What to do when your baby climbs out of the crib
There are few things in life that will wake you up faster than a strong cup of coffee. Hearing the words “Hi Mommy” near your ear, thinking it’s the baby monitor, and then glancing over to discover your child’s face inches from yours is one of them.
Oh cool, you think to yourself after breathing deeply into a paper bag, so you can climb out of the crib now? This definitely won’t screw over the sleep skills we’ve been working on. Solid skill, babe, solid skill. Anyone else been there?
It’s always those moments when you feel like you’re really settling into your role as a parent. The house is baby-proofed, sleep is getting into a predictable rhythm, you’ve had the chance to shower several times in a week … life is good. And then - boom - new skill.
So what are your options if baby starts climbing out of the crib?
Keep in mind that baby may never attempt to ninja their way out of the crib again. Before you go into super-parent mode and spend the next week searching for prevention hacks and buying expensive “crib tents” (I caution you there), make sure the monitor is good-to-go and see if they repeat the behaviour.
If you’ve witnessed baby houdini their way out of the crib three times, then try these strategies:
Baby-proof … all over again. Make sure that anything baby can climb on and pull out or apart, is safely secured (think cords, bookshelves, curtains).
Secure baby in their room. Put a child-proof cover over the doorknob. Consider installing a baby gate in front of the door. No one wants baby wandering around the house unsupervised while the adults are sleeping.
Reposition the crib. Make sure the mattress is on its lowest setting. Turn the crib around so that the lowest part is positioned against the wall. Place mats around the crib for extra padding in case of a fall.
Set boundaries. Remind baby in your own special baby-eese that we stay in our bed and climbing out can result in “ouchies.” You can also try the old “put on the sleep sack backwards” trick. Just make sure it’s a sleep sack that fits!
And you can, of course, consider transitioning into a toddler bed. Great reasons for starting this transition earlier than planned are:
You need the crib for a new sibling
They are too big for the crib
They are unsafe, despite your intervention and prevention tactics
Sleep sweetly,
Anna