That dreaded day has come again in our home. The one where a little someone comes out of his room in the middle of the night to say hello. That little someone is only 21 months old and we were not ready for him to become an escape artist in the midnight hours just yet.
We have been through this before, but never at this age. Our other two kids crawled out of their cribs closer to 28 months. When it happened, we quickly made the switch to the “big girl/boy” bed. This time it’s a little more complicated and requires a room change and redecorating. This was not a project we wanted to tackle this winter.
So I started doing my research to see if I was making a mistake keeping Connor in the crib. The last thing we want is for him to get hurt, but I also don’t think he is old enough to make the move to a big bed.
Toddlers who can hoist themselves over the rail can easily fall and fracture a bone,” says Paula Elbirt, M.D., director of pediatric medical education at Brooklyn Medical Center.
Okay. So now what.
I continued reading and learned that children can start transitioning to a big bed from 18-30 months. While not at the lowest end of the spectrum, 21 months still feels too soon.
What else to do?
The other suggestions for keeping the crawling baby/toddler out of your room at night are as follows
- Make them wear a sleep sack. (We love the Merino Kids brand.)
- Turn the crib around if it has a high side in the back.
- Watch them on a video monitor during nap time and bed time to coax them to lie down.
- Take all items out of the crib, like stuffed animals or crib bumpers, that could be used as a stepping stool. Take out even the breathable bumpers too!
Connor actually climbed out of his crib in a sleep sack so that won’t work for us. He even waddles to our room wearing one.
Watching on the monitor is actually working for us. We can tell him to lie down on the intercom and he (surprisingly) listens. After a week of showing us his new climbing skills, he has taken a little break. If he starts up again, we will try to flip the crib around.
He is our one and only thumb sucker.
Has this happened in your home? What did you do when it happened?
Disclosure: Merino Kids sent us a sleep sack for review. It is easy to wear, great soft fabric and long enough for a growing toddler. Here’s a little more info about Merino Kids:
- Made from luxuriously soft Woolmark-certified Superfine Merino. Expertly stitched by master tailors in India.
- GOTS-certified organic combed cotton outer layer gives extra durability for years of use. Machine washable.
- Naturally fire-resistant. Rated low fire risk without fireproofing chemicals.
- Fits growing child safely and comfortably for up to two years. Excellent value compared to other sleep sacks that last only a few months.
- Remarkable natural ability to regulate body temperature. Captures and circulates air to insulate child when the room temperature falls, and releases excess body heat and moisture as the room temperature rises. Child stays warm and dry without overheating.
- Recommended by textile scientists. A 2010 scientific study concluded infants are less likely to overheat or to become damp and chilled in a Merino Kids sleep sack compared with polar fleece sleep sacks.
- Meets all U.S. and international safety standards including UK BSI sleep sack safety certification. Child has freedom to move and room to grow, yet can’t slip underneath or wriggle out and wake uncovered and cold. Contoured bodice stays clear of face.
Thank you Merino Kids for sending us a sample. All opinions shared are my own. If only a sleep sack would keep him from crawling out of his crib!
