Montessori = No Crib

Chris&Lyzz · July 2012

Hello ladies,

Have any of you heard about or plan on implementing the Montessori idea of not using a crib for your baby? Instead, you simply put a crib mattress on the floor of the nursery for the baby to lie on. My DH and I are really considering it since I agree with the reasoning behind it, that a crib forces a child to associate attention or need with crying since the baby must be dependent on the parent to put them in or take them out of the crib instead of being independent and able to explore their own environment (the nursery).

Am I too idealistic to think this would work once the baby is a bit older? Any experiences or stories from other moms about using a crib v. not using one?

Wild_flower25 · July 2012

I think its ridiculous. Millions upon millions of babies have survived in a crib unharmed.

I think its unsafe as far as pets and other children coming in the room. And I don't want to sit on the floor everytime I put him/her to bed. Uncomfortable! A baby doesn't need to explore their room unsupervised, that's silly.

MKE6115 · July 2012

No my LO will be in a crib just as my other two were. I agree with previous post, I would not want LO getting out to explore the room or my older two to be able to get to them when I am not there. Plus I used the crib as a safe place for baby to play in while I showered or if I have to do house work. I would rather know my baby is safe if I can not get to him/her the minute they wake up.

SanDimasMama · July 2012

I like some Montessori principals but not the no-crib-for-infant. My niece went to a floor mattress when she could walk and it does fit her independent personality, but the cozy familiarity of the crib puts everyone's mind at ease with a baby.

I've read online about parents who commit to this approach and then struggle to make it work with their child. Not all children are empowered by fewer borders in their world--some are frightened and anxious and end up being even more needy than if a crib had been offered. Other kids are anxious to break free from their cribs--if that's the case you can always switch to a mat on the floor.

ReeceFamily · July 2012

I'm not a good enough housekeeper (we have two dogs and four cats) to want my baby rolling onto the floor at night!

laurapacheco · July 2012

Wild_flower25:

I think its ridiculous. Millions upon millions of babies have survived in a crib unharmed.

I think its unsafe as far as pets and other children coming in the room. And I don't want to sit on the floor everytime I put him/her to bed. Uncomfortable! A baby doesn't need to explore their room unsupervised, that's silly.

This. As PP's have said, the potential risks, to me, far outweigh the supposed benefits (which is just a theory and not proven by any reliable study). Our baby will most definitely sleep in a crib.

luvindanimals · July 2012

I would say not a good idea. Once they can start rolling they will roll off the mattress and then need your assistance to put them back. When they start crawling it could be dangerous for them to be able to explore their room without supervision. This will be my first child so my opinion probably doesn't count but I think children need and want "boundaries." Exploring is great but as a soon to be parent I look forward to watching them as they explore.

StarlitRN · July 2012

We did the floor bed for the first 9-10 months. DD slept on it for naps and at the beginning of night (we bed shared after the dirt waking until 10 months). Around a year she started having night anxiety so we put her crib together and it helped her until she moved to her big girl bed at 18 months. Not for everyone but it was great for us (we tried the crib at first and she freaked out anytime we put her in it....with the floor bed I could kinda cuddle her until she was falling asleep).

EAMommy · July 2012

The crib serves a purpose and that is to keep the child safe--physically and emotionally. A young baby needs the security of a crib (bassinet) to feel safe. They also need the rails/sides to keep them from falling on the floor. Granted, a mattress on the floor isn't a huge fall, but to a sleeping baby who falls off it could be very traumatic.

I may be able to understand reasoning about not using a crib once the baby is more mobile although that is when I'll want the crib even more to teach the child that bedtime/naptime is for sleeping not exploring and playing in the room.

==N== · July 2012

Seems dangerous to me. For me the crib was always peace of mind that the child was in a safe space while I slept and couldn't know exactly what it was doing at all times..

EmTish08 · July 2012

I'm planning to use a co-sleeper for the first 6 months, while I am breastfeeding exclusively, then transition to a montessori nursery (with a floor bed) after that. I have been researching it for over a year and my husband and I feel like it is the best choice for our family.

