How old for a baby's first bed?

When did your children move out of the crib and into a bed? As far as I know, the only rule of thumb is when they can climb out, it's time to retire the crib. What did you base your decision on?

I'm asking for a friend of mine. I got a great deal on an ikea junior bed for his little guy and he's thinking about when the kid will be ready for it.

My girls were a little over 2 when I put them into a toddler bed with the sides on them. I got lil nickelodeon ones from WalMart...Dora and Spongebob...They worked great up until a couple months ago when Katy started being able to lift the mattress off...Now they are in twin beds without frames because they like to jump on the beds. I think that your child will let you know when they are ready to change beds. You can always keep the crib up (if the room is big enough) and also put the "big kids" bed up to give it a test run.

That's what I did with both of my daughters...as soon as they learned to climb out....they were ready for a "big" bed!

My daughter moved into a toddler bed just after her first birthday (she was an escape artist )
My son was about 20 months old when he moved into his "big boy" bed.

Well my nephews 2 and he is still in the crib, they have a net thing because he likes to climb out, he is too bad like if u try to use a normal bed its almost impossible to put him to sleep, well he used to go to sleep in a bed That was all me and they had to break him of that But my niece never went in a crib when she was little she liked her car seat, bouncy seat, and her bassinet! She wouldn't go in the crib, so she has a little bed, but its in my brothers room because she has to sleep with someone usually her daddy, but when I am there I get her! But shes had a junior bed since she was about a year I would say!

My son was 2. We had to put guards up so he would not fall out.

Our daughter could climb in and out of her crib when she was 12 months old. She wanted to stay in it until she was about 2 1/2 years old. When she wanted a bed, we moved her into a twin (no railings).

My kids were ranging in ages from 1 to 2.My youngest one was only 1 when we moved him into a toddler bed.Not because he was a climber,but because my nephew was born and they didn't have a crib for him--so I gave them mine.
They went into a toddler bed with rails for about 6 months and then I took the rails off and placed pillows on the floor incase they fell out.Then, after about 6 months, they went into a twin bed.

I bought my daughter a twin bed when she was 2. We did use the guard rail just in case.

Kevin turned 2 in Feb, but he is still in his crib with the cat tent over top (so he can't climb out and the kitties can't climb in) I think in about 6 more months we may put him in a toddler bed.

When I was little I skipped right past the Junior bed and went right to an adult. My mom went out and bought a big bear and put it beside me so I couldn't fall out. She liked that better than the guard rail. I think I was about 2 when she did it.

My daughter was 21 months when I put her in her first toddler bed.

This little guy will be 2 in August. He isn't climbing out of the crib yet, but his mom and dad are splitting and the mom took EVERYTHING out of the kid's room (actually, took most of the stuff in the apartment) when she left (while my friend was at work). He has joint custody, so he'll have to refurnish quickly. He figures he'll put the bed in and if the kid isn't ready yet, have him sleep in a playpen until he is. It would be silly to buy a new crib for a kid that age.

Originally Posted by Leli

This little guy will be 2 in August. He isn't climbing out of the crib yet, but his mom and dad are splitting and the mom took EVERYTHING out of the kid's room (actually, took most of the stuff in the apartment) when she left (while my friend was at work). He has joint custody, so he'll have to refurnish quickly. He figures he'll put the bed in and if the kid isn't ready yet, have him sleep in a playpen until he is. It would be silly to buy a new crib for a kid that age.

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He can always buy a crib that converts to a toddler bed. The ones we got our boys convert from a crib to a toddler bed to a double bed. - they should last a good long time.

Originally Posted by adymarie

He can always buy a crib that converts to a toddler bed. The ones we got our boys convert from a crib to a toddler bed to a double bed. - they should last a good long time.

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Those sound really cool. That's a good idea, but he can't really afford new stuff, especially since he now has to find a way to get all new clothes and toys for the kid when he has him and he doesn't have a high paying job. He's got to make a little cash stretch a long way. I mean, his ex even took all his plates and cups (except for 3 mismatched mugs). She cleared out everything she didn't need a u-haul to move and says she's coming back for the rest. She already took ALL the baby's clothes, toys and furniture. So, he's going to have a lot of stuff to replace. That's why I'm buying the junior bed for him, which I got for a great price on craigslist. Plus, he needs to save cash for any court/legal stuff when it comes up. He loves his son and is a great dad, so he wants to have his joint custody (as was in an agreement they had made through the courts shortly after the boy was born).

She left him his cat, though, which is good. He's a great cat and loves my friend. But the cat really misses the baby and keeps pawing at the door to the baby's room.

I went from a crib to a roll out couch that was only about 6 inches high at about 18 month s/./// at age five I got a queen size water bed ...

I think it was around 2 yrs old. My son never climbed out of the crib. He would stand up and hold on and wait till I lifted him out.

The bed was a "big boy" bed and I made a grand production and then explained that a little baby needed his crib and he was a big boy now - he didn't care. I just put a bunch of pillows/stuffed animals as a barrier for the first few months of sleeping in the bed.

If money is tight, then a playpen would work until he could get him a bed.I wouldn't buy a crib for a child that old unless it was one that converted to a twin bed.

If he gets a toddler bed, then a twin, that means buying two mattresses, too. Straight to twin is a better and cheaper choice.

Originally Posted by SwampWitch

If he gets a toddler bed, then a twin, that means buying two mattresses, too. Straight to twin is a better and cheaper choice.

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Very true!!! Maybe buy a twin bed and if the child doesn't like it, put it on the floor instead of on the frame for a while.My Sister did that for her little one and it worked out great.