Moving your toddler from a cot to a bed

Wherever your child has spent his babyhood sleeping – be that in your bed with you, in a cot in your room, or in his own room – most children will move into their own bed between the ages of two and three.

Why should I move her to a bed?

• she can climb in and out of her cot which poses a threat to her safety
• she is repeatedly waking during the night as a result of knocking her head, arms or legs on the side of the cot
• she’s now toilet-trained and needs to be able to go to the bathroom quickly

When should I move her to a bed?

• if you can, try to make the move slowly when there is no disruption to the family routine, and your child is completely well.
• try to avoid rushing your child out of her cot to make place for a new sibling. If you do need the cot for a new baby, start the process of moving your older child to a bed early in your pregnancy so she’ll be happily snuggled up in her big girl’s bed long before the baby is born.

Find more about your toddler and sleep

• How can I keep my toddler safe in a big bed
• Steps to follow when making the transition to a bed
• Tips on dealing with problems going to bed
• What are night terrors?
• Making the daylight savings transition easy
• Share sleep problems and solutions with other mums on the Kidspot Message Board

This article was written by Ella Walsh for Kidspot. Sources include SA Government’s Parenting and Child Health and Raising Children’s Network.