We hit a milestone yesterday morning. One that I started to think wouldn't be an issue because it hadn't happened yet.
My little man has conquered the crib.
We had tickets to a baseball game yesterday so I tried to put them down for a nap in the morning before we left. It's not unusual for them to play a little before finally settling down. Christopher got quiet so I assumed he laid down and went to sleep. Then I heard Kendall start to fuss. That turned into crying and calling my name. When I looked at the monitor, she had her right leg slung over the front rail of the crib and she was teetering on the top - half in the crib and half over the side. I ran in to get her and Christopher met me at the bedroom door.
Since then, Christopher has climbed out of the crib 6 times. Going to bed last night was a disaster. He climbed out every time we left the room. Once he finally fell asleep, he stayed in the crib but I kept waking up all night to look at the monitor to make sure he was still there. We put a baby gate in the doorway but I'm still super paranoid about him having "free range" in the bedroom. They don't really play in there so I don't know the danger zones yet. For the most part, it appears to be baby proofed but who knows?
So, does this mean we convert to toddler beds? I knew this day would come but before they turn 2? The whole thing makes me sad. Being in their cribs means they are still my babies. Being in beds means they are kids. Big kids. :(
Any advice??
11 comments:
What about trying a crib tent? I've never tried one, my twins are only 13 months, but I've seen them in stores. I've wondered if they help but I can see a smart little tike figuring out how to undo it :)
Good luck!
Mostly a lurker, but I've been following your story for years and also a mother of twins. We tried the crib tent after our girls became "escape masters" around 24 months, but they hated it, the first week they cried non stop for hours trying to take the tent off, but because I was afraid of injury while climbing out their cribs we then switched to toddler beds,it was an adjustment at the beggining because the girls constantly got out of bed, and our night time routine went from 1 hour to 3 hours, I then bought bedding of their favorite caracter and let them "personalize" their bed space and voila! they actually were looking forward to lay in their beds at night. One afternoon, while i was working in my home office i noticed one of my girls wasn't in the office, after looking for her in the usual spots, I found her taking a nap in her little bed (our house is one level), and soon the other twin followed and will go lay down and play or nap, the initial transition wasn't easy, but it certainly prevented our girls from injury.
I was going to suggest the tent too...it was suggested to me when my son started climbing out, but I never tried it. Another suggestion would be to drop the bottom out of your crib. If you have a convertable crib, you won't have a perm. support board across the bottom. This would allow you to drop the mattress right down to the floor (or take it out). It would no longer be attached to the crib frame. If anyone close to you is handy, have them build a simple riser to put the mattress on and place that riser on the floor. It should be high enough that there aren't any gaps between the sides of the crib frame for little parts to get stuck in. It will be risen enough to be safe, but low enough that it's not possible to climb out of...unless you have a true little monkey! haha. I haven't met a kid yet that can escape that set up. It gives you a little time before real beds!
Good luck on whatever you choose.
No advice here, just silently swearing to myself thinking this is my future! =)
I planned on keeping my twins in their cribs till they were 7.
Reading your post gave me chills. Let us know how you handle it so I know what to do when we get there.
oh crap now i'm scared, i was thinking i was in the clear as well, they are 19months if they haven't done it yet we must be ok...now i'm worried! Sorry I have no thoughts for you other then i can understand your fear!
Oh man ....where is the valium. I haven't read that far in the first year book and had no idea this treat was in store!
I shall be reading to find out what to do!!
We just converted Zoe's crib into a full size bed. She's been doing really well. We have it pushed into a corner of the room for added safety (and we added guard rails, too.) She loves it! I just added a couple of pictures to my blog from her first night in the bed.
Part of me didn't want to move her but back when Steve was in the hospital, she tried to escape (my cousin was watching her at the time.) Every since then I've been worried. She's SO tall, too, that I've worried that she could easily get out.
So far so good. And she even waits in bed until I go in and get her. I don't know if she just thinks it's a bigger crib or what :)
My daughter climbed out of her pack and play and crib at 18 months. We use a tent for both now. She was not ready to be free in her room and still at 21 months I would not feel safe with her in toddler bed. I felt terrible the first time we zipped her in. But she never minded it and reminds us to zip it up if we forget. Her twin brother has not cared at all that he doesn't have a tent and he has never tried to get out (yet)!
oh NO!!! no advice! i'm scared to death about this for my kids!! you'll have to let me know what works. switch to toddler beds? who knows!!! safety is key, right?? yikes!!
My monkeys climbed out of pack and plays before they were a year old. I knew our crib days were numbered, but what slowed them down was keeping them in sleep sacks. Although they try to climb out, they can't get traction with their feet to get up the side with the sack in the way. For us, this was a better option than a crib tent. Now that they are 16 months old, it has bought us a lot of time. I'm planning on using sleep sacks for as long as they are in a crib!
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