by You choose the best cribs for your baby’s right after they are born. In the initial months, the height of the crib mattress creates no issue for your baby’s safety (they are not moving from their place).
However, as your kids grow and learn how to sit or pull up, you must adjust the height of the crib mattress according to your child’s growth. This is important to keep your little bundle of joys safe from falling from the crib and getting hurt.
Here’s a comprehensive guide for adjusting the height of your kid’s crib mattress.
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When to Lower Crib Mattress Height
If you are a parent, you know that you need to make dramatic changes in your home once the cute little toddlers turn into little monsters. It’s not just the furniture in the living room that needs childproofing; you need to adjust the crib height to prevent your boss baby from getting hurt.
Lowering the crib mattress height becomes mandatory in the following circumstances.
Crib Safety
It is hard to keep your growing kids in one place the moment they start to stand up and take the first steps. In this situation, the safety of the crib and crib mattress is important for safeguarding your child.
In a report by the American Association of Pediatrics, the number of injuries through unfit cribs among children under two is on the rising trend which is an alarming situation. According to the report, an alarming 83% of the injuries are related to crib malfunction.
So, following the crib safety procedures before lowering it is important to avoid damage. A few careful practices can reduce the risk of injury to a minimum level.
For instance, read and follow the lowering instructions given in the manual, avoid using synthetic materials used in making cribs and crib mattresses, avoid placing any item that can be harmful at the time of the accident, supervise your kids while they are on the crib, etc.
When Your Baby Starts Sitting Up
The most exciting and overwhelming moment for both kids and parents is when your babies do something new for the first time. One of the achievements kids experience is sitting up straight by themselves or with a little help. At this stage, babies tend to move forward and grab things. However, in doing so, they might fall to the front or on the side.
Although you can make the surroundings of the playing area injury-proof, utmost care is required when your kid is sitting in the crib. In earlier years, you needed to keep the crib height at the top level to handle the laying and grabbing easily. However, when your child starts sitting, it’s better to lower the crib’s height to a middle or lower level so there is no risk of falling.
When Your Baby Starts Pulling Up
The next stage in a child’s life after sitting is pulling up to stand or moving to the sides. At this stage of a child’s physical development, they start grabbing everything to support their body and posture. Once again, this sense of achievement is celebratory for both parents and kids.
As far as the kids are under your eyesight, you can save them from getting hurt. But if they are in their cribs and pulling up after a nap, a reasonable height adjustment of the crib is necessary. Normally, the lowest height of the crib is perfect once your kids reach the pulling-up phase.
Another intrinsic risk with the pulling-up phase in kids is climbing over the fence of their cribs. Keeping the height at the lowest is crucial in climbing to reduce injury.
When Your Baby Is Taller Than 35 Inches
Kids grow with the speed of lightning. Once the cradle of joy, it soon becomes a force to reckon with. Especially when they grow over three ft. or 35 inches in height. At this height, they can easily distract you with their abrupt actions.
Now they have learned how to sit and pull up to move to the side or stand up. You should not use the baby crib for your kid at this stage. Instead, it’s better to move them to toddler beds with side protectors so they can sleep easily with full safety. Many modern cribs have two-in-one settings to convert the baby crib into a toddler bed. This way, the crib mattress can still be utilized.
When to Lower Crib to The Floor
The height adjustment of a crib depends on your child’s physical development. Consider some factors, such as your baby’s height, age, and sitting and pulling-up ability, to judge the physical development and the need to adjust the height of the crib.
Since the development of a child is transitionary from laying to standing up, in the same way, the height of the crib also transitions from top to bottom. The best stage to level the crib height with the floor is when your kids can easily stand up and climb over the crib. So, it’s better to level it to the ground so there is no risk of falling.
Apart from this setting, it’s better to pack up and store the crib once your kid is above three feet. If you have more kids, keep the crib for the youngest one and shift the elder one to a toddler bed.
Why Lower The Crib Mattress?
The core objective of lowering the crib mattress is to keep your growing baby from getting hurt by falling. For the first 5 months after your child’s birth, the highest crib mattress position is ideal for you and the baby. Most of the time, they will lie on their back or sides, so there is no risk of flipping over.
However, between 6 months to 12 months, your baby will develop sitting and pulling-up abilities. At that stage, lowering the crib mattress is essential to avoid serious injury.
Once they start standing up with support, lower the crib mattress to the last position, where your baby cannot flip over the crib easily. To avoid such risk, removing the pillows and the quilt, which your little genius can use to climb out of the crib, is better.
Why Raise The Crib Mattress?
Your newborn baby will sleep a lot, and in between the sleep, he will take a lot of naps. So, after promoting your kid from bassinet to crib, it is important to consider your comfort when you put your kid to sleep.
It is important for your daily life that the crib mattress is moved up to the top position for your newborn baby. He will not move frequently, so you can safely raise the crib mattress.
