Toddler climbing out of the cot at 20 months, move to a bed now or fight it?

Question

He's figured out how to haul himself over the cot rail and I found him on the floor this morning. Absolutely terrified me. Do we move him to a bed even though he's only 20 months, or is there a way to keep him in the cot a bit longer without him hurting himself?

Gemma Coe · Accepted Answer

Hi Dev, That must have been frightening. Once a child can genuinely climb over the cot rail, the cot can become a safety risk, so I would not try to “fight it” for too long. First, check that the mattress is already on its lowest setting and remove anything he could use as a step, such as a collection of teddies. A properly fitted sleeping bag may also make climbing more difficult. Even with those steps in place, they may only buy you a little time, and a move is likely to be on the cards very soon. I would start looking into a safer, low sleep space now. At 20 months, he may still be too young to fully understand that he needs to stay in bed, so expect plenty of repetition. Keep the rule simple: “At nighttime, we lie down, close our eyes and stay in bed until morning.” Calmly guide him back each time he gets up. Once the cot sides are gone, think of the whole bedroom as his new cot. Secure furniture, remove cords and climbing hazards, and make sure he cannot access stairs or other unsafe areas. Some families find a stair gate at the bedroom door helpful, depending on the layout of the home. I hope that helps!

Steph · Answer

Safety wins here, once they're getting over the rail the cot is the more dangerous option. Things that bought us time: mattress dropped to the very lowest setting, took out anything he could use as a step, and a sleeping bag that made climbing awkward. Once he'd cracked all that we put him in a floor bed in a fully gated room, felt a lot safer than watching him launch off a rail.

Will · Answer

Sleeping bag trick got us another month or two. When he beat it we moved him at 21 months. He was young for the whole staying in bed thing but we'd made the room completely safe so it didn't matter if he got up and pottered about. Rather that than a fall from that height.