Yesterday I went into the boys' room during Buddha's "quiet time" to feed Bugga and put him down. To my dismay, I found Buddha attempting to climb out of his crib! Well, that's it. Bye bye crib. We took off the sides and converted Buddha's crib into a toddler bed right then and there. We weren't about to have him flopping to the floor from his crib rail during a "nap" some time. Buddha has been super excited about this conversion. He often goes running into his bedroom, jumping onto his bed and jumping right back off...just because he can. He gets this little goofy grin on his face as a result of his new-found freedom. Well, needless to say, last night was interesting. When we first put Buddha down for bed, he lasted about 20 minutes before he very matter-of-factly opened his door, slipped out, and shut his door again. He looked at me and said, "I wake up!" I put him back in bed saying, "It's time for night-night, Buddha." A little while later, I heard him playing with the door stop on the other side of his door. Again I put him back in bed, saying only, "It's bed time." I prepared myself for more. I thought it would be a big struggle with a battle of wills. But, happily, there was no more (it might have helped that he hadn't taken a nap yesterday). Buddha was asleep and the rest of the night went as follows:10:00 pm - Buddha wakes up crying. I go in the bedroom to find him on his knees in the middle of his bed, whining and disoriented. Buddha goes back to sleep.
11:15 pm - I go into the bedroom to check on the boys. Buddha's bed is empty and the room is dark. On closer examination, I find Buddha curled up at my feet on the floor next to his door! :) I put him back in bed.
12:30 am - Bugga wakes up (teething issues, I think). I go in to nurse him and find Buddha face down in the pillow we strategically placed next to his bed for safety. I put him back in bed.
4:30 am - Bugga wakes up again (like I said, I think it's gotta be teething issues). Buddha is just fine! Woo hoo! :)
7:30 am - Buddha wakes up and opens his bedroom door looking quite pleased that he can just wake up and get out of bed himself. :) He said, "I wake up, Mommy!"
So here are some questions for you guys who have already been through all this. Did you find your kids all over their rooms the first couple of nights? Did your kids stay asleep when they fell out of bed? Did you leave them where they were if they stayed asleep or did you put them back in bed? Should I be getting those little side rail things? Will he eventually learn to stay in bed without those protective rails? Ah, what an adventure! :)
7 comments:
ok, so I got this great tip from a safety inspector when I did in home child care. He said he put the matress on the floor and their bodies naturally become aware of the boundaries. And if they fall off it is less of a distance to the floor. He said to put it on the floor for about a week. For Eli we moved him straight to a twin captain's bed. Way off the ground. We used a side rail and didn't really have any problems!
I can't remember how you four transitioned to regular beds from cribs. You all seem to be doing fine.
I do remember that both Daniel and Joseph began jumping their cribs at 17 and 18 months of age. It shocked me to see these little toddlers come out of their rooms after I had put them behind bars.
After a few clunks on the head from falling out of bed, toddlers self-adjust at night. I liked railings and I like the idea of a mattress on the floor.
We moved annicka into a twin bed on the floor, with a railing when she was 18 months. We would find her asleep in the craziest places and would always put her back in her bed. After a couple weeks she started to fall asleep and stay in her bed. She couldn't open doors yet when we moved her and since she has learned she seems to understand that she has to have permission to come out. The first couple nights she didn't sleep as well, but she sleeps through the night without any problems, now. Usually, that is. We do still have to go in every once a while to put her back to bed. That how we did it.
May 21, 2007 1:34 PM, Kari said:
When we first moved Parker to a big bed we went right to a twin so we used the side rails for a while. At first I don't think Parker realized that he could get out because the first few nights were great. But after that we had many nights, and still do, of have to take him back to bed over and over. Your lucky Buddha stayed in his room for the most part. I bet after awhile when the newness wears off he'll stay in his bed. But bed time routines sure change when you can't cage them in anymore. It's a fun transition. Congrats to Buddha on being such a big boy and getting to sleep in a big boy bed!!
May 21, 2007 2:32 PM, Lisa F said:
I suggest that you use some side rails. They help a lot. Then they don't fall out of bed. Parker has fallen asleep on the ground during his nap. He sleeps really deep so I put him back in his bed. If Buddha is a light sleeper I would just leave him where he is. We are lucky because Parker still doesn't open the door to his room.
May 21, 2007 6:35 PM, Brooklet said:
We also moved Claire straight to a twin bed and put up a safety rail, because she was a rolly polly at nights. But she has been sleeping in the bed for about a year now and she has really stopped moving around.
She also doesn't get out of bed in the middle of the nights. Maybe mentally the rail deters her. She used to get up in the mornings and play for a while in her room before coming out, but now she just wakes up and yells for me to come get her. I think it just a novelty for Buddha right now, and soon he will learn to stay in his bed.
May 21, 2007 8:14 PM, Liz said:
Well, it's nice to know that others have been through this and that my kid will adjust as well. Thanks for all the good tips and comments guys!
P.S. Buddha has currently been asleep for 2 hours and he still hasn't rolled off the bed yet tonight! Cross your fingers and maybe I'll get some good rest tonight. :)
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