It is amazing how fast time flies by isn’t it? It goes far too quickly; like the T.A.R.D.I.S. flying though a wormhole. Zoom Bang! Over, another day, month, year, century! Wibbly wobbly timey wimey stuff!
I remember when me and hubby were setting up the cot in our son’s room. Well, I say we. It was more me watching and holding bits while husband did all the hard work. I’m not really a DIY goddess, I can’t even put a shelf up straight! Seriously, I am crap! As I was saying. The cot looked massive for our tiny newborn. I couldn’t imagine him growing to such a size that he would be able to sleep in it. For the first six months he slept in his moses basket in our room. Safe and sound, waking up every three hours for changing and feeding. I swear everyday that boy grew an inch! He’s a tall lad, very much like his father. Being tall runs in my husband’s family. Before we knew it six months had sleeplessly crawled by and the moses basket was now made redundant. It was scary at first, the thought of Cabbit being in another room and not being able to check every five seconds that he was still breathing. But if there is one thing I have learned since being a parent, is to relax, and let go. To trust he will be ok. Of course for the first few weeks I was checking on him every hour to make sure he was ok and to steal glances of how cute he is sleeping. But now it’s not as often. Lucky for us he took the transition to a big cot extremely well. We had heard horror stories of how it can take weeks, sometimes months for babies to settle into a new bed but nope. We got lucky! It only took a few more months for him to figure out how to climb out of his cot for us to transfer cot to toddler bed. Again, he took to it really well and we felt confident that when the time comes for his own single big bed, he would be ok.
That time happened upon us a few weeks ago! With the impending arrival of Mogwai we thought now was the best time to make that jump. We wanted to make it all about Cabbit, that this was his new bed. All for him. I forgot how many choices there are when it comes to beds. So much variety! Cabin beds, bunk beds, beds with slides! We were very tempted by a train bed but thought best to go with a single divan with two drawers. It’s a good thing Cabbit is tall as he can pull himself right up onto it safely. We transformed his toddler bed back into the cot and have left it set up in his room. We hope that this will help Cabbit get used to the idea of him sharing his room with his little brother. So far, so good. Fingers crossed! As soon as he saw his new bed he gave a little giggle and jumped on it. Best reaction we could have hoped for.
The Boy’s New Bed!!!
Any new changes can be difficult for children to understand and adjust to. They have so much to learn in such a few short years, using a knife and fork, talking, walking, potty training, the list is never-ending. Below are a few tips if you are thinking about getting your child ready for their own big bed. Some may help, some might not. Hopefully ether way, you will get some much-needed sleep! As much as I love pandas, I can not pull of the look!
Make Sure That Your Child Is Ready
Every child is different, we all know it’s not rocket science. They set their own pace for when they are ready to take the next step. If you rush them into it, it will only take longer for them to adjust to the change. We knew Cabbit was ready for his toddler bed as he started trying to climb out of his cot. Since the news of a little brother we waited a few more months before deciding that Cabbit needs his own new big boy bed. When Mogwai grows out of his toddler bed, he too will get a new single bed. Have to keep it fair among siblings. Talk to your child, make sure they are aware that they are now a big boy/girl and get to have a new bed. Make it all about them.
Comfort Is Key
There is nothing worse than feeling like you are sleeping on a spiked mattress every night. Memory foam is a life saver. Never before have I loved a bed so much since we got a Super-King sized memory foam bed. Just bliss! Many sleep-filled nights in comfort . We wanted Cabbit to have the same (not a super-kingsize bed, that would be mad!) as he loves snuggling on our bed with us when we watch a movie. If you want your child to sleep, then having a comfortable bed is vital. Sounds obvious but comfort tends to be overlooked when buying a bed. People trend to concentrate more on the look and style than whether it is actually comfortable. A good rule to have in my opinion is if you wouldn’t sleep on it, how do you expect your child to?
Make It Fun
Getting a new bed is never boring! Think about it, it’s where we spend half of our lives. Asleep in a soft cosy, dreamy, heavenly haven. Why not make it fun? Personalise your child’s bed to their favourite things, such as character duvets and pillows. We got Cabbit a Thomas the Tank Engine and dinosaur bed sheets to make it feel like his. He loves roaring at his dinosaur sheets and going choo choo at Thomas. I think it helps him sleep better, knowing he is surrounded by things that he enjoys. Makes for a happy Cabbit and a very happy mummy and daddy.
Dinosaur Bedsheets (Tesco) From £15.99
Familiarity Helps
Make sure to tuck your little one’s toys safely in their new bed but don’t wash them. Your child’s smell will help them settle and reassure them that this is their bed. It will comfort them making them feel safe and secure. It won’t feel so strange and scary. There’s nothing better than getting into your own bed at the end of the day, so this will help massively in bringing that feeling to your child. In ways like when a cat marks it’s territory. Your child’s toys are claiming the bed, letting them know it belongs to them. Let’s just hope they don’t actually start marking their bed with pee on purpose. That might be a bit worrying. Our son already thinks he’s part cat, he loves his cat naps.
Don’t Give Up
It may take time for your child to adjust to the thought of sleeping in this big bed all alone. Remember Rugrats? There is a classic episode where Chuckie get’s a new bed and is scared to sleep in it because he thinks there’s a monster under the bed. Turns out it was just his dad’s jumper and Chuckie starts enjoying his bed. A child’s imagination is fascinating so don’t be too surprised if they seem a little on edge at the thought of sleeping in something that seems massive to them. Spend time with them, reading or singing in the new bed. Make sure they know it is a safe place for them to sleep and there is nothing to be scared of. Always a good excuse for extra cuddles I think. Got to get them in before they grow up too quick! If they wake up in the middle of the night, take them back to bed and reassure them that everything is ok. repeat and repeat seems to work for us. If you haven’t already, make sure your child’s bedroom has a stair gate. Now they can climb in and out of bed at will, the last thing you want is them taking a midnight stroll out the front door without your knowledge.
I wish you all the luck in the world on this journey to your child sleeping in their new bed. It can be a short or long journey depending on how your child takes to it. Have faith and they will get there, like many of the milestones they still have yet to conquer in their life.Don’t be too hard on them. They are only so many years old and it will take time. I highly suggest having lots of tea and cake to help make the progress easier. For you that is. Tea and cake always help with the stresses of life. Don’t forget to breathe and relax. They will get there and I promise you, you will sleep a again! You will!
Hop hop wiggle wiggle
Bunny’s Pause 