Would you put a 14mo in a bed?

[LillyBugg]

We are about to move house. We have two DS's and the long term aim was to put them in bunk beds. DS1 is almost 4. DS2 is 14mo. Currently DS2 comes in my bed from his first wake up, maybe 10/11pm and the co sleeps be remainder of the night. DS1 is in toddler bed and sleeps all night. DH is on camp bed downstairs

I'm thinking of putting them straight into bunk beds. The Ikea Kura bed hack, so it's a very low bunk and the bottom bunk is basically on the floor. The thinking being we save space in their room immediately and DS2 isn't even really sleeping in his cot anyway. I could get in his bed if needed and DH can finally get back into a bed with me (when I'm not with DS2). Is this crazy? Has anyone else put such a little one into a proper bed?

Sounds ok I think. I know some mum friends put their children into cot beds from about 18 months so not a lot different. You could always use a bed guard if needed.
We are thinking of going to bunk beds with our 2 fairly early. Not sure when yet as youngest is only 6 months so not for a while.

Yes I have got a bed guard that could be used as a bit of a deterrent to climbing out and also stop him from falling. It would o my be about an 8 inch fall anyway. I'm glad my first reply wasn't telling me I'm completely bonkers.

I’ve used the Kura as a bunk bed. Falling out of the bottom isn’t a concern at all. Probably safer without bed guard as he’ll just be climbing over it.

I think a bigger worry would be that he’ll be trying to climb the ladder all the time. I have a 18month old ds3 and haven’t put him on the bottom yet for that reason.

DD1 was 18 months when she went in a proper bed. She had to give up the cot for DS1.
She fell out a few times initially, but never woke up. Eventually she must have subconsciously learned where the edge was.

I have a 14 month old and she throws herself around the cot all night she's in a different corner of the cot everytime I look at her. Personally I wouldn't as she'd definitely roll off the bed wake up and then get up to all sorts of trouble. I'd be worried about her hurting herself not from falling out the bed but from whatever she could get her hands on in the bedroom.

I'm saying this thinking of my boisterous daughter but you know your son and if you think he'd be ok then it could work.

I put my daughter into a proper bed at around 15 months. She loved it enough it made her start sleeping better.

My DD was in a bed from 11 months. She HATED the cot, absolutely hated it. Would scream if I even put her in it to play in the day!

My first was in a bed at 17 months (as soon as she was walking), but I think my only concern would be the room sharing and if it would be a nightmare to get them to bed together and keep them sleeping. My 2nd is younger still but no way I could put them together as they go to bed at different times and have different nighttime needs. But I think the bed is fine. No reason to try though and see if it works as long as your older one won’t wake with you in there.

My concern would also be whether the littlest would constantly be trying to climb to the top bunk, I know my nearly 2yo would. And how sensible is your oldest? I wouldn't put a not quite 4yo in a bunk unless they were fairly sensible

Hmm I'm not sure. I'm going back and forth.

First reaction - no - 14mos are still babies and a single bed is essentially an adult bed and isn't safe for them. There will usually be gaps between the bed and the wall where the baby can roll and get stuck, which is a suffocation hazard whereas a bigger child is big enough not to fall into the gap. Even a very sturdy bed can move around. That wouldn't happen to everyone so you will hear people say "I did it and it was fine" but it would bother me as a risk.

So - a mattress on the floor? This I would be OK with, especially if you can be sure that the mattress isn't getting damp and mouldy underneath - perhaps with a very low, futon type frame.

So in theory the Kura with the 1yo on the bottom where the mattress is basically lying on the floor is fine - but OTOH bunk beds can be pretty hazardous for toddlers. Even if it is the older sibling who is sleeping on top, and at 14m he won't be climbing the ladder, in a year or 18 months he probably will be - and that can cause an issue all of its own. Unfortunately there have been cases where young children had fatal accidents related to bunk beds. (If you go for it keep the ladder at the foot end of the lower bed).

However I do think that the Kura is one of the better ones for small children, it's not as high and doesn't have the barred sides which does help.

So... sorry that was utterly no help at all But perhaps gives a few angles to think about it from?

So many replies thank you!

Oldest is v sensible so not worried about that.

Good point about the guard creating a new fall risk. I might scrap that.

As for climbing the ladder. We were going to put a staircase with baby gate type hack at the bottom.

My concern is the climbing out and playing and not actually going to bed I think. They already share at bed time now and go to bed together no trouble so not worried about that.

It does actually say on the ikea website not to use the Kura on the high setting for children under 6 years old.

Yes helpful thank you Bertie!

Yes I can well believe it says that on the website. I can hand on heart say my oldest is so unadventurous a wimp there is no way he will have any issues sleeping at the top. As others have said it really is quite low. And the mattress at the bottom will just be resting on slats so will basically be on the floor.

I don't even think the ladder part will be showing for the little one to climb as we will use a trofast unit as a stair case to climb instead.

Oh I'm also particularly enjoying he replies that say sleep improved with the move to a bed!!! I'm willing to try anything these days. His sleep is shocking.

Hmm, I'm not convinced by the idea of a baby gate ladder thing - two points, would the elder be able to get down safely in the dark if they needed the loo or were ill?

If your youngest is more adventurous than the elder will a baby gate on a ladder really put them off or just make it more dangerous to climb?

I might look into the possibility of one of those sets of bunk beds which can be separated into two singles for now.

Or the other idea could be do the Kura in the low position for eldest for now and mattress on floor for youngest. Maybe even one of those fold up futon beds which becomes a chair if floor space is an issue - a hard/thin mattress won't bother a toddler. Then once eldest is older/you know how sensible the younger is, you can turn it over and convert it into a bunk bed type thing?

Sorry xposts :)

One of the issues with the ladder - sorry this is a bit grim - child on bottom bunk can roll and become trapped between the ladder and the mattress. So while blocking it off will help with limiting access, it's a separate danger to be aware of.

I've not looked at the instructions but don't know if he ladder is optional? Maybe we could just not attach it.

Re the older getting out. He literally does not get up. If he's ill he cries and calls. If he needs the toilet. Well, his pull up is wet every single morning. We have not cracked night dryness yet. But I do see your point as he gets older he will need to get down.

Oh and re the space if we decide against the kura they will just keep toddler bed and cot bed for now and my husband will have a more permanent set up in the third bedroom rather than the current camp bed he is using.

DD has been in a bed with a guard since she was 12 months. All fine. X