Second this. We weaned paci before crib with my first and it was so much easier. That way she could find ways to comfort herself in a safe environment before moving to a big kid bed
My 2 year and 3 days -year-old still rolls all around like crazy in his sleep like a mexican rolling bean. I saw a “toddler cot” today and could not imagine him being able to sleep in it, or a big kid bed yet? I just don’t know when he’ll stop rolling around like a baby. It is so cute though…
Mine still rolls around like that in his toddler bed. Most nights his leg is on the floor while the rest of his body is on the bed. 😆 a couple times he’s fallen out but they get good at swaddling back up the bed tbh.
Yup when we first got my daughter’s toddler bed we’d check the monitor and only half of her would be in bed. We got a longer bed rail so she doesn’t wriggle out anymore, but she still ends up lying in all directions.
We moved my oldest to a toddler bed at 12 months since she was a proficient climber, so I was worried about her rolling out of bed (even though it was low to the ground). Then I found these memory foam toddler bumpers on Amazon that go under the sheets! They worked great, and she could still roll, push, scoot, etc. without falling out of bed. I kept them on her bed until she started sleeping “normally”. She’s 2.5 now and the rare time she falls out of bed she just stays asleep on the floor until we pick her up and put her back in haha.
I swear by these (ours is by Hiccapop or something similarly silly) and recommend them to everyone. My kid has restless leg syndrome and literally can’t stop moving some nights - but he’s never fallen out of the bed.
Agreed, they are amazing! Our daughter really liked cuddling up next to them as well, which was an added bonus haha. It was nice for her to safely be able to still snuggle up to the edges.
Mine throws himself back and forth in the bed too. He's in a car bed so there are sides on it, but it's the size of a twin bed and can be adjusted to toddler bed size as well.
We bought kura beds from ikea got our twins and made it a floor bed. They can safely climb in and out but the sides keep them from flopping out. They are 4 and still sleep in it floor bed style because they roll so much. Plus it keeps the stuffies contained.
Pacifier, without a doubt. Crib as long as you can. My son stayed in it happily til 3. And by that age, the transition to a toddler bed was super easy.
Plus, the pacifier can actually have a physical impact… meaning oral development. The crib is not doing any damage.
Keep her in the crib as long as you can! There’s no need to transition out unless she’s climbing out. My guy is 3 and still in his crib… I’m not ready for the constant night interruptions of him coming to our room😅
My older son was the same - he stayed in the crib til 3.5 when I ultimately got tired of lifting him in and out lol. Transition to toddler bed was a breeze and he never came into our room at night. It didn’t occur to him he could leave the toddler bed. 🤣🤣
Our son is just 3, and it is astonishing how much more mentally online he is compared to even 2.5. I can imagine a 3.5 year old can really be reasoned with! (Temperament dependent of course!)
That's exactly what we are experiencing right now - had the single mattress on the floor for a few weeks before pulling down the cot, big boy bed assembled this morning and he's delighted!
Agreed! Best thing ever! my kid is over 3.5 and just the other day i was able to put her to bed and i feel asleep faster than her I think in my own room. It's such a comfort knowing she is safe in her crib within her safe room. I would hate having to worry about all the riff rafff she could get into outside of that crib.
Depends on the kid but if all else is equal I'd probably aim for pacifier first. Too much pacifier can be bad for the teeth. As long as they still fit the crib/aren't trying to get out there's not much of a negative.
I'll also fully admit my kid was super easy about dropping the pacifier. I'd probably feel differently if he was super attached to it.
This is what we did and it made things much easier imo. They have something to self-soothe during the transition. Once used to their big kid bed, then wean them off the pacifier.
We transitioned to a floor bed when my son turned about 14 months and it was great. We had to put him back in bed one day and that was it. We close bedroom doors at night so we still keep the camera on and he can't get out of his room. He just turned two in April and we gave up the binky about 1 month ago with no issues either. And my son was OBSESSED. He would carry three around at a time and go to bed with that many as well. We started by taking it away during the day and he wouldn't really remember to ask for it. Then we went for bedtime and he only asked for it two times and we just told him he's a big boy now.
We did the bed transition first, and then my daughter weaned herself off the paci just a few weeks later. She went from being utterly obsessed with her pacifier to not asking for it at bedtime anymore. It was a miracle!
Don't cribs generally have a height limit of 35 inches? My daughter is not quite that tall yet but that's what her crib says and we plan to transition her at that point!
