Help! I co-sleep and my little one rolled off the bed. Suggestions for safety?

[jewel1288]

I've been co-sleeping with my LO since day one. LO is about 9 months old and rolled out of the bed this morning, after waking. Last night, my little one was really restless through the night- rolling this way and then back that way. This morning, I went to make breakfast, like I usually do if baby is still asleep and I ran back to the bedroom upon hearing a shrill scream, unlike any other cry I had ever heard... only to find my little one sitting on the floor crying. 

It seems all of a sudden that my baby is aware of being able to sit up in bed and crawl around the bed. I need help for suggestions on how to keep my baby from rolling out at night. I do no have a tres sleeper pillow and can't afford one. Obviously, I will not be leaving the baby unattended ever again, but now I am concerned about rolling during the night. 

Suggestions and advice, please!!! :)

[clovergirl]

How far off the floor is the bed?  If the mattress is on top of a box spring and/or in a frame you may want to consider putting it on the floor for the time being.  That way it will be a short "fall" should she roll off at night and it will be easier to teach your baby how to "back off" the bed (crawl off, backwards/feet first). 

[Anna Phor]

Bed rail? 

[Nursingnaturalmom]

I would suggest a bed rail or LOTS and LOTS of pillows.  Also, when they are about that age, we start teaching them how to get off the bed and usually by 1, they are getting off the bed themselves :)

[jewel1288]

I had not thought about teaching my little one how to crawl out of the bed. Thank you for the suggestions! Have any of you pushed the bed against one wall? If so, how did that work out for you?

[scottishmommy]

DD1 did that at 7 months. It's one of the worst feelings ever! She never rolled off at night, however. We just put her between us and that was that.

[tooraloora]

When DS was younger (he's 15 months now), I kept the mattress up against the wall, and he slept nearest the wall. As soon as he started being mobile, I taught him to back off the bed. With DD, I had a bed rail for awhile, since pushing the bed against a wall wasn't practical at the time. Still had to teach her to back off the bed, though. When they're awake, they're going to get down one way or another. Best to just make sure it isn't head first.

[*MamaJen*]

I put the mattress down on the floor for a few months -- that worked out well for us. When DS was 18 months I transitioned him into his own bed with a bed rail.

[Kobaby]

We are in a furnished apartment with a very heavy wooden bed frame. I pushed it against the wall, and it never moves :D

In New Zealand they say pillows on the floor are a suffocation hazard, so we never use pillows as a barrier or on the floor. DS lies crying for me to get him when he wakes, so for now we're "safe". I am in the process of teaching him how to get off the bed safely himself.

Originally Posted by jewel1288 

I had not thought about teaching my little one how to crawl out of the bed. Thank you for the suggestions! Have any of you pushed the bed against one wall? If so, how did that work out for you?

[Baby_Cakes]

Definitely start teaching how to get off the bed safely.  Even if they fall, they'll fall bottom first instead of head first.

I 2nd the suggestion for a firm pillow or two (lengthwise).  Its enough that the pillow will fall off first, waking you, but not enough that baby could smother.

ETA - it happens to the best of us!  Don't beat yourself up over it!  

[Asiago]

Something firmly wedged under the fitted sheet should help. I heard even a shoe will do it, but I use a piece of square foam. My son is now 2 years old but I still keep it on my side of the bed.

I also taught my son early on, as soon as he started crawling, how to get off of the bed safely. He learned it quickly and it was very useful, He'd roll onto his belly, slowly lower his feet down then plop onto his bottom, and then  he was safely off of the bed.

[jewel1288]

Thank you for all the helpful suggestions! I ended up pushing the bed against the wall firmly, as it's also a heavy solid wood frame, and putting the headboard at the opposite end of the wall, so it's more like a foot board. This is created two walls of safety and the foot of the bed. Then, I was able to obtain a twin mattress to place on the floor next to the open side of the bed, so that if any more roll outs do occur... at least they'll be well cushioned. Thankfully, the bed is quite low, so it wasn't as awful as perhaps the fall could have been, but I do no want to take any risks! 

I do intend to teach LO how to get out of the bed safely. We are working on it and LO clearly feels quite accomplished, but still enjoys peering over the bed, which I discourage. It's a work in progress for LO learning, but safety comes first and I am feeling much more at ease about nap time and bed time. 

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

[whozeyermamma]

I'm late to the party - but just wanted to post that I just put our mattress on the floor. In hte mornings, sometimes - DS (16 mo) will crawl off and find his toys and play by himself - sometimes for up to 20-30 mintues or so!!! After naps, he'll do the same! He's a very active sleeper - he likes to flop around a lot and this makes me more secure and I don't worry about him at all.

Good luck!

[hippiemum21580]

When my kids were about 7-9 months ld and began getting mobile with crawling I taught them how to get out of the bed feet first. I put an extra area rug beside the bed to cushin falls a bit just in case. By 9 months I can get out of bed ahead of my babies and when they wake they simply shimmy down and come crawling down the hall to find me. :) (Our home is all one floor and VERY child safe so this is safe for us to do it that way.) I just make sure the bathroom dooor is always closed.