Help / advice / tips needed. Toddler climbing out of cot.

[Milsandmyls]

Hi all,

my 2 year old has recently mastered the art of climbing out of his cot which has made nap and bed time so much harder. I used to be able to put him down and he’d settle himself but now he keeps climbing out and getting over tired. I’ve tried taking him out for a walk, sitting in a dark room but nothing seems to be working. Plus he seems to be dropping his day time nap. Could this also be a sleep regression. I have a 4 week old baby too so really struggling especially on nights like tonight when I’m on my own as husband is doing night shift. Any tips and advice would be great. TIA

Get rid of the cot, time for a toddler bed. Remove anything dangerous in the room, put some toys/booke etc. Stair gate on the door and then put them to bed and leave them in the room. They can potter and play until ready to sleep. Eave them to it

I was the opposite to pp.

Mattress/cushions/pillows underneath so they didn't hurt themselves if they climbed out.
Every time they climbed out you quietly but firmly put them back in, say night night, time to sleep, and walk straight back out. No smiles, no chippy voice, just very bland face and voice.

Repeat multiple times, over multiple nights, but by the end of the week they know you mean it so they settle down straight away.

Ok fab @Youcancallmeirrelevant so he basically has to learn how to self settle again? I’ve heard that it’s probably time to move to a toddler bed but our childminder said a few weeks ago he’s not ready for the transition yet.

make his room toddler safe, put a stair gate across the door and get rid of the cot

@INeedAnotherName how many times are we taking 🤣 Ive put him back about 4 times already since posting this which makes me wonder if it’s a regression as well?

and there is another post on MN today with someone describing how their child broke their arm climbing out of a cot. cushions are not going to prevent the child hurting themselves

The cot goes the first time the child gets out of it

@cranberrypi omg scary! We’ve got one of those cots where the sides can come off to convert it into a bed. I’ll get my husband to sort it asap 😱

It's not ideal to make a big change to toddler bed so close to another major change (new sibling), but safety is also important so your best option is probably to do it.

There is a sleep regression at age 2, so self settling will happen again.

Since when did childminders become the authority on this? They become ready when they are able to climb out of the cot....and out themselves at risk. Whatever age you do it they will fuck about and run around the room, they will probably do the same when you get rid of the stair gate too. Might as well get it over with now.

Does your child have a sleeping bag or duvet?
My LO learnt to climb out at 2 years and 2 months when he had a duvet. So I put him back in a sleeping back. Worked a treat! When he was old enough to understand the transition a bit more (at just before 3) I moved him into his big bed

Mine go into beds once they can climb out so DC1 moved to bed at 13 months, DC2 at 24 months and DC3 is 15 months and currently still in the cot. Not worth the risk of a bad fall whilst climbing out.

It's like anything. The first night it seems constant, the second night is a lot less, the third night is only a couple of times, the fourth, fingers crossed, they stay in. It sets them up to know mum means what she says about anything, and will make your life soooooo much easier going forward.

As for breaking their arms, never heard of it happening amongst my peers, and I'm not entirely sure how it could happen since the cot bars are vertical. What would they catch their arm on to break it? Breaking it on a hard landing sure, but that's what the cushions etc are for.

You need to get rid of the cot.
There is a chance of falling, head first, from the top of the cot railings, which is a dangerous fall.

The rest, you can deal with. DS spent a lot of time sleeping on his floor.

cushions are absolutely not going to prevent breaking an arm. They might lesson a bruised head, but are no protection at all against landing twisted

@febbabies2023 you are a genius and have saved my sanity. I’ve put him in one for tonight and he is settling. I will definitely transition to a toddler bed but for tonight this will work!!!

@Milsandmyls glad I could help! This saved us for MONTHS! And whilst some kids may be ready to transition at 18m or 2 or whatever mine wasn't! So honestly if I were you; if the sleeping bag works, stick with it! Hope you have a peaceful night now x

@febbabies2023 we will definitely try the transition but glad to know this will work if he isn’t ready. He’s flat out now. As someone else mentioned the arrival of a new sibling on top of changing beds might be a bit overwhelming. Thank you times a million 🤣

Do you have any tips? Mine has just started this and can climb out even with a sleeping bag on so I had to change it to a bed and he will not stay in his bed! Bedtime is now hell we are both so tired