Are you wondering how to stop baby from climbing out of crib? Is your baby getting dangerously close to escaping their crib? Or maybe they’ve done it before and tumbled to the floor?
This is a struggle many parents face once their kids reach a certain age usually between 12 to 24 months, and this situation usually occurs during bedtime or right after being put down for bed, others do it in the middle of the night, startling their sleepy parents in the wee hours of the morning.
Before you give up and switch to a toddler bed prematurely, know that crib climbing is a habit that can be caught and corrected with patience and a little help. So, in this article, We will be sharing some practical tips on how to stop a baby from climbing out of the crib. Read On…
What Age Does A Baby Start To Climb Out Of Their Crib?
Well, this depends on the child’s motor skill ability. His temperament, how much of a risk-taker he is, and how much of a climber he is.
Some babies climb out of their crib way earlier than you’d expect even before their first birthday. Most babies will begin to attempt to climb out of the crib between 12-24 months old.
How To Stop Baby From Climbing Out Of Crib?
Once a little one climbs out of the crib for the very first time, you must take immediate action that to halt the habit from forming.
A baby climbing out of the crib can be fun to watch, or funny to you as a parent at first, especially if you are impressed with their newfound skills.
However, there are good tricks to try at home, put your baby in their crib during the daytime, while you’re present in the room folding their clothes or picking up their toys.
If you happen to see your little one throw a leg up on the edge of the crib rail, do not encourage that, give him a strong “NO!” and put his foot back down on the mattress immediately.
This is not a game, and you should not encourage this behavior. Discouraging this behavior earlier especially, during the daytime will help your baby realize that this is not a fun game to practice at nighttime as well.
Here are some other practical ways you can try as well to discourage your baby from climbing out of the crib:
1. Turn the Crib Around
Many crib models are designed to be lower in the front and higher in the back. If your little one hasn’t yet realized that he can climb out of the crib sides, this one may do the magic.
Turn the crib completely around so the high backside of the crib is now in front and the low, shorter side is up against the wall. It’s much more difficult for a baby to climb out of the crib when the side railing is higher.
2. Adjust Their Bedtime
As a baby grows into their next stage of development, between ages 1-3, their internal clock changes. Like older kids, a baby’s natural need for sleep adjusts. Your restless toddler may just be a result of having too early bedtime (or naptime!).
It’s suggested that a bedtime between 7:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. is best advised, depending on your baby’s own internal clock.
However, you can try documenting when your baby falls asleep, as opposed to when they’re put in their crib, and adjust your schedule to reflect their biological clock.
3. Lower The Mattress To The Ground
Have you lowered your baby’s mattress as much as you can in the crib? Well, if it won’t go any lower, you can take the springs out of the bottom part of the crib and lower the mattress to the ground.
For some cribs, this works well, and for others, you have to get a little creative.
Read Also: When To Lower Crib?
4. Use A Sleep Sack
Dress your baby in a sleep sack during nap time, and before bedtime. By using a traditional sleep sack, your baby’s feet are tucked in and there’s less amount of space for how wide he’ll be able to open his legs.
Hence, he may not be able to get enough leverage to hoist a leg over the crib in their sack! This also helps to keep babies warm when they move around at night and it might help prevent them from climbing out of the crib.
Alternatively, you can put your child’s sleep sack on backward so your baby won’t be able to unzip it!
5. Move The Furniture’s
Ensure that your baby’s room does not have any furniture near the crib. Bear aware that dressers or side tables close to the crib can be used as leverage to climb out of the crib.
Position the back and side of the crib against a wall so that only one side of the crib is open.
6. Buy Special Pajamas
There are two specially designed pajamas I found that are pure genius! like The Naughty Monkey and Little Grounders, I can’t believe these aren’t more mass-marketed, because I know almost every toddler mom whose baby is climbing out of the crib would scoop these up ASAP!
I think these would also help if you were trying to keep your toddler from climbing out of the pack n play.
Read Also: How To Make A Pack And Play More Comfortable?
7. Remove Toys And Pillows
Babies shouldn’t have pillows, books, or toys in their cribs for the first year to help reduce the chance of Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).
Even after the first year, keep your toddler’s crib bare, or they’ll be able to create steps out of their clutter.
8. Separate Your Kids
If you are dealing with multiple kids, a well-meaning, bored sibling could be the accomplice to your toddler’s escape.
Separating your kids during sleep hours will also provide less distraction, so they will both fall asleep easier too.
9. Consider Switching To A Toddler Bed
One of the most effective ways to keep your toddler from climbing out of the crib is simply to remove the crib altogether and to transition your toddler into a bed.
This can be done with any kind of bed, a regular-sized twin bed works (as long as you add the appropriate safety rails), and so does a toddler bed.
As suggested earlier, a mattress on the floor will even work! I’ve always liked having a mattress right on the floor minimized falls and made it easier for my little one to get into and out of their beds when they were younger.
Safety Check: If eventually, your baby happens to get out of their crib, we still want to make sure they are safe.
- Make sure to childproof the room because you won’t always get to them in time, or even know they are out, so safety is very important.
- Cover all electrical outlets.
- Tape cords to the wall.
- Remove or secure and anchor heavy furniture to the wall.
- Think of making your baby room like a giant crib.
Read Also: Mini Crib Vs Regular Crib?
Is It Dangerous For Your Baby To Climb Out Of The Crib?
It can sometimes be dangerous if your baby is regularly climbing out of the crib. If your little one has figured out how to climb out of the crib, don’t ignore it. This isn’t a phase you should wait out.
You should be aware that your baby can be injured by falling from the crib especially if your baby’s room isn’t carpeted. What’s more, a child who’s loose in his bedroom, in the middle of the night, is at risk (especially if the room isn’t toddler-proofed).
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- How To Keep A Cat Out Of Crib
- Safety Tips Every Child Should Know
- When To Put Baby in Bouncer
- How To Stop Baby From Pulling and Eating their Hair
Conclusion
When your child starts to climb out of their crib, don’t panic. Children usually like to explore and push boundaries.
This is how they learn what is and isn’t allowed. By having a plan in place and knowing what steps to take, your baby can learn to stay in his crib.
Be patient, Take a look at their routine, their environment, and make the necessary adjustments. These methods will need to be repeated several times consistently, but they can learn to stop climbing out of their crib and stay safely in their crib.
We hope this article has provided you with great ideas on how to stop baby from climbing out of crib. If you have any other suggestions that have worked for you in the past, we would love to hear it by dropping your comment or suggestion down below.
