How do you co sleep once they crawl?

[sourpatchkid]

can't lower the bed, I can't push it up against a wall. I assume cushions aren't safe?

So what do I do once DC starts crawling? We are currently very happy co sleepers 😊

The next skill they learn after crawling is often climbing up and down things - up and down stairs, on and off the sofa etc. This often comes before walking. So there probably won't be long until baby can safely climb off the bed (by crawling backwards then dangling legs down and lowering torso off the bed).

I would practice climbing on and off stuff, in particular the bed, so at least you know baby can do it safely once it's learnt. In the mean time cushions on the floor break a fall. Children are fairly robust creatures.

The safest way would be to ditch your bed base completely and put your mattress directly on the floor. This is often utilised for safer long term cosleeping in a family bed.

If not, reacting quickly to any wake ups and/or having a baby who no longer wakes in the night helps. It means you just have to supervise going to sleep and make sure you are in the room for any wake ups.

My DS learnt the dangle/drop move pretty quickly (pre-walking, I seem to remember) you can also get bed guards that fit double/king beds. I think we also used to have him in the middle a lot (keeping pillows/divet clear of him etc)

Bed guards!!! Bloody genius- thank you!
That will buy us some time.

Oh god Fate, I hadn't considered the step AFTER crawling better work on clearing the room in case he manages to choose to get out of bed

Thank you 😊

I put the cot mattress that she never bloody slept in on the floor one side and some big visions on the other, bed guards are ok but a faff for adults to friend in / out of the bed, especially when your creeping in trying not to wake them

I put DD in a sleeping bag and held onto the bottom of it.

We have bed guards. They fold up and down. But once he was bigger he started sleeping in the middle between us. I know it's not the done thing when they're tiny but by this point he was pretty robust and my husband is as light a sleeper as me.

DD has always slept in the middle of the bed (except when she slept on me).

I assumed your co sleeping
Thing we have tried when DD wants to sleep in our bed

Put a mattress on the floor
Or one parent at each side sleeping like half moons lol
Pregnancy pillow the one in a big v
Best And safest is a close fitting sleeping bag / grow bag to hinder movement

Grobag and hang onto it.

Then dh moved back in to the family bed and she went in the middle.

Thankfully at 22 months she's now in her cot all night mostly

Thanks everyone, DH currently sleeps in another room so they're is plenty of space. Just planning ahead

We use foam wedges that go under the sheet rather than bed guards - not going to stop them if they're determined to get out but it will stop them rolling and they're quite comfy to snuggle into.

I'd definitely recommend practising getting off the bed safely as well.

Good luck! My DD always just stayed put, hoping DS will be the same!

Ds1 didn't master the art of getting of the bed for ages. He stood up and tried to walk off if he was doing it on purpose.

He walked at 12 months but was about 20 months before he consistently got down from things by getting on his belly and lowering himself off. He slept between me and husband though

And did the initial bit of the night in his cot so no falling out.