Climbing Out of Crib - Cordova, TN

We let the sides rail down on the crib from the point that each of our four kids learned how to climb out of the crib. None of our children were ever hurt climbing out of the crib. It's probably time to start thinking about moving him into his own bed. Look on the bright side with this one--you have an athletic child.

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My second son,now 15 years old, climbed out of his crib at 10 months...2 months before he could even walk! I simply put his crib mattress on the floor. You could also go ahead and get him a toddler bed. These options won't keep him in his bed, of course, but at least you will know he's not going to get hurt by an accidental fall from the crib while trying to climb out.

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My oldest son was 9 months when I had to take him out of his crib...his legs kept getting stuck in the rails...he was a big boy. I put him in a playpen but he was walking at that point and climbing out. I have always taken my children out when they started climbing out...usually around one. For my son, I child proofed his room, got a double size mattress and put it on the floor, turned his lock around on his door. He would play himself to sleep. At first he would fall asleep somewhere in the room, I would come in later and move him to his bed. He eventually started going to his bed to fall asleep. It worked for him and us...he is now 23 and getting ready to be a daddy himself. Good luck.

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I will let you know that the tent is wonderful. I am a mother of 4 and with the first three (which are all girls) I did not have a problem. With my 4th (a boy) he would clib out of his bed every hour. We moved and have stairs and I tried to gate his door and that did not work. I broke down and bought the tent. It has been a life saver. He knows that he can not get out and I sleep better at night. He will be turning three on Monday and we still use the tent. I am dreading the transistion to a toddler bed. My mother thought that it was very cruel when I first bought it, now she sees the benefit and that there is a safty issue. Good Luck. I always say that you are his mother you will make the best dissision for your family and just go with your gut. This may not be the best for you if you are not comfortable, but it was life changing for our family.

C.

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I don't think it would hurt to put him in a toddler bed. I had to put my 22 month old in another bed when her sister needed her crib. If he is climbing out anyway, it would be safer if he was closer to the floor. Try to establish a good routine for bedtime. So many times it is the kids who don't go to bed at a decent hour who have the trouble with not being able to sleep. Good Luck. DO what is best for your family.

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We used a crib tent. It was great, and the peace-of-mind that we got from it was second to none. I highly recommend it. The way the one that we had worked made it completely impossible for her to get tangled up. Sorry I don't know the brand anymore (she is 4 now), but it was definately safe. Good luck!

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I put both of my girls into a twin size bed by 1 year old. I had the safety rail on the side. Yes they would get out of bed, but would just put them right back in. Once they realized that I wasn't go to play they would go right to sleep. At about 18 months old my oldest daughter even put herself to bed early sometimes because she was tired and could get in on her own.

My best advise is to pick what works for you while keeping the choice age appropiate and not loosing your sanity over it.

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Dear L.,
This is a modified exerpt from a response of mine from last week:
-My friends had little dresser lamps and cutesy knick-knacks on their baby's dressers ... I had to position the bare-topped dresser within two feet or so of the head of the crib. This way, when they opened the drawers and started climbing, the crib caught the dresser before it fell forward and on the kids.
-I kept a big overstuffed chair in the baby room.
-I kept nothing near the baby room windows so the babies didn't climb near the glass.
-I layered baby gates on top of each other. The baby's room door and the top and bottom of the stairs were double-baby gated.
-I kept an old trunk next to the crib so that when they climbed out and over the railing, the fall was shorter.
-I kept all electric cords out of reach, I wasn't only concerned about electric shocks, I didn't want the cords around their necks.
-I had two rooms that I regarded as absolutely "safe" rooms. The baby's bedroom and the dining room. They were both carpeted, completely double-baby gated, no shoes allowed. Although the outlets were covered throughout the house, these rooms had no cords plugged in. The dining room was the "playroom" and had soft furniture, climbing toys (yard sales), and only safe toys. I had old cushions adjacent to the climbing toys to break falls. I kept our (otherwise useless) playpen in the playroom as a toy box. (A friend had a TV mounted on the wall in an upper corner of her kids' playroom.) The kids were safe and entertained in either of these two rooms if I was in the kitchen or the bathroom.

