S/O S/O toddler beds

cedenton · December 2013

DS is still in his crib and hasn't made any attempt to climb out that I know of. He's a peanut and can't even climb on the couch without some type of step. He can, however, open his door. The hallway leads outside to a good number of stairs. We don't put a gate up there currently because it's only bedrooms/bathrooms up there and we're with him at all times up there (partially because of the stairs).

He has definitely not mastered going down the stairs, though he is doing much better lately. I am afraid that he is going to climb out unexpectedly, open his door and fall down the stairs. We have a really nice baby gate, the kind that has to be installed. We haven't installed it because it looks like a PITA.

Would you go ahead and install it at the top of the stairs in case he were to climb out of his crib and open the door?

austenfan919 · December 2013

I am usually in the better safe than sorry camp, so I probably would install it.

But if you have a video monitor that would wake you up if he crashed to the floor, it would probably be OK to not install it until he has attempted to climb out.

cedenton · December 2013

@austenfan We do have a video monitor. I keep it face down and on mute at night because his room is like 2 feet away. I wake up when he coughs or sneezes, so you're probably right. I would imagine I'd wake long before he got to the stairs.

britvahok · December 2013

I would install it. DS falling down the stairs is one of my biggest fears

BatDaughter4Eva · December 2013

I would definitely install it. either that, or get one of those baby proof things for the door knob. You never know what these kids can do until they do it.

Tapthathank · December 2013

He can open his own door?! What if you just put one of those knob covers on the door knob so that he couldn't open the door?

I'm sure you would hear him if he climbed out of his crib.

cedenton · December 2013

Yeah it's one of the knobs like this:

I'm not sure he would be able to do it with a regular door knob. I don't think they make covers for these. I guess I could just switch around the knob so it would lock on the outside.

sdlaura · December 2013

Sometimes I tend to be overly laid back, but I feel like the sequence of events that would need to happen without you noticing for him to fall down the stairs is highly unlikely. If you don't feel you need a gate otherwise, I wouldn't put one in on the very off chance that he manages to climb out of his crib (having not shown any interest in it so far), open the door, get to the stairs and try to go down them and fall, all without you hearing anything when you can hear a cough or sneeze.

austenfan919 · December 2013

cedenton said:

@austenfan We do have a video monitor. I keep it face down and on mute at night because his room is like 2 feet away. I wake up when he coughs or sneezes, so you're probably right. I would imagine I'd wake long before he got to the stairs.

I probably would do the door lock or baby gate just because that would make me feel better, personally.

But I do not think it would be neglectful to not have either. Since he is so close and his little noises wake you up, I think it is highly unlikely he would get out of the crib quietly enough (at least the first time) that you wouldn't know. After you know he can climb, I would absolutely have some method of keeping him from the stairs.

ccam · December 2013

You could always do something like this
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B004ECJWK4/ref=pd_aw_sims_5?pi=SS115

And I actually do think they have the lever covers too. Or maybe use a gate in his door frame?