Contributor Erica Desper tackles the age old problem of scaling the crib. Have you “suffered” this milestone? What’s a parent to do? Let Erica, founder of Confident Parenting, help with this awesome advice.
—
So you just got to that sweet spot where your toddler has settled into one nap a day with easy bedtimes and solid nights and then – bam! She climbs out of the crib. Before you panic or transition her into a bed, you may want to read this.
- Is She Ready for a Bed? When possible, I suggest that families wait until at least 2.5 years of age to transition out of the crib. Before that age, most children can’t cognitively grasp the concept of staying put in the freedom of a bed. Doing so when a child is not quite ready can compound nap, bedtime and overnight struggles. If your child is under that age or still working on falling and staying asleep independently, it is likely best to find a way to contain her in the crib a bit longer.
- Try a Sleep Sack Most children manage to climb out by throwing a leg over the railing so putting him to sleep in a sleep sack can prevent that. Sleep sacks come in a range of sizes and can be the single easiest way to stop the climbing. If your little Houdini figures out how to remove it, try putting the sack on backwards with the zipper in the back.
- Turn Your Crib Around Some cribs are designed to be higher in the back than they are in the front. If that is true of yours, putting the higher side facing out into the room can also help.
- Lower the Mattress to the Floor Assuming the crib mattress is already on the lowest setting, examine your crib to see if the mattress supports can be removed to lower the mattress directly onto the floor. (NOTE: Be sure, if you do this, that there is not an unsafe gap between the top of the mattress and the bottom of the crib rails. If there is, this is not a safe option). This will help you gain many more inches and most toddlers cannot manage that climb.
- When All Else Fails If none of the above can safely contain your climber then it may be time to transition to a toddler or regular bed. Be sure that the room is safety proofed, including mounting furniture to the wall (She’s a climber after all!) The new freedom of a bed can be overwhelming especially if your child is on the younger side. If she is struggling to stay put at bedtime or overnight you may need to consider creating a “crib” out of the entire room. I suggest placing a gate at the door as a visual reminder of the expectation to stay put. A toddler clock can also be a good addition to the space to help her understand when it is and is not okay to get out of bed. Children can’t tell time and being allowed to come out at 6:30, but not 4:30 can feel very arbitrary and confusing.
- Try a Fade Away If gating the room does not appeal to you, consider sitting in the room as your child falls asleep (and again if needed when she wakes) to help her adjust to the new freedom. They key with this approach is to have an exit strategy! Every few nights you want to do less (wean off of back rubbing for example) and move farther from the bed and toward the door until you get back to a place where you can say goodnight and leave. Referred to by various names such as the chair method and the Sleep Lady Shuffle, fading out of the room can be a gentle way to help a child transition into a new way to sleep.
Erica Desper is a Pediatric Sleep Consultant through her business Confident Parenting and supports parents in and around the Greater Philadelphia area and internationally to improve sleep habits in their babies and children. In addition to sleep support Confident Parenting offers infant massage instruction and fussy baby solutions. To learn more visit www.BeAConfidentParent.com.