Advice on moving your toddler from a cot to a bed

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So most toddlers should move from a cot to bed when they are 18months to three years old. There are no hard and fast rules about this, you'll get the signs because first of all your child may try and climb out of their cot (like two of my sons did!) or they will be uncomfortable sleeping in the cot itself. At this stage you will know it's time to move to the bed or take the rails off the cot itself, if you have a cot bed.

Some parents may choose to transition their child to a toddler bed, now these are smaller, lower to the ground and have their own bed rails attached. Of course it's perfectly fine if you opt for a single bed, now if you choose this option make sure you get two bed guards and attach them to both sides even if your bed is up against the wall, because this will stop your child from falling down the gap between the bed and the wall during the night.

Once in a bed your little one is going to be able to get up in the middle of the night, so it's essential that you toddler proof the room. We suggest using a stair gate on the room itself or at the top of the stairs. Make sure any electrical cables or sockets are out of reach, and also any low lying windows - make sure you put window locks on those. Also if you have got blinds at the windows, make sure that the cords are high enough up out of the reach of your child. If you've got any furniture in the room, make sure that you anchor that to the wall to save your little one from pulling it over on to themselves in the middle of the night.