Need help from those who have used cribs
coasterqueen wrote: Ok, I am totally clueless on this whole crib thing. Kylie NEVER slept in one so I just don't know. Megan just started sleeping in the crib a few hours a night once Dh left for Louisianna. I hated even putting her in there because I love co-sleeping but with both girls driving me batty in the wee hours I'm trying to get what sleep I can. So she still sleeps with me when she wakes up to nurse for the rest of the night.
Anyways, Megan is getting up on her knees now and rocking back and forth and will even walk when I hold her hands so I'm really afraid that she's going to be pulling up before long. Right now her crib mattress is at the highest level. Should I go ahead and take it down a notch? Or how does that work, is there more than one level usually? I'll be doing this all by myself so the more I know going in to it the better. 
Also I still have her crib bumper pads on. Should I take those off now? I'm afraid to do that because she's so tiny and I have no idea what would happen.  Is there a crib bumper out there that would be safer then?
I do have to take down her mobile. I had moved it down to the other end of her bed but in the wee hours this morning I heard her cooing and looked in the crib and she's on the other end of the crib tugging away at her mobile. Yeah I know I've probably got the whole situation in a accident waiting to happen, right? See, told you I was clueless on this crib stuff.
Also, right now she sleeps with a positioner and I swaddle her in a huge receiving blanket. Well she's starting to scoot herself around and out of the positioner and she can manipulate herself out of the blanket. I know loose blankets aren't safe but if I don't wrap her she'd never fall asleep. Any ideas? A sleep sack won't work because it allows her arms and legs to be free and that doesn't let her sleep, trust me I've tried. 
Is there anything else I should know about this crib business? Yeah, I know I should have figured this all out before I put her in there. I did before Kylie was born but that all went out the window the minute she co-slept with us.
MommyToAshley replied: There should be multiple settings for the height of the matress, I would go ahead and move it down a notch before she starts pulling herself up.
As for the bumper, Ashely used her bumper until we converted to a toddler bed... right before she turned 3. I did read about mesh bumpers that are available now which allow the baby to breathe through the bumpers. I don't remember where I saw that though, I can look around if you are interested. I also tucked my bumper down in the matress a bit so she couldn't get caught between the bumper and the matress. Ashley would always end up against the bumper, I guess it was a security thing.
I think you are supposed to stop using the positioner once they can roll over themselves. It's been so long since I had to know this stuff. I put blankets to bed with Ashley when she was smaller, but I always ones that were "breathable" (had spaces between the threading). It didn't matter with Ashley though because she would never keep a blanket on. But, maybe you can wrap her up in a breathable blanket.
Hope that helps!
moped replied: I hope the sleep nazi here can give my 2 cents worth!!!!
I would move the crib down as far as you like and being that your DH is away instead of doing it twice you should do it now and then it is done. That way you know she is safe and pulling herself up will not cause any harm and you will rest easy
As far as the bumper goes, I personally never used one after I did some research and heard all the bad things that CAN go wrong...............so I got rid of it and there is nothing in the crib, I feel a crib is for sleep not the look of it in the room - KWIM?
For sure lose the mobile in her crib - they say after 3 months to get rid of it for safety reasons.......
And finally the sleep positioner - I used one for WAY too long and also researching on that i felt badly that I had used it so long because when they can actually wiggle themselves out of it then it is time to no longer have it at all
I understand everyone has different opinions on these sort of things but I feel that safety is first
coasterqueen replied: Thank you both for your expertise. This is one area that I haven't done research on since well way before Kylie was born, lol. So I value your opinions.
Jen - can you tell me what you did about the swaddling factor? I'm really worried that Megan will suffocate from the blanket since she can wriggle free from it. Although if I don't use it she'll never fall asleep. I'd try a loose woven once like Dee Dee suggested but the only kind I have like that are crocheted ones and I don't think those would do any good for her. Got any ideas on how you handled it since I know you swaddled Jack a long time?
moped replied: This is great - someone wants MY advice - LOL.....just so happens i know alot about swaddling and sleep in cribs!!!!!! OK......