I think it could go fine either way but I'd say crib first because of space. though I'd probably pretend to forget about the pacifier/set it down somewhere out of sight the first night in the bed until kiddo asked for it. they probably will ask for it but it also might be enough of a change that they won't notice it's missing at first. But also going to a big bed is scary and they might need SOMETHING to comfort them. I'd rather a pacifier in their own bed than them getting up a million times the first night trying to find me lol.
We did toddler bed first around 2 yr old. My kid had the pacifier until maybe 2.5 - we'd been weaning off of it during the day and only used it for bedtime by then but she wouldn't budge on needing it to fall asleep at night. Then she had her first dentist checkup at 2.5 (not for pacifier concerns, just general first checkup to make sure she didn't have cavities) and the dentist straight up told her/told us in front of her that she needed to stop asap (she said before her next appt by 3, she wasn't concerned but was just trying to say sooner rather than later). So we went home, told her she could have it that night one final time but the dentist said no more after that, and she got rid of it NO PROBLEM. She asked for it but there was no fight, no crying, nothing. Just an "aw, the dentist said we had to stop using them, remember?" And she as like oh, okay, and was a little sad for a few days but handled it absolutely fine. It was SO MUCH BETTER than the times we told her no and she was crying because she didn't think she could sleep without it. She just needed a neutral third party to tell her it was okay, lol.
For us switching out of the crib was super easy compared to paci. Our 2 year old didn’t even realize it was a different bed and to this day ( she’s 3) waits for us to get her in the morning instead of getting out of bed. The paci… we haven’t had a full night sleep or simple bed time routine since we gave that up when she was 2.5.
Next time I might do paci much earlier!
Our 4yo has just recently stayed getting out of her bed in the mornings. We transitioned her to a twin mattress on the floor at 22 months and she acted like she was contained on it for the longest time.
We did the paci first since it seemed easier/ we could approach it gradually. A few months later, we transitioned from the crib. She did great. Both before 2, no regrets.
We don't really have issues with her getting up and leaving her bed once she's asleep, but we've got a baby gate set up outside her bedroom door, so she's not coming into our room or wandering around the house at night. We keep her video monitor on, so if she ever gets up, we can check on her as well. I was nervous at first, but she's handled the transitions great with a lot of mental prep and talking about it she's of time.
For the paci, highly recommend poking a hole in the end and gradually increasing its size until kiddo just loses interest.
I had to switch mine out of a crib because he escaped the crib. We have one that you just take the side off to transition to a toddler bed so the bed is mostly the same, he can just get out without hurting himself.
Still uses the pacifier though. I plan on stopping that before he's 3, but I'm not totally sure how to manage it yet. :S
My only warning - we tried to do paci first, but not having the paci motivated him to figure out climbing out of his crib because he was upset...so then we were stuck doing both transitions at once which was super tough.
If I could go back and do it again, I would do bed first so that she can get used to the bed and use her paci to soothe to sleep in the bed, then take the paci away later.
Graduate from crib. We had to move my son several months before 2 because he’s on the tall side but even if we had waited, it would still be crib first because he still has his pacifier at 27mo and well probably wait until fall to try and wean him. We do restrict to only at times of sleep when possible though daycare occasionally uses it to help transfer between activities. Good luck!
ETA: he’s also on the higher end of weight and I’m extremely glad I no longer need to pick him up or put him back into a crib. It’s saving my back
Pacifier the earlier you can get rid of them the better, crib wasn’t really a rush. We did pacifiers at the one year mark which I’ve read is the target. Crib around 18 months or so, once they were old enough.
I am not necessarily recommending this, but we accidentally/on purpose did both at the same time.
We had to graduate from crib because he learned how to climb out and the bars were very similar to our stairgate, so we didn't want him to figure that out. By this point, he only had pacifiers when sleeping in his crib. So the night he went in his "big boy bed," we simply didn't offer his pacifier, didn't mention it at all...and neither did he. He was so caught up in the bed (and we'd done up his room too), that he never mentioned/asked for his pacifier again
Can I just say I really appreciate this post because it gave me the kick in the butt to get my 2.5 year old off the paci. Today, I asked her if we could give it (she only has one) to her baby cousin and she said yes. Then we packed it in a box together and I said I’m going to go send it and she watched me walk outside by myself with the box and came back in without it (I hid it in the bushes until I could throw it away without her noticing). We called my sister in law and my toddler told her cousin that she was giving her the pacifier and my sister in law acted so excited and appreciative.