I found this article to be helpful when explaining to our family our choice to use a floor bed: https://mariamontessori.com/mm/?p=921.

mrsodonnell12 · July 2012

I dont get this at all. So no, we will not be doing this nor will we even consider it. Babies cry to communicate.... either way, your baby is going to cry.

kstand85 · July 2012

This seems odd to me. I don't sleep on the floor and neither will my child.

RoaneFaery · July 2012

We are planning on setting up a Montessori style bedroom. We will use the Arm's Reach co-sleeper for the first few months and the transition to the mattress on the floor. There is more to a Montessori bedroom than just not using a crib though. It does include baby-proofing the entire room and a 3 to 4 inch mattress isn't going to hurt a baby rolling off it. Yes, you'll find them sleeping on the floor sometimes so make sure it is carpeted or use a nice thick rug underneath.

Noethola · July 2012

Chris&Lyzz:

that a crib forces a child to associate attention or need with crying

Crying is how a baby communicates. It has to learn this first step in communication in order to learn to use words, etc later on. I would disagree with the reasoning behind it for this reason. An infant cannot be independent and survive.

I would not even consider it for an infant, as I agree it would seem dangerous. However, I would have no problem with it once the child was mobile and trying to climb out of the crib anyway.

amh04 · July 2012

Wild_flower25:

I think its ridiculous. Millions upon millions of babies have survived in a crib unharmed.

I think its unsafe as far as pets and other children coming in the room. And I don't want to sit on the floor everytime I put him/her to bed. Uncomfortable! A baby doesn't need to explore their room unsupervised, that's silly.

Yes

littlemaybaby · July 2012

Definitely not for us. Although when DS climbed out of his crib at 19 months old, the full size bed that his crib converts into was just way too tall for us to be comfortable with it - even with safety rails on the side. So he's been on a mattress on a very low profile platform bed since 19 months old. (He's probably only 10-12 inches from the floor.) I can't see it for a baby though . . . but I know people who love the idea.

jobiann · July 2012

amnat84:

Is it safe? I would be uncomfortable with it, especially once the baby can roll...it would just roll right to the floor. And I think the child will cry in either case. I don't think crying is a form of attention getting for infants--it's how they communicate with us to let us know when they are awake, need feeding, changing, etc. Maybe once the baby is older, but I wouldn't do it with a newborn.

This, I wouldn't be comfortable with it. Everyone I know was in a crib as an infant and 99.9% of them are okay in my book! Wink

Then again, I so easy going that I really don't get too work up about anything. My Mom raised 6 kids without incident and she didn't follow 80% of the rules they had in her day (1960's and 1970's).

URMySunshine77 · July 2012

ReeceFamily:
I'm not a good enough housekeeper (we have two dogs and four cats) to want my baby rolling onto the floor at night!

Amen! My baby would be covered in dust bunnies and dog kisses. ;-)

landosmommy · July 2012

LindsRockies:
RoaneFaery:
We are planning on setting up a Montessori style bedroom. We will use the Arm's Reach co-sleeper for the first few months and the transition to the mattress on the floor. There is more to a Montessori bedroom than just not using a crib though. It does include baby-proofing the entire room and a 3 to 4 inch mattress isn't going to hurt a baby rolling off it. Yes, you'll find them sleeping on the floor sometimes so make sure it is carpeted or use a nice thick rug underneath.

It may not "hurt" them per se, but would you like to roll off of a 3"-4" platform night after night? Not to mention being woken up out of a dead sleep while doing so?

Yes

EmTish08 · July 2012

People will always be critical when you go against convention. You just have to do what you feel is best for your family and ignore the negativity.

Magenta728 · July 2012

No way

landosmommy · July 2012

If its about not confining your child to a crib, then how is it different from confining to a room??? They'll want to get out of the room the same way as a wanting to get out of a crib. I don't get it.

RachelG1016 · July 2012

This just seems unnecessary and strange.

