OMG -- my DS just 'fell' out of his cotbed - what do I do now???!

[lynniep]

He's ok, I think (hope) but its a long way to fall for a 21month old. He was having his usual nighttime barney and I'd left him to scream it out for five whilst I sat next door in our room.
All of a sudden bang, clunk, I run to nursery, and there he is standing all bewildered by the door. He must have managed to swing his leg over the top and heave himself over.
He went to sleep about 10 minutes later after I'd put him back inwith cuddles and sat outside the door so he could see me (which was what I was trying to move past hence sitting in the next room). I'm presuming he's fine but I've turned on the breathing monitor so I can hear but I dont know how he fell and I'm hoping it wasnt on his head! (which actually is pretty tough)

Now I'm panicked about leaving him in the cotbed. He's not at all ready for a junior bed - or is he? His sleep habits are terrible (totally regressed since last bout of poorly - used to go down fine - I'd say 'night night' and shut door - although middle of the night has always been random waking) But I think I'd rather have him wandering around than throwing a paddy and climbing out of his cotbed again. (He can't fall down the stairs because of gate - although I wouldnt put it past him)

Eeeegh - what do I do? Am I going to have to abandon attempts at CC now? Its so frustrating as even night time crying used to (about two months ago) last no longer than 7 minutes. Now he just gets hysterical, and as I've discovered, jumps out of his cot. I seriously don't think he'll have learnt anything from this and I can't risk him injuring himself if he does it again.

put him in a single bed or put a folded up duvet at the side of the cotbed incase he does it again or take the side off the cotbed so it's less far to fall.

If he's figured it out, he'll do it again. (I watched my DS climb out at the same age, frighteningly quick and quite easy once they've figured out how to sling their leg up over the side). We took the cot side off the next day and fitted a stair gate to the bedroom door. Check the bedroom for safety hazards and then think of the whole bedroom as the new cot! The end of an era I'm afraid.

I think once they can get out of a cot you have no choice but to put them in a bed, albeit one with a bedguard.

I agree with Harpo.

DS had carpet burns on his forehaed when he launched himself over the side of his cot, and i didn't feel i could risk it ever again.

He slept on his mattress on the floor tilI bought a low toddler bed.

id put the cotbed to a bed, they are designed for this wee problem...gets them used to a "big" bed without falling too far.your most likely going to have nightmare bedtimes for the first few weeks with dc getting up over and over ,so get a stairgate and fit it over the bedroom door untill he gets bebtime again! good luck

if you let him choose bedding (cartoon duvet set) he is more likely to want to get in the bed too. make a fuss of him being a big boy in a big bed ,that should help a bit x

ok, thanks for advice. I think you're right I'm going to have to take the side off the cotbed and get a bedguard to stop the rolling out.
Gah - I was going to make the decision to do bed - now he's made it for me! I'm going to have to go in and DS-proof his room now. Aw cr*p. He climbs up onto his nursing chair so I'm probably going to have to rethink having that in there as well, although that's where we read to him before bed.
Nooooo - I'm not reaaddyy!!!!

(Don't forget window locks/limiters if you haven't already.)