Do I need to get a special size duvet etc for a toddler bed? And would you use a 2nd hand mattress?

[ilikeyoursleeves]

I just won a toddler bed off ebay, we need to get a toddler one rather than a standard single due to teensyness of DS's room. So we need to get a new duvet and bedlinen (although not sure if I should just keep him in sleeping bags still), so wondering if it's fine to just use standard duvets or can you get special toddler bed size ones?

Also the mattress comes with the ebay deal, I'm not sure whether to use it or not though. It's been used by only one child and aparrantly always had a mattress protector on it. I think I'd rather get a new one but then again it would be £££ plus a PITA to find one the exact size! Would it be OK safety wise to use an old mattress? I know you are meant to get new ones for newborns but DS is 21 months old so does the same advice apply?

In hindsight I would have bought a single duvet rather than a toddler size one as the choice of covers is fairly limited and for some reason the toddler sized ones are invariably far more expensive. You can get fitted cot-bed/toddler bed sheets separately (I got 4 jersey ones from Ebay which were ver reasonable). With a single duvet, you can turn it sideways and there's plenty to tuck-in either side to stop your DC from falling out!

I'm not sure if I'd be too keen to use a 2nd hand matress from an unknown source but I guess if it comes with the bed, I'd wait to see what it was like before making a firm decision especially if it has been used with a protector. Some have washable covers. I got DD's bed online but bought the mattress from Mothercare. A toddler bed mattress is the same size as a cot-bed one (unless it is an Ikea bed I think which are a different size)

the good thing about toddler bed duvets (cotbed size) is that they go in the washing machine easily. I think kiddicare do quite a range of mattress sizes so it might be OK to find a new mattress of the correct size. Personally, I would get a new mattress. The bed may also have on it a sticker saying what size of mattress is needed.

we got duvet, sheets & covers from Mothercare & from Vertbaudet (usually quite cheap) for a toddler bed. But later on we used a normal single duvet and it was fine, although sometimes it did fall off as it was a bit too big.

I'd buy a new mattress tbh.

Safetywise no issue with mattress.

We use a normal sized single duvet, but we turn it sideways so that half of it is against the wall, bundled up on the floor. The downside of this approach is that you have to chose duvets which have a design whcih allows you to do this. For example plain/striped/spotty/random patterns are fine.

A full sized picture of bob the builder wouldn't be as he would end up the wrong way round with his head (or legs...depending on which part turns you on) shoved down the side of the bed...

Ikea also do some mattresses fairly cheap to fit thei beds - but worth checking.

i have single but folded in half and ds used to jump in the middle and fold top bit over him. folded and put sideways iyswim

Use a standard single duvet and tuck a bunch of it under the mattress at the foot of teh bed.
IN the same situation 18 months ago I used the mattress the 2nd hand toddler bed came with. It was clean and didn;t smell. I use a waterproof sheet over it under a cotton sheet.

We use a single duvet, but got a low tog one, so it's thin and easy to tuck under. Also helps with them not falling out!

If you were very keen on getting the small duvet, I found asda did them cheapest, but decided it was too much faff in the end. The fitted sheets aren't expensive at all tho.

We use a single duvet on our toddler bed.

I put the top of it where it should be and then tuck the rest under the bottom of the mattress. We have the bed against a wall, so wedge the overhang on that side between the bed and the wall. It works brilliantly and DD finds cotbed duvets small for her now - maybe because she's wriggly!. Also - because you can get them to work fine on a toddler bed, it saves having to buy yet another set of duvets when you move up to single bed size. We got a combination one which is a 4.5 tog plus a 9 tog that you can stick together to make a really thick one but also give you a spare incase of night time puking!

I think I might change the mattress.

I used a single duvet for ds and tucked the bottom of the duvet under the end of the mattress. The same for the sheets, I used single sheets and tucked the excess in at the bottom. They don't spend all that long in toddler beds so it seems a waste of effort and money to buy several sets of bedlinen that will be redundant quite quickly.

If you decide not to get a new mattress then you could always put a mattress protector over it and a mattress pad on top of that (or the other way around).

i bought a replacement mattress from a company called matress-makers on Ebay- they will make it to the exact size-not expensive either.

I got a special size duvet,from the White company.(Ikea do them but I wanted a down one).Mattress? well I don't think it would be dangerous or anything to use one that another child has slept on,but I see you might feel funny about it if you don't know the child.Maybe check it and if it is immaculate then keep it!

If the mattress is in otherwise good nick, then it should be fine or get a mattress protector. If it has a depression in it then get a new one as it won't be very supportive for dc's back.

Vertbaudet do reasonably priced and attractive toddlerbed bedding but, like most on this thread, we tuck a standard size duvet in - at the moment sidewise on which also keeps dd from falling out, and when she gets bigger we'll just tuck the end under.