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Parenting

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Original poster

How to stop 4 mo bumping her head on crib wall?

16 replies

CoalCraft · 07/05/2021 07:08

DD has recently "graduated" from next-to-me to full-size wooden crib. Overall it's been great but there's just one issue. When lying on her back DD has a way of wriggling that pushes her backwards, so if you put her down at the foot of the crib she will wriggle her way up until her head is pressed against the other end, and then keep pushing. It isn't deliberate, just a consequence of how she kicks her feet. This wasn't a problem in the next-to-me as the end was soft padding, but now in the full crib she's basically banging her head against solid wood (the head and foot panels are not slatted). I can actually hear little knocking sounds :(

I really don't think there's any stopping her wriggling that way so I need a way to cushion the blow. I am tempted to take her old Moses basket mattress and slot it behind the crib mattress, holding it in place by pushing it between the side bars. DH is unsure though as he's afraid of it falling on her and also he points out that crib bumpers are a SIDS risk. I really don't think it would fall but concede he's right about the advice. However both her next-to-me and Moses basket had padded head ends and I don't understand how this would be different.

Thoughts / advice?

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Findahouse21 · 07/05/2021 07:11

That would be really really risky in terms. The lullaby trust has really clear guidance about clear cots. People might come on and tell you that their babies were okay doing simillar things, but one baby might not be. Please don't do it. She'll soon learn not to, and although it might sound loud, if she's not distressed then unlikely to be hurting her in anyway

Megan2018 · 07/05/2021 07:16

Do not put anything in the cot, or attach anything to the cot- it’s dangerous as it’s a suffocation risk.
She’ll grow out of doing it and won’t do herself any harm. Banging in to things is part of normal proprioception development, they all do it in some shape or form
Just put baby in the cot correctly and leave them to it. It’s normal and they don’t need any help.

Original poster

CoalCraft · 07/05/2021 07:19

I don't understand why it's okay for the a Moses basket to be fully padded all the way round but not a crib?

And I'm sure it's not good for her to be bumping her head repeatedly. You all may be right that this isn't the answer but something needs to be done.

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Original poster

CoalCraft · 07/05/2021 07:21

I've been experimenting and things don't fit the way I was thinking anyway, so it's a no-go

OP posts:

Seeline · 07/05/2021 07:24

Is she in a sleeping bag? That might reduce the movement

Chickenlickeninthepot · 07/05/2021 07:33

She's going to bang into a million things over the next 18 months learning to crawl and walk. She will stop doing it at some point and if it hurt she'd stop or cry. Don't put anything in the cot.

linerforlife · 07/05/2021 07:37

My DD used to do this too. She quickly grew out of it within weeks.

denverRegina · 07/05/2021 07:40

"And I'm sure it's not good for her to be bumping her head repeatedly. You all may be right that this isn't the answer but something needs to be done."

No, she's fine, she's not harming herself. The fact you thought it was ok to prop a mattress up there initially is worrying.

Nothing "needs to be done". Keep her cot clear.

LakeShoreD · 07/05/2021 07:41

It’s totally normal and they grow out of it quickly. Putting anything in the cot is far more dangerous than a small head bump so definitely don’t do that. If you’re really concerned then you could have her sleep in a travel cot for now as they have soft sides but personally I’d just leave her unless she’s actually hurting herself and crying.

Biancadelrioisback · 07/05/2021 07:46

@denverRegina

"And I'm sure it's not good for her to be bumping her head repeatedly. You all may be right that this isn't the answer but something needs to be done."

No, she's fine, she's not harming herself. The fact you thought it was ok to prop a mattress up there initially is worrying.

Nothing "needs to be done". Keep her cot clear.

It's not worrying at all! She's a new mum and worried about her baby. Don't try and make her feel bad. She thought there was a problem and was trying to come up with a solution.

KM38 · 07/05/2021 07:50

Agree with everyone else...absolutely nothing in the cot. It’s not worth the risk in my opinion. I’m sure she’s absolutely fine. If it was hurting her she’d let you know she’s distressed.

If it worries you so much then can you not just keep moving her back? 🤔 or am I missing something? 🤷🏻‍♀️ My DS constantly rolls and pressed his face against the side bars and sticks his arms out of them. I’m sure he’d be fine but it worries me and I can’t settle knowing he’s like that so I just get up and move him back about 50x per night 🤷🏻‍♀️

Sls668 · 07/05/2021 08:35

Is she really long? My baby is 6 months and nowhere near big enough to ‘outgrow’ her bedside crib?

Megan2018 · 07/05/2021 09:00

@CoalCraft

I don't understand why it's okay for the a Moses basket to be fully padded all the way round but not a crib?

And I'm sure it's not good for her to be bumping her head repeatedly. You all may be right that this isn't the answer but something needs to be done.

Ask your HV, they will confirm baby won’t be harmed and will tell you to do nothing. But please do not put anything in the cot or around the cot. Just don’t.

Original poster

CoalCraft · 07/05/2021 09:19

It's not just the odd head bump here and there though, it's repeated bumps with pressing against the wood in between. It really doesn't look great. I hear you all though. We have a HV visit on Monday by happenstance so I will ask for reassurance that it's okay then. In the meantime I'll just get up and move her back when I hear the knocking.

She hasn't outgrown the next-to-me as such, she just really doesn't sleep well in it. I'm not sure whether it's because she's so close to us that our noises wake her up or if it was just the super hard mattress but we all get more sleep now that she's moved.

She already sleeps in a sleeping bag. Doesn't seem to stop the movement at all.

I still don't understand why it's okay for s Moses basket to be padded all the way round and a next-to-me to have a padded fabric head end but a crib must just be solid wood.

OP posts:

Lockdownmummy · 07/05/2021 09:52

The padding in a Moses basket is an integrated part of it so no risk of becoming loose, creating a gap etc that could then be a danger to the baby.

Do talk to your HV but my DS did exactly the same for a while then stopped. I think because the cot bed is quite big it echos when he hits it so sounds much worse/harder than it actually is!

Seeline · 07/05/2021 12:23

My crib had bars, as did the cot, not solid wood.

Could you move her into a cot instead?

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