To each his own but my LO will have a crib.

sjamin9 · July 2012

I went to a Montessori school until the 4th grade, and my aunt runs one. I agree with a lot of their learning principles. However, there's too much in the nursery that the LO could get into that I would be too nervous about letting them roam unsupervised. Once they're old enough to open a door, I'd be even more nervous. I'd say go for it if that's something you want to try, but defnitely won't be our route.

bearkatjen · July 2012

I agree strongly with many Montesorri principles, but I don't feel any strong pull to the no-crib idea. I'm not against it, but I think it's probably not an ideal set up in many homes. I think newborns prefer the "closed in bed". Older infants certainly want to explore. I'd rather my baby do that when I'm awake and I can see or hear him. I certainly don't feel our crib hindered my son's curiosity. Wanting to see and touch helped compell him to pull up and learn to climb eventually. My son also had plenty of free range time when it wasn't bedtime or nap time.

akating · July 2012

When my son was first learning to roll and crawl he would back out of his crib into the rails and sometimes get his legs stuck. If he were on one of these beds on the floor he would never be on the mattress at night. Also knowing how my son was he would have been way more traumatized by rolling off onto the floor or backing himself into a corner where he is unfamiliar than having his leg get stuck for a minute.

nekorayne · July 2012

We had a crib with DS and he never slept in it. We are just a bed sharing family I guess. I plan on getting a cosleeper that will expand our bed for more room for this one. We kept his crib up and he was just not one of those babies who felt secure in his crib and we were fine with that. At 6 months the drop side cribs got recalled and we decided to not get the kit to turn the crib into a non drop side because he never used it/ I ended up putting his mattress on the floor so he would have a place to nap or play in his room and he loved it! I put a soft rug beside it and he never got hurt rolling off. He loves his floor bed! We are about to get him a twin size bed though.

I figure we will skip the crib with this one and bed share like we did with DS. If this baby for some reason does not like bed sharing I may do the floor bed earlier or go ahead and get him/her a crib if they seem to need that security. Or use the cosleeper as a bassinet.

I would consider at least getting a moses basket, cradle, bassinet, or cosleeper as well as the floor bed. You can have a more secure and nest like space to put the baby that way if they do crave that. You can always get the crib later if you change your mind. I think most people here have never really thought of not using a crib and that is why the idea is odd. Every baby is different in their needs. I thought we would be a crib using family and so when we turned out not to be it took some mind adjustments....but I really ended up loving co sleeping and the floor bed! I learned about Montessori once I started looking up floor beds and really loved some of the principles. Its ok to go against the mold as long as you are willing to change directions if it does not work out. But same goes for those who follow the "norm", they may later figure out a non traditional route better suites them.

st.augbride · July 2012

Ds would never sleep. Ever.

tailanis · July 2012

mrsodonnell12:
I dont get this at all. So no, we will not be doing this nor will we even consider it. Babies cry to communicate.... either way, your baby is going to cry.

I agree...

bandwife · July 2012

LindsRockies:
RoaneFaery:
We are planning on setting up a Montessori style bedroom. We will use the Arm's Reach co-sleeper for the first few months and the transition to the mattress on the floor. There is more to a Montessori bedroom than just not using a crib though. It does include baby-proofing the entire room and a 3 to 4 inch mattress isn't going to hurt a baby rolling off it. Yes, you'll find them sleeping on the floor sometimes so make sure it is carpeted or use a nice thick rug underneath.

It may not "hurt" them per se, but would you like to roll off of a 3"-4" platform night after night? Not to mention being woken up out of a dead sleep while doing so?

Meh. Rolling into the bars on the side of a crib probably doesn't feel that great night after night but babies seem to get used to it.

OP: do your research and if you want to get your Montessori on go for it. If you decide to take a less conventional route you'll have to get used to lots of fear based comments on your choices. The Bump is a great place to thicken your skin for it Wink

BLPL101 · July 2012

No

FreyaWin2382 · July 2012

LindsRockies:
No. Just no.

This.

drpayne · July 2012

Yeah, no.

Common sense tells me that's not safe.

sbevmc09 · July 2012

It's not something I'd want to do, but it's an interesting concept anyway. I definitely don't think it's a potentially harmful as some are making it out to be.

Of course I would assume baby would be in a properly child-proofed (for their level of development) room if they're rooming separate from you. I don't honestly know how practical it is before a certain age though because I can't imagine getting a newly mobile baby to sleep on their mattress rather than just passing out on the floor, but maybe that's NBD to you. I just say that meaning that kids are all about impulses at a certain age, you know? There's no way a baby is going to be like, hmm... I'm supposed to sleep here so I'll stay on the mat instead of exploring the room (even if they've been able to explore it everyday of their lives).