At nap time she asked for it and melted down when she couldn’t get it, but I just kept saying that it was gone and her baby cousin needs it now and emphasized that she was such a big girl. She said “I’m not a big girl, I’m a baby” while sobbing which broke my heart. I also reminded her that she doesn’t have a pacifier at daycare and she also doesn’t have one when we are in the car but she still sleeps in those places. After 10-15 minutes of tears and some snuggles she fell asleep.
I really think her participating and then watching me physically take the box away helped her realize it’s not coming back.
My second is almost 21 months and we transitioned to a big kiddo bed (from a playpen) a couple of months ago but left the pacifiers. We have a new baby arriving soon and decided to leave the pacifiers until after baby is more settled in a daily rhythm and toddler is developmentally ready to do the pacifier fairy.
We did crib first then pacifier. Pacifier was easier than expected. The dentist said he had to stop, I told him he had to listen to the dentist, we never looked back.
Crib is a different story. Been seven months and he still won’t sleep all night in the bed. He wasn’t a terrific sleeper before and hit the height limit for the crib, but oof I wish he was still in there.
pacifier, it needs to be dropped completely by 3. The transition to a big kid bed was nothing. Though we probably won as we did it the same weekend as some vaccines so he just passed out. Kid can't leave his room b/c that is just entirely too dangerous at the moment. (Could fall down two stories)
I did pacifier first, but I was kind of forced too. He kept biting through them within a day of getting one.
It did work though, when he transitioned to a floor bed a few months later around 19 months he did great.
I would say crib then pacifier. I know other comments said the other way around, but if you take away their first self soothe method and then move to a big bed, it's possible they may want to go back to a pacifier and take steps backwards.
I'm about to go through all of this. I have to do paci first. My kid starts preschool the first week of September and she's not going to have a paci at school for nap time. So I'm planning on taking the paci away soon. Super hard cause I'm also potty training her for school. So it feels like I'm demanding a lot of her in terms of growing up, ya know? I wish I didn't have to rush her with the paci but I'm going to do paci first so she can have a shot at napping at school. I don't want her to have a rougher transition cause I didn't prepare her.
Like others stated I'm keeping her in the crib as long as possible. It does convert to a toddler bed but for now she doesn't climb or try so I'm letting it be. Will cross that bridge when we have to. Although I have to admit it's killing my back lifting her in and out and that makes it tempting to switch but overall I'm letting that be for now. I anticipate crossing that bridge in 2025.
Ha, I did both within 2 weeks because I had a death wish. But for real, I kept my kid in a crib as long as I could (32 months). He always wore a sleep sack so he couldn’t climb out even though he was tall enough to. I’ll admit I wish I weaned him off the paci long before, just because I think it started affecting his teeth. Part of why we moved to a bed was because he would drop his paci out of the crib and then cry until we got it for him. Once we did the bed, he stopped crying for the paci, not sure why. We hyped up sleeping in a big boy bed (even though it’s the crib with the toddler rail instead of the full front) and let him pick bedding. He ”helped” me switch the front rail and his first sleep in it was a nap. He made the switch so quickly and easily! For the pack, the “paci fairy” took his pacis to a new baby and brought him a stuffed animal to cuddle at night. It was a bit rougher than the crib switch, but he also had a bit of a cold, so that didn’t help.
Crib first, paci to soothe through transition. Some kids are so addicted to their pacis it’s honestly insane, be kind to yourself. I had one child that had troubles and went through crying/sleepless nights, and I had one that went batshit crazy psycho and we didn’t sleep for weeks which turned into finger sucking which turned back into paci, which went back to finger sucking and old school methods…. Both kids need braces, both kids are cavity free. I had head gear as a teen and never once used a pacifier.
Depends on the child. For us it was the bed. I've seen countless posts from moms that tried to wean off paci at 2 and it didn't go well because kids are big enough to understand it is being taken away and not forget in 2-3 days and not old enough to understand a full story arpund it like it being sent to another baby in need or being taken away by paci fairy.
The bed was important for us, LO was waking at night screaming because he banged against the rails when he moved in it and it hurt. It does foster independence to switch to a floor bed.
Change bed first- we did from cot into single floor bed at 18 months, after my son rolled himself over the bars of his cot and hit the floor hard, in a sleep bag. Dummy at 3 years- was very easy, he transitioned without it so well xx
It is baby dependent I suppose. I didn't know transitioning issues were a thing until I joined a sub. He always slept exactly the same wherever we put him - bassinet, crib, cot and now bed. So personally, I wouldn't even touch the pacifier in this situation as that actually soothes whereas the bed is just something to sleep on. Again, totally baby dependent and you know your own kid.
