When to Use a Toddler Mattress?

Use the Same Mattress

• Sometime between a child's first and third birthdays, he or she is likely to transition from sleeping in a crib to sleeping in a toddler bed. Fortunately, the mattress you'll use will remain the same size, and you should be able to use the original mattress if it has received proper care.
  However, children's comfort needs may change as they grow from infants into toddlers. When you buy your baby's mattress, choose a product that is designed as a "convertible" mattress. This means one side of the mattress is firm for infants, and the other side is a softer viscoelastic foam material for your toddler, according to ConsumerReports.com.

Toddler Transition

• Use your toddler mattress on a new "big kid" toddler bed to make the transition from the crib easier. That will help the new bed feel familiar and comfortable to the child. You should also place the new bed in the same location the crib was in if possible, according to BabyCenter.com.
  Get your toddler excited about moving from the crib to the toddler bed by reinforcing that he or she is growing up and getting big. Many children respond well to this kind of encouragement. You should let your child participate in choosing the new bed and maybe even putting it together with you.
  Knowing when your child is psychologically ready to make the move to a toddler bed is a matter of simple observation. Often though, it is impossible to tell for sure until the switch has been made. Keep your old crib on hand, as you may need to go back to it for a while if your toddler isn't ready, according to BabyCenter.com.
  Consider waiting for the transition to a bed if the child does not sleep at night, cries excessively or will not stay in the bed and wanders the house. Children this small shouldn't be left to wander at night while you sleep. If the child is having trouble grasping the concept of imaginary boundaries that he or she shouldn't cross in the new bed, then it is likely the child is not ready.
  Children will become ready for toddler beds at different ages, depending on their individual development. First-born children tend to take longer to adapt to the idea, whereas younger siblings are often in a hurry to catch up to the older children and therefore have an easier time making the switch. Be patient and your children will tell you when they are ready.

How Long to Use It

• A toddler mattress will provide a child with a proper sleeping surface for several years. If you choose, it can be used from the time the child is born until he or she outgrows the mattress.
  You will likely be able to continue use of the toddler mattress until between the ages of 4 and 6, depending on child's weight and height.
  The switch to a standard twin or larger mattress should be made once the child is so tall that his or her feet are likely to hang off the end of the bed at some point during the night.