Need Advice, Sleeping Safety Concern

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Well, he did it. My son figured out how to crawl out of his crib sucessfully. He is 22 months old and has a fascination with electrical outlets, switches and night lights. This, for obvious reason, terrifies me.

I was nearing my due date with my son when we put our daughter, then 21 months, into a real bed of her own. We'd actually turned her convertible crib into a day bed prior to that though, I think around 19-20 months. She wasn't a climber, we just did it so the transition wouldn't be so rough when her brother got the crib and came home. It went very well. She, however, was not a climber and the simple solution was to place a safety gate at her door so she could not come out.

My son is a climber, and fears nothing. Obviously it's time for a bed, he could seriously injure himself climbing out of the crib and that deeply concerns me. He also hates the dark and needs his nite light. He also likes to play with nite nights! And as for the safety gate, he can climb it. Keeping him safe during the day is a feat, I cringe to think what he could do if he chooses to roam in the night. And I'm a very very heavy sleeper - you could set off firecrackers next to my bed and I won't hear it.

Advice is urgently needed! If there are any great safety gadgets you know of, please do tell!

Hi! I can't think of any gadgets but, my son is also terrified of the dark. He will very rarely leave his room at night because it is dark beyond his door. What we did you could try it perhaps. Is we put a tv in his room (you could put it high up with a bracket) we set the t.v to av and ran a video thru it with no sound. He has the illussion that he isn't alone in the room and there is light from the tv so he isnt so scared. If he wakes up he watches the tv again till he falls asleep, I also left the baby monitor in his room, on the off chance I would here him. The baby gate in his room was NOT J proof he worked that one out real quick. lol. It does squeek really loudly though so if he does get up for any reason and I dont here him my older son does. You could attatch bells to the gate.
Good luck.

Thank you! Those are good ideas. If I put big noisy bells on the gate, if nothing else, I'll definitely know he's up

The fascination with outlets is a concern for sure. They make these great, new covers that are much harder to pull out than those stupid plugs. Go to a Babies R Us or somewhere that sells lots of babyproofing supplies and chek out the different types. They also have an outlet plug with a nightlight attached that screws into the outlet- don't have to worry about him pulling it out that way.

I would caution agaist TVs in rooms. The flashing lights, etc have been shows to disrupt normal sleep patterns in children. Dark is best, but if a nightlight is necessary, a faintly glowing, dim one is best.


A few other suggestions:

-Stacking 2 tension-mount baby gates on top of each other?
-A lock on the door that locks from the outside and a baby monitor in the bedroom?
-Bells or an alarm on the door itself? They have cheap(about $10) alarms that are easy to install.

You're not gonna like this; we sat with Pop until he fell asleep. Anywhere from 2-3 hours every night and he didn't sleep through the night and he didn't take naps. It was like the crib was this magic sleep cell that calmed him and told him to sleep and the second he had the toddler bed, he couldn't sleep on his own at all.
He was the best infant, sleeping on his own at 2 months. We didn't have that sleep through the night hassle like you hear about. At 8 months we went out of town and he had some time getting used to that transition but eventually settled back in.
I wished there were at toddler sized crib we could have put him in. I was sleep-deprived for about 2 1/2 years. Not only did we sit/lay with him, but he eventually would crawl in bed with us. He still does occasionally.
Since he was 5, he has gone to bed really well. Though he might ask for one of us to stay with him.
We did put out of reach locks on doors and pulled one bathroom door off its hinges to avoid him getting into the wrong room.

Hmm, we had a very similar problem as KimJ when our son went from crib to bed-he could not sleep in a bed by himself like he did in a crib. He used to be a great sleeper until we got rid of that crib, dropped his naps, we have to lay with him until he falls asleep, too! Very disruptive to my sleep because I end up falling asleep at 7 and waking up in the middle of the night.

