Yikes - just found 17mo DS on floor, not in cot! What now?

[redgecko]

Heard 17mo DS crying and assumed he had just woken up from his nap. He was in fact on the floor, not in the cot where I'd put him. He'd managed this amazing feat in a grobag (and had also crawled across the room). He seemed fine - had a bruise on his forehead where think he'd bumped into a piece of furniture whilst crawling in the dark.

What should I do now? Thought I would be able to put off the moving from cot to bed thing until he was about 2, but that's clearly not the case. We haven't got a bed for him yet. Should I move his mattress onto the floor tonight? Worried that he will spend the entire night exploring his room in the dark and will get no sleep, or worse, damage himself. Any hints and tips?

He's very physical, and I guess I should have seen this coming; don't hold out much hope that this was a one off.

I'd probably put mattress on floor. Or take side of cot off - to make a mini-bed?

Yes, it will probably be a nightmare of escapted & rampaging toddler. Can you stairgate his room? Sit next to him until he drops off? Also leave off the grobag as a trip hazard?

Our DS2 went permanently in to a bed at 15mo as I gave up on tantrums about use of cot and constant demands to sleep on the spare bed in his room instead. It did resolve the tantrums, but we do (still at 1.11) get musical beds bedtime. Was not the end of the world though.

DD did this at 10 months and hasn't done so since - think the shock made her stop climbing.

Also quite often used to find DS2 asleep on his bedroom floor part way through night. He'd either had a gentle fall out of bed or (more likely) sleepily got out then given up & fallen asleep on floor. He was quite happy!

Could you take a side off the cot and put the mattress at its lowest setting? We did this with dd, and dh drilled new holes in the frame to put the mattress lower to the floor.

My DD did exactly the same except she managed to do it without hurting herself and thought it a fantastic way to spend an evening - vaulting in and out of her cot. I took the sides off and - after a week of constantly putting her back to her bed all evening - bought a stair gate for her bedroom doorway. Stairgate being there didn't bother her at all. Often falls asleep on the floor amongst her toys though!

Don't put the mattress on the floor then he will definitely crawl in the dark at night. Leave him in the cot (if you are scared put cushions around it to cushioned the eventual fall).
put him back in the cot every time you find him out. He will soon get the message.

Chances are if he bumped himself he won't be doing it again before he learn how to climb out safely (few months)

If he can get out of the cot he can climb the stairgate so teach him not to get out rather than putting barriers further away.

Yes take the side off and matress on lowest setting. Did this with DD and she fell out only once (and didn't wake up)

Thank you for all the quick replies. DP (who's much handier with a screwdriver than me!) is away overnight, so I will wait until he's back before looking at dismantling the cot. Bit worried that DS will do himself an injury in the grobag if I put the mattress on the floor tonight (and I don't have any other bedding for him at the moment). So I think tonight I will surround his got with spare matress /duvet / cushions etc, hope for the best and tackle this properly tomorrow.

mamloco - I'm not sure about leaving him in the cot as a long term solution, as I'm worried that he's break his neck if he falls badly / on his head, even with cushions to break the fall.

Aagh, what a nightmare!

got should be cot obviously!

Mine did it a few times and then stopped. Spent another 18 months in cot, so don't give up too soon.