The risen crib mattress position is especially essential for mothers, especially right after the delivery of their baby. At this time, mothers cannot bend over too much to pick up their kids. The crib mattress placed on top setting will help her a lot.
How to Lower Crib to The Floor?
Before taking any step to lower the crib to the floor, make sure that the crib is designed to be lowered, and simple nuts and bolts movement can do the job. If that is not the option, don’t lower the crib yourself. Consult the mattress and crib manufacturer for some technical assistance.
In the case of the first scenario, you can easily adjust the height using the following steps:
- Remove the mattress and any bedding
- Unscrew the whole foundation to lower it.
- Lower the crib to the desired level and re-screw it tightly.
- Place the mattress and bedding back
- Check the sturdiness by applying firm pressure.
Safety Tips When Adjusting Crib Mattresses
It is always beneficial to read the instruction manual completely before placement, initial assembly, and after some time, height adjustment. If you follow the instructions, you will assemble and adjust the crib mattress safely.
Once you have ensured that the crib mattress is adjustable, the next step is to remove all the bedding from the crib before adjusting it. Make sure no one, especially your little kids, is present during adjustment time. Use safety gloves and goggles before unscrewing the foundation. Place the foundation flat on the floor before readjusting it. Recheck the robustness of the crib mattress by placing pressure on it before placing your kid in it.
Is It Safe To Lower The Crib Mattress To The Floor?
Lowering the crib mattress to the floor is safe, provided the crib is adjustable. Keeping the crib at the lowest setting is important for the safety of your 3ft and above kids, who can easily walk and climb over their cribs’ fence.
Key Takeaways
Importance of Adjusting Crib Height
As children grow, their ability to move and pull themselves up increases. Adjusting the height of the crib mattress in line with their developmental stages is vital to prevent falls and ensure their safety.
When to Lower Crib Mattress Height
As your child progresses through developmental stages like sitting up and pulling themselves to a standing position, adjusting the crib height becomes crucial. The American Association of Pediatrics emphasizes the rising injuries due to unfit cribs. Lowering the mattress height can mitigate such risks, especially when kids are taller than 35 inches or can easily climb out of the crib.
Reasons Behind Crib Mattress Adjustments
The primary goal of lowering the crib mattress is to prevent babies from falling or climbing out, especially between 6 to 12 months. Conversely, raising the mattress caters to the comfort of parents, especially new mothers, making it easier to place their newborns in the crib without bending over too much.
How to Safely Lower the Crib to the Floor
If the crib design allows for it, parents can adjust the height by unscrewing the foundation, lowering it, and then re-screwing it securely. It’s vital to always follow manufacturer instructions and ensure the crib’s sturdiness post-adjustment.
Safety and Implications of Lowering the Crib Mattress
Lowering the crib mattress to the floor is a safe practice as long as the crib is designed for such adjustments. It’s a recommended step for children who can stand and are at risk of climbing over the crib’s edge. As they grow, transitioning to toddler beds becomes a more suitable option.
Conclusion
All parents worldwide want their children to be safe and secure in every way possible. However, on the contrary, the kids have a bomb full of energy and are mindful of curiosity. They won’t leave any chance of experimenting from sitting to pulling up and standing.
After reading this article, parents can take timely measures to prevent their kids from getting hurt due to crib injuries. We have mentioned how you can adjust the height of the crib mattress as per the growth of your kids. Hopefully, you have a safe parenting experience till they grow up.
Resources:
https://publications.aap.org/pediatrics/article-abstract/127/3/479/64957/Injuries-Associated-With-Cribs-Playpens-and?redirectedFrom=fulltext?autologincheck=redirected?nfToken=00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000
https://www.webmd.com/baby/what-to-do-if-your-baby-climbs-out-of-the-crib
Lowering crib mattress to floor FAQs
At what Age Do You Transition From Crib To Toddler Bed?
Usually, it varies from kids’ physical and movement development. Few kids transition from crib to bed as early as 14 to 18 months. The others can take up to 3 years to make a move.
However, on average, kids between 18 months to 2.5-3 years are ready to move from crib to toddler bed.
What Should Go Inside The Crib With Baby?
Apart from the crib mattress, use a skin-friendly and organic sheet over the mattress for a clean and relaxing sleep. You can place a pacifier for your baby without any attachment. Some cushiony and crib sets can be installed on the edges and walls to support and keep it colorful.
How to Put Baby into A Lowered Crib?
There is only one problem with a lowered crib: your back pain. However, you can take various steps to make it easy to put your baby into a lowered crib. For instance, you can use a step stool, put on the baby while he is awake, get an adjustable crib, ask your partner for help, or leave the crib and move to the floor bed.
How Do I Stop My 1-Year-Old From Climbing Out Of His Crib?
A sturdy suggests that the simplest way to prevent your kid climbing out of his crib is to lower the mattress to the bottom-most point. This way, you can immediately reduce the climbing exercise until your kid grows some inches in a few months.