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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

URGENT Ds just climbed out of his cot for first time - second baby due in 1 week

30 replies

LoopyLouLisa · 24/08/2007 08:45

Ok lovely people i need your help. All the advice is to not make any other major change to dc's life/routine around the time of a new baby, so now I don't know what to do.

How likely is it that this is a one-off? He learnt this week how to climb down the stair by himself too (ds is 18 months)

He has also recently become quite an unpredictable sleeper (can he sense the major change about to happen?) so has no set time for going to sleep.

Do I risk leaving him in his cot for now? or do I try to move him into a bed? Having cs next fri so I have one week max if I am getting him into a bed.

Pls pls help mumsnetters

Lisa xx

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hana · 24/08/2007 08:52

I don't think I'd move him to a bed yet - he is still v young and the climbing out may be a one off - my 2 year old did this once or twice at about the same age - we moved her to a bed at about 2.3 ( needed the cot for the baby who was 6 months at that stage) and I regretted that as she had slept so well in the cot - took her ages to settle into a bed, and even now at 2.9 isn't a great sleeper in the bed.

bigcar · 24/08/2007 09:55

How did your ds climb out of the cot? If he piled any toys up, or climbed up a bumper remove them and see if he does it again. My ds1 learnt how to clasp his toes round the bars and pull himself up to climb out at about 16 months. At which point we decided it was safer all round to move him to a bed with a bed guard where he would have a shorter distance to fall. He had done this quite a few times though before we took that decision, I would probably wait and see if he does it again. Good luck for next friday!

MrsPuddleduck · 24/08/2007 09:57

I know its a bit hot but what about putting him in a sleeping bag?

singyswife · 24/08/2007 09:58

HI I moved my dd when she was about this age. She wasnt a great sleeper anywhere mind you. I put her in the bed with bed guard (soft one from mothercare) and put a stair gate at the top of the stairs. She was absolutely fine and as I was pg with no 2 she didnt feel bad when we moved her out of the cot to make room for dd2. Hope that made sense.

notnowbernard · 24/08/2007 09:59

Hi, had the opposite to Hana... dd1 also started climbing out of her cot at 18m, I remember it well as we had just moved to a new flat... felt there was no option but to put her in a bed (risk of falling out etc) so went for it... was amazed at how she settled into it, she didn't even get out of the bed once on the first night. And has slept well in it since (now 3.8). I remember we didn't make a big deal of it, I don't think we even told her she was going in a 'big girl's bed', just put her to bed as normal.

But agree the imminent arrival/arrival of a new sibling does strange things to a child!

Good luck and Congratulations, by the way

RedFraggle · 24/08/2007 12:38

My DD also climbed out around this age. We moved her to a bed with mothercare bed guards and she is fine. As someone slse mentioned - perfect for freeing up the cot too!

Original poster

LoopyLouLisa · 24/08/2007 14:38

Hiya,

I wasn't in the room when he did it so not sure quite how as there is only one teddy in his cot. We already have another cot for lo and are in the process of decorating the spare room for ds, so that lo can go into the nursery in a few months time.

I usually take a nap now while he's sleeping but i'm too scared. I have asked dp to change the location of the stairgate to go across ds's door when he comes home from work tonight. At least then he wont be able to leave his room.

I'm desperately praying that this is a one-off for now and that it'll be at least a month before he tries it again. if he does it again before lo comes at least dp will be here on paternity leave for a couple of weeks so that should ease the load of me trying to get ds into a bed by myself (dp usually works away mon-fri).

They certainly don't stay babies for very long, as I finding out, and it makes me more determined to try and enjoy lo for those early months

OP posts:

Mumpbump · 24/08/2007 14:41

Hiya. We have a stairgate across the doorway that leads to ds and our room. I wouldn't move him into a big bed at this stage of the game, but we are keeping ds in our room (where he has been sleeping for a couple of months 'cos we needed his room) because I am due in 5 weeks and we feel it's too late to move him back into his own room.

As long as he can't fall down the stairs, what is it that worries you about your ds climbing out and running around upstairs?

Original poster

LoopyLouLisa · 24/08/2007 14:44

P.S.

where do you leave your toddler when you need to shower/use the toilet/etc?

Now that he is getting so mobile I am finding it really hard to fit in basic stuff like that. before I waited til he was in bed asleep before having a shower but by the time he's asleep now it's just too late. I am struggling to think of somewhere safe.

thx
xx

OP posts:

ksld · 24/08/2007 14:46

I would suggest putting him in a bed straight away. Depends on what sort of child he is, but if is getting adventurous and independent he'll keep on trying to get out of his cot. I was worried about moving my ds to a bed when he started climbing out but had no problems at all. More of a concern if falls and hurts himself. Ds was a bit unsure of bed the first night so I got in and cuddled him with a story and that was it. Slept better with more space I think.
Also don't worry about big changes around time of baby coming - just give him lots of support and he should be fine. As long as they know they are loved and you are there for them too making some changes is not a bad thing. My ds went to nursery for first time 2 weeks after ds2 born and was fine.

Mumpbump · 24/08/2007 14:50

If I have a shower, I shut him in the bathroom with me; if I go to the loo, I tend to let him run around, but keep the door open so I can shout "stop" if he heads for the stairs, but he can get down them by himself now so not such a worry.

