Question about climbing out of a crib

[mikeys_mom]

My older 2 kids never tried to climb out of their cribs. They were both in cribs until age 2.5.

I am in new territorry now with the twins! They grab the rail and are working pretty hard on getting their little legs over it. They are 18 months old and I am nowhere near neady to move them to beds. I am hoping to keep them in the cribs as long as possible. Clearly if this keeps up I will need to get a crib tent or something similar.

My question is - for those of you with climbers - Do I wait until they actually figure out how to climb out and then take action or do I need to do something now? The crib tents look like they complicate bedding changes so I'd prefer to wait, as maybe it will be several more months until they figure it out, but I also don't want them hurting themselves. The floor in their room is hardwood.

[crl]

I was paranoid and converted ds' crib to a toddler bed as soon as I caught him with one foot over the railing trying to get out. (His crib was sleigh style so a crib tent would not work.). I would do something before they climb out, but I would wait until I thought they were about to make their escape.

Catherine

[athompson]

I would add the tent now if I were you. Especially with twins.

[gatorsmom]

We had the same problem with our twins. I waited and waited and one day Greenbean fell out and we could hear the worst CLUNK as he fell out. So, yeah, get the crib tents NOW before one of your twins falls out and gets hurt.

Actually, the tents don't make it that hard to change the bedding. I used to actually pull the mattress out when i wanted to put the mattress pad and fitted sheet on. Now I just tuck the corners of the mattress pad nd fitted sheet down under the mattress while the mattress is in place. The mattress fits so snugly against the crib tent fabric that the bedding doesn't pull out.

Honestly, my twins love them. I think they make them feel enclosed and secure.

[baileygirl]

ds2 is also 18 months and he has been climbing out for a few months. We are using a crib tent (already had it from ds1). I would also go ahead and get them now, so you don't have to deal with them climbing out in the middle of the night or getting hurt. Just as a warning, if your older ones weren't climbers...ds will try to climb almost anything and his favorite place to be is on top of tables and counters.

[Green_Tea]

Get the crib tents now. They have a way of being all sold out and impossible to find when you need one quickly. Trust me - I speak from experience.

[mmsmom]

Crib Tent all the way! It kept my DS in a crib till past 3.5 years. He loved it & would remind me if I forgot to zip it. I would get it now before they realize they can climb out & the tent is keeping them in. I had the I (II did not work w/ my crib) and used the ultimate crib sheet. No problems changing it with the tent.

[Dr C]

I do not have experience with a climber but I suspect DD will be one.
With hardwoods, I think I would get the crib tent now, partly to prevent them from getting hurt, and also partly to prevent them from ever getting the idea that it's possible to climb out. Maybe they will be less mad if you do it sooner rather than later.

[JBaxter]

Never used a crib tent. 2 of mine were climbing out by 18 months. I coverted the crib to a toddler bed and but a baby gate on their door. I never liked confined spaces as a child.

[ladysoapmaker]

DD#2 is a climber. She's figured out the baby gates and the crib. she has only climbed out of the crib once and fell. She hasn't climbed out since. (I think she didn't like getting hurt). She does try to climb out when we are standing there if she doesn't want to be in her crib but she's learning the futility of that too. I have not used a crib tent. So far I haven't needed to and we'll be converting to a toddler bed soon enough.

Jen

[AlbrightRC]

We just moved our 2 year old to a toddler bed because he was throwing his leg over the rail of the crib. I wasn't taking chances and I have no doubt he would have found a way to escape a crib tent. He's done great in the toddler bed so i guess he was just ready.

[DietCokeLover]

Both of my Dc started climbing out of their cribs at 15 mos. I could not have survived without my crib tents. (I even had a sleigh crib and had a tent on it). I told my DD that it was her new "princess palace" to sleep in. She loved it! DS was just anxiously awaiting having one on his so he didn't need any gimicks.

The crib tent allowed my DD to stay in her crib til she was 3.5 and DS was
2.5. I just converted them to toddler beds about 2 months ago because they had poked holes in the tent and I had sewn them up so many times the poor tents looked like they had multiple open heart surgeries. They finally just couldn't be repaired any more.

[DrSally]

Just ordered my crib tent II from amazon. DD started climbing out yesterday. It sounds like your DC is on the verge of getting out. I'd do it now, so you're ready. I'm itching to get mine as this new skill has meant no naps the past few days.

[SnuggleBuggles]

Ds1 had a few fluke successes but nothing consistent till he was over 3yo. Since he'd just do it once then nothing for months I didn't take any extra measures.

Beth

[mom2binsd]

DS loved his crib tent, as he was older, he even zipped it shut himself.

Another easy fix, put sleepsacks on them, backwards even, the sleepsack itself restricts the "leg over the rail" movement, the backwards will help when the try to undress themselves and smear poop everywhere (spoken from experience).

[mikeys_mom]

Thanks everyone for all the feedback.

The sleepsack suggestion is a good idea. They were wearing them last winter and then we stopped once it got warm in June. Now that it's cooling down at nights, I can see if they will be willing to wear them again.

My older 2 kids were definately climbers, so I'm used to general climbing around the house, but neither ever tried to climb out of the crib. With the twins, they only seem to attempt to climb out when they are upset. This morning, I took A out of her crib first and D wanted out as well, but I wasn't ready for her. D started screaming and trying to hoist her leg over the rail.

Unless the sleepsack trick works, it looks like the crib tent is my best option at this point. If it were one child I'd consider transitioning to a toddler bed, but with the twins it is just not a realistic option. Seeing as they love to party in their cribs and D's crib is often moved a good foot away from the wall in the mornings (no idea what the two of them are up to in there!), I can only imagine the chaos that would come as a result of moving them into beds.

Of course, the purchase is further complicated by the fact that the crib tents cost $105 each here in Canada. Crazy, I know! They seem to be around $50 in the US, so I need to order and ship to either my sister or a friend there and get someone to bring them across for me.

[wolverine2]

I'm sure it would be safest to get the crib tent now, but both of my boys figured out how to get out of the crib, did it once, and never did it again. DS1 was more cautious by nature, but DS2 is not at all, and I am still amazed that he doesn't try to climb out every day- I think he just didn't like it when he did. He's 2.9 now. They were old enough when they climbed though that I didn't think they'd bonk their heads on the ground. (DS2 just climbed on the rail and yelled "I'm stuck")

[alirebco]

Crib tent all the way! I got mine around 18 months as well after DS fell out of the crib. He was not ready for a bed at all and he slept better with the tent because he knew he couldn't get out. I know so many people who put their kids in toddler beds early and then they have tons of sleep issues and have to lay down with them.

Also, my niece climbed out of her crib with the sleep sack on, so I don't think that is a total solution. She was 18 months when that happened and my sister got her the crib tent.