Crib Escapees

[amc80]

I'm hoping some of the experiences moms (or dads!) on here can help me. I need solutions for what to do with a 10 month old who has outgrown his crib. He has started climbing and I'm afraid it's only a matter of time before he bends over and throws himself over the rail. We have the mattress all the way down. There is 20" between the mattress and the top of the rail, and he's 32" tall. Other than a crib tent, does anyone have any suggestions? He just seems way too young to move to any sort of bed. Being that he's only 10 months, he has no sense of danger and is already a little daredevil (climbing on the ottoman and then diving off head first? FUN!).

 

[Shoopy]

Can you safely put the mattress on the floor inside of the crib? Or drill new holes and move it down further?

They don't sell crib tents anymore so not even an option.

If he hasn't shown interest in climbing out I wouldn't do anything just yet to be honest. I don't think I've ever personally heard of an infant trying to climb out of the crib but I guess it's possible. FWIW DD is tall for her age and she never really fell over because of her height. She did climb out at 19m though.

 

[amc80]

Can you safely put the mattress on the floor inside of the crib? Or drill new holes and move it down further?

They don't sell crib tents anymore so not even an option.

If he hasn't shown interest in climbing out I wouldn't do anything just yet to be honest. I don't think I've ever personally heard of an infant trying to climb out of the crib but I guess it's possible. FWIW DD is tall for her age and she never really fell over because of her height. She did climb out at 19m though.

Oh, he tries. I caught him standing on his aquarium thing trying to get over the railing. Thus the panic! Didn't know they stopped selling the tents...I guess that's out. I will check out the crib to see if we could put the mattress on the floor in it. That might work!

 

[Shoopy]

Yeah the tents were recalled and I don't know if the company stopped selling them AND went out of business or if they just stopped selling them.

See if lowering it to the floor will work. It didn't with my daughter's crib because there was too much of a gap between the mattress and the crib. I didn't want her head to get stuck or something! But she was older when she climbed out so we just converted the crib. I would probably take the aquarium thing out though if he's using it to climb.

 

[Circe]

Man, I could have started this thread. My son started getting out of his crib at 16 months, and we're still not quite sure how: we'd put him to bed and then hear crying, come in and find him wandering the room in his sleepsack. It's not like there was ever a thumping sound, so he didn't fall ... he just ... got out, somehow. And he's too little for me to feel comfortable with him wandering around doing god-knows-what at night.

So we started having him sleep in his big pack-and-play. I was a little worried about doing it long-term, but his doctor said a lot of her patients parents do it ... whereas the crib has a broad rail he can rest his belly on as he climbs over, the pack-and-play just has a metal pole, so it's not enough purchase. It's not perfect, but it's been working so far. We've converted his crib to a toddler bed, though I don't see us switching him over until we childproof more. Given that he's a climber, I'm wondering what to do about his bookcases ... it'd be just my luck if he decided two in the morning was the perfect time to scale one.

 

[wordie89]

oh the memories this brings back! Circe, please anchor your bookcases if your toddler climbs. A long time ago my son tried to climb his and they fell over.

Thank goodness he wasn't injured. Since then, we anchor everything: bookcases, xmas tree, flat screen tv, mirrors.

 

[Circe]

Heh, we anchored them almost immediately (my husband was a climber, too, and his parents are full of horrifying stories), so it's less the fear of the bookcase falling on him and more just the fear of his falling. I'm thinking if I block off the climbable height shelves somehow ...?

 

[oobiecoo]

Get a toddler sized sleep sack. Your son shouldn't be able to stretch his legs wide enough to get over the edge.

 

[Circe]

I can't speak for all toddler parents, but ... it doesn't help. Mine is surprisingly agile in those things. (We suspect it was a combination of being tall and upper body strength that helped him hoist himself over.)

 

[amc80]

I can't speak for all toddler parents, but ... it doesn't help. Mine is surprisingly agile in those things. (We suspect it was a combination of being tall and upper body strength that helped him hoist himself over.)

I bet you're right.

I contacted the crib manufacturer and they suggest converting it to a toddler bed at 35", which he will probably reach in 3-4 months. I think the best option is to remove the mattress slats and stick it on the floor...I just need to see if this is possible with our crib.

