Dear Nanny,
My 18 month old recently learned how to climb out of his crib. How do I get him to stay in bed?
Climber's Mama
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Dear Climber's Mama,
Congratulations on your toddler! Many communities suggest moving your little one into a "big kid bed" once they begin climbing out of the crib, but what do you do if you feel like your child is too young to be in a real bed? There are many safe ways to help deal with this.
Do:
- Remove 'steps' from the crib. Is your child using a crib bumper, stuffed animals, or something else to boost themselves up? I might be a good plan to take out their improvisational steps. As long as your child's lovey doesn't disappear, they should be fine.
- Ask your child to stop. Say, "You need to stay in your crib until mommy (or daddy, nanny, grandma, etc) comes to get you." Some children this actually works for. Some it doesn't.
- Use a sleep sack at night to keep your son in bed. A sleep sack is cozy and will keep them from being able to spread their legs far enough to climb out. Just make sure you do not overheat your child.
- Put their crib mattress on the floor until they are mature enough for a real bed. This way if they fall out, they won't get hurt.
Don't:
- Buy a crib tent. I have been saying it for years, crib tents are dangerous! 330,00 crib tents were recently recalled by the Consumer Product Safety Commission, "CPSC is warning parents and caregivers who own these products that infants and toddlers are at risk of serious injury or death due to strangulation and entrapment hazards presented by these products."
Toddler sized sleep sacks:
Katie
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