Guest Author - Kris Bigalk

How Do We Keep Them Safe and In Bed?
Whichever option you choose below, you have a problem – toddlers on the loose! Most twin toddlers are thrilled not to be pent up in their cribs anymore. This means that they will often get out of bed and play, throw the bedding around, and create twice the mischief of one recently freed toddler. It's very important that you secure any large, heavy furniture or objects by screwing them into the wall or the floor; you might also want to do this with the diaper pail. Put doorknob covers on closet doors you don't want opened; safety latch any drawers. Look at the remaining furniture. Is it climbable? If so, get rid of it or secure it. Put plug covers over outlets that may have been hidden or out of reach because of nursery furniture that's been removed. Essentially, re-baby-proof the room.

After you've toddler-proofed the nursery, you may want to put a secure gate in the doorway (if you haven't done so already). Get the tall kind that screws into the doorframe; the others will just get knocked over or climbed on, perhaps causing injury. This way, you can keep an eye on them instead of closing the door.

Option 1: Ease Into It
Some cribs are designed to convert into daybeds or twin beds; others have removable front rails. If you have a bed like this, take off the front and, if possible, the legs, so the crib is flush with the floor. This way, your twins will still have the familiarity of their cribs, but will be safer as they transition from a crib into a bed. Lay blankets or pillows near the opening, so that if a twin "falls out of bed", she won't clunk her head.

If your crib doesn't have the features above, try just moving the crib mattresses onto the floor, with one side of each mattress pushed up against a wall. Surround the mattresses with pillows and blankets.

Option 2: Toddler Beds
If your crib is not convertible, or if you're looking for a more space in the nursery, toddler beds are a good bet. The crib mattress fits right into the frame, so you can continue to use the same sheets and blankets. Most toddler beds are only a few inches above floor level, and have guard rails to prevent "fall outs." We chose this more "cold turkey" route, and found that it worked just fine. The first night, the twins kind of wondered where their cribs were, but settled in after that.

Option 3: Twin Beds
Twins in twin beds – seems logical, but is often a more difficult transition. New beds, new mattresses, and new bedding can bother some toddlers, but it may be worth it, since you will only need to make one transition, versus switching from a toddler bed to a "big bed" a few years down the road. If you choose to switch to a big bed at this point, be sure to push one side against a wall and invest in bed rails that fit between the mattress and the boxspring, so that the toddlers won't fall out of bed. It's even more important in this case to stack pillows and blankets on the floor next to the bed on all sides, since the toddlers have further to fall if they manage to climb over the rail or fall off some other way.