Baby Climbed Out Of Crib Here S What To Do Next

Are you the parent of an escape artist who consistently tries to climb out of their crib?Don’t panic, you are not alone in this! It’s a very common issue faced by many parents, and there are ways of preventing it.This guide will explain why toddlers have a tendency to try and escape their crib, what solutions you can implement to make sure your toddler remains in their crib during the night, and advice regarding when it might be time to switch from a crib to a toddler bed.From lowering their mattress to investing in a sleep sack, we have compiled a variety of ideas that will help you keep your 18-month-old in check!If you found this article helpful, you might be interested in reading this post about the ideal [10-month-old schedule], or this one addressing what to do if your 9-month-old baby is not crawling.Why Is This Happening?Your baby climbing out of its crib is a milestone, marking their achievement of some physical and developmental changes.Think of it this way: your baby now has the coordination, control, and strength to prop themselves up, throw one leg over the side of the crib and heave themselves over the edge! That’s pretty impressive, right?Unfortunately, you can’t guarantee your 2-year-old will have the ability to operate a safe landing, or what they will do once they have climbed out of their crib. This is why this phenomenon can be a bit worrying.So, why is your toddler climbing out of its crib? Well, between 18 and 24 months babies undergo what is called an ‘independent streak’, meaning they will want to decide everything from what they eat, what they wear, when they go to bed, and of course, when they get out of it.Climbing out of the crib is part of this streak, your toddler wants to live on their own schedule and decide when they leave their bed, even if it’s the middle of the night! Unfortunately, strong reprimands and commands often encourage this behavior and push them to attempt escaping even more.How Can I Stop It?If reprimands and shouting won’t help, how can you prevent your toddler from climbing out of their crib? Below are some tips and words of advice to keep your child from climbing out of their crib such as lowering their mattress, buying a sleep sack, or creating a sleep routine, and insights into when you should invest in a toddler bed.Lower The Mattress: Most cribs or cot for toddlers have adjustable mattress heights, and parents tend to set it to the highest setting when baby first comes home as there is no risk of them climbing out and it makes it easier to pick baby up from the crib. However, when you start having difficulties keeping your toddler in the crib, you can simply lower it back down to the lowest setting to buy yourself some time. This can also be helpful to remedy babies jumping on the bed: if the mattress is particularly soft and bouncy a baby jumping on the bed can be dangerous, and lowering the mattress means they are less at risk of falling out of it. As a rule of thumb, you should aim to lower crib mattresses when your baby is able to prop itself up and its head is higher than the sides of the crib. It’s also possible to find a bed extension for baby cribs and beds, which lets you lower it and adjust the bed as your kids grow for example. These can be useful in preventing your toddler from climbing out of the crib.Remove Props: Your toddler might be using things in their crib to climb out of the crib. Remove soft toys, plushies, extra blankets, and pillows to keep your toddler from escaping at night!Remove Incentives: It could be that your toddler sees something appealing which makes them want to climb out of the crib. You should try to hide these tempting objects from sight to remove the appeal of trying to escape.Adjust The Position Of The Crib: Some cribs are designed so that one side is lower than the other. You can turn the crib around and place the lower side against a wall, this could mean your toddler is no longer able to swing a leg over it and climb out.Buy A Sleep Sack. You will remember these from when your baby was a newborn, you can invest in a sleep sack which will impair your toddler’s movements and mean it’s harder for them to escape the crib. Note that a larger sleep sack is not always available in baby stores, so you might have to order one online.Install A Baby Monitor: Another blast from the past, a baby monitor could be useful to spot when your toddler is trying to escape their crib! Simply install it in your kids’ room and make sure it’s on when they are in bed so you can monitor their movements and identify their evasion attempts.Invest In A Crib Net Or Canopy: Crib tents or canopies are domes made out of breathable material which you can place on top of the crib to prevent your toddler from climbing out. Crib tents have the advantage of doubling up as a protection against insects and mosquitoes!Use Wake-Up Clocks And Visual Cues: There exist