X-post with Nursery DD fell out of her crib last night WWYD?

[ribbit1019]

I was downstairs last night heard DD wake up and then an ungodly thud. She had climbed/fallen out of bed. I don' think I have ever run up stairs that fast in my life. She was upset, but consoled relatively quickly and then went back to sleep and slept in our bed with DH.
I then spent the next hour moving her mattress down one more time to the lowest level. This level is the level used for the toddler bed. We have a Berg Convertible Crib. Now that I have moved the mattress, I cannot put DD down to sleep in her crib without practically dropping her and then having to deal with her waking up. For some reason my DH finds it impossible to lay DD in her crib period, she ALWAYS wakes up for him.
So I need advice. Do I take the front part of the crib off, converting the crib to a toddler bed? Or do I leave it be and just try to get DD to fall asleep on her own? Dh is against turning her bed into a toddler bed already, esp since she can't walk yet.
I moved her to her crib after I went to bed, but she woke up, because I can't reach the mattress. I didn't have the energy to do anything else but bring her back to bed with us.
We can't co-sleep, we've tried and I would love to but our bed isn't big enough for DH and I let alone DD too... We are just too big and have a queen (no way a king would fit in our bedroom)
TIA!

Christy
Maddy aka "Diggle"

Maddy says "Uh-oh and OOOoooOOO!"

http://lilypie.com/baby2/040609/3/4/0/-5/.png

http://www.gynosaur.com/assets/ribbons/ribbon_gold_12m.gif

[mudder17]

Okay, 2 possible things come to mind that would still allow your DD to remain in her crib. First, I would recommend a crib tent. Even though we got it to keep the cats out of her crib, it has really eased my mind knowing that she can't climb out of the crib with the tent there. Another thing that might help with the crib mattress on the lowest setting is getting a step stool for yourself so you can ease her into the crib more easily. When I was having some issues with my back/shoulder, I used to lower the side, but that makes some noise, even if it's not that loud. A step stool would help you reach the bottom of the crib more easily. I'm glad your DD is just fine. :)

HTH!

Eileen

http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/candle.gif

http://www.gynosaur.com/assets/ribbons/ribbon_gold_12m.gif , 15 months & counting
Kaya's cousin, due October 9th!!!

[ribbit1019]

Thanks Eileen.
It scared me so much. I hope it never happens again. Our crib doesn't have drop sides, that is part of the problem. ;) I hate being so short!
The step stool and the crib tent are both very good recommendations.... I was against the crib tent, but would rather have it than have her crawling/falling out of her crib.
I actually don't think taking the front off her crib is such a bad idea. The house is child proofed enough that if she did get up she would be alright. but like I said DH isn't agreeing with me on it right now.
Sigh. I have such an adventurous girl...

Christy
Maddy aka "Diggle"

Maddy says "Uh-oh and OOOoooOOO!"

http://lilypie.com/baby2/040609/3/4/0/-5/.png

http://www.gynosaur.com/assets/ribbons/ribbon_gold_12m.gif

[ColorBlue]

I say leave her in the crib and she will adjust to falling asleep on her own. Never again will you be in a position that you know your child is absolutely safe and sound and contained...provided of course she can't climb out from the bottom position. I wouldn't sleep knowing that she could get up and about at one. My dd was in the crib to 2.5 and it would have been longer but we had the twins on the way. It was a rough transition to the bed and we still deal with her out and about around the house sometimes. For us the house can never ever be as safe as a crib.

Just my two cents.

Tracy

[lmariana]

What a scary experience, I can't even imagine!!!

I think it would be in everyone's benefit to take this opportunity to teach her how to fall asleep on her own. It's so awesome to be able to put a wide-awake toddler in his crib and have him go to sleep on his own. It's super nice when your baby falls asleep on you, but in all honesty, you probably don't want to be doing that too much longer, right? I mean, eventually, you would have to move the crib mattress lower anyhow, it's just a little earlier than you had imagined.

To keep her contained in the event of a repeat performance, I think a crib tent is the way to go. Hopefully, it was just an isolated incident though. :)

If I were in your shoes, I'd probably get a video monitor, just so I can see how the escape is taking place. I'd be so curious to see how my son wiggled his way out!

