toddler bed vs twin/full bed?

laurenmae1228 · February 2013

Hi everyone! More FTM questions from me (I feel so stupid sometimes; like I should just know this stuff somehow)...

DS will be 10 months in 3 days. He is a very strong, physical baby! [He currently wears 18 month clothes, and I fully expect to have to switch him into 24 month stuff by his 1st birthday. He is starting to walk on his own now (only 3 quick steps or so), but is very adventurous, and I don't think full on walking will be far off].

I have apparently been blessed with a CLIMBER. He already climbs up stairs, tries to scale the entertainment center (literally pushes off of the furniture bumper so both feet are off the ground and does chinups!, tries to climb up onto the couch, uses DH as a jungle gym, etc (DH got a rough foot in the eye the other night...ouch!). He's now attempting to climb out of his crib!!!!! (The mattress of course has been on the lowest setting for a while, and although DS was supposedly only 28.5 inches tall at his 9 mnth appt, he can somehow get his armpits over the top rail now).

So... to the point of the post...does anyone have advice about a climber and what to do for his next bed? Was a toddler bed with one of those half guard-rails useful? Or was it just another obstacle to climb? Would a twin bed (possibly lowered somehow, or just the mattress/boxspring on the floor at first?) be better, or just further to fall?

I know I'm going to have to do something about his tall dresser (find an attachment to bolt it to the wall, and something to keep the drawers closed), and I guess we'll need to lock his bedroom door (I hate the idea, but we cant just safety gate it, as we have an 18 pound Maine *** cat who could easily jump it, and I don't allow her in DS' room overnight). Any other good ideas about the door too? [We do have a safety gate installed in the hallway before the stairs. And the hall closet (where cleaning products are) has a chain lock. We could maybe lock our bedroom door, bathroom door and 3rd bedroom door instead of DS' bedroom door? (Although I don't love the idea of him wandering the hallway, seeing what he can try, either).

Am I missing anything? Anyone have good advice/ideas for me? I'm driving myself nuts trying to think of how I'm supposed to keep him safe now! He is definitely an adventurous, no-fear kind of boy! (Which is putting TONS of fear into Mommy!)

okate0213 · February 2013

Might be too early for all that! Can you look into a crib tent? Google it. I did hear they were recalled a while back, but maybe the issue has been resolved. With our crib you could take the spring thing out and just put the mattress on the floor inside the crib, is yours close to the floor on the bottom?

We didn't transition ds1 to a toddler rail on his convertable crib until close to two.

laurenmae1228 · February 2013

Yeah, unfortunately, our crib has been dropped as low as it can go. We opted for a crib that has the changing table attached and a small "trundle drawer" that pulls out from underneath, so unfortunately, it doesn't go as low as the ground. It is technically convertible, but their idea of convertible is just taking the front of the crib off. (No rail conversion kit for the front; we called the company. They said that there may be some aftermarket kits that we could buy, but none are made by their company, and therefore they don't guarantee/warranty anything.) Since DS has also outgrown the changing table attached (it's 27" and he's 28.5") and is also a champion wrestler now (I just posted a little while ago about his crazy dislike for diaper changes/getting dressed now), it's kind of pointless keeping that in his room as well.

Sooo....I guess that leaves us with getting a different kind of bed WAY earlier than we thought we'd need to transition to the toddler bed. We didn't realize about the rail conversion snafu when we bought it. [Which makes me mad at myself, because I thought I had done all the research. Sigh]. (Hindsight is 20/20; I guess this just means we'll be more prepared for future baby #2? Hopefully?)

I will definitely google other ways of securing his dresser/other stuff in his room; thank you!

I'm just hoping to avoid another mistake in the choice of his next bed. Anybody else have any advice?

SteelCity44 · February 2013

Are you implying that you're going to lock him in his room at night or am I reading that wrong?

ETA: I would lock my cat up looooong before I would lock my child up.

Luvmy2sons · February 2013

My DS1 didn't get a mattress on the floor until he was 18/19 months, because i was transitioning for when ds2 was born. And he did a toddler bed until he was 4 1/2 then went right into a bunk bed. My DS2 went from crib, to a twin bed at 2 1/2. I don't know how you'd get a 10 month old to stay on a mattress on the floor or in a bed. They don't understand to stay put. A 2 year old doesn't even get it at first. How about a pack and play? Or would that be easier to climb because the sides are solid. Maybe ask your pedi!

laurenmae1228 · February 2013

Yes, I was saying that I was considering a lock of some kind. I know how it sounds, and I didn't word it well though; it's not totally due to the cat (who, yes, we will try locking up first long before we would DS.) If we have to transition to a toddler bed for DS this early (so that he doesn't severely hurt himself climbing out of his crib), he would definitely roam, and I need a way to contain him. I'm not positive that just a safety gate across his bedroom would do it (since he is a climber). We do have the supposed climb-proof paneled gates, but he truly is a very strong adventurer, and I wouldn't want to solely rely on it. Honestly, it sounds crazy, but I'm looking into how much it would be to get a door custom-made where the top could be open, but the bottom closed. (And make the bottom tall enough that he can't climb for a WHILE.) I'm just exploring all options. I just figured that I couldnt be the only mom out there to ever deal with this issue this early, and was looking for advice, since Im a FTM.

