bed rails v bed bumpers for overnight stays at gran's

Simply place mattress on the floor! No brainer

notgoneyet

The bed rail from Amazon that GNW suggests looks great. As far as stair gates go - my twin great-grandsons were 3 years old a couple of weeks ago; they've been climbing over stair gates since they were approx 2 years 3 months! After the first half dozen times my granddaughter took the gates down as it was more dangerous to leave them up for the boys to climb over!

Yes, there's always one who will do that! My DGS would too.

It's a good idea to teach them to slide downstairs feet first on their tummies, too.

The bed rail from Amazon that GNW suggests looks great. As far as stair gates go - my twin great-grandsons were 3 years old a couple of weeks ago; they've been climbing over stair gates since they were approx 2 years 3 months! After the first half dozen times my granddaughter took the gates down as it was more dangerous to leave them up for the boys to climb over!

Read up on safe sleeping.
Babies and toddlers should never be in a bed next to a wall in case they slip between or get stuck against the mattress and wall and can’t move/ breathe. There have been some deaths.

I’ve a bed rail and don’t bother buying new get yourself on gumtree or Facebook eBay etc ppl always selling them off. I paid 7 pound for mine and the lady I got it from was also a grandparent who had bought it for same reason.

Safety 1st Portable bed rail £19.99 amazon, next day delivery. Mesh inset. Really good idea as it gives the child the impression of being enclosed but at the same time it's not hard should s/he roll against it as a wall would be.

My children always slept in a double bed when visiting my parents (son was a monkey and could climb out of a cot at 11 months!), and we/they just put something soft at the side of the bed (pillows/duvet/old cot mattress etc) in case one of them fell out - they never did!!

My first DGD slept in our spare double bed from age 2 +. It was very low to the ground and we placed pillows on the bed plus pillows duvet etc on the floor in case she took a tumble. She is hypermobile so wasn't so able and adventurous as many, so no accidents. Now we have a much higher spare double bed and a very active 7 month old 2nd DGD, so I'm reading advice here very carefully for future reference.

I think trying him in the double bed should be fine but maybe also get a double size waterproof mattress cover - and does the room door need a safety gate to stop him getting out of bed and wandering into an unsafe situation? I agree that bed rail sides may be risky as he may be tempted to climb and more likely to fall. Good luck!

I would try a mattress on the floor as the safest option but then you need to think about stairs in case GS gets out of bed and goes for a wander.

wildswan16

Just tuck them in by the side against a wall and put a couple of spare cushions under the mattress at the other side - so it is at a slight upward tilt. A duvet on the floor if you are still worried.

I’d be hesitant about doing anything that angles the mattress. They could become stuck in a position that could compromise their breathing. I’d ask the parents what they wanted you to do. They are so clued up these days.

I might try it myself, Grannynannywanny, good idea!

Her parents may have done this already but when mine first went from cot to beds I taught them to get out of bed by lying front down on the bed, legs over the edge then gradually pushing and sliding backwards until their feet touched the floor iyswim

Callistemon21 that’s how I get out of bed when my sciatica is particularly troublesome ?

Welshwizard

thanks, grans, for all the comments and suggestions and the funny bits e.g. grandchild landing on your back! Plenty to think about there and good points made about having a stair gate! Gransnet much better than online reviews eg Argos, Amazon!

Welshwizard
Her parents may have done this already but when mine first went from cot to beds I taught them to get out of bed by lying front down on the bed, legs over the edge then gradually pushing and sliding backwards until their feet touched the floor iyswim.

The double bed that DGD sleeps in here is quite high. We bought inflatable bed guards and put them under the bottom sheet
www.amazon.co.uk/Bumpers-Toddlers-Inflatable-Guardrail-Children/dp/B07T4NWQD7/ref=sr_1_6?crid=2C0PU7DEHH171&keywords=Inflatable+bed+bumper&sprefix=inflatable+bed+bumper%2Caps%2C102&tag=gransnetforum-21&qid=1646259870&sr=8-6

They're also useful for taking on holiday.

My Grandaughter started sleeping in our spare double bed at 2.5, the bed up against the wall at one side and a rail very similar to the one mentioned earlier from Amazon at the other side, though ours was from Argos. It works really well, it doesn’t stop her getting out of bed, that wasn’t the intention, but it does stop her falling out in her sleep. We also had a stair gate on the stairs but no longer use that as she’s now 3.5. Works really well.

My son slept in a double bed at age 3. Skip the expensive bed rails. Get a couple foam pool noodles, duct tape them to the mattress under the sheet. My son never once rolled out of bed with that $2 hack.

thanks, grans, for all the comments and suggestions and the funny bits e.g. grandchild landing on your back! Plenty to think about there and good points made about having a stair gate! Gransnet much better than online reviews eg Argos, Amazon!

thanks, Tanith, no hard feelings!

My GC sleep in a double bed at my house. The bed is against the wall on one side, a pillow to tilt up the mattress is on the other and a spare duvet is on the floor.

Ps DGS's Mum was climbing out of her cot by the age of 2!
He must take after her ?

GrannyGravy13

We put pillows and spare duvets on the floor so if they fall out they have a soft landing.

My DC moved into beds by the age of 2 and a bit.
They did hop in and out at first but we put a stairgate at the top of the stairs so they didn't all down.
Put a couple of duvets pillows, whatever on the floor in case she falls out but she should be fine.

When DGS stayed here in a single bed DD bought a bed rail that fitted under the mattress and up the side - I really can't recommend them as he managed to pull it out and over him and got tangled in it.

Of course, she might not be as inquisitive as my DGS - he managed to dismantle a playpen too.

When my GD was 2 1/2 - 3yrs and staying with us, we put her into a double bed.
She loved it.. Stuffed cushions between the side cupboards and few on the floor, just in case . She was fine, she is 5 now we recently bought a Trundle Bed as she has a little sister. She wasn't impressed!

What did he sleep in before? We put our children into normal size single beds around the age of two. Never fell out. Would often get out though!

We had a bed cot, but never used it as a bed, because there was always the next baby coming out of the Moses basket. My last one went straight to a bed, as she had seen her siblings do.

If your grandson had a cot at yours, can you just take the sides off? The danger isn’t falling out...it’s what else is in the room, open doorways etc. At nearly three, he should be fine in any bed I would think.

We put a single mattress on the floor beside a wall then made two rows of pillows down the mattress under the flat sheet with a gap to make a tunnel,a duvet doubled on the floor to make a soft landing.
I would add you definitely need the stair gate up as they can get out so easily in the end my daughter used the double bed beside the wall and slept with the little imp.
His mum used to escape from her cot because I had put it too near the curtains and she used them to swing out until I caught her.