Mattress on the floor for 20 mo old

[Anonymous]

We're looking at options for getting son#1 out of his crib so that child#2 (due in Nov) can use it.

1- just put kid#2 in a pak-n-play during naps since evenings will be in one of those small crib like things you attach to the side of a regular bed/sleeping with me and don't move kid #1 out of the crib until kid #2 goes into a regular crib/own room around month 3? (Kid #1 will just be turning 2 yrs at that point)

2- move kid #1 crib and dresser/changing table into new nursery, put mattress on the floor, new dresser for kid#1. Do this about 2 months before kid #2 arrives so kid#1 can get used to it. Kid #2 starts out with crib, etc.

3- Instead of mattress on the floor for kid#1 get a toddler bed (not my preference), or twin bed (not really my preference yet either)

My key issue is the bed for kid#1. He LOVES LOVES his crib -rather, he sleeps VERY well in it and I LOVE that I fear taking it away too early and suffering sleep deprivation for both of us. Is 20 months too early for getting into a "bed." Is a mattress on the floor a bad idea? He is so active that I fear him falling off a lot, etc. Plus frankly, I don't want to buy a twin bed when we have a perfectly good regular sized bed and frame he could eventually use (starting with the mattress now).

I know, not a huge life threatening issue and I'm probably over-analyzing. Thoughts, experiences? I just don't want to disrupt his sleep, since he's soooo good in the crib.

[jennrgolden]

I just found that I'm due with my 2nd child in March next year. I'm kicking around the same ideas as my son (my first child) will be a little over 2 years old when the new baby comes. My husband and I long ago decided that when it was time for our son to move from his crib we would be placing a double sized mattress on the floor for him. We both liked that rather than buying a toddler bed.

Currently, I'm thinking I'm going to get a simple bassinet or co-sleep bed for the new baby and let our toddler sleep in his crib until whenever. Whenever being when he seems to be interested in sleeping out of his crib or is capable of climbing out of his crib. As for the new baby - I breast fed baby #1 until he was 1 year old, I plan to with the new baby as well. So, for my sanity and sleep deprivation - baby #1 will be in the room with me until I ween him/her from night feedings. Once night feedings end and if my son is still in his crib, baby #2 gets to sleep in the pack & play. That's what I'm thinking right now. I'm not real keen on the new baby sleeping in the pack 'n play - I may break down and buy another crib...

[Anonymous]

I did option #2. My two are 20 months apart, so he actually moved at 18 months. I painted and decorated his "big boy room" fairly early in my pregnancy with DD. The actual furniture didn't come until... I don't even remember; I think after DD was born. But I put a mattress on the floor for him in there, and just kept his clothes in the closet. We played in the room for a couple of weeks before I moved him in there to sleep. The first time I tried (for a nap), he was down while I read to him, and then wanted to go back to the crib to sleep. I didn't push it; I just took him there. I tried again that night, and he slept in his new room all night long--and never went back. We don't do closed doors in our house, so I put a gate on his bedroom. But the only times he went to the gate are the same times he would have otherwise been standing in his crib. Maybe we were just really lucky...but we had no problem with it. Oh-- and I moved the mattress up onto the frame/bed as soon as it arrived. But even if the bed had been here on time, I still think I would have started with the mattress on the floor because he wouldn't have been tall enough to climb up by himself otherwise.