Is a crib futile?

[Tattooed Hand]

We want to get a crib. My DD is almost 10 months old and has never been in a crib. But she is super mobile now and for time when I am not sleeping with her (naps and the first part of the night - she sleeps around 7 or 7:30pm), we something to keep her safe. She tends to do alot of sleep crawling and standing and has been hurting/scaring herself.

But after not having one will I be able to get her in one. We nurse, rock, cuddle to sleep for naps and bed. How do you even get a baby in a crib in the first place? Sorry to sound so clueless.

Also, our beds are all on the floor, so the crib would be near our bed, but not on the same level, so really it's only for when I am not also sleeping (in which case, she and I sleep together). She currently sleeps alone in our bed for nap times.

[Peace+Hope]

have you had experience putting her down for naps other places/other houses? my little guy will sleep anywhere, another bed, someone's pack-n-play, a chair... maybe you can feel more confident to plan if she has.

fwiw, i looked into various tent/pod travel beds, but couldn't find one w/ nontoxic materials...

[Oliver's Mama]

could you try putting her to sleep as usual, then transfer her to her new crib/sleeping location? My ds2 will only fall asleep in a bouncer, which he is too big for, so as soon as he's asleep I transfer to the crib and that seems to work.
I would do a crib or pack-n-play.. any other kind of travel thing might be small/flimsy enough for a 10+ month old to wriggle out of, especially if you're doing this for safey reasons. We keep a packnplay in our room which is nice because it's so low to the ground, so it'd be similar to the level she's used to, and if you ever lay down without her, you'd be able to see her. Whatever you buy, maybe take out the mattress and keep it on the floor by your bed for a few days as a way to transition.. fall asleep with her on her new mattress, and once she's used to the new surface, put it in the crib/pnp.

[ErinYay]

Valentine fell asleep in her crib for the FIRST time last night. Granted, it's also the first time I've tried it. We rocked and nursed, I set her down, she cried, I picked her right up, we started over. On the third attempt, she settled herself while I patted her back.

She went down at 8, woke at 10- was rocked/nursed/soothed to sleep. She woke up at 12- rocked, nursed, soothed to sleep. We went to bed shortly thereafter, and she woke again at 4a, at which point I brought her to bed, as I was tired and didn't want to be awake anymore!

The crib is a brand new thing for her. She's been putting herself down for her nap in her crib (yup, we're down to just 1 at 9.5 months...) without crying, so last night I just wanted to see what would happen if I tried to put her down in her crib and not her cosleeper.

IT CAN BE DONE!

[Abraisme]

Honestly, from my experience there is a VERY short window when you'd need a crib. Both of my kids could sleep safely on my elevated bed by 11mo without falling off or getting hurt. The time from when a baby gets mobile to when a baby gets some sense and balance is short. If you can make it another month or so you can probably avoid getting a crib and go straight to a toddler bed when your LO is ready..

[isabchi]

We passed that stage really fast and no We started to teaching to get down of bed around their 6 months old. For naps we place some pillows around the edges or some pillows or cushions on the floors. They fell down one or twice, over the pillow at most. After that never again. I'll skip the crib and go strait to toddler bed with rails or continue co sleeping.

[Mom2M]

We got a crib that converted to a toddler bed for naps and it worked fine. I nursed her to sleep for naps and carefully put her in, lol.
Then changed it to a toddler bed with a rail.
She still co sleeps at night and she's 5.

[lifeguard]

Myself, I wouldn't bother. Like pp it's a pretty short time period.

As for getting them into the crib. Ds always nursed to sleep & then I would try to transfer him to the crib. It was such a royal pain & half the time it woke him up & I'd have to start all over again. Obviously this is different for different babies.

[FloridaBorn]

nak

crib = glorified laundry basket where I set my kid while I brush my teeth.

[MeepyCat]

Originally Posted by FloridaBorn

nak

crib = glorified laundry basket where I set my kid while I brush my teeth.

heh. I have put my kid in an actual laundry basket while I brushed my teeth, combed my hair and took a shower, but it's a short-term solution for babies who aren't standing yet. For a ten month-old who moves around a lot, I'd go for a crib or a pack n' play.

The natural starting point for going-to-sleep routines is to start with what you usually do, then just pick her up and put her in the crib when you're ready. I also feel that a child this age is old enough for a lovey or a special blanket, and my kids have been most comforted by things that smelled like me - whether that's the receiving blanket I lay on while we were nursing or the bear I've had since junior high.

