Matthew is 20 months and is starting to climb the rail of his crib. I think within a week he will be able to escape!

Most of the time when we put him down for his nap or bedtime he is fine, however sometimes he has a 30 second melt down. This is when he starts to climb.

So we have decided to get him a bed this weekend before he falls out and hurts himself.

My problem: how do I get him to stay in bed for his naps when he's having one of those days? As long as I leave the room and close the door he will settle down and go to sleep. If I stay with him or he hears me outside his room the meltdown will continue. Even when he awakes during the night, if we go in and check on him he will not settle with us in the room, if we let him cry it will take a few minutes and he will go back to sleep.

Should I put a device on the door knob to keep him in his room and hope he settles just like he does when he's in the crib?

Did anyone else have this problem? What did you do?

By Heaventree on Monday, November 21, 2005 - 12:26 pm:

Has anyone used a crib tent? How easy is it to get the child in the crib and then reclose the tent?

By Vicki on Monday, November 21, 2005 - 12:48 pm:

I never used a crib tent as dd never even tried to climb out of her crib, but that was going to be my suggestion to you. I can't believe it would be that hard to do and it might help buy you some more time before taking him out of the crib.

By Kaye on Monday, November 21, 2005 - 01:50 pm:

We had to move two of our two out that early, one due to needing the bed, the other due to climbing. I would not want to use a crib tent, because I would think it would be a stragulation risk. We put a gate up on the doorway to keep our little one in bed. We also tried the doorknob thing, that worked for a week, right till he figured out how to remove it..lol. Then someone told me to turn the doorknob the other way, so the lock was in the hallway. Sounds cruel, but we locked him in, when we went to bed we unlocked it. Funny thing is it took him about 2 months to learn to unlock the door (it was the type that had the slot, like a quarter would fit in). But with my other two kids the transistion went fine. Just prep him for it and try, you might be suprised.

By Kittycat_26 on Monday, November 21, 2005 - 01:55 pm:

Kaye, We had to turn the door knob around on Timmy's door not because of keeping him in but because of him keeping us out. It had a push button to lock and one afternoon he pushed it and locked us out. We had to break the door jam to get in.

It's really easier than you think for kids this age. (my opinion only) You may need to let him sleep on the floor a couple of times if that's where he falls to sleep. But eventually he will associate the bed with going to sleep. Just play it up BIG time.

By Trina~moderator on Monday, November 21, 2005 - 02:14 pm:

Oh yes, I remember this stage well. A tough transition! We super childproofed their rooms and put gates on their doorways. They will get out of bed and play simply because they can, but the novelty will eventually wear off. That's why we childproofed so they couldn't get into too much trouble. We also used baby monitors so that we could hear what was going on. I didn't feel comfortable turning their doorknobs around and locking them in, but only because I liked to go in and check on them before going to bed, and popping the lock would wake them up. With the gates, we could leave the door open if we wanted to.

DD went through a stage when she wouldn't settle down to go to sleep. We tried everything. Going in to see her only made things worse. She thought is was social time! LOL! We tucked her in and let her be. Sometimes I'd find her sleeping on the floor or in her closet but she eventually figured out on her own that her bed was most comfortable.

Good luck!

By Dawnk777 on Monday, November 21, 2005 - 03:02 pm:

Around 20 months is when I took both of my kids out of the crib. With Sarah, I was just sick of the crib, and with Emily, I think she was going to be climbing out soon. I really didn't have problems with either one getting out of bed, but I guess I was just lucky.

By Kaye on Monday, November 21, 2005 - 05:52 pm:

If you have one that climbs out of the crib, you are very likely to have one climb over a gate!

Do yall remember dateline doing a show on the dilly 6 pack? They had septuplets (8, what ever that is..lol). They had stacked gates in the doorway, three high and then were using vaseline on them to keep them from climbing..LOL

By Heaventree on Monday, November 21, 2005 - 07:10 pm:

Kaye,

That's exactly what I thought, if he can climb out of the crib, over the gate will be easy. He sees me walk over them all day long and now he's trying to do the same as well.

