Looking for advice. My son who just turned 3 a couple of weeks ago is not yet potty trained and still sleeps in his crib. He was diagnosed with mild autism a few months ago and has not yet showed signs that he is ready to be potty trained. He sleeps great in his crib and doesn’t try to climb out. Even when he wakes up he hangs out until I come get him with no issues at all. I don’t think I should do both at the same time. Just not sure which to do first. My question is, do I wait to switch him to a big boy bed until after he is potty trained? I’m worried if I switch him to a bed he won’t sleep as long and will start roaming around. My husband and I considered when we do switch him to a bed to put a baby gate by his door but I don’t know how he would react with that. Any suggestions is greatly appreciated. TIA
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I guess if this were me, with these same circumstances, I’d keep him in the crib. If he’s doing great, why not wait a little longer? You could always try the baby gate while he’s in the crib and see if he has a negative reaction upon introduction.
Keep him in the crib - it won’t hurt a thing and will most likely bring him security !
I’d switch beds first. He’s not going to be able to get out of bed to use the toilet if he’s in the crib
My suggestion would be to do the bed transfer first, as if he gets potty trained first and he needs to go toilet during the night he won’t be able to get out of the crib and he’ll wet the bed and that may set back his toilet training.
Bed rails, night light, even talking to your doctor about transferring him to the bed and about things to help with sleep regression.
My youngest son slept in his crib til he was a little over 5. He loved his crib. He was completely potty trained by his 2nd birthday. Never had him climb out. He would call fore through the baby monitor if he need up at night.
It’s not like a 3 year old will get up in the middle of the night going to the bathroom. He will call for you to help him. I would leave him in the crib. He will call for you if he needs to go to bathroom. Big boy bed is probably too big for him and he will be up and about. You’ll have to deadbolt the front and back door
I would do the bed transfer. The potty training thing might take some time. My son refused to sit on the potty without putting up a fight until 4.
I would leave him in his crib, he is content if still sleeping well there, it’s home for him
I switched my 2 year old over to a toddler bed when he was a year and a half old. It’s a floor bed so he can’t roll out or fall off. He loves it. Every kid is different. But I also kept his toddler floor bed in my room next to my bed
We put our son in a big boy bed at 18 months, I don’t think they have to be potty trained to have a new bed. I would think he’s ready!
Leave him in the bed long as you can lol until he starts trying to climb out! Changed mine out at 3 but ONLY bc we had another baby I would have left her in there forever lol 
My youngest son is also mind autistic and he’s still sleeping in the crib 
he can easily get out but I tried to change him to a twin size but but he was always getting out of his room so back to the crib. We’re in the process of getting him a Courtney bed. I really think he’s gona like it!
I’d keep him in his crib for as long as you can and as long as he doesn’t climb out of it. The crib is the absolute safest place for a little one. If he likes sleeping there, I wouldn’t rock the boat. He may find it comforting. Plus, you’ll have peace of mind for longer. Once a toddler graduates to a big boy/girl bed, they can wander around unattended. My 3 ½ year old is potty trained, but she still wears an overnight diaper when she sleeps (she doesn’t like the scratchy feel of the Velcro on Pull-Ups). Usually daytime potty training happens first, before they can stay dry at night. She doesn’t get up in the middle of the night to go potty. She’ll wait until she wakes up in the morning. Good luck!!
If he’s not to big & is happy in his crib why change it? Don’t be in a hurry for him to grow up. If it works let it go.
Get him a cool toddler bed, like a train or a car, something he’ll want to sleep in. Use a baby gate on the door, and use a baby monitor so you can hear when he gets up. I wouldn’t count on him being potty trained anytime soon, but at least he can start to feel like a big boy, in his big boy bed. My autistic son wasn’t totally potty trained until 5, but of course they’re all unique. I think a toddler bed is a step in the right direction. At a certain height and weight, it isn’t safe for them to sleep in a crib anymore.
Depends on what he weighs and how close he is to hitting the weight limit for his crib. I would check that first. Potty training after the switch to a toddler bed may be easier
I took the side off my boys cot when they were old enough so the transition to a bed was easier.
