We are trying something new today. I get quite a few emails with questions and suggestions for posts (which I love, keep ‘em coming!) but after talking to one of my best gal pals about a dilemma we could not solve, it dawned on me – why not ask real moms to submit their questions and/or situations and post them here as a forum? This may be the best idea I’ve had or it could flop but it is worth a shot, right? So today is the the first installment of a “Real Mom Dilemma”. The hope is one of you savvy moms out there has a solution for the mom in a bind, “Mama K”…
1) put a crib tent over his crib ( caging my child feels slightly wrong to me) but after a few “crib tent” searches I learned they are no longer on the market because they are a safety risk and most have been recalled. OK that is off the list.
2) Next answer was put him in a big boy bed. He is 18 months and does not understand he has to stay in bed so a big boy bed will pose more problems…ie, he will just get up if he does not want to go to sleep (he never wants to go to sleep).
I texted every mom I know and this had never happened to them so they were no help.
He has only done it twice in about a month and half, I have couch cushions surrounding his crib for a landing pad in case he feels the need to jump and I stand outside his door until I know he is going to go to sleep and not pull himself out of the crib. I need a long term solution until he is old enough for a big boy bed. Any help, ideas, suggestions from other moms who have gone through this “crib jumping” would be wonderful!
Do you have a question or situation need a solution to – send it to me, here for possible feature on our next installment of “Real Mom Dilemma’s”! If anyone has a more creative name then “Real Mom Dilemma’s” send that over too!
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Wow I am looking forward to seeing the suggestions from other moms. Unfortunately I don’t have one myself but my son is 22 months old and I pretty much live in constant fear that he will a. stop napping altogether or b. learn to climb out of his crib for the same reason you mentioned. He’s a great sleeper but he will absolutely not stay in a bed if I put him down. Look forward to seeing what others suggest!
Dina, fingers crossed your little one never learns to climb out of his crib!
My son did this exact thing at 7 months, so I completely understand the feeling of thinking your child will kill themselves. My solution was to put him in the bed with my husband and I. I think he slept with us for at least the next year. It was so hard to get him back into his own bed. The worst sleep I’ve ever had. There was always a foot or leg waking me up. I swore with my next child would never set foot in our bed and he didn’t. But he was also not as adventurous as his older brother and never figured out how to climb out his crib!
Thanks for sharing Kim! Your insight is definitely helpful! xo
I have a friend who decided to purchase traveling cribs (I think they are used for camping too) for her twins when they started to crawl out of their normal cribs. She said it was the best thing she ever did. She knew the kids were safe, getting the sleep they needed, and she could return to “getting things done” during nap time. Just a thought. I’ll attach a link to the ones she had. I saw them on Amazon. They are pricey, but might be worth it. http://www.amazon.com/Phil-Teds-Traveller-Crib-Red/dp/B004H7RT5Q
Good luck!
Thank Diane, this looks like a good solution!
I purchased a crib tent a few years back when my 15 month old was flipping herself out of her crib. She was so furious that it was nap time…she would turn into psycho child. I think they were just recently
recalled those crib tents (at least that is what I am going to tell myself). Glad I dealt with that prior to the recall! I would set up a pack in play then put a gate to keep them in the room. A fall from a pack n play seems less dangerous. Co-sleeping isn’t an option in our family!
Thanks for sharing Maggie!
To Lindsey: I think having Real Mom Dilemmas is a great idea! It will be so helpful to hears tips and suggestions from other mommies!!
To Mama K: I don’t think I’ll be much help as my little girl is still only 9 months, so I havent faced this problem yet, but I am interested to see what others suggest! If it were me right now (not knowing anything at all, or hearing any other tips from anyone else), I’d either lower the mattress, or if that wasn’t working (or if I couldn’t lower it anymore), I’d try & use our pack & play and put the mat the lowest it’d go. The pack & plays don’t seem to have the “climb enabling” parts (that a a baby can grip on to) like a crib seems to give..at least the one I have has those mesh walls and nothing for her to really pull up on if it’s on the lowest setting.
Best of luck to you! <3
Thanks for the feedback Pamela- I really appreciate it! I think your advice to Mama K sounds wonderful and you’ll be ready to deal with this issue should Lilly decide to become a “crib jumper”!
All great tips! Real Mom Dilemmas is such a great idea! It is so great to have somewhere to get reliable tips from real mom’s who have had the same issues!
We’ve had my son on a mattresses on the floor since he outgrew his bassinet (we babyproofed the room instead of using a crib but not everyone has the space for that I know), but my Sister and Brother-in-law had this problem. They literally put the crib mattress down on the floor (below the lowest setting) with the bars surrounding it. In their crib there wasn’t a gap and it worked. My niece was always tall for her age, but with the mattresses so low she wasn’t able to get out.
Maybe putting those breathable mesh bumpers on the bars? It might eliminate the traction he needs to climb up and over.
Good luck!
Hi! Mama K–try putting his crib matteress on the ground and put a retractable gate on his door (no rails=no traction). I would also put his toys in a closet so he knows it is nap time. Good luck!
What a great idea for this page………………I am sure a lot of vital info will come out of this…….Wish I would have known this solution to the “crib jumper” when I had one!!!!!!!!