Anyways, I think she is 6 months old right? Well for sure keep swaddling her for as long as you think she needs it - for Jack it was 10 months (teehee), but i am wondering if she can wiggle herself out because the swaddle blanket is too small or just perfect, I think it should be BIG so that you can wrap it right around her and when I did that Jack NEVER got out, he slept 12 hours with it in the same place.....do you wrap tight????????
I went to the fabric store and got jersey knit material - I think 1.5 meter, but Jack was a bigger kid, and sewed the edges, it wasn't pretty but it sure worked...........ya know Karen, I could send it to you.
As for suffocating, I totally get your thought there - I thought the same, but at this age, she can move it away from her if she needs to but chances are it ends up at her feet anyways right?
MyLuvBugs replied: Yep. You'll need to take it down a couple notches before she's standing in there and flips out. Lorelei was doing that (not the flipping out part, but the standing) pretty early, and now her crib is almost all the way down to the bottom.
As for the bumpers, I'd take them out too. It sounds like she's very active, and you don't want her to get too close to them now. The mobile should be fine for awhile. We didnt' take Lorelei's down until she was around 9 months. I just let her play with it. lol 
mysweetpeasWil&Wes replied: Definitely take it down a notch or two and take the bumper out. As long as your crib isn't too old and the slats are not too far apart, she will be fine. It seems scary to have bare bars, but if she's starting to pull up, she will get a foot on the bumper and probably over. Plus, scooting her face into a bumper scares me more than a blanket because they are so much heavier. I didn't swaddle Wil for long because he didn't like it, so I'm no help there.
Have you seen those swaddle blankets that have an actual hole cut in them for the head and then velcro to secure the wrap part?...probably doesn't come undone. I think the author of "Baby Whisperer" designed them because I rented her video and she talked about them.
Listen to the sleep nazi...she's good!!!
coasterqueen replied: Ok, let's see.
Jen - I bought material in big quantity and made a blanket out of it and had the edges sewn. Can't tell you the size but it's WAY bigger than regular receiving blankets. But you are right, I paid more attention to swaddling her tonight and it seems like she's just getting to big already for the blanket. That stinks since it cost me like $25 for the fabric and $20 to have the blankets sewn. It seems like I just bought that stuff.  Oh well, guess what Megan's getting for Christmas.....early? Oh and when she gets out of her wrap it does end up at the end of the bed, BUT she manages to get down to the end of the bed where it's at so who knows.
You don't have to send me your blanket, but could you let me know the size of it?  I am TERRIBLE at guessing sizes. I'm much better going in to the fabric store and saying "I want a blank by blank".  Oh wait I just reviewed your reply and you said 1.5 meter, what's that?
Jen, you'll appreciate this. Last night Kylie was being a pill and Megan was still awake. It was bedtime for both of them. I swaddled Megan, layed her down in her crib, turned on the music and told her to go to sleep (nicely  ). Then I went to deal with Kylie and as I was doing that I noticed I wasn't hearing a peep from Megan. I go in there, she's unswaddled, and at the end of her bed listening and looking at her noise box. I pick her up, reswaddle her, lay her down and said "time to sleep pooka", kissed her goodnight and layed her back down, left the room. Not even minutes later i hear nothing on the monitor, go in there and she's asleep.  I've NEVER had a baby/child do that before. Wow, Kylie was an absolute PILL to get to sleep. With Megan so far I would lay w/her on the floor and she'd wimper a bit but would go to sleep fairly easy. I tried putting her down in her crib a few months ago but not recently. SO I did it again tonight and within MINUTES she was out like a light. SOMEONE PINCH ME!!!!!!! The sleep gods are on my side these past two days. 