some clocks which show toddlers when is or is not an appropriate time for them to wake up. They are generally used for sleep training but they can be good to let them know when they are allowed to get out of their crib or not too!Discipline: Using the baby monitor or other methods, try to catch them in the act and calmly but firmly tell them that that is not allowed. You might have to repeat this process several times as they will be learning but after a while, your toddler could either understand the instructions or get bored with trying to escape. Be careful not to make a big fuss or shout as they might be tempted to reiterate just to get your attention!Reward Good Behavior: On the flip side of discipline, if your toddler slept through the night or did not attempt to escape, let them know they did well by smiling and being affectionate!Create A Sleep Routine: One of the issues is your child might not understand when bedtime is and what they’re supposed to do. Creating a consistent, simple, and pleasant routine could help toddlers understand that after it, they are meant to sleep and not leave their crib until the morning. Make sure you keep this routine at a similar time and repeat the same kind of activities (book, song, brushing teeth, etc) so that your child gets used to it more quickly.Only Use The Crib To Sleep: It’s important to make sure toddlers understand that the crib is where they are meant to sleep; if you use it either as a place where they are punished or where they can play, it is possible they are confused at night and think they are allowed to stay up and move about. Making sure that sleep is the only thing associated with the crib means toddlers are less likely to want to escape it.Make Sure Your Toddler Is Getting Enough Sleep: This might sound contradictory, but sometimes your toddler trying to climb out the crib could be due to an energy or sleep problem. By making sure they are getting regular, consistent, and quality naps, you might prevent over-tiredness, which can lead a child to being cranky and not able to fall asleep at night. While you might be tempted to prevent them from napping during the day so they are tired at night, this can lead to more escape attempts! So if you want to prevent your child from leaving their bed, you should make sure you let your toddler sleep during the day.Baby Proofing: This is not a way of avoiding your child climbing out of the crib at night, but rather a precaution to take in case they do! Ensure the area around the crib is tidy and uncluttered, as you can never tell when they will manage to get out again. Attach the furniture in the room to the walls, get anything dangerous out of reach, and cover electrical sockets and sharp edges. If you are seriously struggling to stop your toddler from climbing out and you are worried about their safety, place some cushions or padding outside the crib in the event that they fall out in the night. However, be careful not to emphasize this process too much as they could construe what is simply a precaution as you encouraging this behavior.Switching To A Toddler Bed: This may seem like the logical step when your child is trying to climb out of their crib, but it might not be the best solution to rush into buying a big kid bed. Investing in a toddler bed means your child can freely get out and roam in the middle of the night whenever they feel like it, totally unimpeded. Most of the time it’s better to wait until they outgrow this phase and learn to stay in bed at night before removing the barriers provided by a crib. Most toddlers switch to a big kid bed around the age of three however, if you have another baby coming and you need the crib or your baby has outgrown it, you should perhaps look at switching to a toddler bed. If you are thinking of switching to a big kid bed but you think your kids might not be ready, you could invest in a toddler gate which is a bed extension that works like a bed gate for toddler beds. It adds a barrier preventing them from leaving their bed at night. Making the change from crib to toddler bed is a big step that should be thought through and discussed.Speak To A Sleep Consultant: If the issue is constant and shows no signs of improvement when your toddler turns 2 years old, or if your child shows serious aggressive and rebellious behavior, you should seek out the advice of a pediatrician or sleep specialist. While climbing out of cribs is normal behavior for most kids, if they show resistance to learn and throw tantrums constantly when you put them back in bed, it is a good idea to consult a medical professional.If you found this article about what to do when a toddler is trying to climb out of a crib helpful, then why not take a look at our tips for surviving the [12 month sleep regression] or the milestones to look out for with your 16-month-old?

Are you the parent of an escape artist who consistently tries to climb out of their crib?