My Baby Is Climbing Out Of The Crib

HELP!

“My baby is climbing out of the crib!”

I’ve had three parents reach out to me with this issue this month!

And when that happens…that means it’s time for a blog!

If your child is younger than 3 then they *may* not emotionally or developmentally ready to be out of the crib yet…that doesn’t mean that they won’t physically try to get out!

Once your toddler is crawling/falling out of their crib it is a safety issue.

This is for two reasons:

1. They could fall and get hurt in the process of getting out
2. They can access other things in the room and/or areas of the house that may not be childproofed yet!

If you feel your little one still needs containment…you have options!

You can try one or multiple of these options at the same time!

Option 1:

Jail jammies. Hear me out. Sew a strip of fabric in between the legs of a pair of footie pajamas. Then put a sleep sack on backwards. Your child will not be able to lift their leg over the side in order to swing themselves out, and they won’t be able to get themselves out of their sleepwear! If your child can launch themselves out of their crib while wearing jail jammies…the crib days are over my friend.

Option 2:

Turn the crib around. If you have a crib that transforms into a bed then it likely has a taller, more solid back that will once be the headboard. If you turn it around then your tod will feel more contained, and it’s more difficult for them to get themselves out. This option usually buys you a couple more months.

Option 3:

Drop the mattress. This option is *not* safe for all cribs! With this option you take out the base of the crib and drop the mattress onto the floor. There shouldn’t be a space between the mattress and the sides of the crib where little fingers [or worse- a head!] can get stuck.

Option 4:

Make the room DARK. Like, dark dark. Can’t see your hand in front of your face dark. If a toddler can’t see anything interesting they are less likely to be incentivised to escape.

Option 5:

You can try crib training/sleep training. Essentially you keep putting them back in their crib until they fall asleep.

My Baby is STILL Climbing out of the Crib

If none of these options work…it may be time for a bed. If your child is under 3 you may need to remove most things from the bedroom for their safety.

Here are some tips:

• Make a Montessori bed/floor bed [essentially put your crib mattress on the floor and call it a day]
• Consider putting a child lock on the inside of their door so they can’t access the rest of the house unsupervised
• Double-check that all dressers and shelves are wall-mounted
• Try to replicate the bedtime routine in every way possible and pray that they stay in bed!

Still having problems?? Ask a Sleep Expert with Well Supported Family.