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Crib Climber~Advice Please

juliagulia322juliagulia322 member
in Toddlers: 24 Months+

I just need some advice.  Hurricane Sandy hit my area pretty hard and I was one of the fortunate ones that only lost power but it was for seven days. My family lived with family and friends for five of those nights.  The boys slept in pack n plays but had a pretty hard time adjusting and sleeping like they usually do (7:30-7 without waking up before the hurricane hit). So my one son wound up sleeping with me on the floor because that's where we were all sleeping.  Now he is having a HORRIBLE time going to sleep on his own. He wants me to rock him which is fine but won't go right in his crib which used to not be an issue at all.  He has climbed out of it twice which he has never done before.  I don't think he is ready at all to go to the toddler bed especially that his twin brother is in the room with him and I'm afraid with what might happen to have them both in beds.  Do you have any other suggestions than changing it to a toddler bed. I was thinking of placing the front of the crib against the wall so he can't climb out since the back is so high.  I feel like he is a newborn all over again!

 Sorry so long. Any advice is appreciated.

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Re: Crib Climber~Advice Please

  • dosafyredosafyre
    sorry...it's gotta happen eventually, and better that for a few nights then a broken arm or noggin. repetition, babyproofing, and routine will help the transition. We did it at 20m.
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  • anneimal98anneimal98 member
    I'm going to disagree with the previous posters.  My son climbed out of his crib once when my parents were watching him.  He was having a spike in separation anxiety around that time and I chalked it up to him being upset by unfamiliar circumstances. I would say your situation could be similar.  I did get the conversion kit ready to go but I didn't give up on the crib right away.  Instead, I tweaked our bedtime routine a little, giving him a heads up before it was time to go in the crib ("after this song..."), explaining to him that I would come back and check on him after he was asleep and would get him in the morning, and told him how important it was to rest so we could play more tomorrow.  There were still some tears for the first few nights but, in general, this really seemed to ease his anxiety and bed time has become a peacful, non-crib climbing event again (*knocks on wood*).
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  • Ardmhs83Ardmhs83 member

    I agree with most other posters. Toddler bed time. The very first time my son climbed out of his (diving head first to the floor..thank God I had just walked in and I caught him) we converted his crib, that same night.  He did great and still is doing great!  Just baby proof the room to the "T."  Anchor stuff to walls, outlets, blind cords, cords, etc...  If he can open doors or break the plastic door knob protectors off (like my son can) you may also have to gate his door so that if he opens it....he still can't get out of his room. 

    Good luck, but it is a transition that has to happen...so I would def. do it for his safety.  I was too worried about broken arms, legs and even neck with my son diving out the first time.  If you turn the crib around and he figures out how to get out...it is even a longer fall. 

    It may take a week or so, but he will get use to it.

    PPD/PPA Mom...it has been super hard, but I'm making it! Slow steps...
    Mom to Carter (6), and Calianne (1).  
    Proud VBAC, natural birth, breastfeeding, cloth diapering momma!


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  • juliagulia322juliagulia322 member
    Thanks everyone! I am going to buy the crib guard rails today as he tried to climb out last night.  I do think it is separation anxiety also.  He just wants to sleep by me all the time since last week he had to.  At least I know he won't break an arm or neck with the transition.  That is my fear completely! I just didn't know if it was too early to transition. I will also post this on multiples!
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  • jldittberjldittber

    Wow, I'm so sorry and glad you and your family are OK! 

    Honestly, my son is a roller coaster with this.  He is 3 and still likes a crib, but has been making me rock him through out the night, leave the door open, etc.  He had a nightmare a few weeks back and it hasn't been the same since. 

    I think when something throws them off, its just hard to get back to a routine.  Keep fighting through it.  If he keeps getting out of the crib, you'll have to do a bed though..

     

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  • shawshaw
    My little guy started climbing out of the crib a few months ago.  Just because he can physically climb out doesn't mean he is emotionally ready for the transition.  Gosh, he would never stay in bed (in a toddler bed!).  I just taught him through repeadedly putting him back into the crib that he wasn't allowed to climb out.  I made sure to also explain that he had to stay in bed and sleep all night.  It took a few days (after the new found skill) but he is back to sleeping like a baby (haha) and calling out in the morning.  Every once in a while he climbs out....but hontesly....I have no fear of him getting hurt. He swings his little legs right over and drops  a few inches to his feet.  No biggie!!
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  • shawshaw
    Oh, another friend of mine took out the spring out of the crib and dropped the mattress to the floor (so it was still inside of the crib rails).  It's too tall for LO to climb out!? 
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  • sunnybrook.sunnybrook. member
    My twins share a room. They both started climbing out. I transitioned them to toddler beds and it was an absolute nightmare. They refused to nap. The spend the entire time jumping and playing. There was nothing in there room but each other and it didn't matter. They were partying all day and at night too. I was pregnant and on modified bedrest and no one was sleeping. The girls were miserable from being so tired. I ended up returning them to their cribs and buying crib tents. It was the best thing ever. The girls loved them and returned to naps and sleeping 11 hours a night which made them happier all around. Crib tents have been recalled. One child in the last 15 years died and a few others were hurt. I believe it was because the parents did not keep an eye on the condition and integrity of the tents. When my daughter ripped hers, we saw it was a potential problem and we transitioned them back to beds....but they were 8 months older and handled it better.

    In your case, I would not jump to crib tents (if you can even buy them anymore). I would put your LOs to bed and then sit in the room until they fall asleep. Every few days, I would sit closer and closer to the door until eventually you can sit outside the door. Your kids have been through a lot. I think your DS is looking for comfort until things can return to normal. Unless you really want to give up their naps or separate them into different rooms, I would keep them in their cribs as long as you can safely do so.
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  • noahchristophernoahchristopher member

    I always read up on this in order to prepare.  Our son is now 14 mos and I just want to be ready if/when it happens. 

    What I've found by looking at numerous websites is that age 3 or older is the best time emotionally to transition to a big kid bed because they have better impulse control then and the transition goes much easier. I know they can transition earlier, but it can be harder with some kids. 

    I'm of the camp that I'll try to keep him in that crib as long as possible.  I like the ideas here, turning the crib around (that's a great idea), dropping the mattress.  I've also heard other ideas like putting them in a sleep sack so they can't get their legs up to climb, or finding a thin mattress or creating a thinner mattress with foam or whatever you can think of.

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