We're attempting to teach our 14 month old son to put himself to sleep. At night I can put him to bed in a very drowzy state, but nearly asleep. When it's time for his nap, however, getting him in to the crib is nearly impossible! So today our nanny was trying the, "cry it out" method, with which I was fine.
HOWEVER...
She watched him through the slightly cracked open door and realized he'd figured out how to climb out of the crib. He'd hooked a leg over the railing and pulled his body up and nearly all the way over. She quickly grabbed him before he made his way all the way over.
So... 14 months old, walking for three weeks... the mattress is on the lowest level in the crib.
Any advice on what to do?
Thanks everyone for the advice! Our nanny and I have been talking over the options We're both leaning towards converting the crib to a toddler bed because he ALWAYS resists getting in his crib, whereas he has no qualms about napping on the sofa, my bed or even the floor. We think he just hates being "penned up" in a crib. We have a feeling that adding a net to the crib will make him hate the crib even more. So... that's what we're thinking about. And yes, we'll make sure that everything is even more child-proofed than it already is. Oh boy!
There isn't a whole lot you can do, well besides putting a crib tent over his crib to keep him in. My son was doing it at 14 months so we just converted his crib to a toddler bed and just had to move every thing out of climbing and reaching range.
Well maybe it might work if instead of making him take a nap in the crib u should buy a little mat put on the floor and lye down with him until hes asleep or give him a stuffed animal to sleep with, I tried it with my niece she just turned one and I think its safer and wont have to worry about fallin or climbin out.
I think they make a tent like thing to go over the top of the crib. Its really thin and made similar to a screen so air can go through and its like a little tent. Not sure where you can get one though.
Good luck
J., There are crib nets made that have a zipper around the top of of crib just for this purpose. There easy access for you but the child cannot climb out.
R. M.
Lots of people will respond and say "its time to get him a toddler bed" as it is a very common thing to read in parenting books - as the mother of a child who started climbing out of the crib at 13 months, putting a BABY in a toddler bed was the farthest thing from logical to me. That's just asking for sleepless nights and endless trauma for both yourselves and your child - a child will not stay in a toddler bed unless they are old enough to understand boundaries and why they need to stay in. A 14 month old can't really grasp that yet, I dont care how smart one thinks their child is. My daughter wasn't even climbing and falling out, but she climbed over the side and gently lowered herself to the floor....LOL. Most parents try to keep their children in their cribs until at least three, and I agree with that.
I ended up buying a crib tent, like comment number one mentioned. They sell them at babies r us, and it single handedly saved my life. My daughter just turned two yesterday, and we still use the tent and intend to until we feel she is mature enough to handle the responsibility of a big girl bed. In fact, she LOVES that tent - it makes her feel cozy, but is very tall and completely see through mesh. The mattress itself actually goes in the net and the tent part is over the top - it has helped us also, as when she was angry, she used to throw everything out of her crib and tantrum for hours as a ploy to get us in there - this tent eliminated that, and no she goes to bed quietly and happily with no fuss.
Quick...lock up the medicines and dangerous items as best as possible! There is NO such thing as childproofing. My daughter climbed up the kitchen drawers on to the kitchen counter, got in to the 2nd to top shelf, opened up a child proof cap, and ate all of the child's Tylenol inside! Calling poisen control was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do so far. Put your child's mattress on the floor so he doesn't injure himself if he does get up, turn on the baby monitor, and educate him as early as possible of the potential dangers in your household through Mr Yuck stickers etc.
Hi There, My son was doing the same thing and people advised me to get a crib tent, i found it cheapest on walmart.com and you can pick it up at the store for $50. but by the time I got it, we had him sleeping in the big boy bed fine. it took about a week and you have to make sure the room is really kid proof, we close the door and sometimes he knocks to get out, but now he does really well. good luck also we bought a bed put it on the floor next to the crib so when he did jump out he landed on that and not the floor
If you can take off the side...do.. if you can't either get at toddler bed, put the mattress on the floor, child proof his room and hope for the best....
This way he won't fall and hurt himself. Naps and bedtimes can be a challenge from here on out. It will get better, it will get worse, it will get better, and oh, it will get worse. Just keep putting him back in bed. I have child locks on the inside of the door and eventually my 2 1/2 year old will quit crying and climb back in his bed. Once my 6 year old (then 2) fell asleep just by the door. Whatever works! Good luck!
My daughter was also a climber. I was able to get an extension to to attach to the top of the railing. I don't know whether something like that is available anymore. She climb over the top extension. I decided it was too dangerous to fall from that height. I took off the extension and just lower the crib railing so that if she climbs, she won't fall from such a high height. I feel if your child is a climber and determine to climb, you have to make it as safe as possible for the climber. Once a climber, always a climber. MY daughter also climbed my book cases. Keep an eye on your baby to keep him safe.
Crib tent, I got mine on ebay, Good luck!
Have you seen the crib nets? They are domed structures with netting that go over the top of the crib, so your child can stand, but cannot get out. Sounds too young for a toddler bed, yet, so maybe the netting will work. ???
My son started doing this about 6 months ago and thanks to all the great moms here I bought a crib tent and have loved it ever since! (and my son loves it too! He gets to slept in a 'fort' every night!) You can get them at babies r us for about $70, and they are well worth the money. Good luck!
J., when my twins started to climb out of the crib, I decided it was time for a toddler bed. They actually loved it and went right in it for nap time and bed time. It took alittle working with but eventually they got the hang of being in their own bed.
D.
