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Sleep

Join our Sleep forum for tips on creating a sleep routine for your baby or toddler. Need more advice on your childs development? Sign up to our Ages and Stages newsletter here.

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Original poster

Ah ffs. He's climbing out of the bloody cot.

49 replies

Sparrowlegs248 · 13/08/2017 20:23

We stay at my parents once a week, the idea being I get a bit of a break with a 2 yr old and 6 month old. (useless husband)

I put toddler to bed, he's really reliable usually. Gone to put him to bed. Climbing out. And now screaming at me because I won't let him climb out.

He's just two and in no way ready for a bed, and in any case, we are not prepared (the bedroom) for him to be in the bed.

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wobblywonderwoman · 13/08/2017 22:18

My 3 year old helps the 2 year old escape by bringing the toddler chair down to the bedroom (a long way!)

Original poster

Sparrowlegs248 · 13/08/2017 22:19

Fate no he's not been in a sleeping bag since winter. He's very tall although only just 2, the age 3 ones we had were outgrown. It's also very warm, he's a warm child and sleeping in shorts and t shirt pj's.

I'm appreciate everyone's advice, but will say that I have had a LOT of advice and help from Fate, particularly with Ds1 (the climber) which I have also utilized with Ds2. (a much easier sleeper)

One of the reasons Ds1 sleeps so well and goes to bed so nicely (normally) is because I've followed some of fates excellent advice. Although I've posted in the sleep topic, this really is more if a behavioural issue. I'd said that to my mum before fate posted. He had a tantrum because I was in the room asking him to lay down when he wanted to climb out.

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Original poster

Sparrowlegs248 · 13/08/2017 22:20

Oh and re 'D'h, he is stbx and not a lot I can do to make him shape up. Just ship out. So yeah, thanks for that helpful advice.

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andbabymakesthree · 13/08/2017 22:21

As soon as they start the climbing it's time to move towards bed.

Doesn't matter how great your parenting skills are. Children are unpredictable and once they've learnt to climb it's dangerous.

Good luck!

Original poster

Sparrowlegs248 · 13/08/2017 22:22

He's asleep, no more climbing efforts.

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FATEdestiny · 13/08/2017 22:28

he's not been in a sleeping bag since winter

You could get one just for at your house, maybe? Given that he is only climbing there and not at home. Slumbersac do aged 3-6y sleeping bags from about £20.

I recently saw the attached picture on Facebook, as a DIY suggestion to stop cot climbing. Genius idea I thought. Sew a piece of material between the legs of a slerpsuit. It's only likely to work with a sleepsuit or onesie though, on a practical level. Not tried it, just liked the idea.

Ah ffs. He's climbing out of the bloody cot.

Kardashianlove · 13/08/2017 22:28

I agree it's a behavioural issue and one you might have to still deal with if he was in a bed. I think people are saying a bed from a safety point of view rather than a sleep point of view.

You could follow all of fate's advice re: him staying in the cot but if you think he's gone to sleep for example when he hasn't and go to the loo/downstairs and he climbs out, he could really hurt himself.
Or he could wake up and climb out.
Also, you would have to watch him in the cot so if he's used to going to sleep by himself, it may make him worse if you're there whereas a bed you could leave the room and just return him to bed if he gets out (sorry if have got that wrong and you stay with him while he goes to sleep).

FATEdestiny · 13/08/2017 22:29

Could you get one just for at your mums* house, maybe? - that should have said.

Original poster

Sparrowlegs248 · 13/08/2017 22:33

I could get one just for here, I hope he doesn't try climbing at home too!

Like I said if he climbs out here he's onto a bed so not far to fall or a hard landing. If he starts at home then that's different and we'll have to nail a lid to his cot. Obviously I'll look at a bed then, but I am loathe to disrupt him atm for both our sakes.

I do leave him to sleep at home but stay with him here.

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Kardashianlove · 13/08/2017 22:34

Also, just be careful with a growbag (especially if he's tall). I know a tall toddler who managed to get out of a cot in a growbag and was quite badly injured, probably more than if climbing out as I think they sort of threw themselves/flipped over the bars then couldn't land properly as in the grow bag.

Babbit · 13/08/2017 22:37

My son climbed out of his cot, on the lowest setting, at 11 months and broke his collar bone. We moved him into a bed and didn't look back.

Original poster

Sparrowlegs248 · 13/08/2017 22:40

He's not a great climber in general, or rather has been late to safely do things that others do easily (such as turning over onto belly and slithering down off the sofa or bed) but now he's getting the hang of things he seems to have leapt forwards quite a lot and gets the hang of it quickly.