laurenmae1228 · February 2013

Luvmy2sons:
My DS1 didn't get a mattress on the floor until he was 18/19 months, because i was transitioning for when ds2 was born. And he did a toddler bed until he was 4 1/2 then went right into a bunk bed. My DS2 went from crib, to a twin bed at 2 1/2. I don't know how you'd get a 10 month old to stay on a mattress on the floor or in a bed. They don't understand to stay put. A 2 year old doesn't even get it at first. How about a pack and play? Or would that be easier to climb because the sides are solid. Maybe ask your pedi!

Thank you. Yeah; I thought that 18/2 yrs was the typical age for some kind of bed transition, but DS is really pushing the envelope physically. I had no idea he'd be climbing at this age. He is constant go go go though. Fights sleep like you wouldn't believe. I am by no means looking forward to/wanting to transition him. Im just scared about his climbing, and dont think we'll have a choice soon, so Im trying to gather ideas. Thank you for the suggestion! I hadnt really thought about asking the pedi; I definitely will.

SteelCity44 · February 2013

laurenmae1228:
Yes, I was saying that I was considering a lock of some kind. I know how it sounds, and I didn't word it well though; it's not totally due to the cat (who, yes, we will try locking up first long before we would DS.) If we have to transition to a toddler bed for DS this early (so that he doesn't severely hurt himself climbing out of his crib), he would definitely roam, and I need a way to contain him. I'm not positive that just a safety gate across his bedroom would do it (since he is a climber). We do have the supposed climb-proof paneled gates, but he truly is a very strong adventurer, and I wouldn't want to solely rely on it. Honestly, it sounds crazy, but I'm looking into how much it would be to get a door custom-made where the top could be open, but the bottom closed. (And make the bottom tall enough that he can't climb for a WHILE.) I'm just exploring all options. I just figured that I couldnt be the only mom out there to ever deal with this issue this early, and was looking for advice, since Im a FTM.

I've actually seen that on Pinterest as a fantastic (and eye-pleasing) baby gate solution for bottoms of stairs or inbetween rooms. They aren't as uncommon as you'd think and should be available in a standard door size. I think a Mr. Ed door would be an excellent solution for you.

As for the bed thing, I'm clueless, since my kid just learned how to stand in his crib recently. Is he climbinb out in the middle of the night or just when he's up for the day? Those are two different problems. If he can't get back in his crib to go back to bed, then that makes a rather long night for you. I know that all of our nursery furniture came with the attachments to bolt them to the wall. We haven't done it yet, but I'm sure it will need done soon.

laurenmae1228 · February 2013

SteelCity44:
laurenmae1228:
Yes, I was saying that I was considering a lock of some kind. I know how it sounds, and I didn't word it well though; it's not totally due to the cat (who, yes, we will try locking up first long before we would DS.) If we have to transition to a toddler bed for DS this early (so that he doesn't severely hurt himself climbing out of his crib), he would definitely roam, and I need a way to contain him. I'm not positive that just a safety gate across his bedroom would do it (since he is a climber). We do have the supposed climb-proof paneled gates, but he truly is a very strong adventurer, and I wouldn't want to solely rely on it. Honestly, it sounds crazy, but I'm looking into how much it would be to get a door custom-made where the top could be open, but the bottom closed. (And make the bottom tall enough that he can't climb for a WHILE.) I'm just exploring all options. I just figured that I couldnt be the only mom out there to ever deal with this issue this early, and was looking for advice, since Im a FTM.

I've actually seen that on Pinterest as a fantastic (and eye-pleasing) baby gate solution for bottoms of stairs or inbetween rooms. They aren't as uncommon as you'd think and should be available in a standard door size. I think a Mr. Ed door would be an excellent solution for you.

As for the bed thing, I'm clueless, since my kid just learned how to stand in his crib recently. Is he climbinb out in the middle of the night or just when he's up for the day? Those are two different problems. If he can't get back in his crib to go back to bed, then that makes a rather long night for you. I know that all of our nursery furniture came with the attachments to bolt them to the wall. We haven't done it yet, but I'm sure it will need done soon.

Haha! Mr. Ed door! That's exactly what I'm envisioning! I'm glad that they aren't a figment of my imagination and actually exist!!! I'm just really starting to get the feeling that's what we'll need. He hasn't actually climbed out of his crib yet; he's just climbing everything else, and I've caught him trying to climb the crib. He can't quite get his feet to work well long enough, but he can hook his armpits over the top rail and holds onto the rails outside of his crib, using his arm strength. (And he is STRONG.) I just have a bad feeling that climbing and therefore FALLING out are not far off. My crazy little whirlwind. Sigh....

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