Rae - We used to use swaddle wraps like that when she needed her entire body swaddled. We have "weaned" down to swaddling the body and legs, leaving out the arms so she can suck her thumb and she's doing well. Those types of blankets do not allow her to have her arms out.
Oh and I did take out the mobile and bumper pads tonight as well as the sleep positioner. Not sure I'm going to get any sleep tonight, though, because now her crib looks like a jail with all those bars showing. Not only that I'm freaked she's going to get out through the slats (even though the crib is only 3 years old and slats aren't too far apart). I'm worried about her bumping her head on them (she freaks when she hits her head) and I'm freaked out that because she's not in the sleep positioner that she rolled over on to her side to sleep and SIDS freaks me to no end. Oh how am I going to go to sleep tonight????? Co-sleeping was just natural to me so i was never freaked out about that.
jem0622 replied: I am PRO bumper. Sorry. I've used them for all my kids and I found that if they didn't have them then they'd hit their head and they weren't happy campers. JMHO and experience.
I am not in favor of bumping the mattress down a notch. It's a lot to go through (i.e. a pain) to make the change, so just take it all the way down. Way way easier that way.
I never used mobiles
She is at the stage to stop swaddling. Just dress her warmly (the girls are in fleece sleepers at night) and forgo everything else. They kick it all off anyhow.
I can understand needing sleep! The girls have been in their own room, in their own cribs, since they hit 7 mos.
HUGS
MommyToAshley replied:
Same here. Also, I read a lot of stories about babies getting their arms and legs caught in between the slats when there were no bumpers. I guess there are pros and cons to both, so it comes down to a personal choice.
Karen, gratz on Megan going to sleep on her own. Keep it up and it will soon be habit for her! 
coasterqueen replied:
Okay, now I wanna go in there and put the bumper back on.  I think I'm going to search for those breathable bumper pads right now. Boy, if i sleep tonight it will be a miracle.
angelhair replied: i used a sleep sack instead of a swadler. they zip up over the clothes and look like a bunting . they can come with or without sleaves and are great!!! love dee
moped replied:
I have to comment - this is my forte - sorry........................Megan and Jack of all kids still need to be swaddled to sleep - when she is ready she will not let you swaddle her in the first place.....................keep swaddling. She will let you know when to stop.
And I will tell you what I know about bumpers.............my DH is a Ventilation AC guy for a living and he got me research on them a long time ago, which I have since thrown out because I knew what I needed to know. The air does not get through them at all and without one they have free air circulation - not good for babies.......health nurse that came here right after Jack was borm told me to lose it right away and then Tom told me the same thing - if you care to know more I can tell you, but there was a thing on the news not that long ago here about a baby that had bumpers and a sleep positioner and she died, she was only weeks old, which does make a difference but still, why take the chance...................
SORRY, I hate to argue
moped replied: And one more thing on the swaddling - every child is different so it is pretty tough to say that she is too old for it...........because your children were. The reason I swaddled was NOT for warmth at all it was for the comfort and tight feeling babies have in the womb. My house is warm enough
mysweetpeasWil&Wes replied: I'm not trying to argue...it is a personal choice. But I just want to say, from experience, I've never experienced Wil get his arms or legs caught in the slats. And I don't swaddle him. He rolls into it, but usually with his back.
I will put the bumper up for the new baby, but only until he/she can roll and possibly stand on it to get over the rail. It does feel "naked" at first, but you both will get used to it.
Good luck Karen with whatever you decide to do. All changes take time. I'm sure you both will be sleeping comfortably in no time!
MommyToAshley replied: Karen, I am sorry, I didn't mean to scare you.
Here's a link to the bumpers. I wish they had these when Ashley was little.
Breathable bumpers
coasterqueen replied: No Dee Dee you didn't scare me. I was already freaked out before you posted. I'm such a worry wart about sleep issues and the whole SIDS thing. Always have been, that's one reason I like co-sleeping.