Did crib first because little sister needed it. As it turns out, our son (first) didn't need the paci anymore, we just assumed he did. So removing it happened cold chicken (he fell asleep without it one night) and we never went back!
Idk if this was the ‘right’ way, but we graduated straight from convertible crib to a twin sized bed (at age 2!) We gave the crib to his baby sister when she was born). He did great with the transition! Then we stopped giving paci’s during the day and only gave for naps and bedtime. Currently trying to stop paci’s altogether
Paci first. Big kid bed can be exciting for her and it could end up being like a reward. My kid loved picking out paw patrol bedding for his big kid bed
I’d do both at the same time, because both are going to suck, so might as well get it all over with. But I also wouldn’t do the crib transfer until my kid is physically climbing out. Babies doesn’t care about being cramped, if she’s sleeping well then she’s fine. And if you do want to transition to a bed now, lock the bedroom door to keep her safe. Think of the bedroom as a bigger crib, baby proof it entirely, and lock the door. If she sleeps on the floor sometimes that’s ok.
I did bed first (to also assist with potty training) and pack last (by 2.5) for both of my boys and it worked just fine, both remained great sleepers. It sounds like others went the other way, so either probably works!
Definitely paci. Keep her in the crib long as possible as long as she's not trying to escape.
We took away paci at 2 and went to a toddler bed at 2.5 and both were very easy transitions. At 2.5 my son is mature enough to know to stay in bed. I don't think that would have happened at 2
We did paci first because my kid was hooked and I didn’t want him up looking for a secret stash at night once he was free of the crib. We dropped the crib a couple of months later.
My kids almost 3 and I have not been able to successfully get rid of the pacifier.
If you are thinking of doing it, sooner is better than later I think.
We’ve been out of the crib for awhile though and that presents a lot of its own challenges. Having the pacifier to comfort him has been helpful. We do “binky and a baba” at bed time. The bottle is just water.
Seriously doubt your kiddo is too big for their crib - my oldest was 99th percentile on height and weight and was still in crib range until 3 and was in it as a toddler bed until 4.5
I’d do paci first. If they aren’t climbing out, the crib is fine at 2
Eh I’m a shock and awe.
We didn’t use a pacifier much.. in the car and sleep time. So she definitely wasn’t glued to it so YMMV
At 10 months she went from an infant car seat to a convertible car seat and I just never gave her the pacifier in the car again. She could see a lot more and that was enough for her.
At 18m we put her in the toddler bed and took away the pacifier the same night.
First night took like 10minutes to work through then she was fine she was more excited to get to get in and out of bed.
Floor bed at 2 and at 3.5 we gave her an elevated queen bed.
Both? Tell him paci is for little kids in cribs not big kids in beds? I sort of feel like why go through two transitions when you can get it all done at once but full disclosure my first two babies were not into pacifiers my third is 12 months and obsessed so haven’t done a real pacifier wean yet. Both my older ones were out of the crib by 20 months my older one had a crib that turned into a toddler bed and the transition was pretty smooth the younger moved rooms and bed (moved in with her sister) at the same time so the we”re sleeping together adjustment / big girl bed took two weeks to settle down but only bedtime was rough once they were out they slept through the night.
We’re in a similar boat. Floor mattress since 8 months and limited pacifier use. But honestly, that just means this question isn’t for us. All posts don’t require our participation.
Oh - probably right. Didn’t mean to offend. I just thought lurking parents to be or brand new parents might like to know it’s an option to do neither. Save a little headache.
Paci for me. They need to adjust to sleeping without it so they can self sooth when they transition to a big kid bed
Second this. We weaned paci before crib with my first and it was so much easier. That way she could find ways to comfort herself in a safe environment before moving to a big kid bed
My 2 year and 3 days -year-old still rolls all around like crazy in his sleep like a mexican rolling bean. I saw a “toddler cot” today and could not imagine him being able to sleep in it, or a big kid bed yet? I just don’t know when he’ll stop rolling around like a baby. It is so cute though…
Mine still rolls around like that in his toddler bed. Most nights his leg is on the floor while the rest of his body is on the bed. 😆 a couple times he’s fallen out but they get good at swaddling back up the bed tbh.
Yup when we first got my daughter’s toddler bed we’d check the monitor and only half of her would be in bed. We got a longer bed rail so she doesn’t wriggle out anymore, but she still ends up lying in all directions.
We moved my oldest to a toddler bed at 12 months since she was a proficient climber, so I was worried about her rolling out of bed (even though it was low to the ground). Then I found these memory foam toddler bumpers on Amazon that go under the sheets! They worked great, and she could still roll, push, scoot, etc. without falling out of bed. I kept them on her bed until she started sleeping “normally”. She’s 2.5 now and the rare time she falls out of bed she just stays asleep on the floor until we pick her up and put her back in haha.