Mariana
Owner of HappyDayBaby
Mom to Gabe, 8/03
www.heinzandmariana.com

http://lilypie.com/baby2/030814/1/5/0/-5/.png

http://lilypie.com/days/051017/1/21/0/-5/.png

Join the BBB Preggo Pals!
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/PreggoPals

[ribbit1019]

Very good points. I guess I see why DH doesn't want to do it too. Just would be easier on my back. ;)
I just wish I knew how to get her to go to sleep without her screaming for 20 minutes. It breaks my heart. :(

Christy
Maddy aka "Diggle"

Maddy says "Uh-oh and OOOoooOOO!"

http://lilypie.com/baby2/040609/3/4/0/-5/.png

http://www.gynosaur.com/assets/ribbons/ribbon_gold_12m.gif

[ribbit1019]

I hope this is isolated! I worry so much that she will figure out a way to get out of the crib at this setting. I haven't the faintest how she managed to get out last night. The lowest part of the crib was across her chest about armpit level. She must have done a pull up to get out! LOL Maybe I will set the videocamera up in her room...

I think we are going shopping tonight, crib tent and a step stool. ;)

Christy
Maddy aka "Diggle"

Maddy says "Uh-oh and OOOoooOOO!"

http://lilypie.com/baby2/040609/3/4/0/-5/.png

http://www.gynosaur.com/assets/ribbons/ribbon_gold_12m.gif

[mudder17]

Actually, a video monitor is an excellent suggetion. When we ST'd our DD, the first thing we got was a video monitor! And for ST, there are no-cry solutions, but for us, as heart-breaking as it was, CIO worked very well.


Eileen

http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/candle.gif

http://www.gynosaur.com/assets/ribbons/ribbon_gold_12m.gif , 15 months & counting
Kaya's cousin, due October 9th!!!

[mudder17]

I think I got my crib tent at Baby Depot. And I think I got the step stool at Target, possibly Lowe's.


Eileen

http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/candle.gif

http://www.gynosaur.com/assets/ribbons/ribbon_gold_12m.gif , 15 months & counting
Kaya's cousin, due October 9th!!!

[ribbit1019]

I think we may consider that too. Though that might have to wait a couple of weeks...they are expensive!

Christy
Maddy says "Hi baby!" Such a little parrot!

http://lilypie.com/baby2/040609/3/4/0/-5/.png

http://www.gynosaur.com/assets/ribbons/ribbon_gold_12m.gif

[searchdog]

Christy, I think it is sleep training, but I could be wrong.

[C99]

I wouldn't move her out of the crib. We tried this w/ Nate (although not b/c he had climbed out, but b/c I went on BR and couldn't put him in there) and his sleep was messed up and horrible. We put the rails back on his crib 2 weeks ago and I am kicking myself for not doing it sooner (i.e., as soon as I came off BR) because he's sleeping soooo much better. Weissbluth says to leave them in a crib until they're 3 or ask to come out; I am with him on this one.

[ribbit1019]

Ah yes, that makes sense...
Does Maggie sleep for you?
And if so how did you get her to sleep? Maddy has been rough to get to sleep since about 6 or 7 months when she got her first two teeth.
Any suggestions?

Christy
Maddy says "Hi baby!" Such a little parrot!

http://lilypie.com/baby2/040609/3/4/0/-5/.png

http://www.gynosaur.com/assets/ribbons/ribbon_gold_12m.gif

[mudder17]

Sorry, yes, ST is sleep training. We actually started about as early as is recommended (18 weeks), but only because not only were DH and I not getting sleep, SHE wasn't getting sleep and it was affecting her pretty badly. Afterwards, she's had rough patches with teething and so forth, but for the most part, she's been a good sleeper and she even travels well.


Eileen

http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/candle.gif

http://www.gynosaur.com/assets/ribbons/ribbon_gold_12m.gif , 15 months & counting
Kaya's cousin, due October 9th!!!

[lmariana]

We started Gabe early too, around the same time (18 wks). We started with nap time first, and once he did well at that, we moved on to bed time.

We did CIO for naps (he never cried more than 11 minutes), and we barely had to do any sleep training at all for bed time, once he got used to naps. We just gradually started putting him in to bed more and more awake. Now, he stands up in the crib, waves bye, says "night night", and signs "sleepy" as we walk out the door. :)

It's really rewarding to have a self-sleeper! You'll love it!

Mariana
Owner of HappyDayBaby
Mom to Gabe, 8/03
www.heinzandmariana.com

http://lilypie.com/baby2/030814/1/5/0/-5/.png

http://lilypie.com/days/051017/1/21/0/-5/.png

Join the BBB Preggo Pals!
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/PreggoPals

[lmariana]

Yeah, we've decided to leave Gabe in the crib until he asks for a change. With a new baby coming, I don't want to jeopardize his awesome sleeping patterns! I guess we're fortunate that's he's never attempted a "jail brake".