-I think he might be afraid of being alone and ignored in his room when he knows there's activity outside of his room. I'd make sure that his room has a lot of his favorite stuff to keep him entertained when he's not in bed. Don't be alarmed to find him sleeping on the floor of his room.
Hope this helps!

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Hi L.,

I think I would go ahead with the toddler bed. He obviously hates the crib, and you'll eventually need to change anyway.

Try taking him with you to get the new bed and all the accessories. Show him two choices that you approve of - would you like to get the superman comforter or the dinosaur comforter? Would you like this lamp or that lamp? Etc, etc. Giving him a choice, telling him with excitement that we're going to get his big boy bedroom now gives him a vested interest in enjoying his room. Also get a gate he can't climb over. If a gate doesn't work, ask your husband to buy a cheap door that you could temporarily install to his room. Have him cut if off as a half-door, sanding the top well so there are no splinters, and put the lock on the outside door knob. That way he can't leave his room in the middle of the night and wander the house (a safety issue), yet he can see out the door into the hallway. (This was my doctor's suggestion, by the way, though we never needed to do it.) If you are committed to keeping him in his room, then there's no reason to keep him in the crib. Yes, the tent would help with that, but the tent is a bandaid approach - you'll have to deal with him staying in his room eventually anyway.

Hope this helps!
D.

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Hi L.,

All children seem to go through that stage.
Are you and your family going to bed differeht time at night? Are you up late. Does he hear you in the other room, knowing you are up? Maybe put some music in his room. Gentle music. and maybe soft lite.
Is he eating late. Some of the food could be making him active. I feel after 6 pm. lite food or drinks with no sugar or caffeen would be better.
These are just some idea you could think about.
i hope I helped a little.

have a great day Today
Vicki W.

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Does he take a nap during the day? If so maybe getting rid of that nap would let him sleep better during the night. With our kids as soon as they started climbing out of the bed we put them in a different bed. My middle son started climbing out at age one. We just put the crib mattress on the floor until he was a little older then purchased a basic toddler bed. Of course he wanted the one that looked like a car but that was not in the budget. We actually found the bed at a childrens resale shop. We also went through his room and took care of any hazardous issues. We crawled around on our hands and knees to look at the room from his level. We found more things that we did not even think of. We also put toys that he enjoyed that were quieter on his toy shelf so he could play until someone got up. My cousin did this and went a step farther and cut the door in half to keep her daughter in the room. Good Luck

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My guess is that it is time to toddler bed shop.

My daughter was 20 months old and one afternoon while taking her nap, she was stung by a bee in her crib. I couldn't keep her in it for anything (and I don't blame her)!
I let her "help" pick out a new bed and life was wonderful! Sometimes, they associate the crib with something...don't know if it's a bad dream or (like Kayleigh) something happened.

Best of luck with it though.

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I would put your son in a big boy bed. Make a big deal out of it. He will love it! My daughter now 4 was in her big bed at 1 1/2 and my now 2yr son was in a big boy bed @ 13 months. I was terrified he would fall and break something. When we transitioned we just made sure the room was safe and that they could not get into trouble. We have a safty rail on both side of the bed for my son because he is a very active sleeper still, and his bed is in the middle of the room. They both made a great transition and have very good sleep habits most nights. My daughter has just started getting up to try to get in our bed. In my opinion or at least for my kids the early switch was perfect. They were to young to be very attached to the crib. We never had a single problem in fact my daughter would just holler for us in the am to come get her until she was 3. My son did the same for about 9 months, but now he is starting to just get up too. The both sleep til about 8 or later so we are awake by then anyway. Sorry so long. GOOD LUCK!

D.- SAHM with two great kids!

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Move him to a toddler bed. Your peace of mind and his safety are worth a few lost nights of sleep. Remember that he will transition eventually. You can do it. All of my 4 children went into a bed with just a little coaxing. my 23 month old has been in one for 3 months now with little or no incident. He does get up earlier and climbs into our bed in the morning. But even that is tapering off. Good Luck!