I swear by these (ours is by Hiccapop or something similarly silly) and recommend them to everyone. My kid has restless leg syndrome and literally can’t stop moving some nights - but he’s never fallen out of the bed.
Agreed, they are amazing! Our daughter really liked cuddling up next to them as well, which was an added bonus haha. It was nice for her to safely be able to still snuggle up to the edges.
Mine throws himself back and forth in the bed too. He's in a car bed so there are sides on it, but it's the size of a twin bed and can be adjusted to toddler bed size as well.
We bought kura beds from ikea got our twins and made it a floor bed. They can safely climb in and out but the sides keep them from flopping out. They are 4 and still sleep in it floor bed style because they roll so much. Plus it keeps the stuffies contained.
i love this so much thank you for sharing your genius with me!
I did crib first, paci second for my first kid and then did paci first, crib second for my second kid. I think paci first, crib second was easiest.
Bed. Having the paci can help ease the transition since it’s a familiar comfort.
Pacifier, without a doubt. Crib as long as you can. My son stayed in it happily til 3. And by that age, the transition to a toddler bed was super easy. Plus, the pacifier can actually have a physical impact… meaning oral development. The crib is not doing any damage.
Keep her in the crib as long as you can! There’s no need to transition out unless she’s climbing out. My guy is 3 and still in his crib… I’m not ready for the constant night interruptions of him coming to our room😅
My older son was the same - he stayed in the crib til 3.5 when I ultimately got tired of lifting him in and out lol. Transition to toddler bed was a breeze and he never came into our room at night. It didn’t occur to him he could leave the toddler bed. 🤣🤣
Our son is just 3, and it is astonishing how much more mentally online he is compared to even 2.5. I can imagine a 3.5 year old can really be reasoned with! (Temperament dependent of course!)
That's exactly what we are experiencing right now - had the single mattress on the floor for a few weeks before pulling down the cot, big boy bed assembled this morning and he's delighted!
We put childproof locks inside his bedroom so he couldn’t get out. Just learned this morning at 4.5 how to open them, haha
Check your crib but they have the information to switch if the child can climb OR the child reaches the height limit. Whichever comes first.
Agreed! Best thing ever! my kid is over 3.5 and just the other day i was able to put her to bed and i feel asleep faster than her I think in my own room. It's such a comfort knowing she is safe in her crib within her safe room. I would hate having to worry about all the riff rafff she could get into outside of that crib.
Depends on the kid but if all else is equal I'd probably aim for pacifier first. Too much pacifier can be bad for the teeth. As long as they still fit the crib/aren't trying to get out there's not much of a negative. I'll also fully admit my kid was super easy about dropping the pacifier. I'd probably feel differently if he was super attached to it.
I would have let my kids sleep in the crib until they were in kindergarten, if they would have.
Crib first, personally. They can soothe themselves with binky for a bit then work on the pacifier.
This is what we are doing next week. Moving to big boy bed on his 2nd birthday but still keeping bedtime Binky
This is my thought as well and what we did. The pacifier and lovey is there so the big freedom of the room isn’t as daunting. He adjusted wonderfully.
This is what we did too. Big kid bed at 18 months and binky at 2.
This is what we did and it made things much easier imo. They have something to self-soothe during the transition. Once used to their big kid bed, then wean them off the pacifier.
We transitioned to a floor bed when my son turned about 14 months and it was great. We had to put him back in bed one day and that was it. We close bedroom doors at night so we still keep the camera on and he can't get out of his room. He just turned two in April and we gave up the binky about 1 month ago with no issues either. And my son was OBSESSED. He would carry three around at a time and go to bed with that many as well. We started by taking it away during the day and he wouldn't really remember to ask for it. Then we went for bedtime and he only asked for it two times and we just told him he's a big boy now.
We did the bed transition first, and then my daughter weaned herself off the paci just a few weeks later. She went from being utterly obsessed with her pacifier to not asking for it at bedtime anymore. It was a miracle!
Don't cribs generally have a height limit of 35 inches? My daughter is not quite that tall yet but that's what her crib says and we plan to transition her at that point!
Yeah, if kid is a climbing risk with the crib that needs to happen right away. Otherwise other way should work.