My daughter is autistic and will be 3 in less than a week. She’s not really ready for potty training either but I have introduced her to it without forcing it. Make it fun, allow times with no diaper and just ask if he wants to try, it’s ok to start slow but definitely introduce it. She sleeps with us so I’m no help In that department but I say leave him be.
I’d switch him before potty training
I think night potty training will be a lot harder than day training
My youngest is 3 and has had a twin size bed since she was a baby however we also had a crib for her
I have a daughter that is 2.5 and she is the same way. She has high functioning autism. She refuses to sleep in her room so her crib is in my room… she also wont go to potty… Im having hard time trying to teach her. She refuses to go no matter what…
If he’s content, safe, and sleeping well in his crib, why do you want to change his bed right now?
Eh, my son was almost 4 when he was barely potty trained & he’s not autistic. Takes boys longer.
Locks for front &.back doors—get flip locks & put them high where he can’t reach. Cheap & easy to install & work well.
Cribs have a weight limit. If hes within the limit and happy id leave him be for now…but id start now with the baby gate on his room so he gets used to it. Also safety check your whole house.
Potty training…nothing saying you cant introducing him to the idea without forcing it. He’ll train in his own time but let him get used to sitting on the toilet/potty
Involve him with picking out his bed.
I made a HUGE deal out of it with both my kids. They picked out their bedding. The theme. The bed. The matching photos and lamps and stuff. Just make it a huge thing. Hype him up.
I definitely wouldn’t potty train while still in the crib just in case he gets up in the middle of the night to
Use the bathroom.
You do what you feel most right.
I would switch the crib for either a toddler bed or a regular twin or full this spring and try to start potty training in the summer. My son is autistic and didn’t really get the potty training until the summer he was 4. As a single mom I wasn’t having much success teaching him (he just wasn’t feeling the sitting to pee I guess) and then I had a male friend show him how to pee on a tree. My son really loved that idea and took right to it lol he had a couple accidents with #2 but by Halloween that year he was fully potty trained.
Keep him in the crib
Start slow just start talking about big boy beds I wouldnt switch anything on a whim without prepared him for the change. Gets some books or find a video that talks about big boy beds. Kids with autism dont always handle change well specially someone so small.
Everything as a parent is trial and error. Which do you think would be easier for him to cope with. Going to the potty or sleeping in a big boy bed. Try a baby gate somewhere else I your house that he frequents like the living room or kitchen. Just to see his reaction and see if there are any tools you can pick up along the way to slowly transition it to his room. I definitely wouldn’t do both at the same time. Only because that alot for his little brain and that’s alot for momma too.
then let him stay in the crib
You can’t really potty train if you expect him to start trying to get up in the night to go and he’s got a crib to climb out of. I know all kids are different but mine never wandered often. And when they did they were easily redirected back to bed after we used the potty and got a sip of water
If he’s not climbing out of crib, why bother getting him a bed yet, he’s probably comfy in his crib, potty training will come in time.
U can get safety beds for kids with autism . Switch bed before training
How about setting up his big boy bed in his room. He would become familiar with it, but still sleep in his crib. Use the bed for bedtime stories and quiet time, until you feel hes ready to do the transition
Change is generally a struggle for those with Autism. If he’s content with his crib, leave him alone. Don’t create unnecessary chaos in your lives.
I work in special Ed, so if he is has autism maybe make slow transitions with the bed so it’s not too different and overwhelming. Like instead of going from crib straight to a twin, try just taking the front rail off of his crib and putting one of the small toddler guard rails on. Just a suggestion, I would start with that and see how he does. Introduce potty training videos, get a fun potty seat, with my 2yo he went straight for the big toilet every 15 minutes on a timer, as soon as her sat down he got skittle and if he went potty in any way he got a second skittle. The rewards are important even if they don’t go
I kept my son in his crib until he started climbing out of it. Honestly I think it was after 3
Please get connected with the autism community on FB for more specific and nuanced advice from other individuals and parents who have been there. I have two on the spectrum. One potty trained at 3.5 and one at about age 7. It will likely happen a little bit later and don’t try to push if he pushes back. As for beds you could try the converted toddler bed that still has a rail, or maybe one of the tents that goes over the bed. Something that helps him feel secure and cozy.
