The past three nights have been very trying. My 19 month old daughter will not stay in her crib, she continues to climb all the way out of it once put in it. She also will not stay laying on the mattress just on the floor. Can anyone advise their thoughts on tenting them in the crib or just moving them into a full size bed as her bed doesn't go to a toddler bed.
Hi K..
I have a 2 year old daughter that crawled out/fell out of bed at 15 months. I went through the same questions and finally decided to so the tent. I was so worried about her wandering during the night. What if there was an emergency and I couldn't find her? etc, etc. For us, it was a good decision. I feel like she is safe and she likes it. I think it makes her feel secure too.
K.,
I have had my little man in a tent since he was 22 months. He started climbing out at 16 months and I lowered the matress to the floor (removed the matress grate completely on a sleigh crib) and was able to buy 6 more months without the tent. I recently purchased a 2nd one because the first did wear out after a year. My son turned 3 two weeks ago and I intend to keep him in there for a few more months. I don't believe a child will be claustrophobic. My son cried the first night for 45 minutes but never again after that night (it became his fun tent). I do know that I am postponing the challenge of him wandering after bedtime until a later date but feel his safety is worth it. He's very used to it now and I use the pack and play tent when we travel. The model # is home Crib Tent II and I purchased the 2nd one on ebay and saved a few $$.
Don't tent the crib as they can feel claustrophobic and you don't want to create a life-long fear. Get a big bed that you or your hubbie can also lay in with her to coax her to sleep in it. My kids slept with us until they were three.
I will be no help. My son is almost 20mo and close the climbing out. I'm wondering if we should transition him to the toddler bed, or just wait till he actually gets out of the crib. I'm curious to see others' responses to this. Sorry I can't help.
S.
Hi K., I have seen in Babiesrus this bedrails that you can put in a normal full size bed. About your baby getting up, I saw once in this show "Super Nanny" that the Nanny recomend to put your baby in his/her bed after her routine and when she gets up next, to pick her up and tell her is time to sleep and kiss her good night, all the next times she wake up just pick her up and put her right to bed without say anything (I will drop a kiss too, lol).
In the show seems to work but again it was tv show, but who knows maybe work.
I don't think I'd tent her crib... only because when my kids were babies all those tent things said - once they could pull up you had to remove them b/c they were a choking (strangulation) hazard. They were really meant to keep pets out not kids in. I may be wrong and new and improved covers have come out, but be careful and read the info.
We moved our youngest at about that age because he crawled out. I say just got for the bed. We did have to put a baby gate across his door to keep in his room in the beginning.
L.
I would suggest moving to the "big" girl bed. I moved my daughter a couple of months ago when she was about 20 months old. She stays put and we haven't had any issues will her falling out - we have a bed rail on one side and the wall is on the other. We close her door so she doesn't come out (she did once or twice but we tell her to go back to bed and she does). I agree with the advice from Super Nanny - the key is to be consistent (and don't talk to her). If she comes out put her back in - over and over again. It might take a couple of times for a night or two, but she will eventually get the message that she is not getting her way and it is bedtime. My son we did have a gate at this door versus the door being closed - just because his bedroom was down a hall and hers is were she can see into the living room so we close the door. Good luck - it can be trying:)
Hi K.,
It seems like a tent would be a negative thing for her, keeping her trapped, while a big girl bed would be a positive move. She could pick out a bedspread, get excited about the set-up of it, etc.
I am wondering if sleeping with you is an option too? We side-carred our daughter's toddler bed next to our king mattress when she was about 16 months and it's comfortable sleep for all of us. We also don't have to worry about whether she is wandering at night.
