That is a very good idea GrandmaKT
Tanith thanks for the link. I have seen some online - there are even cot beds with dropsides, but unfortunately the one my DD bought (secondhand - she is on a low income) doesn't have this feature. I have been tempted to buy her a new one, but then I think that really it is only a matter of maybe 6-8 weeks until the baby will be climbing up ready to be lifted.
If in the meantime her back does 'go' again (and when it does, she is completely incapacitated), then we will have to move them into our spare bedroom until she recovers. At least there is that option. It doesn't help that her baby is a big girl - weighing in at nearly 20 lbs at 6 1/2 months . Not overweight, but she is long - she's going to be tall! But then both our son's boys were exactly the same. The eldest, at 9, is the height of an average 12-13 year old .