Moving from Cot to Bed
Sleep expert, Dr Fallon Cook, has some great advice to make the transition from nursery cot to children’s bed as seamless as possible for your toddler.
BY HEJIRA CONVERY, KINDICARE
A cot is a safe sleep space that’s cosy and comforting, but there comes a time in every child’s life when the cot must make way for the bed!
This is exciting, but it can also be a bit challenging (especially at first), and to help your toddler handle their newfound freedom and settle into a great sleep routine, we’ve sought the advice of an expert.
Dr Fallon Cook is a Paediatric Sleep Clinician and Director at Infant Sleep Australia, and she has some family-friendly tips, so you can make the move with confidence!
The first thing you’ll want to know, is how long your child should stay in their cot.
And although there’s no set age when a child is ready to move into a big bed, the experts generally advise parents to keep their toddler in a cot for as long as possible.
Fallon explains that, “Very young toddlers simply don’t understand that they’re supposed to stay in a bed, and many prefer the cosy containment that a cot provides.”
However, safety should come before comfort, and Fallon says, “It’s important to move your toddler out of their cot and into a bed if they’re showing signs that they might climb out of the cot, or they already have!”
She cautions that toddlers have been injured falling from the cot to the floor, and if your toddler is trying to lift their leg up and over the side of their cot, or they’re hanging their head over the side and pulling themselves over with their arms, then it’s time to transition from cot to bed.
So, how to actually make the move?
Well, if your toddler’s cot is one of those ones that can be converted into a toddler bed by removing the side, this is a good first step.
Fallon explains that this bed will still feel familiar to your toddler, while allowing them to move in and out of their bed without the risk of falling from a height.
However, if your cot isn’t convertible, Fallon says you can simply place the cot mattress on the floor for a while, or bring in any single bed – keeping in mind that bunk beds aren’t recommended for kids under the age of nine.
It’s also important to get the whole bedroom ready before moving your toddler out of their cot, and your first priority is making the sleep environment safe.
Fallon explains that, “Your toddler can access all areas of their bedroom, and potentially the house, once they move into a bed. So, a safety gate on the bedroom door is a smart idea to limit how far they can travel in the night.”
Fallon says you should also:
- Ensure that all cupboards are secured to the wall
- Cover power outlets with child-safe locks
- Secure the cords of any blinds, so there’s no chance of them getting around your child’s neck
- Keep plastic bags out of the bedroom (including nappy bags), and
- Remove small items that pose a choking risk, so that nothing smaller than a 50 cent piece is within your toddler’s reach.
Once you’ve safeguarded your toddler’s sleep space, you can then prepare your child for the move from cot to bed.
Fallon explains that, “Your child will adjust more easily if the new sleep space feels and smells familiar.”
So, instead of investing in new everything, she recommends that you use the same sleepsuit, blanket and comforter, and let your toddler choose their new doona cover or a special toy to cuddle in their new bed.
It’s also important to talk to your toddler about the change in their sleeping arrangement, instead of springing it on them.
Fallon encourages you to, “Explain that the new bed is where they will sleep all night, and if they wake up and need help, they can call out to you and you will come.”
She says, “Some parents will roleplay the new sleep space with soft toys, showing where teddy will sleep, or even create a short story book showing what will happen at bedtime and overnight in the new sleep space.”
Then, once your toddler transitions from their closed cot to their wide-open bed, you’ll need to be very patient as they adjust.
Fallon says, “It’s normal to have some tricky nights when your little one is learning how their new sleep space works.
“You may need to return them to their bed many times. So, aim to be calm, repetitive and boring.
“And with the safety gate on the bedroom door, you can rest assured that your toddler isn’t trying to navigate the stairs, open the front door, or raid the pantry while you’re sleeping!”
If sleep problems do persist, then you’re definitely not alone, and Infant Sleep Australia is on hand to assist.
In their sleep clinic appointments, Fallon and her colleagues have helped thousands of parents to work out why their toddler is struggling with the transition from cot to bed.
And instead of just offering the same-old tips to everyone, their advice is tailored to each family for best results.
Infant Sleep Australia also runs an online paediatric sleep clinic program called Sombelle, which solves sleep problems for newborns, older babies and toddlers.
So, whether your three-year-old keeps jumping out of their big bed, or your three-month-old has no idea what sleep actually is, Fallon and her colleagues will get to the root cause and find a sleep-easy solution for your family.