He also asked about his crib on and off for many many months after it was gone. Someone after the fact suggested a crib tent to put over the top. They sell them at Babies R us. I went to look at it, and it cost $75. I thought it was just one more transition he would have to get used to, so I decided against it. Biggest regret ever. Not sure if your son may be able to get out of that or not, but I would try to keep the crib for as looong as possible. It is really was his personal safe spot.

I also like Jennyfoo's idea of stacking two baby gates at the door, but I would try to keep the crib until he's 3.

THANK YOU!! I am going to Babies R Us tomorrow. It's a drive (40 mins) but worth it. Our local stores have none of these things - they didn't even have the gas stove knob cover thingies.

I don't like TVs in rooms as I practice Feng Shui anyhow. The double stacked gates might be a good idea, I'll pick up another. We do use a baby monitor, which makes me feel a teeny bit better. I'm thrilled to learn they have screw-in lights, I'm definitely making that a priority purchase!

I'm going to be nervous until we get him an actual bed we can use side rails with now. Taking the side of the crib off to convert it to a mini daybed is nice...except that side rails don't fit the crib and I don't want him rolling out and getting hurt. I suppose I could stack blankets next to it so he has a cushioned landing.

My daughter was the easy kid. I tell you, I swear I am raising a monkey!

Kimj: amazing what we go through for our kids, isn't it!?

laplantain: I've heard of the crib net-tent things, I'll look into that when I go to Babies R Us. My older one was ready at this age but I just don't feel confident that my younger one is. I think his being non-verbal and fascinated with electricity is what's got me bugged the most. He has been showing quite a bit of interest in his big sister's bed and the use of pillows. I think he might adjust fine. Big sis didn't mind the crib being gone at all. Little bug is more needy of routine, so I don't know what to expect. I've learned I sure can't anticipate one kid's ways by the way things go with the other. We shall see. In any event, I'm buying all the safety stuff so I'll be prepared either way.

Thank you everyone for all the helpful advice and suggestions, I feel much better!

LOL suian!

I hope you can find what you need at BBRU. They also have screw-in outlet covers that cover both outlets and have a double-side release mechanism that's even difficult for me to open sometimes. LOL! You can chek and see if their products are available online. The outlet plugs I have are First Step brand.

BTW, you've got it easy. Haha! All three of my monkeys were climbing out of their crib by 14 months old. My oldest was on her crib mattress on the floor at 11 months old because I didn't want her getting hurt. We bought her a toddler bed a few months later. My youngest was the less adventurous one that didn't climb out until 14 months, but she didn't walk until 13 months and oldest was walking at 7 months.

Hopefully this next one won't be quite the adventuresome climber, but I'm not holding my breath. LOL!

I did some digging online since I need to order a few things at BBRU too

There's the screw-in nightlight. I can't find the outlets covers I have online.



http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.js ... Id=2792254

Put child safeties on all outlets in the room, then cover them with duch tape to make sure he wont pull them off ((or the screw in)). Instead of using an electrical outlet light, try battery powered lamps, or glow in the dark stickers.

I was a climber and so was my NT younger brother so I'm sure my parents can sympathize with you. If he's escaping from his crib maybe you could put him in a low childs bed so he doesn't fall, screw in all saftey devices and plug covers, little kids can be crafthy and for a nightlight you could get one of those touch lights as they run on battery (no plugs) and the battery cover is crewed on, and maybe put a bell or alarm type thing on his room door so you can tell if hes getting out.

I'm taking a trip this weekend to BBRU. My gate is First Step I think.



Wow, I guess I do have it easy! How are you still sane? lol



One on the way??

We just finished our foster care certification to adopt another one. We go through an agency that places children that are avilable for adoption or where family reunification is failing. My 4 and 5 y/o were adopted through that agency as well. So yup, another one on the way. The killer is not knowing and not being able to prepare. We could get a call tomorrow with a brand newborn to pick up at the hospital, or it could be weeks or even months and we could end up adopting an 18 month old. WE just don't know and so therefore can't prepare. I hate not being prepared. LOL

Good luck finding what you need at BBRU!