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When my youngest was about that age he too started climbing out of the crib. We transitioned him from the crib to a pack and play, which the sides were a little higher than a crib. That way if he did climb out, he didn't have too far to fall. After a month or two in the pack and play, we then moved him to a toddler bed. This actually gave us a little longer to change a few things like taking away his pacifier. I had a tent for the pack and play but only used it when I needed to use a humidifier for the croup. Don't know if it would actually keep a child in or not! Good Luck!

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You could try one of those crib tents. I think the brand is Tiny Love. They are kind of expensive, ($70.00), but you might find one for cheaper on craigslist or ebay.
I put one on my 1st daughter's crib, b/c I was a paranoid mom. She wasn't a climber and loved her crib, but my 2nd, on the other hand....I'll be putting it up soon! She'll be out of the crib in no time! She's 13 mo. now!
Good luck, they seem like they'll work well!

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I would go ahead and get him a little bed for his room, that he can easily get out of. I know he won't be pinned in and can get up, but at least you will know he can't hurt himself climbing out of the baby bed. You may want to try a cutesie type bed that looks like a car or something that he will want to sleep in.

My son started sleeping in a grown up bed at 2 1/2. I told him not to climb over the rail because he could get hurt and he never did it.

Sorry I don't have more suggestions.

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One option is a toddler bed, small and close to the floor. Another is the crib tent, he may scream more. A gate across his doorway is a must in any case, as you don't want him out and wandering around. Good luck.

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Wow! You are really going to have a handful if he is 1.5 and already climbing out. I have always heard that is the time to transition, but that is young. I guess it can be done, it will just have to take a little extra discipline and hard work on your part. If he is old enough to figure out how to climb out surely he has the mind capacity to figure out that he has to learn to stay in a toddler bed and know that you mean business when you tell him to stay there.
He is probably going to be a very curious kid and probably grow up really smart. Work with him as much as possible to exhaust his mind so he can be your straight A student.
Good luck

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Go for the tent. My neighbors twin boys did the same thing at that age and when they got the tents the entire sleep experience improved for all of them. They love to be in the crib at the idea that they are in a special tent just for them. Good luck.

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When my son started doing this (at about the same age) we put him into a toddler bed, which had rails to keep him from rolling out in his sleep. We also put up a baby gate at his bedroom door to keep him in his room all night. We'd tuck him in bed with a favorite toy or two, or set of toys, left a nightlight on, secured the room, then set the gate and then go out. He didn't stay in the bed on his own for a long time, but it was a process of setting up a new bedtime routine. Eventually he even started climbing into his bed on his own when he was sleepy. He was a completely different child when he got over feeling like he was being forced to go to sleep.
He was a nosy fella too... A lot of nights he stood at his doorway and watched everything that was going on, but then he'd get busy playing in his dimly lit room and then fall asleep where ever he was and we'd go put him back into his bed when he got quiet. (It's best to not speak to him or really even let him see you paying any attention to him at all when he's standing at the gate. This stresses that it's time for him to settle down.)
We repeated the same process with his little brother, and it worked like a charm.
good luck and God bless!
L. C.

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Hey there. My youngest did the same thing. I switched her to a twin bed, and eventually got very SHORT bunk beds for her room when she turned 3. Once in the Twin bed she was so much happier. I put a guard (you can get these for less than 30 bucks) on the side so she couldn't roll out. I did lay down with her in the bed until she was asleep for a bit, as I was never a momma that liked to let my kids "cry it out". Maybe just go ahead and transition to the different bed. It might make you sleep easier!! Oh and stay away from that tent mess. Talk about giving your kid issues!!

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I have no experience with this personally, as my daughter started sleeping in bed with us at 9 months old, but I have heard you can go ahead and put him in a toddler bed and make a big deal about his "big boy bed"
I would not suggest using the crib much longer because he could get hurt climbing out. What is a tent going to do? slow him down. He will still climb out.
Good luck to you.
D.

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hi L.,
my daughter, now 8, did the same thing. I don't know if it was the way the crib mattress felt or what, but she hated it. she would sleep fine when she slept in the bed with me. I got her a day/twin sized bed and she loved it! she slept better through the night w/o interruptions. I kept a gate at her door in case she decided she wanted to get out and roam around. this may be a sign that he's ready to be a big boy now. good luck!

