Bed sharing becoming dangerous

bloverde

Little man is 9mo and has slept in a side car since probably 2 months. He also naps there. DH takes care of him during the day.

I just got a text from DH that our little guy is now able to scoot on his belly around the bed. Uh oh. He wasn't previously mobile. So now I don't know what to do for naps. We obviously can no longer leave him in bed.

He has never slept well by himself: only bed sharing or being worn. He's way too young to figure out how to get off the bed safely. Even if we get side rails, there's still the end of the bed. What have others done in this situation?

Emerald27

DS is 16 months and is still in our bed. We do have a bedrail, but since he's down to just one nap a day and sleeps better with me there, I take the time for myself to browse the web and write emails on my iPhone. I'm right there with him, so if he were to move, I'd catch him before he fell.

DS can scoot, you say, but does he move much in his sleep? Some kids do, others don't. My DS is a lump when he sleeps. He wouldn't move all night except to nurse. And if he wakes and I'm not there, he sits up and cries. Your decision could be based on how much moving DS actually does.

Oh, and you could also put pillows around him or try the pool noodle under the sheet trick. Good luck!

bloverde

Thanks. DH said he got over the pillow fort. He doesn't move in his sleep, but wakes up happy and ready to go. I should specify that DH works from home, so can't take three 45 minute breaks in the day. He wishes he could!

Emerald27

bloverde:

Thanks. DH said he got over the pillow fort. He doesn't move in his sleep, but wakes up happy and ready to go. I should specify that DH works from home, so can't take three 45 minute breaks in the day. He wishes he could!

Could DH work in the room where DS sleeps? You could even put a mattress on the floor in DH's office.

...Actually, mattress on the floor is another solution. Until he's older, you could ditch the bed frame and put your mattress on the floor. We did that, and when DS could crawl, we taught him how to turn around and slide off backwards. ;D

monalua

We also put our bed mattress right on the floor and use a video monitor to watch him.  We did that at about the same age your son is, and it's still working now - our son is almost 3.  

Ginny0211

We had to stop letting our DD sleep in our bed around 9 months. She never rolled over too much in her sleep, but as soon as she woke up she would crawl everywhere and had no fear about crawling right off the bed. I actually woke up once just before she crawled towards the foot of the bed. I was then terrified that she would wake before me and crawl off the bed before I woke up. So right after that we moved to another room with a mattress on the floor.  LO and I now sleep in her room on a queen mattress on the floor. The room is baby proofed with nothing else in the room except for books and stuffed animals. I am able to sneak out usually after she falls asleep. 

 

BelhurstBride

We started teaching DD how to get down safely from the bed around 6 months old. 

TiffanyBerry

We taught my daughter how to crawl off the bed, and that was before she could walk.  Of course, our bed is very low to the ground.

You could do rails, or you could put the mattress on the floor.

PepperStick

Our DD napped in our bed (still bed shares now) and once she started crawling, we taught her how to climb down safely. For the first few weeks, any peep she made over the monitor, I would RUN to our room. Probably not the most effective method but it worked until she could get down on her own.

bloverde

He's definitely not coordinated enough to get down on his own. He just drags himself around on his belly. His legs don't really participate. He also doesn't pull to stand, so even if he could lower himself, I'm not sold on his ability to hold himself steady on his legs.

Floor bed it is!

APendola

Other than transitioning him to a crib, could DH supervise the naps.  I let my girl nap on the couch while I watch TV.  It's my break time too.  The only other way she will nap is if we are out. . She'll sleep in the carseat, ergo, or stroller just fine.

happywife2b

Have you tried just putting him on a blanket or yoga mat on the floor to nap? I agree with PP that you can always put him in DH's office during nap time to ensure he doesn't scoot off and get into anything.

bloverde

The office isn't very big, and his playpen is already in there taking up most of the floor space. I'm afraid to try to get him to sleep there. I don't want to blur the lines of play space and sleep space. I'm one of those people who does nothing but sleep in their bed and think its very important to have that association. He's a terrible enough sleeper as it is.

BrittKav

I'm sure PPs have mentioned it, but mattress on the floor. That's what we did and will do for the new baby.