TODDLERS CLIMBING OUT OF THEIR CRIB
THE BABY’S SLEEP SITE
by Emily DeJeu in Toddlers —
Last Updated: April 11, 2020
Let’s review a few options to help with your crib-climbing toddler.
Get a Sleep Sack
This is a good option for those of you who have babies who are trying to escape the crib. Granted, this isn’t common; most children don’t start attempting to climb from their cribs until some time after their first birthdays.
However, babies as young as 8 and 9 months have been known to fling themselves from their cribs. This is especially true for babies who hit their mobility milestones (like crawling, standing, and walking) early.
Some kids are just natural-born climbers!
If this is the case in your home, consider a sleep sack for your baby. Sleep sacks enclose a baby’s legs and feet, leaving enough room for the baby to move comfortably, but not enough for the baby to actually climb. Sometimes, a small restriction like that is enough to discourage your baby from doing any middle-of-the-night climbing.
DON’T Get a Crib Tent
I realize it’s odd to include a “don’t” in our list of options, but this warning bears repeating. In the past, specialty products called “crib tents” were marketed as solutions for keeping active toddlers in their cribs. Made of mesh, the tents fit right over the top of the crib and zipped shut, making it impossible for toddlers to climb out the top.
Problem was, these crib tents weren’t safe at all. They posed major entrapment and strangulation risks for children. The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) launched an investigation into the safety of crib tents in 2008. They (along with 5 major retailers) finally issued a massive recall Spring 2012.
Bottom line: crib tents aren’t safe, and they aren’t a solution for your baby or toddler climbing from the crib.
Lower the Mattress
This one might seem obvious, but you’d be surprised how easy it is to miss the obvious when you’re utterly sleep-deprived! (Then again, maybe you wouldn’t be surprised — chances are you’re a little sleep-deprived yourself!)
If you haven’t already, try lowering your baby’s crib mattress to its lowest possible point. This will make it harder for your baby or toddler to get enough leverage to hoist herself over the crib rails. Some parents have put the mattress on the floor as long as there is not a gap between the bottom of the crib and the top of the mattress, if so they have put something under the mattress to bring it a bit higher so there is no gap.
From Pam Jones RN/Sleep Consultant
I love to see baby’s stay in their crib as long as possible. Between 21/2- 3 years old if possible, unless they are throwing themselves out the crib and could hurt themselves. I remember putting pillows all around my toddlers crib just incase they made the leap. There is a product I have seen but never used and cannot recommend called a Dream Catcher. It is like a blow up mattress that you put on the floor around the crib.