I am not sure how well a sleeping bag would be received at this stage, because he's so mobile I feel like it had started disturbing him quite a bit as he'd end up tangled in it.

Ours is a very cold house in winter and I was a big fan of the sleeping bag. Not sure how we'll manage without one this winter.

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Titsywoo · 13/08/2017 22:40

Sew a bit of fabric between the knees of his sleepsuit. That'll stop him lifting his leg high enough!

Titsywoo · 13/08/2017 22:41

Oops that's already been mentioned!

Kardashianlove · 13/08/2017 22:41

It sounds like your routine is already different at your mums so I wouldn't worry about a bed being different.
If he's climbing out the cot, he's already disrupted. You know him best though and if you think he'll sleep better in the cot as long as he's safe then it's fine.

I would worry about him wanting to climb out onto the bed (as it probably seems like great fun) and jumping onto the bed and falling or something. You know the room though and whether it's safe, etc.

Could you try him in the single bed next time and leave the cot up? Rather than changing things round or is it needed for you/someone else to sleep in?

Original poster

Sparrowlegs248 · 13/08/2017 22:45

No.its not needed but although he can safely get down from.it awake, he'd never stay in it asleep. He roams far and wide in his sleep. A bed guard wouldn't be enough. I could put a toddler bed in place of the cot but there's the worry of him being up a million times.

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Original poster

Sparrowlegs248 · 13/08/2017 22:46

He doesn't wear sleepsuits anymore. He's outgrown all vests and sleepsuits aged 2-3 about six months ago! He was 2 a couple of weeks ago.

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Original poster

Sparrowlegs248 · 13/08/2017 22:47

Otherwise I like the idea of hobbling with the sleepsuits.

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FATEdestiny · 13/08/2017 22:49

The sleeping bag is just to discourage, doesn't stop the need to teach not to climb.

I'd give it a bit of time before making sny snap decisions Notta. Am I rightctgat yoyre just there once a week? He may well have forgotten by next week, if this time is the first time.

Just be ready to be on-it next week, constantly reitterating and praising for lying down so he doesn't even get to think about climbing. It may well just pass when he tries pushing the boundaries and realises that they are not flexible. Toddlers test boundaries, it's what they do.

Yowser · 13/08/2017 22:51

My son managed to vault out of his cot at 18 months while wearing a Grobag. I still can't figure out how he managed it as the base of the cot was on the lowest setting so the sides were at maximum height. I remember hearing a massive crash from downstairs so I rushed up to find him wading across the room wearing the Grobag. I asked him how he'd managed to get out and he said, "Big jump!". I was so impressed he could actually answer me.

hopsalong · 13/08/2017 22:58

I wouldn't put any faith in the powers of the sleeping bag. DS1 was taking his sleeping bag off a couple of months before he worked out how to climb out of his cot (just before 2).

Have to admit, we then had the worst two months of sleep we'd had since he was a newborn, before he finally got the idea of his new 'bed' (actually just the cot mattress on the ground). Following for tips for DS2...

123bananas · 13/08/2017 23:02

None of mine lasted past 17 months old in a cot. I just did rapid return with little communication until they got the idea that leaping out was not going to get them back downstairs. Took about a week of repetition and not giving in by me and DH.

I had 3.5 tog sleepsuits for ds from Mothercare, but Jojo Maman Bebe do them too. Not sure about aged 3 size though.

Once ds out grew his last one I gave him a George Pig toddler duvet and pillow and that was it, stayed all snuggled up, all night. I did sleep with them in our bed to get our smell on them at first, as he always goes straight to sleep in our bed. He moved from the toddler bed to a normal size bed at 2.5 and slept more soundly through the night on the deeper mattress.

None of this helps you right now, he is just out of routine. Ds was like this last summer when visiting his grandmother and in a cot. He settled better the second night. Tomorrow tire him out so he is tired and the return game hopefully won't last as long.

Kardashianlove · 13/08/2017 23:15

You might be surprised at him staying more still in a bed than he does in the cot. You can get bedguards the length of a single bed but it might be more dangerous him climbing out of that than the cot!

Fate-I understand the need to teach not to climb but surely it's really danagerous if they do climb out. Even if you do a great job at teaching them, like you say, 2 year olds are known for testing boundaries and could get really hurt climbing out a cot in a sleeping bag/sewn up baby grow. It just doesn't seem very safe. You could teach them to lie down and they could do it for weeks/months then one night decide to climb out.

Original poster

Sparrowlegs248 · 14/08/2017 21:52

Due to events beyond my control we have stayed another night, no attempt at climbing out today.

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