Blu · 24/08/2007 14:51

DS climbed out of his cot at a similiar age and the carpet burns on his forehead meant he never spent another night in his cot. I just couldn't bear the worry - or that next time he could break his arm.
Can you get a toddler bed today? IKEA or somewhere local? And get him in it before the baby is born? as long as your DS does not see the baby go straight into his old cot, he should be ok, shouldn't he?
DS didn't wander out of his bed, because we never gave him any inkling that there was 'life outside bed' once he was in it. I did stay with him until he went to sleep, then never brought him downstairs or gave him any idea there was anything worth getting up or out for. It was ok.
You could put a stairgate across his door to stop hi venturing on to the stairs at night?

lailasmum · 24/08/2007 14:55

My dd has been in an ordinary single since 18 months. Its just too dangerous if they climb out of a cot. At least you can put a side guard on the middle bit of an ordinary bed and then he can climb in and out without risking major injury.

Original poster

LoopyLouLisa · 24/08/2007 14:59

mumpbump, yes, falling down the stairs is a worry for me atm as he's not great at it yet. also as i said we are decorating the spare room and there are just too many hazards there and the door will not shut properly (my landlord wont do any repairs anywhere in the house) and he has a curent obsession with the toilet and toilet brush, although I have moved the brush out of his reach now.

i will be having lo in a moses basket in my room for the first few months as room is not big enough for a cot. I am worried about him pulling over the basket while it 's on a stand, or climbing into it if it's on the floor. when lo is in her own room i'd rather he can't go in there and disturb her, and i prefer leaving the bedroom doors slightly ajar rather than monitors. my intention was, once everyone is settled in their new bedrooms, to have the gate across the landing, so that ds can come into our room but not bathroom/baby's room or downstairs, and that is where the gate is at the moment.

OP posts:

wolveschick · 24/08/2007 15:01

When we caught DD2 balanced precariously at top of cot, one leg in, one leg out we went ought that day and bought a toddler bed (I still maintain it is abit false economy and would have preferred a proper adult sized single but she seemed so small). Thought about putting her in a bag but was worried about possibility of summer heatwave (why??) but also dont put her in bag to nap in the day. As DH put it, would you rather have her fall from the toddler bed or top of cot (friends DD did break her arm doing exactly this at 20 months). DD2 slept the whole night through and loves the bed-with a bed guard on it to limit the escape routes! Wouldnt worry about change around the time of new baby. In his mind it will seem like ages before the baby comes and wouldnt think he would link the 2. Good luck

Mumpbump · 24/08/2007 15:04

I see your point... Could your dh fix the door so the hazards in that room can be shut off? With the newborn baby, you could always put the him/her in the cot for a few minutes to keep ds at bay whilst you nip to the toilet/shower. I would have thought climbing back into a cot would be harder than climbing out!!

Original poster

LoopyLouLisa · 24/08/2007 15:05

his cot is a cotbed and he will be keeping it as we were given another cot for lo.

OP posts:

lailasmum · 24/08/2007 16:14

maybe convert the bed into the cotbed into its toddler bed mode then and put a bed guard on the side.

saffymum · 24/08/2007 16:16

I suggest you put the cot to its lowest height and take the side off. Put one of those flexible guard rails onto the side to help keep him in. My experience is that once they find out how to do it they keep trying to recreate the great feeling of liberation! Also, do you really want to be lifting after a CS?

saffymum · 24/08/2007 16:17

I don't think it would be too much of a change especially if you make it the 'big boy' step.

cylon · 24/08/2007 16:17

where will th enewborn be sleeping?
as long as the newborn isnt taking over your ds's cot, i dont htink it matters what you do.

mammaduck · 24/08/2007 16:18

sleeping bags don't necessarily stop them climbing.

my DS managed to climb out of his toddler bed and onto the windowsill, open the window, lean precariously out and shout 'Hello there!'. God I nearly died.

Have now moved bed and locked the window.

But he did all this wearing a sleeping bag.

They know no fear!

Original poster

LoopyLouLisa · 24/08/2007 19:59

when he woke from his nap i caught him half out of the cot again and only just managed to stop him diving onto the floor. I've spent this afternoon converting cot into bed, moving anything he could climb on out of his room and dp has put gate across his door. I do not have a guard rail but will get on e tomorrow i think, for tonight i've put his old mattress on the floor at the side of the bed, although the drop is only about 6-8 inches anyway.

wish me luck!!!!!!

OP posts:

mummyjuls · 24/08/2007 21:12

My little boy managed to climb out of his cot when he was 9months old all i heard was a loud bang and rushed into his room to find him crawling along the bedroom floor!! that night i put him in an actual single bed and put a padded play mat along the floor at the side of the bed he's bn in a single bed now ever since he was 9months and he nearly 2 now he's only ever came out 3times. health visitor said the single bed gave him more room to stretch out.

startouchedtrinity · 24/08/2007 21:18

Loopy, I have had advice on this from two amazing hvs, one retired and one my current hv. The retired one says get them out of a cot as soon as they show signs of trying to climb - if they do it once that is it, it is no longer safe. My own hv recommended that with dd1 (who was cot-phobic rather than a climber) that we totally toddler-proofed her room, put the stairgate across the door, no big toys or toy boxes, chests of drawers etc (as they can use them to climb), and put a matress on the floor. No need for a bed guard (and if your ds climbs he will climb that) and a nice safe play space that you can use to put ds when taking a shower etc.

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