Need some insight ASAP!

So... My girls are almost 26 months and A climbed out of her crib and hither head. B was not deterred and quickly hiked her leg up and tried to climb out too.. So my question... Do we transition? They have always been good sleepers in their cribs..l am back and forth att whether to take the plunge... I don't want them to get hurt but I wonder if they will forget and just go to sleep in cribs if we don't transition.. Thoughts?

 

I know a lot of people say to wait, but for our family the earlier the transition the better they kept their naps after the transition. My earliest was at about 18 months old. But, you have to be prepared to do whatever it takes, like removing items from their room. We stripped everything back and locked the closets. We just put their crib mattress on the floor.

 

I would transition. I seriously doubt they will forget! Even if they do just go to sleep without climbing a time or two - they will do it again! At least in this house. Once a climber, always a climber LOL!! I have never bought those crib tent things so I am not sure how good they work but that may be worth a look into if you don't think they would do well without cribs?

Like Nini H - I would just put their crib mattresses on the floor!

Good luck!!!!

 

In my house, climbing out meant it was time for a different bed. We took the sides of their cribs off, put the mattress down at the lowest level and my handy husband rebuilt one of the sides into half rails so no one would fall out, but if that hadn't worked, we were just going to put their crib mattresses on the floor until they were ready for twin beds. After a day or two of transition, my girls went right back to napping and sleeping through the night like they'd always done. I think part of it was that we transitioned early (20 months) so they didn't have that mischevious streak that older toddlers get, and we didn't make a big deal out of the change. Just told them that they were big enough to get in and out of bed by themselves and that was that.

Good luck!

 

I transitioned both boys at around 22 months. They weren't climbing, but I just couldn't reach in their cribs anymore to get them. I'm short so a daybed worked out MUCH better for me. They did great! I didn't have to put them back in to bed nearly as much as I was afraid to. I baby-proofed the room and took everything out but a few soft things so they wouldn't hurt themselves or make too much noise and wake each other up. They were in separate rooms, but they were right next to each other and they could wake each other up easily. I think I only had to go in there a few days. Beyond that, they'd stay in bed. They never got out of their napping schedule as they felt they graduated to being big boys now because of how good they have been.

I'd say if they are climbing out of their cribs, they are ready for the transition. It's not going to be perfect and some days they will try to get out of their beds. It's hard for kids to realize that just because they have more freedom does not mean they can take advantage of it. Some kids do take to their new freedom easier than others, but they will get it. Twisting up the words of Spiderman, With greater freedom comes greater responsibility.

....Sorry, I'm in a silly mood today.

 

My two never climbed out because we transitioned them before they were 2.

 

Thank you for all of your great quick replies! What do you think about dropping the mattress to the floor inside the cribs?

 

That has worked like a charm for us. One boy climbed out of his crib about 2.5 months ago, so the next day we removed the mattress support and just put the mattress directly on the floor inside their cribs. They haven't climbed out since. It also helps that we have video monitors so when I saw DS trying to hike his leg over (which was more difficult with mattress on floor) I went in and scolded him a couple of times. He hasn't tried to climb out since. But we do plan to transition them in the near future since they just turned 3 last weekend and its only a matter of time before they start climbing again.

 

If your cribs allow you to convert them to toddler beds I would do that first.They will still have railing from not rolling off the bed.And if they want to climb over that the fall will be shorter I was never a fan on putting mattress on the floor.
My guys were never climbers and slept in cribs until little over 3 and then It just got heavier to pick my son up when he had his night terrors and would cry.

 

Yep, I did this and I got another 6 months out of them. I wasn't ready for the transition!!

 

Are there any dangers to dropping the mattress to floor inside the crib? Like getting head foot, hand stuck? It is eerily quiet right now up there for nap time... Afraid to see what might be going on!

 

As long as there is no gap you should be fine. I dropped my boys before they ever attempted to climb out and they never tried after that. We made the switch to toddler beds on their 3rd birthday. By then they were done with napping so we only had to deal with bedtime issues.

A year later we had one who would go to bed later and wake up earlier and then wake his brother (then me) so I turned their playroom into another bedroom.

 

I have not read all the replies, so am not sure what has been suggested. I have another thread going right now about transitioning my boys at 32 months because DS1 has left us no choice.
If I were you, I'd definitely wait a few days, at least. DS1 climbed out 6 months ago 2x and we put enough healthy fear in him that he did not attempt it again until last week and now there's no stopping him. So, there is hope that it was a fluke. If you can easily stop her from doing it, I definitely would. I was hoping to keep my boys in their cribs until they turned 3, but DS1 had other ideas ;-)!
I also considered dropping the mattress to the floor, but like others, something about it doesn't sit quite right with me. I worry about them getting stuck somehow. And, I figure, I'll probably only buy a little extra time, if any at all, the way DS1 is climbing.
Good luck!