I usually don’t bother with alarms in the morning. Instead, I let my kids wake me up, and then I head off to release them from their rooms. One particular morning, I heard my daughter stirring and went to fetch her from her crib. As I swung open the door, I found her already halfway over the side! One leg was perched over the railing, while her other foot was desperately tiptoeing as she attempted to escape her baby jail. It hit me then—we needed to get our son a new bed this weekend so he could pass down his toddler bed to her. Clearly, she wasn’t planning on waiting for us to make that decision!
Later that day, I put her down for her nap in the crib, expecting to hear her chatter when she woke. Instead, I was treated to a symphony of wails about an hour later. I dashed in, only to find her with one leg teetering precariously over the edge while her other leg was wedged firmly between the slats. It appeared she had lost her balance and her poor little knee had gotten stuck.
I attempted to pull her other leg back through the slats, but the adorably chubby folds around her knees were doing a superb job of keeping her trapped. I tried everything—turning her to the side, wiggling her around, you name it. Nothing worked! Meanwhile, my son came running in with my phone and looked concerned… for about two seconds. “Can’t you be quiet? I can’t think with all that yelling!” Ah, the empathy of a 4-year-old.
I explained to him that his sister was in a bit of a pickle and asked him to fetch me some supplies to help soothe her while I figured out my next move. He dutifully returned with a miniature chair from his toy table, which I propped in the crib for her to sit on. She seemed a tad more comfortable, but the tears kept flowing. My phone call to my husband went straight to voicemail.
In my panic, I remembered that my in-laws lived nearby. I half-yelled at my father-in-law, telling him to hurry over with an Allen wrench so I could dismantle the crib and free her. As my son continued to fuss, I asked him to grab a cartoon on my laptop to distract her and go get some snacks. He returned with pretzels and a whole jar of applesauce. I couldn’t help but chuckle, realizing he was handling this crisis better than I was!
When my in-laws finally arrived, I quickly learned the Allen wrench wasn’t going to cut it—literally. The crib slats were too stubborn to come apart, and we’d need to cut her free. It struck me that I should have exchanged neighborly numbers when we moved in nine months ago, but instead, I dashed next door, hoping my neighbors had the right tools.
I breathlessly asked for a small saw, and my neighbor, a DIY enthusiast, began explaining how she built her own furniture with a jigsaw. “That’s great, but can we save the carpentry lessons for later?!”
Once back inside, I held my daughter’s hands, trying to comfort her as my neighbor plugged in her saw. At this point, my son was narrating the entire plot of his cartoon, oblivious to the chaos around him. As soon as the saw roared to life, my daughter froze and began to tremble. After one slat was cut, we bent it back just enough to free her leg. As I lifted her out, I could feel the blood rushing back into it.
We had been fortunate with my son—he never attempted to escape his crib. When I was pregnant with his sister, we moved him out to avoid any jealousy issues. Had she not come along, he might still be in that crib, probably until his teenage years!
I realized we should have transitioned our daughter before she attempted her daring escape. Luckily, she didn’t get hurt during her attempt to flee. Moving forward, I’ve made a plan for emergencies. I’ve saved the phone numbers of all my neighbors, and we’re even installing a landline for serious situations. Oh, and my daughter now has a comfy mattress on the floor.
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Summary:
Transitioning your toddler out of their crib can prevent potential mishaps and ensure their safety. This humorous account highlights the importance of recognizing when it’s time to make that change, sharing a relatable story of a mother’s frantic experience when her daughter tried to escape her crib. With a bit of planning and neighborly support, you can navigate these parenting challenges with a smile.