Climbing out of crib

[MomofLuka]

My dd has always been a terrific sleeper, but just a few days ago, she began climbing out of her crib.  At 18 months, she's not always careful when she does this and has hurt herself a few times.  She has also started climbing the changing table.  It's secured to the wall, but I'm afraid she's going to stand up on it and then fall off. 
What can I do about this?  Do I need to convert her bed to a toddler bed already?

[Noelle]

Funny you posted this as I saw today that Zoe (14mos) can almost get her leg over already - eek!!.  Though I realized today, that the difference in her crib and John's crib is a good 6+ inches when the mattresses are at their lowest points.  I know cribs are expensive, but maybe you get get a used one that is "taller".  I'm switching cribs (John's had been converted to a toddler bed, going to switch him to a twin) tonight.  Good luck! 

[Wilsmon]

At 18 months I would buy a crib tent.  If you don't you will probably find yourself with a whole new problem - getting up out of bed all night long with the new found freedom.  We moved our dd at 22 months and spent the next 6 or so months putting her back.  I am waiting until 2.5-3 years with ds.

[jobi]

Jamie is 21 months and he launches himself head first out of his cot, luckily his cot is right at the end of our bed.
Its also a game for him to run up and down our bed and throw himself in to the cot.

In a few hours, when hubby returns, we're going to change the cot into a bed and put it in with his brothers!!!!
Hopefully this will stop the dive bombing and terrifying me!!

[sacmommy]

I would recommend a crib tent, and/or a sleep sack/sleeping bag. My dd is currently in a Halo sleep sack (because she gets cold in the early hours) and I wish I had put my son in one at this age. With him, we used a crib tent, which was fairly successful for awhile, until he figured out how to do the zipper even though it was the inside part of the zipper! My dd is a huge climber as well, so the sleep sack has the added benefit that she can't lift her legs in it as it is too constricting.

[Mum of girl, boy, boy]

I would recommend a sleeping bag. My daughter loves to climb if she wasn't in her bag she would get out I am sure. Friends have moved children into beds but they seem to have to send them back every 5 minutes. I am going to wait as long as possible and if putting her in a grobag / sleeping bag then so be it

[MomofLuka]

Ok I have ordered a crib tent and I bought a sleep sack.  I thought initially the sleep sack was working but I learned the other day that she can still climb out of the crib with it on.  She can also walk around quite well with it on, apparently. 
However she does seem to really LIKE the sleep sack and I think it helps her sleep since she doesn't wake up cold.  So that is a good side effect. 

We'll see how she does when the tent gets here.  I've had to lie on the floor until she goes to sleep for her nap a couple of times now and I don't think it's a good habit.  I've also tried putting her back repeatedly and that did work once or twice when she was tired.

What stinks is now I can't put her in her playpen--she just climbs out.  She also climbs up into her highchair on her own now.  Also pushing chairs around and trying things like switching lights on and off, opening doors.  It's amazing what she'll try, but scary how much she teeters around and yes, falls quite a lot.  This is a child that's not even steady walking across the floor, so how can she climb things?   

[Wilsmon]

Sounds like you have a real monkey!  FYI they also make the tents for playpens.

[MomofLuka]

Good to know.  Yes, she can climb ANYTHING.  She's small (about 21 lbs) and quite strong so that is probably why it's possible. 
She has been staying in her crib much better lately since the guests who were staying with us went home.  I'm still waiting for my crib tent to be delivered. 
Maybe she'll be in gymnastics one day.  Something like that might be fun for her.  There are a lot of rock climbers in her family too.  Maybe she could go rock climbing with her auntie.   

[MomofLuka]

This is to Jobi about the dive bombing, my mother put a dog bed (the soft ones filled with cedar, costs about $12.00) next to my dd's crib.  That might help with your problem since he would fall on something soft.  You could also pile up a lot of pillows and blankets in the spot where he falls.  It might help!   

[Mum of girl, boy, boy]

Wow, that is pretty impressive. I thought I had a bit of a climber but perhaps not comparing 

Good luck

[jobi]

to momofluka,
OMG jamie is exactly the same, he will push the dining chair into the kitchen climb onto the worktops and pinch grapes!!!
He also holds onto the window sill and does chin ups!!!
We've said about sending him to gymnastics once he's older!! I did it for about 10 years, maybe he'll follow in my footsteps!!

[MomofLuka]

Today I heard some ruckus in her bedroom when she was supposed to be napping.  When I came in, she was up on the rail of the crib RIDING IT LIKE A HORSE in her sleep sack and all!   

I mean she was bouncing up and down and rocking back and forth and having a great old time! 

When will my crib tent get here!  It has been at least a week!

Also, she has recently started pushing the screen door open to run outside (we have to keep the front door locked now) and today I found her up on the STOVE after my mom left a chair in the wrong place!  EEEEeeeeeeK! 

She can now get into her playpen as well as out of it, and boy she is fast!  She also keeps standing up in the rocking chair and leaning WAY back until it almost falls over (right before I grab her).  Did I mention she is fast? 

I just hope she doesn't get the idea to pinch grapes! 

[jobi]

We have 2 little monkeys!!!
Never mind crib tent i think its straight jackets that we're looking for!!
Just last night i was running the bath for Jamie and Marc, i was in bedroom and i heard a bang and splash, he wanted to get in that bad he jumped in head first, fully clothed!!!
Good job i was there and that it was a bath for the boys so the water was cooler!!!
arrrrrrrrrr...........................just heard a noise,banging, and gone into kitchen and he's on the worktop again trying to get "shrek 2" out, omg, he's not even bothered with a chair, i have no idea how he's got up this time!!!
 

[Mum of girl, boy, boy]

Oh boy, I hope I didn't speak too soon. Ever since I started thinking my DD wasn't much of a climber she has turned into one. I hope she never catches up. Some how she has worked out how to climb into the high chair once I remove the tray and is showing signs of wanting to climb more and more. We are at the dentist tomorrow with a broken tooth. How old are your toddlers again?