This post is sponsored by Regalo. All opinions expressed are my own. Thank you for reading and supporting brands I use and love.
When we moved to our little fixer upper at the end of the school year this past spring, a few changes came with it. The biggest adjustments were for sweet baby Collins because when we packed up one house and unpacked in another, I ditched the crib, the bottle AND the paci. That’s right, all 3 at the same time! A lot of you moms facing the same stage have asked how it went and how it continues to go, so I’m sharing more about these updates here, especially the crib to bed transition and what I’m using to help her settle into a toddler bed.
I knew it was time to say adios to the bottle and paci because Collins was really only using both to play, not even for soothing or necessity. The crib-to-bed change I wasn’t as sure about. I really didn’t want to set up a crib in the new house only to have to take it down and replace with a bed a few months later. But I also didn’t want to make the move to soon and scare her away from a big bed. Eventually, I made the decision to sell the crib to a new mom and move along with a plan for the girls to share a room for the first time.
Having Emery as an older sister has been so amazing and even though their age difference isn’t always easy, copying what the older sis does has helped the younger sis learn more than anything. That includes learning to drink from a straw, holding a cup, “reading” a book and even tucking the covers around her in bed. It’s 100% adorable and helpful.
If you read this post, you know that Hunter’s mom found these vintage iron beds and I started planning the girls room design around them. Because the girls are in different stages, the beds coordinate but aren’t exactly the same. Emery’s bed has a taller 8” mattress that sits higher off the ground. Collins bed has a stool next to it so she can get in and out completely on her own. The mattress also is very short, keeping everything fairly low to accommodate.
We also use this Regalo single bumper. It’s an added safety measure and acts as a barrier to help prevent Collins rolling over and rolling off the bed. This arrives on your doorstep in a compact box and inside is a foam hypoallergenic bumper that expands to fit along the edge of the bed. We decided it looks a bit like a mozzarella string cheese stick and I love that comparison! The underside is flat so it fits against the mattress snugly and the adjustable straps extend and wrap around the mattress then buckle in place. It takes about 30 seconds to install and goes on before the fitted sheet.
The bumper should be positioned about 9” from the headboard for safety. From there, just make the bed as normal and the bumper nearly blends in. Toddler bed rails are an alternative, but I really love the bumper because it’s so simple and effective. It’s also water resistant and washable, so you can easily toss it in with bedding laundry.
This is also a great option if you’re doing a toddler bed then plan to go to a twin or full later. It works with multiple size beds and adjusts easily. It also stays in place nicely, and doesn’t come close to sliding off. You can also choose a single bumper or double, depending on whether the bed is against the wall or not.
We’re several weeks into the big girl bed stage and so far so good! Collins has ended up in our bed every now and then thanks to wild dreams — one hilariously about her sippy cup — yet we haven’t had a roll out. I’ve linked both the Regalo single bumper that we have along with the double bumper and the traditional bed rail all on my Amazon page here under Baby & Mama.
I’d love to hear how your crib to bed transitions are going or when you plan to implement. Feel free to leave a comment below or reach out on Instagram!
As always, thanks for reading!