 

[Laila619]

I thought a sleep sack would prevent it, but I guess not? My son is 30 months and still has never tried to climb out yet! I guess he is just not a climber.

I would try to lower the mattress by drilling new holes.

 

[qtiekiki]

I can't speak for all toddler parents, but ... it doesn't help. Mine is surprisingly agile in those things. (We suspect it was a combination of being tall and upper body strength that helped him hoist himself over.)

I bet you're right.

I contacted the crib manufacturer and they suggest converting it to a toddler bed at 35", which he will probably reach in 3-4 months. I think the best option is to remove the mattress slats and stick it on the floor...I just need to see if this is possible with our crib.

Your kid is tall.

We switched DD to a regular bed when she climbed out of her crib at 15 months, so not much help here. We were going to switch her out to a toddler bed or a regular bed by 18 months though, since that's when DS was due to arrive. DS never tried to climb out.

 

[amc80]

I can't speak for all toddler parents, but ... it doesn't help. Mine is surprisingly agile in those things. (We suspect it was a combination of being tall and upper body strength that helped him hoist himself over.)

I bet you're right.

I contacted the crib manufacturer and they suggest converting it to a toddler bed at 35", which he will probably reach in 3-4 months. I think the best option is to remove the mattress slats and stick it on the floor...I just need to see if this is possible with our crib.

Your kid is tall.

We switched DD to a regular bed when she climbed out of her crib at 15 months, so not much help here. We were going to switch her out to a toddler bed or a regular bed by 18 months though, since that's when DS was due to arrive. DS never tried to climb out.

Yes, yes he is. But DH is 6'7" so not much of a surprise. How did DD do in a regular bed at that age?

 

[Logan Sapphire]

Our son climbed out at 14 or 15 months and completely fell face first, leaving a nice carpet burn. We were worried that we'd have to move him out of his crib, but I think the experience scared him so much that he didn't try it again until he was 2 years old (which was a complete downhill disaster, as he clearly was not mentally ready to leave the crib ).

 

[Dreamer_D]

As a mom of two kids, my advice is not to cry until the fat lady sings ... don't borrow trouble. I didn't do anything with my kids until they hit the floor. Its not to far. Put a blanket down. He won't get hurt. If he is strong enough to climb out he is likely agile enough not to get too damaged if he fell. I would be shocked is a 10 month old could climb out anyways. I think you have at least another 6 months. I would not use a tent or anything, that is just a challenge for them to try and break free.

 

[Dreamer_D]

Man, I could have started this thread. My son started getting out of his crib at 16 months, and we're still not quite sure how: we'd put him to bed and then hear crying, come in and find him wandering the room in his sleepsack. It's not like there was ever a thumping sound, so he didn't fall ... he just ... got out, somehow. And he's too little for me to feel comfortable with him wandering around doing god-knows-what at night.

So we started having him sleep in his big pack-and-play. I was a little worried about doing it long-term, but his doctor said a lot of her patients parents do it ... whereas the crib has a broad rail he can rest his belly on as he climbs over, the pack-and-play just has a metal pole, so it's not enough purchase. It's not perfect, but it's been working so far. We've converted his crib to a toddler bed, though I don't see us switching him over until we childproof more. Given that he's a climber, I'm wondering what to do about his bookcases ... it'd be just my luck if he decided two in the morning was the perfect time to scale one.

Circe, child proof his room -- aka nothing at all in there but the crib -- and then get one of those child proofing caps that goes over the handle so he can't get out of his room.

 

[amc80]

I would be shocked is a 10 month old could climb out anyways. I think you have at least another 6 months.

I don't think he will purposely climb out- I think he will fall out. He is only 10 months but he is the size of an 18 month old. The crib itself is only rated for up to 35" and he's 32"...But obviously lacks the mental capacity that an older kid has. I've caught him in mid air falling out of the bathtub- he leans over the edge for a toy and the rest of his body follows.

I do like what you said about not worrying until it happens.

 

[qtiekiki]

We couldn't get DD to stay in bed and sleep by herself at 18 months, so one of us would be in bed with her until she falls asleep. We tried CIO with a gate on her bedroom door, but it didn't worked. It worked for other people though.