apparently it's time for big boy beds

Noah climbed up and fell out this morning so I guess we need to convert the cribs. I have cribs that I can take the front off and then put up those small bed rails...My concern is..how exactly do I go about doing this?
Do I put a baby gate in their doorway? I'm afraid they will go into their 7 mo old brother's room and wake him up
How do you get them to stay in their beds?
Do I get the toys out of the room?
Should I have their first time sleeping in the bed be for naptime or bedtime?
Any other things I should be thinking about?

TIA!

 

we were fortunate enough that we didn't need to get big kid beds until just this week (we ordered them for their birthday and they actually didn't start climbing out until last week) and so far *knocks on wood* they've stayed in their beds the last 2 nights...

I don't have a 7 mo old to contend with either though....you could always go for crib tents if you don't want to convert yet...

 

We took the front off the crib and put up the rail too. This was my thinking...

I put one of those door knob thingys on their sisters door so they cant get in there at all. We did the first time for a nap and I think if I did it again, I would do it at night. That way its dark and they cant see each other and feed off each others energy.

At first one of us would sit on the floor no eye contact or talking after lights out and we would just get up and put them back in their beds and go back to our corner. It took one day and they never get out of their beds when we are in there and rarely come out after we leave.

We dont have to use a gate or door knob thing in their room. They dont come out until morning. At first they were getting up really early and I think that was just a novelty. It has gotten much better and they can now go down for a nap at the same time in their rooms. I did have to separate them for a bit at naptime.

HERE is a recent thread that I used to talk through my thoughts. I got some great responses. It might help to read through it. GL!

 

I count myself pretty lucky, my twins didn't start crawling out of thier cribs until they were over 3. And they were pretty good at it so it didn't bother me to just leave them in their cribs for a few months while we found beds. It wasn't easy, every night was a battle to keep them in. I was totally nervous because we also had a 1 year old just down the hall and their room is on the 3rd floor of our house. So a typical night was we would but them to bed, walk downstairs, plop down on the couch then hear them sneak out of their cribs. We would have to go up several times, but fortunately, all they ever wanted to do was play in their room, they NEVER tried to walk down the stairs or leave their room.

When we got their beds, it was pretty much the same, a battle every night. It took about 4 months for them to totally get it. We can put them in bed and they now stay, they may talk for a while, but they don't get up. I guess our trick was just time and lots of stair climbing. It totally wasn't fun, but I'm glad we stuck it out. I guess that's my advice, transition them to beds and welcome to another adventure with your twins.

 

Looking back on it, I would have put a gate in the door way! Not a bad idea. I would go over the rules with them during the day and then when it's time for bed, tell them the rules one more time.

I spent time sitting/lying/falling asleep in their room for far too long! So, I wish I had put a gate up!!! :hug:

 

we just switched a few weeks ago, we did put a gate up in there door way, DS knows how to unlock the back door and we have our staircase to the upstairs with out a gate. we did the switch at night like PP said its easier when its a bit darker for them to sleep while being so excited.
Ours kept getting out of bed, turing on the lights and playing around for an hour or so.
just three days ago i started sitting on a stool out side there room and anytime they got out of bed i just put my head in and said "back to bed"
the first night i sat outside there room for an hour. there were long streches of them in bed but than one would try to get up and flip on the light and i would do the same thing. i just stayed there (out of sight) till i could tell they were asleep. like i said the first night it took 1 hour
the next night was 30 minutes and last night was 15 minutes. they are catching on very quickley.
i am planning on doing this for a full week but will go longer if need be.
good luck

 

One more thing or two
Yes we had to take all the toys out of the room
and we also had to take out there dresser
i went to check on them one night and DS was standing on top of the dresser and DD was standing in one of the drawers
they they opened and was trying to get up top

it was anchored to the wall but not worth the hassel so at 9pm my hubby was removing the dresser (tall one) from there room
all that is in there now is there two beds.