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View Full Version : Toddler in "normal" height bed



s7714
01-25-2005, 01:43 AM
We're probably going to get a trundle bed for DDs room, but I'm hesitant to put her in one right away. My main concern is just how she'd get onto and off of the bed (she'll only be 2 when she moves into her big girl room). A picture in a catalog did give me one idea--if the lower trundle is pulled out enough, it can become almost a "step" to climb up and down, but I'm wondering if that would be very safe. (Of course we'd have to have a rail or something on the top mattress, even if the trundle was pulled out.)

Can anyone offer any insight or experience with having a young toddler in a "normal" height bed (vs. a mattress on the floor, toddler bed, etc.) If there are any of you out there ;), do you use a step stool or something for the child to climb on and off, or do they just do it on their own?

TIA,
Jennifer
Mommy to
Annalia 3/03
#2 It's a girl! EDD: 6/05

raynjen
01-26-2005, 05:39 PM
Truthfully I never worried about this as she seemed to be able to climb whatever she wanted whenever she wanted! However, when we started thinking about potty-training at night I wanted something that would be easy to use in the middle of the night too. First I put the chair from her desk there (a Step 2 carry along chair). For Christmas she got a mini moon chair that has since become the step of choice.

Oh and my daughter has been in a "big girl" bed since she was about 2 1/2. She is very petite too (she is just now 27 pounds and 35 1/2").

Actually, your idea of having out the trundle sounds perfect. You could put rubber cups (like they make for chairs) under the casters to keep it from rolling and I'm sure it will become a favorite spot for reading, putting shoes on, saying prayers, and just hanging out!

Jen in Okinawa
Mom to a wonderful preschooler,
who just turned three, Noelle!

LBW
01-26-2005, 08:56 PM
We didn't get a typical boxspring. I, too, was concerned about the mattress+boxspring being too high. I also just don't like the look of a boxspring. We bought something called a bunkie (bunky?) board. It's about an inch thick and really stiff. It does the job of a boxspring.

We also kept the crib mattress under the bed for the first few months. We'd pull it out at bedtime. He used that as sort of a step (kind of how your trundle would work). I also thought it would be added protection if he ever fell out of bed. Luckily, that never happened.

lukkykatt
01-30-2005, 06:40 PM
We have had DS in a trundle bed since he was 21 months old (he started climbing out of the crib at 18 months). The bed has slats across the bottom so we don't use a box spring to make it a little lower. But because we don't use a box spring, the wooden frame surrounds the mattress, making it impossible to use a bed rail. I called the furniture store to see what they recommended and they could offer no advice.

So what I started doing is pulling the trundle out while DS slept. That way if he rolled off it would just be onto the lower mattress. I had thought if he rolled out alot, I would look into a snug tuck pillow or pool noodle to keep him in the bed. But after months of being in the bed, he never did roll off, so we don't even pull out the trundle anymore.

He is a climber, so it has never been an issue with him getting into the bed. He does use the trundle as a step, without it being pulled out,

kalebsmama
02-04-2005, 10:11 PM
Well, DS has only been in his bed for a couple of months and he's almost 3 (yikes!) but we also have a "normal" height bed. I have a small stepstool at the foot for him to use to get in. I am currently using a double bedrail because putting the bed along a wall isn't really an option. Kaleb actually just slides off his bed in the space between the head of the bed and the rail. He just holds on to the covers and slides right on off. He has been climbing on and off of our bed for ages so I guess he's used to it.

Now I'm just trying to decide how long to leave the rails on. I've never seen him even lying close to them but I'm sure that as soon as I take them off, he'll fall out of bed to the hardwood floor. It's just a pain to make the bed with them there. (yes, I know that BB is against the use of bedrails, but I can't even put my hand down between it and the mattress. Also, since it comes up on both sides, it can't be pushed further away from the side so I feel safe)