[Nicole730]

I'd say it is possible and for us, worth it. We started doing the crib for naps around 11 months and for bed at 14 months. The only reason we transferred DS to a bed was I wanted him out of it before the new baby would need it. She was a couple months old when we put him in a bed. I really liked that he couldn't/didn't get out of the crib on his own. So if he woke up from nap and I was in the middle of something, I didn't have to worry about him getting around the house.

[akind1]

We started using the crib for naps pretty early on. I WAH 3 days a week, and I really can't nap with DS, so I would wait for him to fall asleep and transfer him.

At around 6 or 7 months, we put up our co-sleeper (it seemed he was no longer comfortable in it) and started him in the crib for the first part of the night, and then brought him to bed when we went to bed. This worked really well. It is nice to have a little time to have our bed to ourselves if we should want it.

at 10 months, we decided to re-paint our bedroom so put DS in his crib and didn't bring him back to bed with us, partly to see what would happen, and partly because, though we used low VOC paint, our room was still chaos. He did great! most nights he sleeps in his crib for about 10 hours. (it has been a little over a week) On days where I know he will use the night time to catch up on feedings (days I am in the office, or we have been out and about and he just snacked all day), he has woken up between 2 and 4 and I have kept him in bed after that waking.

So, I think it isn't a bad idea. He is pretty still at sleeping, so if we hadn't had the crib (which my dad built so I want to hang on to it), I would have just gone with a toddler bed at his age. If he were as sleep-mobile as you LO, I think a crib/mini crib/PNP may be a safer bet.

[Tattooed Hand]

Thanks for all the thoughts. I think we are going to get one at IKEA next weekend. My apartment is 3 stories (4 if you count the laundry in the basement) and I work at home. DD can get off the bed safely and that's the problem because I cannot babyproof that room entirely and she is always hurting herself or getting into dangerous stuff. She tends to roll up onto all fours and start moving before she is really awake.

It's getting cold here and she tends to thrash and kick off blankets. How do you keep a baby warm in a crib, besides just putting them in a jumper?

[akind1]

We will be using sleep sacs again this winter, or fleece zip up p.j.'s. He should be plenty warm in those.

[carmel23]

Originally Posted by akind1

We will be using sleep sacs again this winter, or fleece zip up p.j.'s. He should be plenty warm in those.

: footed pjs or sleep sack (except sleep sack might freak them out if they stand/walk)

[newmamalizzy]

DD wears zip-up footie PJs with a swaddle blanket (it's like a wrap-around velcro thing) from chest down. I don't wrap her tight - it's more for warmth than constraint. If it's really chilly she gets a long-sleeve onesie under her PJs, and I always try to wear really similar clothing/blanket weights so I have a good idea how she feels. For putting down in the crib - I don't know if yours tends to still have that one-cycle wake-up thing at her age, but I cuddle mine with a bottle all the way through that (usually happens 35 - 40 minutes in) and when she's back asleep again she's really easy to transfer to the crib.

[sunnygir1]

I totally love the crib for naps and early bedtime at that age. If your baby falls asleep in arms or in a baby carrier, it is fairly easy to slide/place the babe in the crib with the side rail down and then put it up. Pack-n-Play types are harder, ime, to put the baby down in because you can't hold him close to your body as you set him down -- which makes it more likely he will wake.

[carmel23]

Originally Posted by sunnygir1

I totally love the crib for naps and early bedtime at that age. If your baby falls asleep in arms or in a baby carrier, it is fairly easy to slide/place the babe in the crib with the side rail down and then put it up. Pack-n-Play types are harder, ime, to put the baby down in because you can't hold him close to your body as you set him down -- which makes it more likely he will wake.

haven't the cribs with the sliding side rail been recalled? (I don't know that much about the cribs )

[sunnygir1]

Originally Posted by carmel23

haven't the cribs with the sliding side rail been recalled? (I don't know that much about the cribs )

Jeez! If they don't have moveable rails I can't imagine how you'd get the babe in without a step ladder. I mean, the top of the rail is four feet from the ground!

I really don't know as I haven't shopped for a crib ever. The one I am using was made by my step-father some 25+ years ago. It has a sliding rail and works great...doesn't seem particularly dangerous to me.

ETA: I guess they are banned...maybe I should catch the news more often. I'm curious to check out what new cribs are like...and read up on the perils my children are in...

ETA: Okay, maybe they aren't banned, because you can still buy them.

[Tattooed Hand]

Originally Posted by newmamalizzy

I don't know if yours tends to still have that one-cycle wake-up thing at her age, but I cuddle mine with a bottle all the way through that (usually happens 35 - 40 minutes in) and when she's back asleep again she's really easy to transfer to the crib.

YES! What is that?