Mariana
Owner of HappyDayBaby
Mom to Gabe, 8/03
www.heinzandmariana.com

http://lilypie.com/baby2/030814/1/5/0/-5/.png

http://lilypie.com/days/051017/1/21/0/-5/.png

Join the BBB Preggo Pals!
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/PreggoPals

[Marisa6826]

I think Maddy is way too young to be in a toddler bed, but that's JMO. I would keep the mattress at the lowest setting and get yourself a small step stool so you can put her down a little more easily.

What about getting one of those crib tent things? I'm pretty sure Lori has one for Colin.

-m

[searchdog]

Yes she does sleep for us. Up until a couple of weeks ago she still got up for formula once a night but at her one year visit the dr said to put an end to that so several rough nights later we have broken that bad habit and she now sleeps beutifully through the night and still takes an am and pm nap as well. We are a CIO family and it has worked for us and we have a wonderful sleeper.

All I can tell you is that when we were breaking her of her habit of waking up we just went in and soothed her every 15 minutes as per the pediatricians instructions. If it was longer than 45 minutes of crying/fussing then we would go get her out of bed and let her watch some baby einstein to calm her down(I know not the best thing to do, but we only did it two nights). So that is what we did, I am sure there are better things that work, but I went with CIO and we have had over a week of sleeping through the night now. To be honest I didn't mind feeding her over night but since the ped said to stop it we did.

On a side note we start PT soon to work on her not crawling properly, she has already been evaluated, but she is finally walking with a push toy, now if she would just start talking.

[mudder17]

Just so you know, Kaya didn't start walking until 14 months (and 2 weeks) and once she did, she just took off! So hopefully the PT will help with her crawling and she'll be crawling and walking well! As for talking, well, Kaya still isn't really saying Mama or Dada, but hopefully that'll happen soon. She has picked up some signs, though, which is neat, but she doesn't seem all that interested in talking for the most part (unless you count babbling to herself as talking). She's sort of an exploring type of gal and will sometimes "sing" but she mostly seems uninterested in talking right now. :)


Eileen

http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/candle.gif

http://www.gynosaur.com/assets/ribbons/ribbon_gold_12m.gif , 15 months & counting
Kaya's cousin, due October 9th!!!

[searchdog]

Thanks for the info on Kaya, we aren't worried about the walking, just the not crawling on her hands and knees (she does an army crawl 99% of the time). Apparently crawling with their hands flat and arms out straight does something to develop there shoulders and there hands. The PT said it is important for her hands that it has something to do with writing years down the road. We are getting the PT through a state run early intervention program and it only costs us $10 a visit so we figured we would go ahead and do it.

[stefani]

It is good that you are seeing a PT, and it is not too expensive.

I just want to tell you that my son did not "crawl" much at all. He did army crawl and I thought he was never going to crawl. I think he crawled at 11 months, and walked at 12 months! By the way, crawling is not a developmental milestone, because some children apparently never crawled at all.

Just sharing my experience, HTH.

[mudder17]

Actually, Kaya did the army crawl from around 6-7 months? until 9-10 months. She finally started crawling on her hands and knees afterwards. And although crawling is not a developmental milestone, the army crawl is good for the shoulder and arms strength as you said, and it's also good for the development (as is tummy time) of the cervical spine (proper curve). The regular crawling is good for the development of the lumbar curve as well as developing more muscles in their arms, shoulders, and legs. I'm glad you were able to find a good program for your DD. From what I've been reading, it seems like most PT programs for infants and toddlers are fun for them, so you may as well do it, especially at only $10 a visit.

ETA: My friend's baby had a stroke in utero and so her right side has been developmentally delayed. They've been taking her to a PT, and OT (and possibly something else as well) and she says her daughter really seems to enjoy it. One interesting thing is that they have worked on crawling before walking, so she is now crawling pretty well, with only favoring her right side slightly. It's really helping to strengthen her arms and shoulders and helping with her hands as well (interestingly enough).

Eileen

http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/candle.gif for Leah

http://www.gynosaur.com/assets/ribbons/ribbon_gold_12m.gif , 16 months & counting


http://tickers.baby-gaga.com/t/catcatcvi20040222_4_Kaya+is.png