I'd do your research and if it's something you're comfortable with and interested in then go for it. Just make sure you're doing it safely

bandwife · July 2012

LindsRockies:
bandwife:
LindsRockies:

RoaneFaery:
We are planning on setting up a Montessori style bedroom. We will use the Arm's Reach co-sleeper for the first few months and the transition to the mattress on the floor. There is more to a Montessori bedroom than just not using a crib though. It does include baby-proofing the entire room and a 3 to 4 inch mattress isn't going to hurt a baby rolling off it. Yes, you'll find them sleeping on the floor sometimes so make sure it is carpeted or use a nice thick rug underneath.

It may not "hurt" them per se, but would you like to roll off of a 3"-4" platform night after night? Not to mention being woken up out of a dead sleep while doing so?

Meh. Rolling into the bars on the side of a crib probably doesn't feel that great night after night but babies seem to get used to it.

OP: do your research and if you want to get your Montessori on go for it. If you decide to take a less conventional route you'll have to get used to lots of fear based comments on your choices. The Bump is a great place to thicken your skin for it

There is much, much more that goes into my opinon about putting a baby on a mattress on a floor than fear.

ETA: I'm not talking about toddlers and naptime. My DCP (and several others in my area) have toddlers (1 and up) on padded mats on the floor with blankets for their naps.

Easy.

Take a minute to reread my comment and the piece you put in bold. It wasn't directed at you.

The bit about hitting crib bars feeling similar to rolling off a 3 inch mattress was Wink

bandwife · July 2012

LindsRockies:
bandwife:
LindsRockies:
bandwife:
LindsRockies:

RoaneFaery:
We are planning on setting up a Montessori style bedroom. We will use the Arm's Reach co-sleeper for the first few months and the transition to the mattress on the floor. There is more to a Montessori bedroom than just not using a crib though. It does include baby-proofing the entire room and a 3 to 4 inch mattress isn't going to hurt a baby rolling off it. Yes, you'll find them sleeping on the floor sometimes so make sure it is carpeted or use a nice thick rug underneath.

It may not "hurt" them per se, but would you like to roll off of a 3"-4" platform night after night? Not to mention being woken up out of a dead sleep while doing so?

Meh. Rolling into the bars on the side of a crib probably doesn't feel that great night after night but babies seem to get used to it.

OP: do your research and if you want to get your Montessori on go for it. If you decide to take a less conventional route you'll have to get used to lots of fear based comments on your choices. The Bump is a great place to thicken your skin for it

There is much, much more that goes into my opinon about putting a baby on a mattress on a floor than fear.

ETA: I'm not talking about toddlers and naptime. My DCP (and several others in my area) have toddlers (1 and up) on padded mats on the floor with blankets for their naps.

Easy.

Take a minute to reread my comment and the piece you put in bold. It wasn't directed at you.

The bit about hitting crib bars feeling similar to rolling off a 3 inch mattress was

I felt the need to comment on your entire thread whether the entire thing (or just 50%) was directed at me or not.

Apologies if I offended. Should have replied separately to keep it clean.

And, damn, we're turning this into a hot thread! Talk of crib mattress on floor sets TB on fire. Smile

miss.brittany · July 2012

I would say it's probably not a safe idea for infants; especially once they start to roll. I can't image the baby rolling off and potentially getting hurt or stuck. But once your baby is a bit bigger/older if you feel that it suits your child's personality and seems safe then maybe switch to on the floor.

This is just my personal opinion. I'm a first time mom so I don't have any advice from experience.

zonagirlie · July 2012

EmTish08:
People will always be critical when you go against convention. You just have to do what you feel is best for your family and ignore the negativity.

I agree. Do what's best for you and your baby. I personally wouldn't do it so young, but having a mattress on the floor when the climbing begins sounds a lot safer so you've given me something to think about

chip22 · July 2012

It's an interesting idea. I probably wouldn't be comfortable with it until 6+ months at least. But then Montessori concepts are quite interesting to me and I think I'll loom into it a little more.

this decaf life · July 2012

I don't know much about this but it's definitely for toddlers not babies. I don't really love the idea because kids get interested in things and they need to associate night with sleeping not with free wandering in their room.

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