toddler bed?

[neeleymartin]

is a toddler bed necessary? i like the idea of low to floor and rails that seem to be containing. but would a twin mattress on the floor work just as well.

btw i don't plan to make the transition until the last possible time. however, ds was 36 3/4" @ his 18 mos appt. i know he could get out if he tried, just hasn't tried yet. it's only a matter of time before he does the math.

your advice is much appreciated and ALWAYS valued.

[kate909]

I just asked this same question not too long ago. Pretty much everyone who answered me thought the toddler bed was a waste of money, and they all went straight to a twin bed or bigger.

I followed everyone's advice, and we moved DS (21 months) to a twin bed a little over a week ago. It's up on the frame and everything. We did get a bed rail so he can't fall out, and the head board, foot board and wall also keep him contained. It's high enough that he needs a step stool to get in and out, and we've taught him that he has to yell for mommy or daddy to get his stool - that is keeping him from wandering around. We also leave his door open, but installed a safety gate in the doorway to prevent any roaming if he would get out of bed.

I'm so glad we went this route, he loves when his dad and I sit in bed with him in the morning. I let him help take down his crib and put the new bed up, so he was really excited about it.

[pastrygirl]

I read a tip somewhere that you can use a pool noodle as a rail, under the fitted sheet and/or mattress pad. It works really well! I have to push it in an inch or two from the edge, otherwise it does slide over the edge and doesn't work.

I started with the twin mattress on the floor, and after a few months, I added the box spring in. Eventually I'll put it back on the bed frame but I'm not ready for that yet.

[Clarity]

We took the guest bed (queen) and gave it to dd1. Totally skipped the toddler bed. It's on the boxsprings, we haven't added the frame yet. And, we have it against two walls with a side-rail so she's contained on three sides, if we didn't have it on boxsprings, I wouldn't have bothered with the siderail at all.