How do you co-sleep when they begin to crawl?

[lkmiscnet]

We have an almost 8 mo old and we co-sleep in the same bed, though I plan to go back to the sidecarred crib, which has been gathering dust.

How do I keep him safe when he begins to crawl, as sometimes he will sleep longer in the mornings and I can tiptoe away at this point?

Are there other options other than putting the mattress on the floor, since we want to use the sidecarred crib?

[haurelia]

Hi again!

We put DS to nap in the side-car and block off the open side with a body pillow and a couple of bed pillows. Now that he's a year old, he's just starting to pull them down and/or crawl over them when he wakes up. Probably not the most iron-clad solution, but it worked for us until now...however, we're considering putting the mattresses on the floor because he can handle that height if he crawls out and he's quick as the dickens now!

Good luck!

[ellasmomma]

Im curious to hear what other do. I have a 10 month old who sleeps in our bed. We have a cosleeper but he doesnt sleep longer than about 20 min in it for some reason.

About a month ago, my son woke up, without us hearing (we have monitors in the room) and fell off the bed. Scared the heck out of us.

Now, either my husband or I stay in the room when he naps or goes to bed. This is a less than desirable situation, but we don't know what else to do!

[DomerJen]

Since the top of our bed was so high off the ground, we just put it on the floor (and the crib mattress next to it). They aren't the same height, but at least there is more bed space and we don't have to worry about a 2.5' drop.

[Louisep]

A video monitor gave us so much peace of mind. I can see when he starts to stir and get there in time. Our bed is only about a foot and a half off the bed and it was quite easy to teach him how to get off safely.

[JessieBird]

I posted exactly this a few months ago!

We have bed-shared since day 1 but for a little while after he learned to crawl, I had to put DS down in a pack & play at the end of our bed for naps and at night before we went to bed. During this time, we practiced getting off the bed safely and it wasn't long before he could. We had two or three tumbles but they were never serious. I'd say we only needed the p&p for about 2 months, maybe less. Now he just crawls out of bed when he wakes up. I always hear him before he gets into any trouble. We baby proofed the bedroom thoroughly. I keep our door open so I can hear him but close the doors to other rooms and gate the stairs so he is totally safe if he wakes up and goes wandering.

[lindsayjean]

A couple of things. First, I teach them the MOMENT they start becoming mobile how to scoot off feet first on their tummies. If they know how to get of safely they are a lot less likely to just crawl right off the edge.

Also, we got a low platform bed from ikea. You could also just put your mattress on the floor (maybe get some wooden slats to put underneath for ventilation?). That way in the unlikely event they do fall off, it's not a very long fall. We got this bed after my DD fell off the bed (the one and only time it happened- I was at work and my husband was sleeping in there with her).

Our babes sleep inbetween us, but when one of us isn't there we put a big body pillow there, or we use our gobedbug under the fitted sheet.