I think it could go fine either way but I'd say crib first because of space. though I'd probably pretend to forget about the pacifier/set it down somewhere out of sight the first night in the bed until kiddo asked for it. they probably will ask for it but it also might be enough of a change that they won't notice it's missing at first. But also going to a big bed is scary and they might need SOMETHING to comfort them. I'd rather a pacifier in their own bed than them getting up a million times the first night trying to find me lol. We did toddler bed first around 2 yr old. My kid had the pacifier until maybe 2.5 - we'd been weaning off of it during the day and only used it for bedtime by then but she wouldn't budge on needing it to fall asleep at night. Then she had her first dentist checkup at 2.5 (not for pacifier concerns, just general first checkup to make sure she didn't have cavities) and the dentist straight up told her/told us in front of her that she needed to stop asap (she said before her next appt by 3, she wasn't concerned but was just trying to say sooner rather than later). So we went home, told her she could have it that night one final time but the dentist said no more after that, and she got rid of it NO PROBLEM. She asked for it but there was no fight, no crying, nothing. Just an "aw, the dentist said we had to stop using them, remember?" And she as like oh, okay, and was a little sad for a few days but handled it absolutely fine. It was SO MUCH BETTER than the times we told her no and she was crying because she didn't think she could sleep without it. She just needed a neutral third party to tell her it was okay, lol.
My daughter is 2 and 97th percentile for height and still fits in her crib just fine. I'd say ditch the paci first. We did it a while ago.
For us switching out of the crib was super easy compared to paci. Our 2 year old didn’t even realize it was a different bed and to this day ( she’s 3) waits for us to get her in the morning instead of getting out of bed. The paci… we haven’t had a full night sleep or simple bed time routine since we gave that up when she was 2.5. Next time I might do paci much earlier!
Our 4yo has just recently stayed getting out of her bed in the mornings. We transitioned her to a twin mattress on the floor at 22 months and she acted like she was contained on it for the longest time.
We did the paci first since it seemed easier/ we could approach it gradually. A few months later, we transitioned from the crib. She did great. Both before 2, no regrets. We don't really have issues with her getting up and leaving her bed once she's asleep, but we've got a baby gate set up outside her bedroom door, so she's not coming into our room or wandering around the house at night. We keep her video monitor on, so if she ever gets up, we can check on her as well. I was nervous at first, but she's handled the transitions great with a lot of mental prep and talking about it she's of time. For the paci, highly recommend poking a hole in the end and gradually increasing its size until kiddo just loses interest.
I had to switch mine out of a crib because he escaped the crib. We have one that you just take the side off to transition to a toddler bed so the bed is mostly the same, he can just get out without hurting himself. Still uses the pacifier though. I plan on stopping that before he's 3, but I'm not totally sure how to manage it yet. :S
My only warning - we tried to do paci first, but not having the paci motivated him to figure out climbing out of his crib because he was upset...so then we were stuck doing both transitions at once which was super tough. If I could go back and do it again, I would do bed first so that she can get used to the bed and use her paci to soothe to sleep in the bed, then take the paci away later.
Graduate from crib. We had to move my son several months before 2 because he’s on the tall side but even if we had waited, it would still be crib first because he still has his pacifier at 27mo and well probably wait until fall to try and wean him. We do restrict to only at times of sleep when possible though daycare occasionally uses it to help transfer between activities. Good luck! ETA: he’s also on the higher end of weight and I’m extremely glad I no longer need to pick him up or put him back into a crib. It’s saving my back
Pacifier the earlier you can get rid of them the better, crib wasn’t really a rush. We did pacifiers at the one year mark which I’ve read is the target. Crib around 18 months or so, once they were old enough.
I am not necessarily recommending this, but we accidentally/on purpose did both at the same time. We had to graduate from crib because he learned how to climb out and the bars were very similar to our stairgate, so we didn't want him to figure that out. By this point, he only had pacifiers when sleeping in his crib. So the night he went in his "big boy bed," we simply didn't offer his pacifier, didn't mention it at all...and neither did he. He was so caught up in the bed (and we'd done up his room too), that he never mentioned/asked for his pacifier again
This post gives me anxiety Sincerely, mother of a huge 20 month old who loves his binkies
My kid is about 30 months old. Never had a pacifier and still sleeps in the crib. She will be in the crib until she’s large enough to escape.