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My father-in-law drilled extra holes in the bed so we could lower it almost to the ground. It worked wonderfully!

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Get the tent. It is worth it. I got one for my daughter and told her she was camping. It took her a couple of nights to get used to it but then she was fine. Good luck.

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Hello
I am a 52 year old mother of 2, my son is 11 and my daughter is 9. My husband and I had both of them in their own full size bed by the time they were 2-3 years old. I did put it into the corner of the bedroom with the mattress aganist the wall. We always had a guard that fit under the mattress and formed a barrier so they would not roll off. We are lucky in the fact that ours love their sleep !!! We never let them sleep with us !!! Thank you for your time and have a nice day !!!

Debbie

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My oldest climbed out of the crib at 18 months, so we just put the crib mattress on the floor for awhile. Then we put a twin mattress on the floor for awhile. He was in a twin bed with a guard rail by the time he was two.

My son actually slept BETTER after we took him out of the crib. If he got upset, he walked right into our room instead of screaming for us. Then one of would walk him back to bed. I think it may have given him a sense of control.

The bottom line is that if he can climb out of a crib, he shouldn't be in one and it's time to child-proof and put baby gates at the top of the steps, if you have steps. Good luck.

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I'm not sure if this would help since you said you don't want to transition him to a toddler bed yet. We moved our son to a toddler bed at 20 months in preparation for his baby sister being born three months later. He probably should have moved earlier but we wanted to finish painting his room and getting it organized. We did put a baby gate at his door to keep the dogs out of his room but even so, he didn't get out and wander around. Actually, I don't think he even got out of the bed at all until we came in to get him in the mornings. You could set up a sticker chart and give him a sticker for each time he stays in the crib all night - then a treat/toy after so many stickers. Hope this helps!

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You are not alone - my daughter is going through this right now with her 2-year old. I hope you got some good advice!

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My daugher did the same thing at about the same age. So, we thought she's probably ready for a "bed". We'd rather see her safer at lower ground than continuing to climb out and possibly hurt herself. So, we introduced her to the idea, and she loved it. Of course, we included a bedset she liked, accessories and viola! I took a picture of her napping in it for the first time.
-L. F. in Murfressboro

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My 2 year old started climbing out of his bed at 15 months. I was at a loss at first because I had no idea what to do. He has trouble going to sleep at night and staying in his room. I found a toddler bed that had an open side on it and put a board across it so that he could climb in and out but not roll out in his sleep (he rolls all over the place). That was the best thing I ever did. He started going to sleep much easier and slept through the night more often. He just turned two in August and we have transitioned him to a "real" toddler bed.

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We moved our dd to a toddler bed at 13 mths. We needed the crib for her baby brother and she hated it anyway. We just babyproofed her room and put up a safety gate in her doorway bc she sleep walks. She's 2 now and this works great for us.

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Hi L.

The best advice I can give you is to let down the side of the crib and place a mattress by the crib this way if your son falls he will be cushioned. Once they realize they can climb out they will not stop. You could just transiition to his toddler bed. Good luck!

J.

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I have three children, all climbers. My first son started climbing out @ 9 months, we put him in a toddler bed at 11 months, he started sleepin better and longer. My second son HATED the crib (Screamed everytime you put him in it). We put him in a toddler bed at 10 months, just like his brothers, and he loved it. The toddler beds are low to the floor and have a safety bar, so it keeps them from falling out but is not restricting and does not pose any chalenge to "conquer".
My little girl was the easiest, stayed in her crib til she was almost 2, then we transitioned her crib to a todder bed. I hope this helps, the tents make good swining devices and easily get wrapped around thier heads (scarry, we tried that too)

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Hi L.,

I have a 5 year old girl and a 2.5 year old son. My daughter was more comfortable sleeping in a pack and play (we put the crib mattress in it so it was comfy). It worked out wonderfully since whenever we traveled we always had her bed with us! My son hated sleeping in his crib. I put a double bed mattress on his floor and after nursing him I would lay down next him until he drifted off to sleep. He would wake up in the night once and if it were before 2am, I would lay down next to him until he went back to sleep. If it was after 2am, I would bring him into our bed for the rest of the night. Around 2 years old he stopped waking up early and now he wakes up between 4am-5am and comes in our room for a couple of hours of snuggly sleep with mama. Bedtime is smooth, not traumatic, and I feel good that he feels safe and secure. It can be very reassuring to your toddler that you are just as available and present with him when it's dark as you are during the day. Creating trust and a sense of security is your top priority when it comes to bedtime.

