HAVE A CRIB JUMPER?!
Uh ohhhh! It is very common for a toddler to figure out that they can climb out of their crib. Many people at this time jump to the conclusion (pun intended ;)) that this means they need a toddler bed. Before you do this... keep reading!!
There are several things that you can do to make it so your child is less able to jump out of their crib AND you can teach your child to stay in their crib, even if they can easily make their way out.
Here are Some Facts:
It is developmentally normal for a child to test this out. Whether it be for fun or attention!
Given the height of the crib, your child is very unlikely to get hurt. What we recommend for parents who are unsure is to put a landing pad around the crib (just don't tell them what it's for!).
Prior to 3 years old (often before 3.5 years!) children lack impulse control and do not understand "imaginary boundaries." You can tell them all you want "you have to stay in your bed" and they might agree in the moment, but they simply cannot follow through with it!
The sweet spot to transition to a toddler bed is usually around 3.5 years old. We recommend keeping them in a crib for as long as possible! It will make the transition go much more smoothly and it will save your sanity!
Here are Some Tips & Tricks!
Remove the spring board and drop the mattress all the way to the ground. Just make sure there isn't a gap between the top of the mattress and bottom of the crib. If there is, put a piece of plywood, a yoga mat or ABC foam mat underneath to bridge that gap!
Put them in a sleep sack that is backwards and inside out. This will make it so they can't lift their leg as high!
If the crib has a higher side to it, you can turn it around so the lower side is on the wall. Looks funny, but works!
If they jump, return them to their crib without any interaction. You want to be calm, emotionless and silent! If they don't have an audience, they will realize they are getting nothing out of practicing for the Olympics when they should be sleeping :)
Our team has successfully worked with a ton of crib jumpers!
Hear it from a mama who called us before making the transition: “Xan was so helpful with our almost 27 month old who was climbing out of her crib multiple times a night and waking up very early in the morning. As soon we as implemented Xan’s strategies, our daughter stopped climbing out of her crib and now stays in even if she wakes up in the middle of the night. We were amazed at how much Xan was able to help us, and highly recommend her for any toddler sleep issues!” - S.B
And from a mama who made the switch back to a crib!: “Our 3 year old was jumping out of his crib and we had transitioned him to the bed because we had thought he was developmentally ready for the big boy bed. Oh boy, were we wrong! This caused our toddler to not want to go to bed at all. Long story short, for 3 weeks, he refused to go to sleep and would fall asleep at midnight causing an absolute ruckus in the house. Luckily, we were recommended to Xan and she saved the day! With her expertise and strong game plan, our son was completely back on track at night 3…going to bed on time and sleeping through the night. ENOUGH SAID. We also followed Xan’s recommendation of putting our son back in his crib and not moving forward with the toddler bed. Turns out our son just isn’t ready for the bed yet! My husband and I have been doing our happy dance ever since. So, the moral of the story is…don’t wait 3 weeks to call Xan…lesson learned.” - J.Z