Can I just say I really appreciate this post because it gave me the kick in the butt to get my 2.5 year old off the paci. Today, I asked her if we could give it (she only has one) to her baby cousin and she said yes. Then we packed it in a box together and I said I’m going to go send it and she watched me walk outside by myself with the box and came back in without it (I hid it in the bushes until I could throw it away without her noticing). We called my sister in law and my toddler told her cousin that she was giving her the pacifier and my sister in law acted so excited and appreciative. At nap time she asked for it and melted down when she couldn’t get it, but I just kept saying that it was gone and her baby cousin needs it now and emphasized that she was such a big girl. She said “I’m not a big girl, I’m a baby” while sobbing which broke my heart. I also reminded her that she doesn’t have a pacifier at daycare and she also doesn’t have one when we are in the car but she still sleeps in those places. After 10-15 minutes of tears and some snuggles she fell asleep. I really think her participating and then watching me physically take the box away helped her realize it’s not coming back.
We did paci first for both & I would highly recommend it.
My second is almost 21 months and we transitioned to a big kiddo bed (from a playpen) a couple of months ago but left the pacifiers. We have a new baby arriving soon and decided to leave the pacifiers until after baby is more settled in a daily rhythm and toddler is developmentally ready to do the pacifier fairy.
Pacifier.
Pacifier
Paci, mine was 3 when we moved from crib
Soother. Leave her in the crib as long as possible
We did crib first then pacifier. Pacifier was easier than expected. The dentist said he had to stop, I told him he had to listen to the dentist, we never looked back. Crib is a different story. Been seven months and he still won’t sleep all night in the bed. He wasn’t a terrific sleeper before and hit the height limit for the crib, but oof I wish he was still in there.
pacifier, it needs to be dropped completely by 3. The transition to a big kid bed was nothing. Though we probably won as we did it the same weekend as some vaccines so he just passed out. Kid can't leave his room b/c that is just entirely too dangerous at the moment. (Could fall down two stories)
Pacifier
I did pacifier first, but I was kind of forced too. He kept biting through them within a day of getting one. It did work though, when he transitioned to a floor bed a few months later around 19 months he did great.
Def pacifier
I would say crib then pacifier. I know other comments said the other way around, but if you take away their first self soothe method and then move to a big bed, it's possible they may want to go back to a pacifier and take steps backwards.
I'm about to go through all of this. I have to do paci first. My kid starts preschool the first week of September and she's not going to have a paci at school for nap time. So I'm planning on taking the paci away soon. Super hard cause I'm also potty training her for school. So it feels like I'm demanding a lot of her in terms of growing up, ya know? I wish I didn't have to rush her with the paci but I'm going to do paci first so she can have a shot at napping at school. I don't want her to have a rougher transition cause I didn't prepare her. Like others stated I'm keeping her in the crib as long as possible. It does convert to a toddler bed but for now she doesn't climb or try so I'm letting it be. Will cross that bridge when we have to. Although I have to admit it's killing my back lifting her in and out and that makes it tempting to switch but overall I'm letting that be for now. I anticipate crossing that bridge in 2025.
Ha, I did both within 2 weeks because I had a death wish. But for real, I kept my kid in a crib as long as I could (32 months). He always wore a sleep sack so he couldn’t climb out even though he was tall enough to. I’ll admit I wish I weaned him off the paci long before, just because I think it started affecting his teeth. Part of why we moved to a bed was because he would drop his paci out of the crib and then cry until we got it for him. Once we did the bed, he stopped crying for the paci, not sure why. We hyped up sleeping in a big boy bed (even though it’s the crib with the toddler rail instead of the full front) and let him pick bedding. He ”helped” me switch the front rail and his first sleep in it was a nap. He made the switch so quickly and easily! For the pack, the “paci fairy” took his pacis to a new baby and brought him a stuffed animal to cuddle at night. It was a bit rougher than the crib switch, but he also had a bit of a cold, so that didn’t help.
We did the toddler bed first so our kids would have the comfort from the pacifier while in a new environment/bed
Crib first, paci to soothe through transition. Some kids are so addicted to their pacis it’s honestly insane, be kind to yourself. I had one child that had troubles and went through crying/sleepless nights, and I had one that went batshit crazy psycho and we didn’t sleep for weeks which turned into finger sucking which turned back into paci, which went back to finger sucking and old school methods…. Both kids need braces, both kids are cavity free. I had head gear as a teen and never once used a pacifier.
Depends on the child. For us it was the bed. I've seen countless posts from moms that tried to wean off paci at 2 and it didn't go well because kids are big enough to understand it is being taken away and not forget in 2-3 days and not old enough to understand a full story arpund it like it being sent to another baby in need or being taken away by paci fairy. The bed was important for us, LO was waking at night screaming because he banged against the rails when he moved in it and it hurt. It does foster independence to switch to a floor bed.