R.
http://www.noblemother.com

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i am conserned about the tent i always see in my mind a piece coming lose and a child hanging themselves. i think a toddler bed might work for him try to make bed a relaxing happy place not a punishment and not a place to play rough its a place to read and relax. our grandaughter stayes with us frequently and she takes magizines to bed to read. as i take books to read and for awhile her bed was in our room. Now she has her own space but she loves to have the books and relax time befor sleeping . is the area safe if he does get out what does he get into? a baby monitor would make you aware if you have to go check on him good luck with your wonderful adventures "WONDER BOY" cindi

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Yep, time for the big boy bed. My son did the same. Feet first as well, but still very frightening to see a little creature wandering down the hallway in the middle of the night!!! (WHY DO THEY DO THAT??!!)
I had to go up to a big boy bed earlier than I had planned. I just used a gate at his bedroom door for a few months, then switched the gate to just the stairs. (Eventually he learned that although the gate was no longer at his door, he still was not allowed to leave his room.)
In my opinion, your son is not too young at all to make the switch.

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L.,
I had the same issue, I resisted for a while, but finally broke down and bought the crib tent - you can google it and find a retailer. It was the best $$ I spent for peace of mind. My little one was very good at getting out of bed, he never fell and got hurt, therefore he was very quiet about it. I slept better knowing that if he decided to wake up at 3 am - he wasn't going to tumble head first down the stairs or get hurt somewhere in the house.
Good Luck
T.

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Both my kids were out of their cribs by that age. My kids are 19 mo apart, so I moved my older son to a toddler bed around 14-15 months, but he'd been climbing into and out of his crib since about 12 months. But he always was a good sleeper. My younger son climbed in and out of his crib by about 13 months or so, and I soon just moved him to a mattress on the floor. He was not such a good sleeper (I was still nursing him, and he kept coming into my room in the middle of the night to nurse), but it didn't bother me too much. When I weaned him, I started making him stay in his bed. He didn't like it, but he got used to it in a week or two, and he's been a much better sleeper -- never wakes up in the middle of the night now. Maybe your son isn't quite sleepy enough when you put him to bed? Perhaps you may try letting him stay up a little bit later. But if he wakes up in the middle of the night screaming, I'd say that needs to stop -- you can go in there and sternly tell him NO, that it's not acceptable.

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At 18 months I had to put my oldest son in a toddler bed because he kept trying to climb out of his crib. I was afraid he was going to fall out and hurt himself. The only thing with putting yours in a toddler bed is that he may get out seeing how he isn't a good sleeper and wakes up. Mine was a bad sleeper and we usually had a difficult time putting him to bed unless we stayed in there til he fell asleep. We eventually had to make his bedroom door a half door and shut and lock it from the outside and leave my son in there. He eventually wound up going back into his bed, (sometimes he made it to the floor beside the bed) and go to sleep. The main thing is making sure he is safe. Do you have a playpen? You could also put one of those foam mattress in the bottom of the playpen (with a sheet on it) and make him sleep in the play pen until you think he is old enough for a toddler bed. He can't get out of that and he will be safe. Just my suggestions.

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Hi L.

I had a son who hated his crib. By a year old he was in a toddler bed. You might have to put a baby gate up to keep him in his room unless you don't care if he joins you.

Good Luck it is tough!
J.

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This is what I did. When my child was 15 months old I put her in a toddler bed for fear she may fall on her head. Then I put a full door gate up. It looked like a screen. She would just call for me when she got up. I also didn't wan ther roaming the house.

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