Anyways, she did fine last night. She tossed and turned A LOT more than she ever has since I took the sleep positioner out so that was a bummer, but I guess she'll get used to it. She slept in her crib from about 7:30 pm to 10:30 pm. Then she woke up and saw me sleeping and screamed. I'm sleeping on a mattress on her floor right now, have been since DH left town. I just don't like being on the other end of the house by myself away from the girls. If the bumpers were up I'm confident she would have looked up but gone back to sleep because she couldn't see me. Oh well. That's not the bumpers fault, it's mine for still being in her room.
You are all right, it will take time, that's all. DH helped comfort my neurotic feelings last night and told me NOT to get the breathable bumpers. Dee Dee, I so want to get them but he told me I just need to "let go" and let her grow. MEN! I will not get them for now but if at any time it freaks me out even more I'm getting them.
As far as swaddling goes, Jen is right, Megan needs swaddling. I've tried sleep sacks and they do not work for her. It isn't a matter of being too cold, etc like Jen mentioned, it is a need they have. Megan was born with a super sensitive nervous system that causes her many issues. Her therapist said she just needs the feeling of deep pressure against her body at almost all the time. We are fortunate that we were able to stop fully swaddling her a few months ago. The therapist thought it would take much longer. And we now only have to swaddle her from the breastbone down leaving her arms out which is great. The therapist has told me she will need swaddled for some time to come, we just have to let her lead. Now when she's co-sleeping with me she doesn't need swaddled and that's because her and I cuddle up close to where my cuddling gives her the deep pressure her sense of touch needs.
I thank all of you for your advice, research, opinions, etc on this matter. It's nice to have a wide range of thoughts so I can process them all and decide what is best for our family. As of last night I took every precaution I could and will decide later which ones I think are NOT necessary, etc. DH thinks I'm just being neurotic about it and maybe I am but Megan is my little teenie baby, hee hee, and she is just a bit more sensitive than her sister is.
Thanks again EVERYONE.
MommyToAshley replied: Have you thought about the Bebe Movement Sounds Monitor? I think that is what it is called?
When Ashley was just 8 weeks old, she was too big to fit in her bassinette which I kept right beside me in the bed. We had to move her to her crib, but I was so paranoid about SIDS as well. And, now I couldn't just reach over and touch her and check on her in the middle of the night. I was too afraid to co-sleep as well. (Just a personal fear for me, I know lots of people do it) I couldn't sleep. I couldn't get to sleep, and once I did, I never really slept. I would get up every few minutes and check on Ashley in the crib. DH did some research and bought the Bebe Sounds monitor so I could get some rest. It detects the slightest motion, such as breathing, and will sound an alarm if there is no motion for 15 seconds. After he bought the monitor, I was finally able to get some rest. We only had one false alarm when Ashley was rolled in a ball in the furthest corner from the sensor pad. We had the alarm go off a few times when we picked her up and forgot to turn off the alarm, but at least we knew it was working properly.
Anyways, I just thought I would mention the monitor in case it sounds like something that would interest you. Hope you all get some rest.
coasterqueen replied:
Dee Dee,
I had considered it right after she was born but Dh, of course, thought it was useless. But at that time we were co-sleeping so I guess it was. Sounds like a great idea for me now, though. I think I'll see if any of the consignment shops or ebay has them cheaper before going brand new. Thanks for the GREAT idea.
aspenblue1 replied: you should probably lower the crib at least one if not all the way down. I know they told me at the lowest setting by 6 months with Isabella. Also as far as the bumpers I tried taking mine off and Isabella got her legs stuck in the crib so she slept with them until she was out of the crib. If you move the crib down she may not be able to reach the mobile. I left mine in longer than recommended but Isabella loved hers. Also try the fisher price aquarium thing you attach to the crib. Isabella and Kyrsten love that.
MyLuvBugs replied:
I'm PRO bumper too, but only until the kid is very mobile. Then I worry about them getting tangled up in the bumper at night. But that's just me. I'd say Megan is too mobile now for them.
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