My son will be 18 months old tomorrow (Monday) and literally in one day (today) he has mastered the art of getting out of his crib. Yesterday he wasn't even close and today he's done it 4 times. Help! What do I do? His crib converts to a double bed, but isn't he too young? I really don't want to use a crib tent, but would love to hear any other suggestions. I am leaving town in a week for a week and would like to do something soon. My nanny will be staying with my son.
Hi D.,
I transitioned my twins to toddler beds at 18 months because my daughter was climbing out of her crib and I don't like the crib tents either. They did fine after a couple nights but we did keep a gate on their bedroom door so they wouldn't wander down the stairs without us knowing. The other thing we did is a thorough baby proofing of their room as it hadn't been necessary before.
Good luck!
I had to move my son to a toddler bed before he was two because he is so tall. I was scared he'd tip out head-first trying to climb out. I love the one we have, it's beautiful considering it cost only 50$ from Walmart. I wasn't sure if I ever wanted to go the toddler bed route, it seemed like a waste of $$$ for something they only use for a short while... but for 50$, it's definitely been worth it. No worrying about falling out of anything, and it uses the crib mattress. He's three now and is still using it, no problem. Probly by the time he's 4 we'll have a twin. The only negative was it really messed with his naps, in that that's about the time he gave them up because I couldn't keep him in there to nap! He changed to "resting" on the couch with books. Wasn't really a big deal to me after a while. Good luck!
I put my daughter in a regular twin bed at that age. We bought a new house & I didn't want to fight with the crib. I also see no point to toddler beds. I just put her in her bed & lay her crib mattress on the floor so if she rolled out she had cushion. I think she rolled out once if even that. She really liked it she could get in and out of bed at her choice. I liked it because she wasn't throwing herself out of her crib.
My first son climbed out of his crib when he was 9 months old! Yes, 9 months. He was climbing out before he could even walk! We have a conversion crib. We removed one side and added one of those Safety 1st portable bed rail. It was fine. When he would climb out, he knew where our room was, he would crawl down the hallway and want to be near us. We would just take him back to his room.
My second son didn't attempt to crawl out of the crib until he was 18 months! He started showing an interest in trying to get out and once they do that, it is not long before they accomplish their goal! We use the bed rail again with him. Most nights he sleeps all the way through but when he needs us and wants to get out, he can safely and that is the most important thing.
My son did the same thing- I was actually able to buy some time- as our crib was higher in the back than the front, so we turned it around- the higher side now in front- while it was harder for me to get him in and out- it worked for a few more months. Good luck!
I have always been told that when they can climb out of the crib it is time (for their safety) to put them in a bed or mattress on the floor. My daughter (she is 3) loves her crib and doesn't even try to climb out so I haven't been able to ditch the crib yet!
I agree with the other moms- Toddler bed is the way to go. If you have concerns about your child havng the "run " of the house, a gate will do just perfectly. My 2 boys share a room, and I gated it until they mastered the "team up and bulldoze it until we win scenario" But they were older by then (almost 3 and 4) Good luck!
D., I feel your pain!!! I it when they learn that!!! All my children (I have 5, youngest is 2) climed out of there cribs at 17 to 18 months of age. I immediately put them into a twin bed with side rails that go under the mattress so that I wouldn't have to do another transition from a toddler bed. Plus it makes them feel like a Big Boy/Girl having a regular bed.
P.S. Good luck with Naptimes now :) Argggg. So much fun when they grow though. :)
I'd put him in a bed with side rails :)
Unfortunately the safest thing to do is put him in a bed (or mattress on the floor if you think he'll fall out). Once he is old enough to climb out, he is old enough for a bed. You don't want to risk him falling and hurting himself (or pulling the crib down on top of him). My oldest girl didn't climb out until she was 2 1/2, my oldest boy NEVER climbed out on his own, and my other daughter climbed out at 20 months. I'm sure my youngest will climb out by 15 months--he is already 33" tall at 10 months! All that to say, the climbing age varies.
With our children, we took everything out of their room except their bed and a couple of stuffed animals (without any buttons or anything that could come off for choking hazards) and locked the closet door so they couldn't play in there (we have large closets so we put their dressers in there). Eventually he will learn he needs to sleep when he is in his room and you can gradually start adding things back in...
Oh...just a thought...before converting to a bed, make sure he is climbing out without ANYTHING in his crib (no pillows, crib bumpers, stuffed animals, etc.)...that may by you some time MAYBE....
D.,
We converted our daughter's crib when she was 18 months. We were moving her out of the nursery to her own room to make room for our son. We gave her 2 weeks in the converted bed in the nursery before moving her to the new room so that she had time to gradually adjust to each change. She was doing well getting on and off our couches, so we were not worried about her having trouble getting out of her crib. She actually would wait for us to get her out of the toddler bed for a couple of days before she realized that it was not as far to the ground as she remembered from the crib side.
If you are going to convert the crib, you may want to do it while you are still home, in case he feels the need for a little security in the transition. That way he does not get his bed changed and Mommy gone at the same time.
I rememeber that my son dominique did that to was trying to get out of his crib and he want right back in the crib and u just have to let him no that he has to stay in his crib
I know this probably isnt what you want to hear, but My boys (twins who are now 2) started doing it around 16 months, one was better at it that the other, but they both tried. I was so nervous about them hurting themselves, we moved them to toddler beds. They transitioned very well, with no problems. I dont think its too early, think it depends on the child!