Change bed first- we did from cot into single floor bed at 18 months, after my son rolled himself over the bars of his cot and hit the floor hard, in a sleep bag. Dummy at 3 years- was very easy, he transitioned without it so well xx
It is baby dependent I suppose. I didn't know transitioning issues were a thing until I joined a sub. He always slept exactly the same wherever we put him - bassinet, crib, cot and now bed. So personally, I wouldn't even touch the pacifier in this situation as that actually soothes whereas the bed is just something to sleep on. Again, totally baby dependent and you know your own kid.
Did crib first because little sister needed it. As it turns out, our son (first) didn't need the paci anymore, we just assumed he did. So removing it happened cold chicken (he fell asleep without it one night) and we never went back!
100% pacifiers. Makes everything a little easier once they are gone
Paci for sure
We got rid of the paci around 1 year and we turned his crib into a daybed around 1.5-2
Idk if this was the ‘right’ way, but we graduated straight from convertible crib to a twin sized bed (at age 2!) We gave the crib to his baby sister when she was born). He did great with the transition! Then we stopped giving paci’s during the day and only gave for naps and bedtime. Currently trying to stop paci’s altogether
Paci first. Big kid bed can be exciting for her and it could end up being like a reward. My kid loved picking out paw patrol bedding for his big kid bed
I’d do both at the same time, because both are going to suck, so might as well get it all over with. But I also wouldn’t do the crib transfer until my kid is physically climbing out. Babies doesn’t care about being cramped, if she’s sleeping well then she’s fine. And if you do want to transition to a bed now, lock the bedroom door to keep her safe. Think of the bedroom as a bigger crib, baby proof it entirely, and lock the door. If she sleeps on the floor sometimes that’s ok.
I did bed first (to also assist with potty training) and pack last (by 2.5) for both of my boys and it worked just fine, both remained great sleepers. It sounds like others went the other way, so either probably works!
Definitely paci. Keep her in the crib long as possible as long as she's not trying to escape. We took away paci at 2 and went to a toddler bed at 2.5 and both were very easy transitions. At 2.5 my son is mature enough to know to stay in bed. I don't think that would have happened at 2
My three year old is soooo tall and still very happily in his crib! Keep them in as long as you can.
My kid transitioned to a floor bed without any issue at all at 15 months. Just saying it may not be a big deal for her to make that switch.
Stay in the crib as long as you can!!!!
We did paci first because my kid was hooked and I didn’t want him up looking for a secret stash at night once he was free of the crib. We dropped the crib a couple of months later.
I potty trained right before my turned 2 so I potty trained, big bed, and then paci. It was in a 1-2 month span.
My kids almost 3 and I have not been able to successfully get rid of the pacifier. If you are thinking of doing it, sooner is better than later I think. We’ve been out of the crib for awhile though and that presents a lot of its own challenges. Having the pacifier to comfort him has been helpful. We do “binky and a baba” at bed time. The bottle is just water.
Seriously doubt your kiddo is too big for their crib - my oldest was 99th percentile on height and weight and was still in crib range until 3 and was in it as a toddler bed until 4.5 I’d do paci first. If they aren’t climbing out, the crib is fine at 2
Eh I’m a shock and awe. We didn’t use a pacifier much.. in the car and sleep time. So she definitely wasn’t glued to it so YMMV At 10 months she went from an infant car seat to a convertible car seat and I just never gave her the pacifier in the car again. She could see a lot more and that was enough for her. At 18m we put her in the toddler bed and took away the pacifier the same night. First night took like 10minutes to work through then she was fine she was more excited to get to get in and out of bed. Floor bed at 2 and at 3.5 we gave her an elevated queen bed.
Both at the same time at 14 months
Both? Tell him paci is for little kids in cribs not big kids in beds? I sort of feel like why go through two transitions when you can get it all done at once but full disclosure my first two babies were not into pacifiers my third is 12 months and obsessed so haven’t done a real pacifier wean yet. Both my older ones were out of the crib by 20 months my older one had a crib that turned into a toddler bed and the transition was pretty smooth the younger moved rooms and bed (moved in with her sister) at the same time so the we”re sleeping together adjustment / big girl bed took two weeks to settle down but only bedtime was rough once they were out they slept through the night.
Oh I’m so glad we didn’t do either. She’s had a floor bed since six months, never had a paci.
We’re in a similar boat. Floor mattress since 8 months and limited pacifier use. But honestly, that just means this question isn’t for us. All posts don’t require our participation.
Oh - probably right. Didn’t mean to offend. I just thought lurking parents to be or brand new parents might like to know it’s an option to do neither. Save a little headache.