My son is 2 1/2 still
Working on diagnosis but he is in his crib and absolutely loves it. But it would be hard to potty train him in his crib. I would personally try getting him to sleep in the toddler bed first and see how it goes as he would have to climb out of the crib to go to the bathroom. That’s what we are doing and also did with my daughter who is ASD. Potty training with autism is not like training other kids. It’s a long process for a lot of kids. It took us a number of years and we still struggle sometimes with our daughter. We are not changing to his toddler bed yet he sleeps so well and will quietly play in the morning so I am all for if it ain’t broke don’t fix it. Some change over easy some don’t. Good luck know
Your not alone.
I got my grandson a convertible crib, so whenever he’s ready we just remove side rail and it turns into toddler bed. He’ll be a year old this month so not time yet but I was so excited they had this:heart_eyes: Didn’t see this stuff 30 years ago:laughing: Walmart, and it’s a beautiful crib it has 4 levels also to adjust mattress 
When my son was young his pediatrician said he was fine to sleep in his crib as long as he fit comfortably. My son never climbed out .
He went to bed at 7:30 every night , He slept in a crib until age 4 when he then was too big .
My kids a full size since one
I was in the same situation, and we took the front rail off crib. He adjusted easier. Potty training is when he shows you he’s ready
I would say start with the easiest thing and see how he does. Change his bed and if he does well work on potty training but if he doesn’t switch back and work on the potty training. Just do what you can without stressing each other out to bad. My autistic daughter just turned six and does well in any bed we put her in to sleep but she still wears pullups due to the lack of communication skills in order to get everything to fall into place for potty training but she knows how to do everything just can’t tell when she needs to go.
I would keep in the crib if he’s content with it. You can start potty training during day and use pull ups at night
Our babies climbed out of cribs young and had no choice but to take the rail off. I wouldn’t rush it if your boy is content in it. Once you set them free it’s a whole new ballgame
Switch bed first so he can get used to getting in and out of it on his own, then once he’s good with that you can start potty training.
I would move to a big bed then potty train. The reason is, how would he go potty if he needs to in the middle of the night if he’s in a crib?
I would switch to a bed first so he can get to the bathroom at night if he needs.
Toddler beds are a nice transition they use crib mattresses so hecwould have the same waterproof mattress and bedding that heloed my kids.
There’s no such thing as “mild Autism”. That’s not a thing. He’s Autistic. Just say it.
My 3yo is Autistic and he’s in a twin sized bed. He loves it.
Toddler bed.
Night time pull-ups
Maybe a motion light so you know he is up? Ask him if he needs to go ?
Before my daughters were 1 year old, I started potty training. Why are you waiting on a sign from yr child to show he’s ready to be potty trained? YOU ARE THE PARENT!!! It’s YOUR job to potty train him!!!
Don’t push him to a big kid bed until he’s ready. I would focus on potty training and getting the hang of that slowly. Maybe start with every diaper change he sits on the potty to read a book and have little rewards if he pees while there.
When we decided to change from the crib to a single bed we started each of my kids talking naps on the big girls bed. I had side rails on it and had a baby monitor for me to keep an ear on when they started to wake up. I worked during the week so we only did this on weekends. When they were ready they asked to sleep in the big girls bed at night. They were happy and no issues.
make the switch, put the gate at the door. get a mattress protector and put it on it… if you wanna see how he’ll do with no crib take the side rail off, most cribs are able to convert into a toddler bed these days
That’s what I’ve done with two of my kids and it works great, you can also do a cool night light and maybe a sound machine to make him comfortable on his own
My daughter will be 3 in August and I don’t intend on switching her into a toddler bed until she’s climbing out of her crib 
Toddler bed. Same mattress as cribs. Put small toilet in his room for a short period of time until he gets comfortable. Baby gate if need be. Nighttime pull-ups at night. Underwear at home. When you go out start off with pull-ups. Gradually go to underwear. They will give you cues most likely. Probably have a couple accidents it’s normal. I started potty training at almost 2 and mine didn’t get it down until almost 4. Every child is different. I didn’t force anything I tried to just guide them. Give rewards, stickers lollypops. Some incentive. Then get the toilet seat that has both adult and child with a step stool as well. That will be after they get it down and more comfortable. Closer to 4. Then big kid bed. If you force it too early they will regress. That’s just what worked for me. Every kid is different. It was probably one of the hardest things, just be patient. They will get it in time.