopefully the worst is over.
Sorry this is such a long post but thought I'd share our experience with you all.
Hope this doesn't scare anyone off.
Michelle

Re the childproofing. We have sliding wardrobe doors and we bought the safety clip straps that you use to hold cupboards close. They are meant to be used around corners, but they have worked well with one part attached to the wardrobe, and one part attached to the wall. That probably makes no sense lol!!

[color=Teal]We've also used the bendy/rubbery safety locks on our sliding wardrobe doors and they work a treat! No more walking into the boys room and finding all their clothes all over the place! ;p

Hey, well, the saga continues. Found my son under one of the beds at 2am the other morning, he was so disorientated. I couldn't figure out how he got under there though as we have a mattress on the floor between the two beds so he had to do the army crawl out of the bottom of the bed.

Anyway, nighttime is fine, no probs with getting them to sleep - hear the occassional crash against the wall but I think that should get less and less.

Having probs with the lunchtime sleep though, Oscar is the instigator - it took me over an hour to put all their clothes back in the wardrobe the other day. Tried one of those childproof fridge locks but I didn't want to stick it on the wall and it wasn't successful to stick onto the wardrobe itself so we made the trip to Bunnings yesterday and we bought a glass door lock - like the ones they have in display cases at shops and that is working a treat. Oscar still liked to through his blankets and pj's around the room yesterday so I've been giving them 30 mins, if they don't settle then he gets put in their old room in a cot - I know, probably the totally wrong thing to do but at least then they both sleep for about 2 hours and Oscar doesn't fall asleep (snoring) whilst eating dinner.

Tomorrow I thought I'd put Oscar to bed first, give him about 15-20 mins and then hopefully he will be alseep before his sister goes in.



Regards

Michelle
DH - Steven
DD - Mikaela (2 yrs)
DS - Oscar (2 yrs)

[color=Teal]Oh Michelle, it sounds like things are going pretty well. It's great that the kids will sleep in their beds at night. I have trouble with our two for day-time naps, and they're still in their cots (even though the sides are off!). I'm sure things will work out.

Our boys big beds arrived on Friday and they're all made up ready to go. All I'm waiting on is their new curtains to be put up and they can sleep in their new beds......... well, we hope they'll sleep!! ;p

Vanessa