Double bed for ds1 and ds2- any views?

[Kenny10]

Just looking for some feedback from people who might have used a sibling bed for two of their children. We have a small 2 bedroomed house and are trying to maximise the space. my ds1 is nearly 4 and my ds2 is 18mo. We cosleep with ds2 but will maybe move him into the other room when he is 2. A good option in terms of space might be a double bed for them both. i have heard that this can be nice for kids and works well for some people. any ideas as to upsides and potential downsides welcome. this would be a solution for a few years only until we find a third/bigger bedroom somewhere! Bunk beds an option i suppose but ds1 still too small for that really. thanks.

It might work as a stop gap, but IME they'll kick lumps out of each other (if not immediately, then soon). But it might buy you time until you feel DS1 is ready for an upper bunk.

My DS2 and 3 shared a bed from the ages of 6-9 till their sister went into her own room from the top bunk (futon base). They were quite happy with it mostly.

I think bunks would be a better option, and give more floor space for them to play. I think they recommend top bunk for age 6+, but there are "low bunk" solutions available until you feel DS1 is ready to cope with a high bunk ladder if he wakes in the night.

We had a mid-high bunk bed frame (cabin bed?) which had space under it for a den/drawer unit - but it could easily have been used as a bunk bed by putting a mattress under it on the floor (or on a wooden slat base), with enough headroom for a pre-schooler, but with a top bunk not too high for a 4 yearold. I think Ikea might do these?

We had a triple bunk bed for a while (3 children in one room) which was a single on top and a double on the bottom. The DSs were sharing the bottom up until we moved to our current flat, so were 11 and 9 at that point - it worked, it was getting to the point where we were going to have to start looking at other arrangements, but up until that point it was absolutely fine. An almost 4yo and an 18 mth old top and tailing in a double bed wouldn't even be touching, there's loads of room. I'd advise separate covers though

Having said all that though - if it's only until the eldest can cope in a top bunk (I'd say a year if that, and most of that time will be you worrying about him going up and down the ladder safely) then get ordinary bunkbeds and have them top and tail in the bottom one. A single bed would be large enough at that age.

we have a triple bunk, for our dds (4 and 5), it means they can share the double or dd1 can go on top and if one isn't sleeping well then dh or i can get in the double with one. it is nice for them to have the option of snuggling in together if they want, but having their own beds too.

I thought about it for my DTS as they like sleeping together but decided that they each had the right to their own space. They share a single bed when they choose to. I think bunk beds would be a good idea.

DS1 just turned 4 and his brother is 2.3 and they've been sharing since 6 months ago in a bunk bed. The getting up and down took a bit of getting used to as he was only 3.6 when he started sleeping on the top but for a monkey like him, surprisingly he has been very sane while on the top bunk. But they adapt so quickly to be honest. DS2 sleeps on the bottom with a bed guard and now clambers on and off himself no problem! :)

P.S. Double bed not a good idea IMO. DS1 is fairly good at staying in one spot when sleeping but DS2 is all over the bed and has ended up sleeping in the floor before... The times we have been away and they had to share a double has often ended up in tears and one of them in our bed...

We have bunk beds for our 2 boys. Only recently has ds1, now almost 6, gone up to the top bunk. Before that they slept in the bottom bunk together quite happily, ds 2 was almost 2 when that started.

Angel, your ds2 sounds like my ds4. Once he and two of his older brothers shared a queen-size bed in a hotel. Poor ds2 ended up curled up in a ball, while ds4 ended up splayed out over the whole bed.
On the other hand, I often shared a double with my sister and we both slept fine.