He is not ready for a bed yet and I'm not ready for any late night visits as I'm co-sleeping with Cameron already and DH is in the guest room. What a mixed up messed up house when it comes to getting a good night sleep these days .

Thanks for all the tips!

By Tink on Monday, November 21, 2005 - 07:23 pm:

My oldest two fell asleep on the floor a few times before realizing that a bed was the ideal place to sleep. We were able to put a cover on the doorknob to keep them inside and it really wasn't a problem, except that they'd almost always get out of bed and play with a few toys before falling asleep. I think the move to a "big kid bed" is something most parents are concerned about but it's a fairly painless process after the first two or three days.

By Trina~moderator on Monday, November 21, 2005 - 07:29 pm:

My kids didn't go straight from the crib to a bed. We started them out on a mattress on the floor. That way, if they fell off they didn't go far. When they got a little older we put the mattress up on a frame and boxspring with a bed rail.

If you're concerned about him climbing a gate than try the idea of turning the knob around and locking him in. Use a baby monitor so you can hear him if he needs you.

By Juli4 on Tuesday, November 22, 2005 - 02:36 am:

We had a toddler day bed and turned it around backwards up against a wall. We also put 10 lb weights in front of it on the ends to keep my dd from pushing the bed away from the wall to get out. It worked until she was 2 and a few months.
We also put her toddler bed in the guest room where there were no toys just a guest bed and her bed.

By Hlgmom on Tuesday, November 22, 2005 - 11:32 am:

My friend used a crib tent and loved it!!
I switched dd at 17 mos and she never came out- still doesn't!

By Amyk on Thursday, November 24, 2005 - 07:52 pm:

My sister used a crib tent for my niece til she was 3 - loved it!

Amy

By Sophiasmom on Friday, November 25, 2005 - 03:08 pm:

I am a new mom and I was wondering when it is a good time to make the switch from crib to toddler bed?

By Heaventree on Friday, November 25, 2005 - 03:22 pm:

Elizabeth,

My son Matthew is 20 months old and can now climb out of his crib so we are going to get him into a bed this weekend.

I would say when your child starts to try and get out of her crib switch her to a toddler bed.

Matthew actually climbed out today, good thing I had a foam mattress on the floor to cushin the fall. When I heard him hit the mattress I went up to check on him and he looked at bit dazed LOL! He didn't hurt himself, however we have hardwood floors and if he'd hit the floor it might of been another story.

Good luck.

By Heaventree on Sunday, November 27, 2005 - 10:09 pm:

Well tonight is the first night for Matthew in his bed. Well kind of sort of a bed. I had two fold-up foam mattress for overflow company and I stacked them to make a single bed.

DH cleaned out the room today, the only thing in there is the bed and his dresser. We had to take the doors off the closet as they are mirror doors and they had to go, not safe.

We put a gate on the door, so I could check on him without having to open the door and wake him up. I brought him upstairs, laid down with him, read a story and stayed for awhile. He laid in bed but goofed around. So I left, he ran to the gate and well screamed. I went back and he ran back into his bed. I got him settled and left again. He got out of bed and ran to the gate and started screaming again. We went through this process about six times. I thought "This is becoming a game" so I went downstairs and was going to give him 10 mins. to work it out. He screamed and screamed and of course woke Cameron up but within 5 mins. it got quiet and I heard his little feet pitter patter back to his bed and he went to sleep.

So round one was a sucess so far tonight, well see how the rest of the night goes and nap time tomorrow. Wish me luck!

By Andi on Sunday, November 27, 2005 - 11:26 pm:

I remember when we put DS in is Big Boy bed at about 19-20 months. I babyproofed hims room really well and we also put a baby gate up at his door. The first nap in his "new" room was difficult to say the least. He cried at the babygate for about 30 minutes...it felt like hours. I cried in the other room just listening to him. He finally crawled up into the bed and fell asleep.
Bed time was a little easier, I think he only cried about 20 minutes or so them went in his bed. From that point on he has been fine.

DD is 15 months and think we are going to get her out of her crib at about the same age and do it all over again. LOL

Good luck with Matthew, sounds like you are doing everything just right!